ZONED IN: Supporting Zoning Reform @ VAGHC 2023

Yonah Freemark is a senior research associate in the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center at the Urban Institute. He is the research director of the Land Use Lab at Urban. His research focuses on the intersection of land use, affordable housing, transportation, and governance. He has published peer-reviewed scholarship in numerous journals, including Urban Affairs Review, Politics & Society, Housing Policy Debate, and the Journal of the American Planning Association.

Previously, Freemark worked for Chicago’s Metropolitan Planning Council and has written for the New York Times, Next City, and CityLab, among other publications. He holds master’s degrees in city planning and in transportation, as well as a PhD in urban studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He lives along the U Street Corridor in Washington, DC, and is an appointed member of the ANC 2B Land Use Committee.

Lian “Li” Plass is a Senior Manager for the Urban Land Institute’s Urban Resilience program, which aims to equip members, communities, and the public across the United States with the necessary information to enhance the resilience of buildings, development, and cities in the face of climate change and other environmental threats.

In addition to her role at ULI, Li also serves as Vice Chair of the American Planning Association’s Technology Division and teaches Geographic Information Systems at Georgetown University. She brings with her a wealth of experience from her previous work as a Senior Planner in the private sector and Sustainability Administrator for the City of North Miami.

Li is passionate about applying technology to resolve difficult planning problems equitably, expeditiously, and cost-effectively. This includes leveraging new massive caches of publicly available data to learn more about communities, alongside finding creative ways to convey critical information about development projects and generate engagement in the planning process. Li holds a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Florida, and a Bachelors of Arts in Sustainable Development from Columbia University.

Kellie Brown is a Comprehensive Planning supervisor in the Arlington County Planning Division. She has over 15 years of experience as a planner in both the public and private sectors. Her current work focuses on long-range planning studies, small area plans, and zoning reform initiatives including the recent completion of the Arlington County’s Missing Middle Housing Study in March 2022. Kellie’s career has included positions with Arlington’s Comprehensive Planning Team, the County’s Neighborhoods Section, and consulting work for real estate and economic development clients. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University, and a Master of Community Planning degree from the University of Maryland.

Anastasia “Stacey” Mason is the Senior Vice President of Government & Regulatory Affairs at the Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association (HRRA). Her background includes more than 25 years of experience working in corporate communications, visual media, advertising, community social and economic development, education, community outreach, and client services. In addition, Stacey is a 20-year military veteran serving in the United States Army Reserves. 

Stacey’s many experiences have prepared her for the twists and turns of a career in Public Policy.  She has a Master of Arts in Law from Regent University and is a 2022 graduate of the Sorensen Institute Political Leaders Program, through the University of Virginia.

Stacey is a history buff and enjoys going to first-person lecture series on political issues, especially as they relate to the First Amendment of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Stacey also enjoys spending time with her husband and singing in her church choir ( in Latin).