Placement: Planning & Development Department, Director’s Office

What I Worked On: I am creating an extensive timeline document and graphic depicting the evolution of development regulation in Houston. While many believe that Houston is regulation-free due to its lack of zoning, we have a wide variety of regulatory tools that shape growth. The timeline will illustrate how the regulatory landscape has changed over the years and how it continues to adapt to meet new challenges. This information will provide an important context as decision-makers weigh the creation of new, or the amendment of existing, regulations. The timeline also will be used to train newly-elected officials, newly-confirmed appointed officials, staff and customers. It will provide a broad overview of Houston’s development regulation history while also allowing users to drill down into detailed documentation for advanced research and analysis. The timeline will reside permanently in the City’s General Plan.

Hometown: Duluth, GA

School: Rice University

Field of Study: History

Selected Honors: Hanszen-Rice Service Award, Hanszen College Outstanding Senior Award, Goliard Summer Travel Scholarship

Selected Activities and Community Involvement: Rice Honor Council; Rice tour guide coordinator; Senior interviewer of prospective students for the Admissions Office; Rice chess club, President; Argentina/Chile study abroad

Prior Work Experience: FOX News Channel intern, New York, NY; Emory University-Castle chess camp, Head Counselor, Atlanta, GA

Why Houston is important to me: As a native Atlantan, I had no connection to Houston before beginning my freshman year at Rice four years ago. However, while enjoying my college experience I also fell in love with all that the city of Houston has to offer. As an adopted Houstonian I am excited to be playing a role in the administration of such a vibrant and cosmopolitan city.

Something unique about me: I spent the summer before my City Hall Fellowship visiting “Harry Potter filming locations” in England—and had it paid for by a Rice scholarship!

What I’m Doing Now: I’m a Policy Advisor at the City of New York Department of Consumer Affairs.  Previously, I worked for former New York City Deputy Mayor Steven Goldsmith.