4:00pm EDT
Placemaking as an Essential Practice: Building Thriving Communities
Wednesday April 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Speakers 
Director of Programs, Project for Public Spaces
Elena Madison is a vice president at PPS, an urban planner with rich experience in the planning and design of parks, plazas, campuses, civic and cultural spaces. A veteran of placemaking, Elena has a passion for working with people in communities to create the public spaces they love...
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8:00am EDT
8:00am EDT
9:00am EDT
Opening Plenary: Public Joy as Civic Infrastructure
Thursday April 23, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT
Speakers 
Executive Director, The Neighborhood Design Center
Jennifer Goold is Executive Director of the Neighborhood Design Center, where she leads cross-disciplinary teams advancing community-driven design, placemaking, and equitable development. Since 2012, she has guided NDC’s strategic growth, expanded its fee-for-service and technical...
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Filmmaker
Visual and audio storyteller based in Hyattsville, MD
JP
Founder, Jay Pitter Placemaking
10:15am EDT
10:30am EDT
Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park: Reconnecting History and Community Through Design
Thursday April 23, 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Moderators 
Principal, Design Collective
Brian leads the firm’s Landscape Architecture studio and offers over 25 years of experience in award-winning design for diverse project types. He serves as the design lead for all of Design Collective’s Landscape Architecture projects, overseeing all phases of design and our subconsultants...
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Deputy Director, Anne Arundel County Recreation & Parks
Principal, Design Collective
A Certified Planner and LEED design professional with a focus on
urban design, planning, and public outreach, Cecily Bedwell has over 30 years of professional experience. As Principal of the firm’s Urban Design Studio, she oversees and manages complex planning projects involvin...
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Crownsville Hospital Advocate & Retired Nurse, Crownsville
10:30am EDT
10:30am EDT
12:00pm EDT
12:30pm EDT
The Creative Connections Exchange
Thursday April 23, 2026 12:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
Speakers 
Director, Master of Arts in Social Design, Maryland Institute College of Art
Thomas Gardner is a designer and educator. His teaching and research explore design methodologies and tactical technologies, with a particular focus on pedagogy, fabrication, community engagement and emerging practices. He is the co-founder of HousingOperative, a design-build agency...
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Founder and Principal, Stone Strategies LLC
Principal, EnviroCollab
With 20+ years in the field of landscape architecture and placemaking, Heidi and her team at EnviroCollab - a women-owned landscape architecture, urban planning, and social design cooperative focused on projects centering social equity, environmental justice, and cultural sustainability...
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Assistant Program Officer, LISC DC
Maurcus serves as Assistant Program Officer with LISC DC, helping with regional expansion efforts related to Prince George’s County’s Blue Line Corridor and other community development initiatives.
Principal, Public Engagement Associates
Steve Brigham has been a leader in the public engagement field over the past twenty-five years, first as COO and then as President of AmericaSpeaks, and now as one of three principals at Public Engagement Associates. In that time, he has led or managed more than 200 public and stakeholder engagement projects in project design, public meeting...
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Assistant Director, Brentwood Arts Exchange
Sierra Smith is a Cultural Arts Strategist with experience advancing large-scale public art initiatives across the DMV. Her work centers public art as a tool for place-keeping, civic dialogue, and collective belonging, grounded in community engagement and responsible stewardship of...
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Director of Community Art and Service, Art with a Heart
As the Director of Community Art and Service at Art with a Heart I work with lots of volunteers and community members to co-create meaningful public art like a mural at John’s Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute.
AD
Artist, Independent Artist
CS
DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities
Public Artist & Architect, GriffinMade
MD
Executive Director, Gateway CDC
TW
Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland
Thursday April 23, 2026 12:30pm - 2:15pm
EDT
miXt Food Hall
3809 Rhode Island Ave, Brentwood, MD 20722, USA
2:15pm EDT
2:15pm EDT
Placemaking & Neighborhood Revitalization: Prince George's County Planning Resources Drop-In
Thursday April 23, 2026 2:15pm - 5:30pm EDT
Speakers EK
Placemaking Planner III, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking sEction
Planning Supervisor, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section
Adam has been supervisor of the Placemaking Section since May 2019. He has 30 years' experience as a planner, at first in England and now here in the US. Adam loves working with his team and the community to make the county a happier place.
SM
Placemaking Planner II, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section
DM
Placemaking Planner III, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section
RM
Placemaking Planner, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking sEction
2:45pm EDT
2:45pm EDT
Micro-Momentum: A Hands-On Toolkit for Launching Community-Led Projects with Limited Resources
Thursday April 23, 2026 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT
Moderators LC
Executive Director/Founder, Smalltimore Homes
Consultant, E.A.S.E. + Namberjo Consulting
Amber (she/her/hers) has over 14 years of professional experience working in the non-profit, finance, and real estate sectors, interwoven with over 20 years of experience organizing to advance equity, justice, empathy, and unity. Before founding Namberjo Consulting in 2023 and co-founding...
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2:45pm EDT
4:15pm EDT
Academic Practice in Placemaking
Thursday April 23, 2026 4:15pm - 5:30pm EDT
Speakers MJ
Graduate Student, The University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
AE
Graduate Student, The University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
GK
Graduate Student, The University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
NL
Graduate Student, The University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
NR
Graduate Student, The University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
KS
Graduate Student, The University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
CT
Graduate Student, The University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
MW
Graduate Student, The University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
BK
Professor, The University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
4:15pm EDT
4:15pm EDT
Rehearse the Future! Strategies in Creative Facilitation
Thursday April 23, 2026 4:15pm - 5:30pm EDT
Speakers 
Founder, Rehearsal for Life LLC
Brian Francoise is a civic arts practitioner, theatre artist, and facilitator working at the intersection of creative practice, community engagement, and social change.He is the founder of Rehearsal for Life LLC, a Baltimore-based consulting and facilitation practice that helps communities...
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Program Manager, The Neighborhood Design Center
Maura is an artist and community planner with a focus on placemaking. She recently completed her graduate degree in community and regional planning at the University of Maryland, where she researched community ownership and anti-displacement strategies with the Small Business Anti-Displacement...
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5:30pm EDT
5:30pm EDT
8:00am EDT
8:00am EDT
8:30am EDT
9:00am EDT
9:00am EDT
Rooted in Community: The Berlin Farmers Market as a Model for Rural Placemaking
Friday April 24, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Moderators 
DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, Town of Berlin Maryland
Ivy Wells is the Director of Economic and Community Development with the Town of Berlin with a passion for bringing people together, especially in downtown spaces.
She began her work in Sykesville, Maryland, where she launched the town’s Main Street program, added a full calendar of events, including the Sykesville Farmers Market. Building on that success, Ivy brought her expertise to Berlin, Maryland, where she She leads the Berlin Main Street...
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Owner, Little Green Witch Apothecary, The Little Green Witch Apothecary
Michaela is a Clinical Herbalist and the owner and operator of The Little Green Witch Apothecary. She formulates and blends magical herbal teas and hand-crafted herbal body care products for her community in Berlin, MD.
Michaela got her start as a member of The Berlin Farmers Mark...
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Director, Farmers Markets and Food Access, Maryland Department of Agriculture
Hi! I'm Sara and I'm passionate about local food access, farmers markets, community gardens and herbalism. I have two little ones at home and also love connecting about families and cultivating more outdoor spaces for people of all ages!
9:00am EDT
Water Shapes Place: Creative, Community-Led Resilience
Friday April 24, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Moderators LB
Vice President, Urban Resilience, ULI
Town Administrator, The Town of Edmonston
Rod Barnes, currently serves as the Town Administrator for Edmonston, Maryland. Edmonston is a small community of 1,545 residents in the Washington DC metro region. Rod holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Benedictine College in Business Administration. He has a Master of Public Administration...
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Mayor, The City of Mount Rainier
JS
Landscape Design Project Manager, The Neighborhood Design Center
10:45am EDT
10:45am EDT
Capturing the Story of Place: Video Strategies and Tools for Community Momentum
Friday April 24, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Speakers 
CEO, Make A Scene Media
Taylor Kampia (she/her) is an award-winning video strategist, producer, and advocate who helps nonprofits and mission-driven organizations communicate with clarity, heart, and impact. As founder and CEO of Make A Scene Media, she leads a production company that creates strategic...
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Chief Creative Officer, Make a Scene Media
Heather Hutt is the Co-Founder and Executive Producer of Make A Scene Media, where she leads impact-driven storytelling for affordable housing organizations and community builders. Collaborating with partners such as True Ground Housing Partners and St. Mary’s Communities, her work...
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10:45am EDT
Inclusive Placemaking for Health: Bridging Design, Government, and Community Wellness
Friday April 24, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Moderators 
Associate Principal | Planner + Landscape Architect, Hanbury Design
MacKenzie is a creative planner, community advocate, and urban designer with 13 years of experience on projects across the East Coast, ranging from two-block developments to 1,000-acre master plans. Her work spans master planning, transit-oriented development, mixed-use and real estate...
Read More →GG
Wellness and Advancement Program Specialist, Brookside Gardens
EK
Student, University of Maryland
12:15pm EDT
12:30pm EDT
Lunch
Friday April 24, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
1:30pm EDT
From Soil to Soul: Food as Placemaking, Power, and Possibility
Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Speakers 
Climate and Food Justice Fellow, The Capital Market
Kennedy Brooks is the Climate and Food Justice Fellow for The Capital Market, assisting with green community development strategies throughout Prince George's County.
Co-Founder, Director of Community-led Research & Futures, The Capital Market
Brittney Drakeford is a believer in FATE – the practice of combining faith, arts, andtechnology to energize communities to create equitable places for generations todayand tomorrow. She is a current PhD candidate in the Urban and Regional Planning and Design Program at the University...
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1:30pm EDT
1:30pm EDT
1:30pm EDT
The M-NCPPC Placemaking Container: Lessons from a Mobile Placemaking Resource (Part 1)
Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Speakers
Planning Supervisor, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section
Adam has been supervisor of the Placemaking Section since May 2019. He has 30 years' experience as a planner, at first in England and now here in the US. Adam loves working with his team and the community to make the county a happier place.
EK
Placemaking Planner III, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking sEction
SM
Placemaking Planner II, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section
DM
Placemaking Planner III, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section
RM
Placemaking Planner, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking sEction
1:30pm EDT
2:45pm EDT
Rooted in Place: Forest Bathing + Community Science at the Mount Rainier Nature Center
Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Speakers 
Co-Founder & Certified Forest Therapy Guide, Capital Nature
Ana is passionate about connecting people to nature through forest bathing, naturalist, and citizen science programs. She has been a forest bathing guide since 2020 through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs and is devoted to sharing the practice, needed...
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Facility Director, Mount Rainier Nature Center/MNCPPC
Serenella Linares is the Facility Director at Mount Rainier Nature Center, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Co-founder of the Naturally Latinos Conference and Programs Chair of the Board of the Mycological Association of Washington DC. As former Director of...
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2:45pm EDT
2:45pm EDT
2:45pm EDT
The M-NCPPC Placemaking Container: Lessons from a Mobile Placemaking Resource (Part 2)
Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Speakers
Planning Supervisor, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section
Adam has been supervisor of the Placemaking Section since May 2019. He has 30 years' experience as a planner, at first in England and now here in the US. Adam loves working with his team and the community to make the county a happier place.
EK
Placemaking Planner III, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking sEction
SM
Placemaking Planner II, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section
DM
Placemaking Planner III, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section
RM
Placemaking Planner, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking sEction
2:45pm EDT
4:00pm EDT
Assessing Needs and Mapping Power: Bridging the Gap Between Ideas and Implementation
Friday April 24, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Speakers KJ
The Neighborhood Design Center, Community Engagement Coordinator
Kamaiya is an architectural and multidisciplinary designer originally from Prince George’s county, Maryland. She recently returned home after receiving her Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Michigan. Before that they received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree...
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4:00pm EDT
4:00pm EDT
5:00pm EDT
7:00pm EDT
