As Philadelphians, our lives are affected every day by Urban Planning in both obvious and subtle ways. Join Young Involved Philadelphia and our amazing panelist as we discuss the future of the city and how we can all get more involved in determining the future of our blocks, neighborhoods, and skyline.
Register here for our “Philly Teaching Philly: How Urban Planning Effects You” on Thursday, April 7. Our panelists include: Julie Hancher, Camille Boggan and Eric Solomon.
Camille Boggan is a passionate advocate for accessible cities, public spaces, and transportation infrastructure. She is on the leadership team for Philadelphia’s urbanist PAC, 5th Square, and has worked for the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (oTIS), SEPTA, and the Reinvestment Fund. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s city planning program, where she was honored as as a 2020 Outstanding Student of the Year by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Julie Hancher is Co-Founder & Editor of Green Philly, a local media company that makes sustainable living easy, accessible and affordable to the region through its website, events and podcast.In 2016, Hancher created SustainPHL, Philadelphia’s annual sustainability awards and celebrations. Green Philly launched the City Rising podcast in Fall 2018, available on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Julie is a frequent speaker and sustainability expert and has appeared on WHYY Radio Times, Philly Weekly, Travel & Leisure and more. During her tenure at Green Philly, her initiatives have resulted in plastic bag legislation, connected readers to careers, and increased the security of the Schuylkill River Trail. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University and completed a Climate Change Science, Communication and Action certificate from Cornell University. When she’s not behind a computer, you can find Julie hiking, biking, creating art and recipes, or traveling.
Eric Solomon is currently a Senior Product Officer at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. At the NJEDA, Eric helps manage the development and implementation of the Authority's grant, loan, and incentive products for New Jersey small businesses, non-profits, and local governments. Prior to this role, Eric helped the NJEDA develop sector-based programs and strategies to promote innovation within several of New Jersey's high-growth industrial sectors. He also has a background in operations consulting and public sector program management in both Philadelphia and New Jersey. Eric completed his undergraduate studies in Political Science from Rutgers University, and received a Masters in Regional and Urban Planning from the London School of Economics. In his free time, he likes to explore new cities with his wife, play with his new puppy, and watch sports (Go Sixers!).