Perspectives on Planning: Speaker Page

This virtual webinar features insights into the Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region by Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, an overview of bike/ped plans by Active Transportation Alliance, and a moderated panel on the challenges and successes of municipal bike/ped planning. This event features: 

Nathan Bruemmer (panelist)
Planner, Village of Niles
Nathan is a planner with a primary focus in land use planning and a passion for pedestrian-friendly design. He has served as a Planner for the Village of Niles since 2019. Prior to that, he interned for the Village of Schiller Park and the Chicago Loop Alliance. Nathan holds a Masters in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois – Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Loyola University Chicago.

Kevin Burns (keynote speaker)
Mayor, City of Geneva
Chairman, Environment Committee & Energy Subcommittee, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus
Kevin Burns has served in elected office in his hometown of Geneva, Illinois for more than 24 years – as a Trustee of the Library Board, Alderman 1st Ward and as Geneva’s Mayor since 2001. Burns is currently in his sixth consecutive term as Mayor making him Geneva’s longest serving Mayor.

Burns also serves on regional organizations such as the Kane County Storm Water Management Committee, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Economic Development Committee, Chairman of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Environment Committee & Energy Subcommittee and President of the Metro West Council of Government. In the private sector, Burns has served in executive leadership positions in the not-for-profit industry with leading national health agencies, amateur athletics, higher education, human services and public advocacy organizations.

Maggie Czerwinski (presenter)
Advocacy Manager, Active Transportation Alliance
Maggie Czerwinski is an Advocacy Manager at the Active Transportation Alliance and has been working in the transportation field for more than decade. She works with advocates, decision makers, and municipal staff to improve walking, biking, and transit options throughout the Chicagoland region. She organizes webinars, networking events, and advocacy training to help individuals and grassroot leaders understand key pedestrian and bicycle policy concepts and build strong, effective advocacy campaigns. Through technical assistance and support, she also works with communities to help staff implement their Complete Streets policies and Active Transportation Plans and build their capacity to better access state and federal funding.

Regan Stockstell (panelist)
Village Manager, Village of Richton Park
Regan is a native Chicagoan growing up on Chicago’s Southside in the Englewood neighborhood. He attended Mount Carmel High School and is a graduate of Iowa State University where he studied Political Science and Community and Regional Planning.  Regan has been employed with the Village of Richton Park for 23 years, starting as a planning intern in 1998.  He was hired as a full-time planner that same year and served in that position until 2000 where he was then promoted to the position of Community Development Director. Regan served as Director for 16 years up until his appointment to Village Manager in 2016 where he continues to serve in that capacity.

Audrey Wennink (moderator)
Director of Transportation, Metropolitan Planning Council
Audrey directs MPC’s transportation efforts and coordinates transportation initiatives with other facets of planning including affordable housing, land use, equity and the environment. She leads transportation research and advocacy efforts including pursuing sustainable funding for transportation in Illinois, integration of performance-based planning methods into transportation practice, and developing efforts to boost transportation equity. Under her leadership, MPC developed the Toward Universal Mobility report defining needed improvements to the region’s transportation system to benefit people with disabilities and seniors.   The Where the Sidewalk Ends report documents the state of municipal ADA transition planning in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.   Her work on transportation equity includes contributing to research on understanding mobility barriers for marginalized communities, studying how equity is used as a project prioritization criterion by metropolitan planning organizations, and development of a toolkit for employers to support transportation needs of workers in disconnected communities.   The Transit Means Business report she spearheaded highlights the need for transit investment to support jobs in the region.  She also leads the MPC Transportation Advisory Committee, comprised of regional business and public policy leaders.