Welcoming Three New Colleagues: Aubrey, Ivy, and Jacob
We've had a busy and exciting summer here at Strong Towns, and one big component of that is the addition of several new staff members to our team. Today, I'm pleased to introduce to you Aubrey Bryon (who is leading our membership strategy and writing for us), Ivy Vann (who will plan and organize a new series of regional gatherings), and Jacob Moses (who is taking on the role of community builder).
You'll be getting to know them a lot better over the coming months via emails, social media, written content, podcasts and in-person events, but for now, here's a quick introduction:
Aubrey - Membership Coordinator & Staff Writer
Aubrey Byron came to Strong Towns earlier this year as a freelance writer (see her articles here) and we're excited to have her continue her writing as well as working on membership strategy on a more permanent basis with us. Aubrey lives in St. Louis, Missouri. She began engaging with public space as a cyclist and spends much of her free time trying to inspire more people to be comfortable on bikes through the advocacy of a local nonprofit, The Monthly Cycle. She is also passionate about outdoor adventure and reading.
Aubrey says:
I'm excited to join the Strong Towns team and expand the conversation on how housing, public space, and other policies affect the neighborhoods we live in. I'm interested in Strong Towns because of the depth of the content and the engaged discussions on issues often overlooked.
She will also be helping bolster communication with members to keep these discussions going.
You can get in touch with Aubrey via email, Twitter or Slack.
Ivy in action at a community meeting
Ivy - Gathering Coordinator
Ivy Vann has been a Strong Towns member since 2015 and previously helped organize a Strong Towns event in her community in New Hampshire. She joins the Strong Towns team as its new Gathering Coordinator, where she'll be helping plan a series of regional Strong Towns gatherings. Ivy says:
I applied to work at Strong Towns because I have seen first-hand the power of connecting people to one another to work for the common good of communities. Gatherings where people learn useful things and meet other people committed to making change are a powerful tool for making things better.
Ivy is certified as a charrette planner by the National Charrette Institute; as an urban planner by the Congress for the New Urbanism; and as a Form-Based Code practitioner by the Form-Based Code Institute. She's committed to making better, healthier, more financially solvent places for everyone by paying attention to historic development patterns and the necessity for beauty in our everyday lives — a commitment which she shares through her own town planning firm, Ivy Vann Town Planning and Urban Design.
Jacob Moses
Jacob - Community Builder
Jacob Moses is a long-time Strong Towns reader who rose to the top during a competitive application process because of his warm, friendly nature, and on-the-ground community building experience. After graduating from the University of North Texas, he worked as a technical writer in Boulder, Colorado and, most recently, as a grocer in his neighborhood of Downtown Denton, Texas.
Jacob explains:
Strong Towns believes in neighborhoods. Not just as a place to dwell but as a village, where the day’s needs – grocery, recreation, etc. – can all be accomplished. As the former owner of a corner store in my neighborhood, I’ve witnessed the physical community that these neighborhoods can foster.
He's looking forward to helping develop a similar sense of community in the online realm through his new role as Community Builder. You can get in touch with Jacob via email, Twitter or Slack.
Please give a warm welcome to these wonderful new people joining the Strong Towns team!
(Top photo by Chris Lawton)