Emerging Planning Professionals (EPP) Committee
EPP Co-Chair and Committee Representative
Johnny Malpica, AICP
Johnny Malpica is a Planner I for the City of Colorado Springs Department of Planning and Development. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Planning, Public Policy and Geography, as well as a Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) from Rutgers University. Johnny has over six years of professional experience as a community-based educator and project coordinator. He is passionate about engaging diverse communities in creating inspiring, equitable, and sustainable places to live, work and play. Outside of working hours, you can find him hiking, mountain biking, and snowboarding.
EPP Co-Chair
Zach Noyes (he/him)
Zach is a Long Range Planner for the City of Thornton. Zach is particularly interested in the impact that branding and design has on sense-of-place, storytelling as a tool for diverse and meaningful public engagement, and the relationships between urban systems and mental/physical wellbeing. Serving as the co-chair for APA Colorado’s Emerging Planning Professionals Committee, he graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in City and Regional Planning from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
About Us
The Emerging Planning Professionals Committee of the American Planning Association-Colorado Chapter is a great resource for entry and mid-level planning professionals. Our goal is to connect emerging planning professionals to each other and to more experienced planners through networking and professional development opportunities that encourage outreach and service in the community. In doing so, we showcase the great work of Colorado’s emerging planners!
Emerging Planning Professionals (EPP), part of APA-Colorado, cultivates a vibrant community of entry- to mid-level planning professionals by offering and promoting opportunities for professional development, service, and meaningful, innovative contributions to an evolving, diverse profession.
You know you're an emerging planning professional if...
You've been in the field for 8 years or less (after that, you're technically eligible for senior-level positions, according to APA-National)You've recently graduated from a planning-related program and are looking to stay engaged with your state APA chapterYou want to build lasting relationships with like-minded professionals at similar stages in their careersYou live and work around the state and want to network with other emerging professionals you might now knowYou like continuous learning opportunities and want to expand your knowledge of the fieldYou're interested in peer-to-peer mentoring and/or mentorship opportunities with more experienced professionals, and/orYou're just plain curious about this mysterious group called EPP
Learn more about how we are reaching our four goals:
Kylie Brown
Ethan Shafer
Adam Paquette
Drew Foxx