MVPC welcomes both Elizabeth Maldari and Jonah Williams to the Transportation program as Regional Mobility Planners, with specific focuses on the technical and outreach elements of transportation planning. These two hires round out the MVPC team and bring to close a string of hires over the course of the last two years geared toward widening expertise and capacity at the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission.
Elizabeth serves as our Regional Mobility Planner and Engagement Specialist in the Transportation Program. She works in collaboration with municipalities in the Merrimack Valley to create a plan for zero traffic-related deaths and injuries, also known as a Vision Zero Plan. Elizabeth previously lived in Los Angeles without a car and embraced multi-modal transportation in a car-centric city. This lived experience instilled a commitment to maintaining a high level of stakeholder participation and partnership in all transportation planning activities.
In 2022, Elizabeth graduated with a master’s degree in Eco-Social Design from the Free University of Bolzano in Italy. As part of her thesis, Elizabeth worked with the Town of Andover’s Commission on Disabilities and Planning and Land Use Division to research and write a Master Plan for Access and ADA Compliance along the Shawsheen River. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys making her own clothes and finding new ways to get around.
As our Regional Mobility Planner with a technical focus, Jonah supports MVPC’s transportation planning efforts by providing programmatic support through GIS mapping and data analysis and focuses on improving transportation options throughout the region.
Prior to joining MVPC, Jonah completed a Master of Urban Planning and Policy degree at Northeastern University and worked in the MBTA and MassDOT’s Office of Performance Management and Innovation as a Spatial Analysis Assistant where he learned valuable skills in GIS and data analytics that position him to be the technical lead for our Transportation program. Before that, he graduated with a degree in Urban Studies from Vassar College and worked for an education nonprofit called Playworks, promoting physical activity and social-emotional learning in Boston Public Schools. Jonah is passionate about creating healthy communities and promoting sustainable modes of transportation. Outside of work, Jonah loves spending time outside and enjoys running, riding his bike, and hiking.
MVPC is delighted to have both of these wonderful additions to our staff and we are thrilled to see the value added in the work that they help us provide to the region and our communities. For more information about the transportation initiatives that Jonah and Elizabeth will be working on, check out our program page.