Clarion Associates | Who We Are - Clarion Associates, LLC

Tina Axelrad, Esq.

Senior Principal

Tina is a Senior Principal in the Denver Office. A seasoned professional with 35 years of experience in city planning and land use law, Tina has held key leadership positions in both the public and private sectors. Her expertise spans zoning administration, city planning and implementation, real estate development, and team management, with a focus on continuous innovation and process improvements. She has a proven history of managing complex teams, overseeing significant projects, and conducting professional seminars on land use regulations. Contact Tina at taxelrad@clarionassociates.com

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: I try to walk and bike as much as possible, rather than driving in a car by myself. So, bike/walk for fun, to work, and shop.
Preferred mode of transportation: E-bike if it will get me where I need to go.
Favorite city: Istanbul – the city where my mother grew up, and where I can meander for hours and always find great architecture, culture, and food around the next corner.

Jenny Baker, AICP

Associate Principal

Writing clear, accessible zoning codes that don't require decoder rings to understand

Jenny is a Senior Associate in Clarion’s Denver office who believes that zoning can make communities better in many ways, including preserving open space, making housing more affordable, and enabling interesting streetscapes equally shared by many users. These and other community goals are always better accomplished when supported by development regulations that are clear, concise, and comprehensible to everyone. Before joining Clarion, Jenny worked applying zoning regulations as a planner in Missoula, Montana, and prior to that she worked on Chicago’s participatory budgeting initiative. She has a wide range of interests in the planning field, from historic preservation to water issues in the West. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Contact Jenny at jbaker@clarionassociates.com.

Dessert: Homemade butterscotch. So good, it could even make lettuce edible.
Preferred mode of transportation: My bike, especially when I don't have to get to any particular destination.
Favorite city: It's hard to choose just one, but being on the lagoon while the sun sets in Venice is tough to beat.
How to know you're a Planning Nerd: I not only know what Sanborn maps are, but classify hours spent browsing them as a "fun" activity.

Stephen Burke

Business Manager

As Clarion’s Business Manager, Stephen puts the 'organize' in our organization. With 15 years of business management experience and as a previous business owner, Stephen handles all the nitty-gritty behind the scenes that keeps Clarion moving forward in an orderly and efficient manner. Contact Stephen at sburke@clarionassociates.com.

Preferred mode of transportation: Trying to keep up with my twin boys on their bikes as we explore new parts of Denver.
Weekend activity: Buying a day bus / train pass and randomly getting off and exploring with the family. Not trying to get lost but hoping we do.

Kayla DiChristina, AICP, CZO

Senior Associate

Kayla is a Senior Associate in Clarion's Chapel Hill office. Prior to joining Clarion, she spent many years in the public sector at the municipal, county, and regional levels building a strong foundation in fundamental legal principles of planning, code drafting, and ordinance implementation. Kayla brings with her a practical approach to planning that seeks real-world, implementable solutions that are contextual to each community she serves. She believes that land use regulation can be a tool for community empowerment and long-term success when used effectively. Kayla holds a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning from Florida Atlantic University and a Master of City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and a Certified Zoning Official in the state of North Carolina. Contact Kayla at kdichristina@clarionassociates.com.

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: Climate change is front and center in the world of planning and individual choices can have great impacts on a cumulative scale. As a result, I have been a vegetarian for over ten years. My household has also transitioned to reduced meat consumption and we are dedicated to reducing waste by composting and learning how to fix appliances rather than discarding them.
Preferred mode of transportation: Bus or subway (specifically, the metros in Washington, DC, or Barcelona, Spain)
Favorite city: Baltimore, Maryland. A city with more to offer than at first glance and that taught me how impactful grassroots organizations can be on an individual scale.
How to know you're a Planning Nerd: Playing city planning videogames in my off hours. City Skylines anybody?
Weekend Activity: Gardening, kayaking, or getting lost in the woods with my film camera.

Christopher J. Duerksen

Senior Counsel

Christopher J. Duerksen was the founder of Clarion’s Denver office. Currently Senior Advisor, he provides strategic support to all aspects of the firm's nationwide practice. He specializes in development codes and other land development regulations, growth management plans and studies, historic preservation plans and regulations, natural resource and scenic area protection strategies, and airport-area development. His numerous projects have included codes and plans for a variety of large and small jurisdictions around the country. Most recently, he has focused on sustainable development codes that address issues such as alternative energy and community health. A co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute, Chris has written and spoken extensively on land use issues in Colorado and nationally. He has authored many books and articles, including Takings Law in Plain English, Nature-Friendly Communities, and Aesthetics, Community Character, and the Law. Chris currently writes for outdoor magazines and on his blog, hooknfly.com. cduerksen@clarionassociates.com

Donald L. Elliott, FAICP

Senior Consultant

High Energy Urban Planner, Lawyer, and Solver of Complex Governance Challenges

Don is a Senior Consultant with Clarion Associates, LLC, based in the Denver office, and has been a member of the firm since 1995. He has assisted over 80 U.S. communities to update zoning and development regulations, with a particular focus on fair and affordable housing strategies. Key projects have included first-in-a-generation zoning code rewrites for Philadelphia, Indianapolis, and Albuquerque. Don has also advised governments in Russia, Mongolia, and India on land use issues and served as the Democracy and Governance Advisor to the United States Agency for International Development in Uganda for two years. He has managed planning and zoning projects that have been state level award recipients from the American Planning Association in Colorado, Arizona, Indiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Virginia He is the author of An Even Better Way to Zone (Island Press 2025), A Better Way to Zone (Island Press 2008), co-author of The Rules that Shape Urban Form (APA 2012) and The Citizen’s Guide to Planning (APA 2009) and served as the editor of Colorado Land Planning and Development Law for 30 years. Don teaches a graduate-level course on Land Use Regulation at the University of Colorado at Denver School of Architecture and Planning and is a former member of the Denver Planning Board. He has a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and Policy Analysis from Yale University, a law degree from Harvard Law School, and a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Contact Don at delliott@clarionassociates.com.

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: I walk to work! It keeps one more car off the street, keeps me healthy, and gives me time to think about long-term solutions to complex problems. Over the years, I’ve also picked up and recycled over 7,000 cans and bottles along the way.
Recent read: Building the Black City, by Joe Trotter: The largely overlooked history of how Black neighborhoods and political and social capital developed within and as an integral part of the growth of major U.S. cities, and how that evolution varied in different regions of the country.
Favorite city for a longer visit: Beth and I loved the month we spent working remotely from Rio de Janeiro. What a visually dramatic setting and what diverse people and neighborhoods. Despite repeated warnings, we found it no less safe than other large cities.
Weekend Activity: Hiking the mountains and walking and riding the neighborhoods, which is always an education about the type of city you really live in.

Hear more from Don:

An Even Better Way to Zone
Zoning Practice: Using Faith-Based Land for Affordable Housing Using Faith-Based Land for Affordable Housing
Utah Land Institute: Prospects for Planning in a Changing World 4. Prospects for Planning - YouTube

Elizabeth Garvin, AICP, Esq.

Director

Elizabeth is a Director in Clarion's Denver office and is both an attorney and a planner, practiced in both disciplines. She has prepared both traditional and FBC/hybrid code update projects for cities, towns, and counties across Colorado and the country; drafted topic-speciﬁc code provisions covering issues such as ADUs, sustainability, and signs; served as an expert witness on land use issues; and organized and undertaken numerous code-related public participation processes. Before working with Clarion, Elizabeth founded Community ReCode, was the Planning Director for SAFEbuilt Studio, and practiced law with Spencer Fane. Ms. Garvin is a frequent speaker and author on planning and regulatory topics, including serving as an advisory board member for the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute and RMLUI’s legal columnist to the Western Planner. Recently, Elizabeth co-authored the April 2018 APA Zoning Practice article entitled Living with Form-Based Codes and presented on the same topic at the 2018 APA National Conference in New Orleans. She was a co-presenter at the Bettman Symposium on Equity and Zoning at the 2019 APA National Conference. Contact Elizabeth at egarvin@clarionassociates.com

Bettina Graves-Muto, M.A.T.

Office Assistant

Born and raised in Venezuela, Bettina completed her college and graduate school here in the United States and then settled in Massachusetts with her family. She spent the past 32 years teaching the language, culture, and history of the Spanish speaking world and leading as department chair in both boarding and day schools in Massachusetts. In July of 2021, she retired from teaching and along with her husband, they moved to North Carolina to be closer to their children. Bettina joined Clarion Associates in July of 2022 to learn and to work with professionals in the field of community planning. She works to provide administrative support to the members of the Clarion team. Contact Bettina at bgravesmuto@clarionassociates.com

Dessert: Quesillo Venezolano
Favorite Cities to Visit: Orvieto & San Gimignano, Italy
Weekend Activities: Spending time with family, long walks, sampling and cooking world cuisine, and taking day excursions by car.
Dream Vacation Locations: Anywhere in Tuscany, Italy and Asheville, NC

Geoff Green, AICP

Principal

Developing plans and codes that help communities become more sustainable, accessible, and equitable

Geoff is a Principal in Clarion’s Chapel Hill office. For his entire planning career, Geoff has focused on helping communities create more sustainable communities by combining judicious public investment with comprehensive land-use planning processes and well-crafted regulations. Previously, Geoff worked as a senior planner for a regional transit agency in a variety of roles all of which were focused on making sure that investments in transit service were backed up by supportive land-use planning. Since joining Clarion, Geoff has helped draft development regulations for communities up and down the east coast from Florida north to Virginia, as well as Colorado, and has worked on a variety of comprehensive plans and impact fee projects throughout the country. Geoff has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Duke University, a law degree from New York University School of Law, and a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Contact Geoff at ggreen@clarionassociates.com.

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: So many communities are designed in a way that driving a car is the only reasonable way to get anywhere, a setup that has significant climate change and public health consequences. Therefore, my wife and I chose to live in a small house in a walkable neighborhood close enough to employment areas that we can access our jobs by bike or transit (or even by walking if we’re feeling really ambitious).
Preferred mode of transportation: Electric Bike
How to know you're a Planning Nerd: Authentic strip map from a scrapped MBTA (Boston) trolley hanging on my wall next to a London Underground replica sign that says “Way Out”

Emily Gvino, AICP, MPH

Senior Associate

Passionate about more livable, inclusive, and resilient communities. Emily is a Senior Associate in Clarion’s Chapel Hill office. She is passionate about helping communities plan for a resilient and sustainable future and engage the community in thoughtful and equitable ways. Emily brings an interdisciplinary approach to Clarion's team, specializing in the environmental/climate, resilience, and health aspects of planning. In addition to her experience speaking on national and international platforms, Emily has established a strong foundation in equitable engagement and policy writing across public and private sector roles. Emily holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, and a Master of Public Health and a Master of City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Contact Emily at egvino@clarionassociates.com.

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: Planning is at the nexus of issues surrounding climate change and public health. I try to live in communities that 1) promote livability and walkability and 2) support climate-conscious investments and decisions as much as possible.
Recent read: All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine Keeble Wilkinson
Favorite city to visit: Edinburgh! There’s something magical about the labyrinthine cobblestone streets. It’s even more special once you learn about the influence of town planner Patrick Geddes.
Weekend Activity: Hiking with my dog, Korra, or reading a good book in a local coffee shop

Hear more from Emily:

Gabby Hart, AICP

Principal

Drafting efficient regulations for effective planning and equitable outcomes

“Leave things better than you found them.” This is not only Gabby’s general approach to planning, but her mentality toward her individual work as well. Prior to joining Clarion, Gabby worked in the public sector on a wide variety of projects including long-range plan updates for the City of Centennial, development application review, development review process improvements, and drafting development code updates for the City of Boulder. She is passionate about using her wide range of planning skills to benefit the communities she works within and is always eager to learn more. Gabby enjoys speaking at local and national conferences where she embraces the opportunity to combine her sense of humor with her planning knowledge. Her detail-oriented and collaborative working style makes her a reliable and productive member of any project team. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Creighton University, a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems from the University of Denver, and a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado Denver. Contact Gabby at ghart@clarionassociates.com.

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: Finding the Colorado outdoor destinations less traveled and embracing Leave No Trace principles.
TV binge recommendation: Schitt's Creek or The Great British Baking Show
Favorite city to visit: Seattle - specifically the Ballard/Fremont neighborhoods.
How to know you're a Planning Nerd: I regularly check the zoning when I come across an interesting place/development both locally and when traveling. Anything from building height limitations to signage requirements, I have to know how it came to be.

Leigh Anne King, AICP, LEED AP

Director

Community Planning & Public Engagement Strategist | Planner | Facilitator | Project Manager

Leigh Anne is a Director with Clarion Associates in the Chapel Hill office. Working with the firm since 2005, she leads the east coast planning practice that assists communities to prepare more sustainable and equitable comprehensive community plans. She has also worked with clients to develop affordable and workforce housing strategies and to develop strategic plans that link community plans to implementation processes. She was the lead author of seven award-winning plans in the Carolinas. She speaks regularly at national and state-level conferences on the topics of comprehensive and strategic planning, affordable workforce housing, and other planning topics. She serves as a co-chair for the APA-NC’s Affordable Housing Task Force. Before joining Clarion, Leigh Anne worked for a national land conservation nonprofit. She holds a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Contact Leigh Anne at laking@clarionassociates.com.

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: More walking and biking! To my son’s school, to the grocery, to restaurants, to the doctor, to a park, and to see friends!
Favorite city to visit: Barcelona
Weekend activity: Hiking, biking, and boating with family -- and reading a good novel!

Hear more from Leigh Anne King:

Craig Richardson, Esq.

Senior Consultant

Craig Richardson established Clarion’s Chapel Hill office in 2001. He is currently a Senior Advisor with the firm. A planner and attorney, he works principally in the areas of zoning, regional and local growth strategies, incorporating resilient and green building practices in development codes, infrastructure finance, and affordable housing mitigation. In his over 35-year career, he has successfully led numerous state-level and national award-winning development code updates for dozens of large and small cities and counties around the country; and designed and drafted over 100 impact fee regulations. Recent adopted code updates which he lead include those in Norfolk VA; Prince Georges County MD; Tuscaloosa AL; and Maitland Fl. Currently he is serving key roles in the update of the Tampa, FL and Charleston, SC codes, the rethink and regulatory reform effort for the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, and the Zoning Ordinance update project in State College, PA. crichardson@clarionassociates.com

Christian Neuschmidt, AICP

Associate

Committed to giving people tools, time, and reasons to enjoy and give back to their communities through innovative policy design

Christian Neuschmidt is an Associate in Clarion's Chapel Hill Office. He joined Clarion in 2023 after completing his master’s in urban planning (MUP) program at Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), with a focus in Housing, Community, and Economic Development. While at Harvard, Christian co-founded the GSD's rural advocacy organization and specialized in small-town and indigenous planning, as well as participatory spatial and process design. Christian hopes to use his experiences to shape strong, citizen-focused communities that inspire generosity, neighborliness, and joy. Contact Christian at cschmidt@clarionassociates.com.

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: Planning has completely changed the way I travel. Rather than going to places to see things, I go to meet people, ask them about themselves, listen to their stories, and hopefully come home with better understanding of how I can be a better citizen in my own community.
Dessert: New York-Style cheesecake, with a raspberry.
Preferred mode of transportation: Really can’t beat the ferry experience—it’s a boat!
Weekend Activity: Visiting small towns’ local libraries, chatting with the librarians about local issues, and then settling in for a cozy read.

Hear more from Christian:

Jasmine Davidson, MCRP

Associate

Using planning & zoning tools to work towards vibrant, equitable, and climate-resilient communities

Jasmine Davidson first joined Clarion in 2023 as a Planning Intern, becoming a full-time Associate in 2024 after earning her Master of City and Regional Planning at UNC-Chapel Hill. She is passionate about equitably preparing communities for the effects of climate change, earning a Certificate in Natural Hazards Resilience and completing a master’s project focused on climate adaptation planning in Milwaukee, WI and Denver, CO. Before Clarion, Jasmine sharpened her data analysis skills at the National Bureau of Economic Research and at Metro Transit in Minneapolis, MN. She now uses these skills to provide clients with the best possible information to guide their planning efforts. Contact Jasmine at jdavidson@clarionassociates.com.

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: Seeing how climate change disproportionately impacts marginalized communities reaffirms my vegetarian dietary choices – though climate change won’t be solved by individual actions, it still helps!
Recent read: How to Kill a City: Gentrification, Inequality, and the Fight for the Neighborhood by Peter Moskowitz
Preferred mode of transportation: My own two feet!
Weekend activity: Taking my cat Pepper on ‘walks’ (we never get far from home, but it’s very cute!)

Hear more from Jasmine:

Maggie Squyer, MURP

Senior Associate

Curious urbanist who wants to know: What do you like about your neighborhood?

Maggie is an Associate in Clarion's Denver office who is passionate about neighborhood-level planning and design. Her time spent reviewing development plans, processing entitlements, and responding to land use inquiries solidified her belief that zoning is an extremely powerful- and largely misunderstood- tool that can be leveraged to improve the look and feel of the built environment. Maggie believes that everyone deserves access to safe housing, nutritious food, and well-maintained outdoor spaces. Contact Maggie at: msquyer@clarionassociates.com

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: I try to avoid driving short distances as much as possible, so whenever I’m hunting for a new apartment, I prioritize living in a neighborhood near where I work (and preferably within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and a bus stop).

Dessert: If there’s ice cream involved, I’m eating it.
Recent read: How the Other Half Eats by Priya Fielding-Singh
Preferred mode of transportation: My feet! I love a walk.
TV Binge Recommendation: Only Murders in the Building

Jazmine Pritchett, MEM, MCRP

GIS Associate

Jazmine Pritchett is the GIS Coordinator and an Associate at Clarion's Chapel Hill office. She holds a bachelor's degree in Geography and Environmental Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and dual master's degrees in Environmental Management from Duke University and in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Jazmine is passionate about leveraging data and spatial analysis to better understand how climate change and hazard risks impact communities, particularly in the context of public health and resilience, to inform and support effective planning efforts. Contact Jazmine at: jpritchett@clarionassociates.com

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: Knowing how climate risks and urban design impact health and equity, a big priority to where I live is in a place with tree cover, and the ability to walk to most daily needs.
Dessert: Froyo
Preferred mode of transportation: Walking! But when I can ride them, trains are so fun!
TV binge recommendations: Criminal Minds (both original and Evolution) and political dramas like Scandal and Madam Secretary.

Roger Waldon, FAICP

Senior Consultant

Roger is a Senior Consultant based in the North Carolina office. His work emphasizes neighborhood conservation and growth management, including land use plans and special area plans, design guidelines, transportation planning, annexation, capital improvements, housing and community development initiatives, and evaluation of development applications. Prior to joining Clarion, he served as Planning Director for the Town of Chapel Hill for 21 years, directing the Town’s comprehensive planning and growth management functions. He has also served as an elected official on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education. Roger is a frequent speaker at national planning conferences and has lectured on planning topics at Universities in Massachusetts and North Carolina. His writing includes articles on planning processes and neighborhood conservation, and a book published by the American Planning Association, Planners and Politics. He is a contributor to the 2009 edition of ICMA’s “Green Book,” Local Planning: Contemporary Principles and Practice. He has been recognized as a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners. rwaldon@clarionassociates.com

Holly White

Design Lead

Elevating the creative aspects of your project | Branding | Graphic Design | Marketing

Great design is about generating creative solutions to meet a goal, and Holly is always up for a design challenge. Holly’s flexible, optimistic attitude combined with a background in Urban Design, Graphic Design, and 3D modeling, makes her the ideal teammate to help bring a project to life. As with all of Clarion’s work, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to creating effective branding, websites, or supporting illustrations. As the Design Lead in the Denver office, she works directly with clients to capture their vision and believes that the best kind of design is collaborative. Holly is enthusiastic about creating materials that inspire people to get involved in their community. Holly has taught Fine Arts and Digital Design classes at the Middle School, High School, and corporate levels. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Design from The University of Colorado, Boulder. Contact Holly at hwhite@clarionassociates.com.

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: Prioritizing my spending to local businesses as much as humanly possible.
Dessert: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Preferred mode of transportation: Public, with headphones or a good book
How to know you're a Planning Nerd: My large collection of maps

See some of Holly's Work:

Brian Williams

Marketing and Design Specialist

In 2023, Brian received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Minor in Marketing from Old Dominion University. With a multi-styled design background, he believes good design succeeds through collaborative conversation in order to solve any problem. He trusts in the impression graphic design has and how much it contributes to the developing world around us. Contact Brian at: bwilliams@clarionassociates.com

How has your understanding of critical planning issues affected one of your lifestyle choices?: I enjoy taking a more in-depth look when casually walking around, appreciating how design interacts with any given surrounding environment. Whether the work is posters, billboards/ads, stop signs, structures, logos, branding, or informational works, the environment should always be considered.
Dessert: Classic cheesecake!
Weekend Activity: Working on personal art and design projects, watching cheesy horror films, playing music (guitar and bass), skateboarding, and taking the time to go explore outside of the house!
Dream Vacation Location: I would love the opportunity to visit Iceland.

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CLARION ASSOCIATES, LLC

OUR TEAM

Tina Axelrad, Esq.

Jenny Baker, AICP

Stephen Burke

Kayla DiChristina, AICP, CZO

Christopher J. Duerksen

Donald L. Elliott, FAICP

Elizabeth Garvin, AICP, Esq.

Bettina Graves-Muto, M.A.T.

Geoff Green, AICP

Emily Gvino, AICP, MPH

Gabby Hart, AICP

Leigh Anne King, AICP, LEED AP

Craig Richardson, Esq.

Christian Neuschmidt, AICP

Jasmine Davidson, MCRP

Maggie Squyer, MURP

Jazmine Pritchett, MEM, MCRP

Roger Waldon, FAICP

Holly White

Brian Williams