Stephanie is a regional environmental planner working with the Gateway Cities Council of Governments in her home of Southeast Los Angeles. Stephanie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She began her career and interest in sustainability and environmental planning in the central coast, completing a sustainability assessment of her local community. Upon graduation, she enrolled in the Local Government Commission’s CivicSpark Program where she served 11-months as a Climate Fellow for various municipalities in the southeast L.A. region, working to build capacity for energy projects and climate planning initiatives in disadvantaged communities. Her aspirations include planning for a sustainable nexus of urban land use & transportation and engaging in regional conservation planning for California’s most impacted wildlife and natural habitat areas. Stephanie is the youngest member of the Planning and Conservation League. She is continuing her work in the L.A. region, advancing capacity and resources for communities most in need and helping cities fill gaps in their environmental planning efforts.