MEMORANDUM To: The Honorable Pat Dowell Chairman, Committee on the Budget and Government Operations From: Maurice D. Cox Commissioner Planning and Development CC: Manuel Perez Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Date: November 5, 2020 Re: Request for Information from Annual Appropriation Committee Hearing ID#: 54-01 Citywide Plan The following information is provided in response to questions posed at our department’s hearing on November 4, 2020 to discuss the proposed 2021 budget. Alderman Dowell asked for a list of MBE/WBE, ethnicity of team and staff, and funds provided for the Citywide Plan. See attached. As always, please let me know if you have any further questions. We Will Chicago Consultant Teams We Will Topic Reports and Preliminary Engagement The Team In August DPD selected a consultant team led by RATIO to assist DPD with preliminary public engagement through forums, focus groups, and online tools and to synthesize topic briefs using research and input from preliminary engagement. RATIO is an international design team with a strong Chicago presence offering both architecture and planning services for a variety of projects. The team includes Ginkgo Designs (a certified MBE) to assist with design of the topic reports and online presence, Muse Community + Design (a certified WBE) to design and implement engagement strategies , and the Center for Neighborhood Technology to implement engagement strategies and improve participation by partnering with local and community-based organizations (CBOs). The task order also includes funds to invest directly into participating CBOs to offset staffing costs to participate in the engagement forums. Project Budget and MBE/WBE Compliance The total cost for this task order is $374,990 and the team’s approach meets the MBE requirement of 25% and exceeds the WBE of 5% and facilitates meaningful contributions from each of the MBE and WBE subconsultants. The budget for the project is as follows: Firm Budget Percent of MBE/WBE Project RATIO $171,170 45.6% - MUSE $35,070 9.4% WBE GINKGO $93,750 25.0% MBE CNT $30,020 8.0% - CBOs Investment $44,980 12.0% - Totals $374,990 100.0% Lead Staff The consultant team led by a diverse group of Chicago based professionals that together have decades of experience with small- and large-scale planning and development projects in Chicago neighborhoods and worldwide. The Project Manager for the consultant team is Lesley Roth from RATIO’s Chicago Office. Lesley is responsible for team oversight and coordination with direction from DPD and other City staff. What follows is a list and some information of key staff from the lead firm and subconsultants. Lesley Roth, AIA, AICP, LEED AP, Associate Principal/Director of Planning RATIO Chicago In her 25 year career in Chicago, Lesley has been responsible for project management, project design and direction, client contact and public process facilitation on a variety of architecture and planning projects. She has experience in a full range of architecture and planning project types and scales. Her professional training and practice include both domestic and international experience with an emphasis on public engagement, liveable communities and sustainable design. Lesley has been the project manager for LISC’s Quality of Life Plans in Auburn Gresham and Englewood, design architect for CHA master plans and buildings, and part of the City’s New Homes for Chicago program. Lesley is an active member of Lambda Alpha International, the American Planning Association, National Organization of Minority Architects, Chicago Loop Alliance, American Planning Association Diversity Committee, and Territory NFP – an architecture and urban design nonprofit organization located in Austin and Rogers Park. She has also shared her industry-leading knowledge as an adjunct professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Department of Architecture. Lesley has been the recipient of Mayor Lightfoot’s Women Leaders in Chicago award, and has been honored by the American Planning Association and Chicago Architectural Center for design innovation and effective public outreach and engagement. Lesley is also a licensed architect and certified planner with an Architecture degree from University of Oregon and a Master’s Degree from UIC. Lesley currently lives in Ukrainian Village with her daughter and 12 year old dog, Ashland. Eli Lechter, RLA, ASLA, CLARB, Studio Leader, Landscape Architecture, RATIO Chicago Eli is an award-winning Landscape Architect with demonstrated experience and education in sustainability, Low Impact Design, regional and master planning. Accomplished in documenting and implementation, Eli utilizes his experience in detailed design, recreation and open space planning, and stormwater management on a range of projects. He has lived in Chicago over 20 years and is a Milwaukee, WI native. Prior to joining RATIO’s Chicago Studio, Eli contributed to trail master plans, including the award-winning Brays Greenway Framework, currently under construction in Houston, Texas. In November 2012 Eli was the sole presenter of “Lake Michigan Trails – Implementing a BIG Vision” at the Mid America Trails and Greenways Conference. He is an advocate of connecting urban environments through thoughtful landscape design that fit into larger regional systems. Eli is a part of his neighborhood’s North Center Neighbors Zoning Committee, and routinely participates on the City Open Workshop supporting equitable design in Chicago’s neighborhoods. Carrie Grogan, Director of Learning and Development, RATIO Chicago As RATIO’s Director of Learning & Development, Carrie manages employee engagement for the firm, including professional development, employee mentorship programs and individual staff coaching. She supports emotionally intelligent teams to celebrate diversity and cultivate a sense of belonging. She also oversees RATIO’s Culture Team, which is responsible for organizing team building activities and social events, as well as Inclusivity@RATIO – the firm’s equity, diversity, and inclusion initiative. She routinely participates on projects to encourage and engage diverse communities, develop tools to further and deepen engagement, and support empowerment. Carrie is passionate about identifying and creating innovative opportunities for employees to learn more about their values, their strengths, and their teams. Throughout her professional career, she has developed and facilitated many online and in-person workshops, courses, dialogue sessions, and curriculums for broad audiences on topics such as emotional intelligence, mental health, conflict resolution and ethical leadership. An Ohio, native, Carrie has lived and worked in Chicago for 8 years and came to RATIO from the University of Chicago Center for Leadership and Involvement. She currently lives with her husband in Uptown. Riley Higgins, Marketing and PR, Spanish Interpreter, RATIO Indy Riley is primarily responsible for coordinating with the marketing team to create project messaging that reflect the unique characteristics of communities. Riley has participated on planning projects and engagement in Illinois and is a valued member of the team. Erin Sanchez, Architect, RATIO Chicago Erin believes that design professionals have a responsibility to create with economic, ecological, and social impact in mind. Her passion for design lies in how to improve a neighborhood without fundamentally altering and displacing the people and community within it. She believes that good architecture can develop strong communities and create the opportunity for change. Erin’s deep project experience includes working with the Chicago Housing Authority and the Illinois Housing and Development Authority, making her a valuable knowledge resource for affordable housing and community-focused design. Erin is of Bolivian descent and supports urban design and planning projects throughout Chicago and enjoys engagement with communities that share her Latinx heritage. She is Co-chair of AIA’s Chicago Community Interface Committee and an active volunteer with the Architects in Schools program and La Casa Norte. Erin currently lives in Ravenswood/North Center. John Lee, Graphics and Plan Branding, RATIO Chicago Professionally trained in Architectural and Environmental Design, John has a substantial portfolio of diverse project types throughout the U.S. Throughout his career, John has focused intensely on the architectural design process, beginning with the analysis of cultural context. His work showcases integration of innovative sustainable and efficient design with architectural clarity and quality. In this expressive sustainability approach to design, solutions to environmental demands become a source of aesthetic inspiration rather than a formulaic response. Ferhat Zerin, FAICP Principal, Gingko Planning and Design Development of Project Graphics and Branding EXPERIENCE Zerin is an architect and planner. She holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture form the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has worked in Chicago for many years in various roles from small-scale local planning projects to complex regional plans. Where are you from/how long in Chicago, Where you live (community or neighborhood) I am originally from Bangladesh and have been living and working in the Chicago region since 1991. I am in the suburbs so we could be close to my husband’s work. As a mother of two girls and a minority first generation immigrant, I see my work as a way to address opportunities and challenges faced by communities, especially