An Interview with Laura Ludwig, AICP

Laura Ludwig, AICP is a Community Planner with Herbert, Rowland & Grubic (HRG) where she works with a wide-range of clients including local governments, redevelopment authorities, and non-profit organizations. Prior to her time at HRG, she was the Community Development Director for North Fayette Township, Allegheny County. Her passion for planning, like most planners, comes from a desire to make a difference and to make our communities a better place to live, work, play, and explore. Laura is also the Section Chair of the Southwest Section of the Pennsylvania Chapter. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh – Graduate School of Public and International Affairs with a focus in Urban and Regional Affairs.    

• What is your favorite part about working in the planning field?
  One of my favorite parts of working as a planner is getting to meet people from all different backgrounds and places. Each community that I’ve had the opportunity to work in, I’ve met and gotten the opportunity to get to know so many different people from all different walks of life. Also, spending time in the different communities I have worked in, getting to know the people, feeling the sense of community and place there, eating at the local diner, having a beer at the brewery, and seeing the potential for progress, advancement, and change, is always exciting and fun. I have a tendency to develop an affinity and connection to the communities I work in and end up going back to visit them on my own with my family, even after my planning projects are done.
• In the era of COVID-19, how have you been able to adapt your community engagement efforts?
  COVID-19 has certainly made planners think outside of the box in terms of community engagement efforts. Even though we are all pretty “Zoomed out,” Zoom really has been a great tool for keeping in touch with my colleagues at HRG as we continue to work remotely. Zoom has also been crucial for hosting Steering Committee meetings for various projects. Thankfully, with tools such as project websites, online community surveys, and meeting platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, we have still been able to keep our planning processes as transparent as possible and to solicit feedback from the public and various stakeholders. And, in the warmer months, hosting events outdoors at parks and pavilions was great. In August, my colleague Chris and I hosted a public outreach meeting at a park in Tionesta Borough, Forest County. The pavilion had electricity and we were able to host a meeting in-person, all while social distancing. I think most planners would certainly prefer to meet people in person, as there is more opportunity for interaction and it’s more personal. But, with these various tools, we’ve been able to get it done.
• Where would we find you after work?
  I am a planner by day and a mom, wife, and household manager by night! Usually after work, you will find me scrambling to make dinner before heading out to one of my kid’s sporting events or shuffling my son or daughter from practice to practice. If I am not busy with my kids’ sports teams, then you’ll most likely find me on my Peloton, either riding the bike or doing a strength class. I am obsessed!
• As the current Southwest Section President, what has it been like?
  It has been a ton of fun to serve as Chair of the Southwest Section Council. I’ve enjoyed the time spent with my fellow Council members and they have all helped to make it a fun and enjoyable experience. We were all new to Section Council when we took over two years ago. We had some great ideas and high hopes to grow the Chapter, plan fun social events, host interactive and fun educational workshops, etc. and then COVID hit and put a big dent in our plans. I am hopeful we will get back on track this year and will plan events that are rewarding both educationally and socially for our members in 2021.
• The annual conference is being held in Pittsburgh and by the Southwest Section, how can members become involved with the conference?
  The Southwest Section is very excited to showcase and highlight Pittsburgh and the Western PA region as a whole in October at the annual planning conference. There are several ways people can get involved. One option is to serve on the Conference Planning Committee. We are currently soliciting volunteers and need folks to help with the four subcommittees – speakers, fundraising, special events, and programming. If someone does not have the time to commit to serve on the committee but has ideas to share, they can always reach out to us at planswpa@gmail.com. Closer to the conference, we will likely need some additional help with set up and other conference related items throughout the conference. We may also need donations of masks and hand sanitizer. Hosting a conference in person during COVID will present some challenges, but we’re determined to make it happen!