Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission Promotes 13 Members



COLUMBUS – The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) recently announced numerous internal staff promotions. Thirteen staff members were promoted in the new year.

“We’re fortunate to have some of the most talented individuals in the region working right here at MORPC,” said Executive Director, William Murdock. “These promotions recognize their hard work and passion for public service, our commitment to advancement from within, and shared excitement about the future of our work for central Ohio.”

Included in the promotions are new leadership roles for longstanding MORPC regional experts Dr. Kerstin Carr, Thea Ewing, and Nick Gill.

“Congratulations to Dr. Kerstin Carr, Thea Walsh Ewing, and Nick Gill as they are promoted to new MORPC leadership roles,” said Karen Angelou, MORPC Chair. “Great leaders create great organizations and great organizations create great results. With these respected leaders known regionally and nationally, MORPC’s work for its local governments and partners throughout the region looks exciting and can create even more impact!”

 

Dr. Kerstin Carr is now the Chief Regional Strategy Officer and Senior Director of Planning.

Carr has over 20 years of experience in transportation and urban planning and has led many large-scale regional planning efforts, including Insight2050, Corridor Concepts, Central Ohio Greenways trail vision, and most recently, the Regional Housing Strategy. These initiatives all included strong collaboration and partnership with the public, private, and non-profit sectors and were geared towards transforming the regional landscape to ensure a better quality of life for all residents.

In her new role, she will oversee the Community Development Planning, Sustainability Programming, and Research & Data sections of MORPC and will lead regional and strategic initiatives while identifying strategic partnership opportunities.

Carr plans to connect and integrate large regional initiatives such as LinkUS, RAPID5, Central Ohio Greenways, and the Regional Housing Strategy with a focus on equity, access, and sustainability.

 

Thea Ewing is now the Chief Regional Development Officer and Senior Director of Programming.

With over 20 years of experience in leadership roles at state and regional agencies, Ewing has been steadfast in growing MOPRC’s operating budget by more than $3 million annually and she and her team have used that capacity to drive more capital funding for more projects throughout the region.

A driver for grants and regional investment, Ewing leads efforts to attract federal awards from the U.S. EDA and U.S. EPA for economic development. She will be leading the expansion of MORPC’s efforts to seek greater federal, state and local investment for MORPC members.

Ewing has spearheaded many MORPC collaborative investments including Gohio, COTA’s C-pass, Smart Columbus and inspired the creation of multiple Transportation Improvement Districts in the region. She will continue to drive innovative projects and financing opportunities for Central Ohio’s growth including major efforts such as passenger rail.

 

Nick Gill is now the Transportation Study Director.

Gill is a 29-year staff veteran of MORPC. In his new position, he will lead the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) responsibilities of the agency. This includes ensuring the MPO meets all U.S. and state planning requirements to ensure the region is eligible for transportation funds, while developing and maintaining the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).  This includes aligning these efforts with critical partnerships with the region’s rural communities.

As the Transportation Study Director, Gill will also assist MORPC members and area agencies in securing federal funds for their transportation projects.

To learn more about the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, visit www.morpc.org.

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