Elizabeth Thomas to Discuss Disaster Response in March 14 Lecture

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Elizabeth "Boo" Thomas is president and chief executive officer of the Center for Planning Excellence in Baton Rouge, La.

Elizabeth “Boo” Thomas will present a lecture titled “Responding to Disasters: How Land Use Planning Affects Change” at 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 14, in Ken Shollmier Hall, Vol Walker Hall, on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville. This event is part of the 2010-11 Fay Jones School of Architecture lecture series.

Thomas is president and chief executive officer of the Center for Planning Excellence in Baton Rouge, La., a nonprofit organization that coordinates urban, rural and regional planning efforts across Louisiana and assists individual communities in inclusive visioning efforts from inception to implementation. The center began as an initiative of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and is now an independent nonprofit.

At the local level, the center has facilitated Plan Baton Rouge, a master plan to develop downtown into a thriving, walkable, 24-hour destination, and is facilitating Phase 2 of Plan Baton Rouge. The Old South Baton Rouge Strategic Neighborhood Revitalization and Economic Development Plan, another local community planning effort, applied the lessons learned from Plan Baton Rouge to a disinvested neighborhood between downtown Baton Rouge and the campus of Louisiana State University, and plan implementation is well on its way. The center has also been involved in an advisory role with eight parishes interested in excellent planning.

At the regional scale, the center facilitated Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan, a long-term plan that provides a vision for rebuilding Louisiana safer, stronger and smarter over the next 50 years. Launched in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Louisiana Speaks initiative brought together local, state and federal experts and stakeholders to create the comprehensive, sustainable plan that will guide recovery and growth for southern Louisiana over the next 50 years. Under Thomas’ leadership, the center facilitated 18 months of regional planning and consensus building, as well as an unprecedented level of public outreach that engaged more than 27,000 residents.

In 2009, the center was awarded the Olmsted Medal by the American Society of Landscape Architects for “incredible leadership and set the standard for bringing community members and leaders together to work toward a shared vision for future growth and development.” The Olmsted Medal was instituted in 1990 to recognize individuals, organizations, agencies, or programs outside the profession of landscape architecture for environmental leadership, vision and stewardship. The medal honors Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the founder of the American landscape architecture profession and steward of the environment.

Admission is free, with limited seating. For more information, contact 575-4704.