LIZ NEWMAN, Senior Associate

Education
B.S.C.E., Stanford University
M.Arch., University of California, Berkeley

Professional Background
Liz Newman joined Fern Tiger Associates in 1993, after having collaborated with the firm on numerous large-scale architecture and land use projects. Her unique background and experience as an architect and planner make her particularly adept at assessment and problem solving on complex issues, and sensitively strategizing plans and directions for diverse groups.
Liz’s professional credentials include management of architectural and planning projects (as an associate with Lyndon/Buchanan Associates) for Bayer Corp. during the early years of its Development Agreement with the City of Berkeley, including the creation of a set of design guidelines (in coordination with the city of Berkeley Design Review Committee) encompassed in the Agreement, and the design of several pharmaceutical production buildings. At Lyndon/Buchanan Associates, Liz was also project manager for the Downtown Berkeley Public Improvements Plan and for the development of a series of public workshops to encourage citizen participation in the Stanford West project. Liz is licensed to practice architecture in the state of California.
Since joining Fern Tiger Associates, Liz has been involved with numerous projects, including: organizational assessment and strategic planning for the Monterey Peninsula College Children’s Center, Monterey Local Child Care Planning Council, California Child Care Resource & Referral Network, Volunteers in Parole, Richmond Children’s Foundation, Pathways (LA), and Maui Economic Development Board; capacity building, market assessment and communication strategies for Alliance for Technology Access, Institute for Human and Social Development (IHSD), Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), Children’s Network of Solano County, first Unitarian Church of Oakland, and Pyatok Architects; targeted information and education campaigns for Public Health Trust and Oakland Domestic Violence Collaborative; crisis communication planning and intervention for Berkeley Unified School District; feasibility studies for the creation of a family resource center in Santa Cruz and a girl-focused youth development organization in San Jose; and consultation and assistance to Berkeley Biotechnology Education Inc. (renamed Biotech Partners), Museum of Children’s Art (MOCHA), and a host of other clients. She has also contributed to the design of a broad range of print materials.
Liz utilized her planning and land use expertise when working with Alta Bates Medical Center to address community concerns related to the hospital’s master plan. She also used these skills to contribute to the design of a range of civic engagement and participation efforts including workshops and other forums for the county of Maui’s general plan process, San Leandro Unified School District, ASU, and Bayer Biotechnology.
Liz has managed numerous comprehensive projects involving zoning issues, community outreach, and appropriate development for residential communities. She has worked on many child care and family service projects, including the assessment of seven child care organizations in four counties, as well as ongoing coordination of their work as a “learning community” designed to allow for sharing of information as well as the development of a series of child care “leadership summits.”
Liz’s experience and ability to transfer complicated, technical information to lay audiences and to recognize the potential impact of strong and targeted communication for less-informed and less-motivated constituencies makes her an effective communicator and organizer. Her background in project management enables her to coordinate many different tasks, to address complex issues, meet deadlines, and create a context for the development of coherent and clear information.
In addition to her work with FTA, Liz is an active member of the board of her daughter’s public school PTA and volunteers regularly in the classroom and library.