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 1994, after collaborating with the firm on numerous large-scale land use and community development projects. Her unique background and experience as an architect and planner make her particularly adept at assessment and problemsolving on complex issues, and strategic in developing appropriate and sensitive directions for diverse groups.

Liz’s professional credentials include management of architectural and planning projects (as an associate with Berkeley-based Lyndon/Buchanan Associates) for Bayer Corp. during the early years of its Development Agreement with the City of Berkeley, including the creation of the design guidelines 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 responsible 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 brought strategic and multi-faceted expertise to scores of projects, including organizational assessments, comprehensive strategic plans, capacity building studies, market assessments, communication strategies, crisis communication consulting, feasibility studies, and the design and facilitation of community outreach and participatory engagement programs for small and large nonprofit organizations, public agencies, governments, and foundations. Over the years, Liz has developed critical interviewing skills that have enabled the creation of robust situational assessments and insightful recommendations for diverse projects. She has also contributed to the design and conception of a broad range of print and electronic materials.

Liz’s planning and land use expertise has been particularly useful on projects addressing community concerns related to master planning and on the design of a range of civic engagement and participation efforts including workshops and other forums — most recently for the city of Albany, CA, on its waterfront visioning process and for the Japan-U.S. Island Grid project in Maui, HI, involving the education of residents on smart grid technology.

Liz has managed numerous comprehensive projects involving zoning, community outreach, and appropriate development of communities. Most recently, she has been managing a large strategic project with the Fresno Housing Authority and its affiliate programs, and the development of a 10-year strategy for documenting and evaluating a unique philanthropic initiative in the Pacific Northwest.

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 under-informed and under---motivated constituencies make 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.