SESSION two
Prioritizing Sites for Nature-Based Infrastructure Implementation
Mikel Wilkins, Senior Engineer, San Antonio River Authority
Mikel Wilkins is a Senior Engineer at San Antonio River Authority where he leads a team of engineers, planners, and landscape designers in the development of nature-based solutions master plans for major watersheds of the SA River basin. Mr. Wilkins is a professional environmental engineer with 30 years of experience focusing on planning and design of nature-based solutions, parks, and trails throughout the United States. He has also worked as an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University within the Masters of Sustainable Design program teaching sustainability frameworks including SITES and Envision since 2018.
Michelle E. Garza, Planning Specialist, San Antonio River Authority
Ms. Garza has worked in the Planning Team within the San Antonio River Authority’s Engineering Department for nine years, where she promotes nature-based solutions to improve water quality and other multi-benefits in the urban environment. She is the Developer Coordinator for the River Authority, working with developers in mandatory coordination areas to utilize nature-based infrastructure, also known as low impact development and green stormwater infrastructure to protect our community’s investment in restoration and recreation improvements in our creeks and rivers. Ms. Garza project managed the Upper San Antonio River (SAR) Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) Green Stormwater Infrastructure Master Plan and Upper SAR WPP Implementation – Stormwater Retrofit Best Management Practices, both EPA 319 Grants.
Perspective Shifts in Building Resilience
Jordan Millet, Sustainability Specialist, SmithGroup
Jordan is a creative designer with a variety of experience in architecture and urban design. She has worked as an architectural designer and currently serves as a Sustainability Specialist at SmithGroup. Capitalizing on her experiences abroad and in sustainable communities, Jordan has learned about different techniques in the building and development industries to create more resilient design in the future. She has served in various volunteer groups, the 2130 Summit and internal firm committees. She graduated from and currently serves as a Vice Chair of the Emerging Leaders Program with AIA Dallas, where she also serves on the COTE committee.
Siyu Yu, Ph.D, AICP, Assistant Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, Texas A&M University
Siyu Yu is an assistant professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, a core faculty with the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center (HRRC) at Texas A&M University. Yu’s experience spans land use, plan integration, and resilience issues in the United States, principally in the Gulf Coast region, as well as internationally in the Netherlands and Japan. Much of Yu’s current research focuses on the development, application, and extension of the Plan Integration for Resilience Scorecard™ (PIRS)™ methodology. Her scholarship aims to increase multi-hazard resilience (including flooding, extreme heat, and wildfire) by investigating relationships among community networks of land use and development plans and policies vis-à-vis social and physical vulnerability to natural hazards. Yu is a 2023 NASEM Early-Career Research Fellow and an NSF-EPF Ocean Decade Champion. Her research has been published in the Journal of the American Planning Association, Journal of Planning Education and Research, Landscape and Urban Planning, Urban Climate, and Sustainable Cities and Society, among others. She holds a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Science from Texas A&M University and is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Design for Equitable Communities Case Study: Sunnyside
Janis Brackett, AIA, Partner & Managing Director, Community Practice, Kirksey Architect
Janis oversees Kirksey’s Religious, Recreation, Cultural/Civic, and Non-Profit projects. She brings more than 25 years of architectural experience and a passion for collaboration to the design process. Working with boards, committees and volunteer groups, she values inclusion and aligning stakeholders around shared vision, leading to powerful outcomes. After serving as 2014 AIA Houston President, Janis was elected to AIA National’s “think tank” as 2017-2018 Strategic Councilor At Large. She is a longtime advocate of resilience, serving on the City of Houston/AIA Houston 2020 Visions Steering Committee, past Chair of Gulf Coast Green, and Editorial Committee for GreenWorks Houston.
Megan Kohler, Senior Associate, Project Architect, Kirksey Architecture
Megan Kohler is a Project Architect at Kirksey Architecture experienced in community and faith-based projects. Her dedication to religious and non-profit clients comes from a passion to make a positive impact through successful projects.
