DEI Committee Membership

Associate Planner, City of West Des Moines

Emani Brinkman is an Associate Planner for the City of West Des Moines, where she specializes in development and zoning review. is committed to fostering diversity and equity in urban planning, which led her to join the APA Iowa DEI Committee. She is passionate about driving meaningful change within the planning community in Iowa and gaining valuable experience to enhance her skills as a planner. Outside of work, Emani enjoys attending live music events and spending time with her cat, Tinker​.

Senior Planner, Mid-Iowa Planning Alliance

Caleb was born in Tegucigalpa (Honduras), and grew up in rural Iowa. Currently he is the Senior Planner for the Mid-Iowa Planning Alliance. Caleb and his wife also operate their families startup coffee shop in Story City. At Iowa State University he studied Criminology & Criminal Justice, as well as Community and Regional Planning. Presently Caleb serves on the Empower Rural Iowa Grow Task Force, Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs, and the Iowa APA DEI Committee for which he is the Co-Chair. Caleb resides in rural Hardin county with Anjuleah (Spouse), and their three children, two cats, one Chinese Dwarf hamster, one chocolate lab, & 0 Fish (RIP Lightning). When Caleb isn't working he enjoys coaching his children in various sports, introducing them to "new" music, and building Star Wars Lego sets. His moto comes from Kawhi Leonard: Board man gets paid.

Assistant Professor, Department of Community and Regional Planning, Iowa State University

Jiwnath Ghimire is an environmental planning scholar working in disaster recovery planning, climate action planning, science-policy interface, and community resilience in Asia. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community and Regional Planning at Iowa State University (ISU). He is an ISU Innovation Scholar for 2023-24. His research interests are recovery planning, science-policy interface for environmental management, risk governance, disaster risk assessments, climate impact analysis, environmental justice, and community resilience. He worked in different fields of disaster management in the United States, Nepal, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His ongoing research projects are Disaster Recovery and Climate Action Planning in Iowa, Co-creating Communities of Climate Resilience: Lessons Learned for Regenerative Design in Iowa and abroad, Energy Self-Sufficiency Analysis for Selected Iowan Communities and Spontaneous and Formal Disaster Governance during Pre- and Post-Disaster Situations in Nepal. He teaches Environmental Planning (CRP 2930), Sustainable Communities (CRP 4840), Building Resilient Environments (CRP 5500), and Planning Methods Studio (CRP 3010) in the Department of Community and Regional planning at ISU.

CEO & Founder of Astig Planning

Why are you participating in the DEI APA Chapter Committee? What do you think you have to contribute, and what do you think you would gain? 

I am participating in the DEI APA Chapter Committee because I believe this is an opportunity to deepen my commitment to serving the planning field and communities of color, LGBTQIA+, immigrant, and disability communities across our state. I plan to contribute my own experiences as a queer, trans/non-binary, biracial, and future ancestor to strengthen relationships, create mentorships, and remove barriers for marginalized planners and community members. We all deserve the right to experience joy and dignity in our lives and communities, and planners have a role and responsibility to create plans and policies that do just that.

Associate Professor, University of Iowa School for Planning and Public Affairs

Senior Planner, Des Moines Area MPO

Zhi Chen, AICP was born in Guangzhou, China and grew up in Oakland, CA. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and history from Grinnell College and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Iowa. He works at the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) as Senior Planner, where he is leveraging technologies to improve the connection between transportation planning and land-use planning, specifically with regards to equity, public health, and the environment.

Why are you participating in the DEI APA Chapter Committee? What do you think you have to contribute, and what do you think you would gain? 

I’m participating in the APA Iowa DEI Committee to help foster the next generation of planners. I hope to promote planning as an avenue for people of all backgrounds and perspectives to contribute to bettering their communities.

Assistant City Planner, City of Des Moines

Why are you participating in the DEI APA Chapter Committee? 

I’m participating in the DEI APA Chapter Committee to create a community of inclusion within the Iowa APA Chapter that provides opportunities for underrepresented planners throughout the state.

What do you think you have to contribute?

I have experience serving communities in need through my service with AmeriCorps and volunteer opportunities.

What do you think you would gain? 

I’ve gained experience in having difficult conversations and seeing the world from multiple viewpoints outside my own bubble. 

Senior Planner, City of Iowa City

Anne Russett, AICP is the Senior Planner for the City of Iowa City. Her 17-year career in the public sector has focused on addressing barriers to housing and promoting sustainability principles to create equitable and livable communities. Prior to joining the City of Iowa City in 2018 she worked for the City of Cedar Rapids, the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning, and the Oregon Department of Transportation. She has a Master of Arts degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Iowa

Community Services Coordinator, City of Cedar Rapids

Stephanie Schrader, AICP is the Community Services Coordinator for the City of Cedar Rapids. In her role with the City, Stephanie manages the Public Art Program, leads community engagement initiatives and implements long-range plans. She has a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Iowa.

Why are you participating in the DEI APA Chapter Committee? What do you think you have to contribute, and what do you think you would gain? 

I joined the APA IA DEI Committee to gain insight into the unique values and perspectives of fellow planners and to support more inclusive and equitable planning. 

Community Development Director, City of Ottumwa

Why are you participating in the DEI APA Chapter Committee? What do you think you have to contribute, and what do you think you would gain? 

Ottumwa faced the challenge of completing a comprehensive plan in the months after the murder of George Floyd. That plan featured a strong set of goals around diversity, equity and inclusion that were the result of community meetings with stakeholders that we had not previously involved in community planning. I’m here to listen and learn so that I can continue to improve our planning processes and involve every member of our community.

Senior City Planner, City of Des Moines

As a Senior City Planner with the City of Des Moines, Anuprit Minhas is responsible for strategic planning initiatives that span neighborhood revitalization efforts, data-driven program and policy making, housing initiatives built around affordable goals, infill housing, and performance metrics. Her work frequently explores the use of data and technology solutions to improve planning processes, inform programs and aid efficient decision making. She is skilled in managing complex projects that foster collaboration across multiple stakeholders.

Anuprit is a proud Cyclone having completed her Graduate degree in Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University. She received her undergraduate degree in Architecture from India, following it up with international development work focused on creating livable environments for informal communities through planning, advocacy, and capacity building.

She believes that her lived and work experience in the US and India equip her with a perspective marked with empathy and deep understanding of a rapidly changing world.