THP 30: Arianna Koudounas

Program: Urban & Regional Planning
Current Position: Program Manager, Landscape Architecture Foundation
Hometown: Newburgh, New York
LinkedIn: Arianna Koudounas

How do you give back?
Since I began the program in the term of its inception, fall 2013, I have hosted a series of "Community Conversations" in my hometown of Newburgh, New York. Since that time, over 250 community members have been engaged in five such gatherings, with dozens of elected officials from city, county, state, and regional government as well as non-profit and business leaders in attendance.

What has been your most unique learning experience?
Having the opportunity to travel with the Urban & Regional Planning program to Manila, Philippines to attend the Pacific Cities Sustainability Initiative Conference, co-hosted by the Urban Land Institute and the Asia Society, was a transformative experience. This trip was my first to Southeast Asia—and my first to the developing world in general. Over the course of the trip, I traveled with our Executive Director Uwe Brandes and two colleagues to neighborhoods and communities within and on the outskirts of Manila to see how a range of individuals live.