THP 30: Maura Brophy

Program: Urban & Regional Planning
Current Position: Senior Associate, Infrastructure Investment, Federal City Council
Hometown: Columbia, MD
LinkedIn: Maura Brophy

What has been your most unique learning experience and why?

In the summer of 2014, I co-conducted an independent study on the governance of place-based sustainability efforts (i.e. ecodistricts). The project looked at business improvement districts (BIDs) as a potential governance entity and evaluated the feasibility of this model. The project itself was very rewarding, as it provided value for practitioners who are interested in developing ecodistricts locally. Shortly after the project was completed, my research partner and I independently pitched our proposal to American Planning Association (APA). In the winter of 2015, we were invited to present our project at the annual meeting in Seattle. Presenting at the conference was challenging and rewarding. Through this experience, I learned the value of challenging myself to initiate opportunities for professional development.

What do you like to do in your free time?

In my free time, I participate in a number of organizations that allow me to give back both personally and professionally. I currently serve as the vice president of the Tenant Association in my apartment building. I am also an active participant in a mentoring program offered by the Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS), which gives early-career professionals an opportunity to develop through a year-long relationship with a mentor. I am also a member of the Urban & Regional Planning program's Student Life Committee, a group that works to enrich students' experience in the program by providing opportunities for engagement outside of the classroom such as program-wide field trips, tours, and lectures.