Fiscally-informed planning, design, and community engagement to cultivate strong neighborhoods.
AJ Fawver, AICP, CNU-A, CPM
Community Consulting Program Leader
Based in:
Lubbock, Texas
Contact
aj@verdunity.com
214-430-4450 ext. 201
Follow AJ on:
Registrations:
American Planning Association
AICP – 207628
Congress of the New Urbanism
CNU-A
Professional Affiliations:
National Trust for Historic Preservation
League of Women in Government
Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL)
APA - Texas
Congress for the New Urbanism
Future Cities
Strengthsfinder Top 5
Achiever, Individualization, Competition, Maximizer, Strategic
Education
Masters of Public Administration (incomplete)
University of Texas – Arlington
B.A. Government
Angelo State University
Certificate, Public Manager
Texas Tech University
My love for community comes from growing up in small rural areas where school districts and towns spring up (and disappear) based on the influence of energy, agriculture, enterprising souls, and pure necessity. I was obsessed with maps and the stories they told, and at 17, spent a week in New York City, which made a huge impression. While preparing for a career as an attorney, I found myself drawn to the study of cities in my research and presentations, no matter the class. Public policy, sprawl, mobility, engagement, historic preservation, land use law, public finance, and the interaction between people and places commanded my attention. When I traveled, I was drawn to photographing buildings, streetscapes, parking lots, public places and neighborhoods. The end result? My fascination for communities—paired with my frustrations in watching towns and cities decline and die—pushed me in a different direction. I was convinced there must be a way for communities of every size to be productive, welcoming, lasting, and healthy. A way for them to accommodate everyone and to encourage commerce and diversity. Being on the front lines in cities around West Texas in a number of positions, and holding volunteer roles in the region helped me uncover a passion for helping cities and towns go the distance, and connect with others who felt the same. My desire is to help communities confront the realities of “business as usual,” realize that it is a choice every day, and instead feel confident in making informed choices that truly help them achieve their goals.
About
AJ Fawver leads the Community Consulting Program for Verdunity. She speaks, podcasts, and writes on planning and community topics, and spends her free time in a variety of mentoring and volunteer positions within several organizations such as the American Planning Association. From 2007 to 2019, she worked to challenge the status quo, bring sound planning practices, and improve collaboration through leadership positions in several cities within the region of Texas where she was born and raised. In recognition of this work, she was named to the Traeger List, an annual list of the top 100 local government leaders in the nation, on three separate occasions.
AJ brings to Verdunity her experience navigating the unique dynamics of local government. Her former colleagues have described her as dedicated, innovative, respected, and tenacious. She is a master at cu!ing through and bringing eciency to processes and adopted documents, building relationships with stakeholders, aligning plans and codes for maximum eect, and providing training and instruction to planners, the public, and decision-making bodies. AJ is driven by her passion for bringing connection and trust back to city governance, and is a spirited advocate for rural communities, diversity and inclusion, and meaningful engagement.
Just because…
What do you do outside of work? I soak up all life has to offer! I’m generally in the kitchen whipping something up, traveling and experiencing what places have to offer, enjoying the outdoors, or spending time with my nieces.
Favorite podcast? Serial and The History Chicks.
Music you put on while you’re working? It’s an eclectic mix. It’s not unusual for one day to include Jimi Hendrix, Sean McConnell, Otis Redding, Metallica, Swiss Beatz, Reckless Kelly, Ray LaMontagne, BB King, the cast of Les Miserables and Foo Fighters!
One book (or more, if you must) you'd recommend that you've read in the last 2 years? Happy City by Charles Montgomery, This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live by Melody Warnick, and Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth. If you’re as fascinated by photography as I am, I also recommend Vivian Maier: Street Photographer and Humans of New York.
Favorite childhood breakfast cereal? Cap’n Crunch.
Learn More
Head on over to the Go Cultivate! podcast and tune in to AJ’s episode of our ongoing “Meet the Verdooners” mini-series!