Professional Development

David Efland, FAICP

Over the course of his 28-year career, David has transformed communities and the planning profession through innovation, preservation, mentorship, and leadership. He has a distinguished record of advancing these efforts across three communities. In southwest Ohio, he started his career in the City of Oxford, Ohio, home of Miami University, (population 22,700) where he was asked to return several years later to establish and direct a new Community Development Department. Also, in southwest Ohio, he worked in two positions for the City of Cincinnati (population 309,000) rewriting the Zoning Code for the first time since 1963. He moved back to the Central Ohio region in 2005 to become Director of Planning & Community Development for the City of Delaware, Ohio (est. population 44,000) where he continues to lead the organization today.

Katherine Keough-Jurs, FAICP

Katherine Keough-Jurs AICP, is the City of Cincinnati’s Director of City Planning and Engagement. Her notable accomplishments in over 20 years with the City include the 2014 Burnham Award-winning Plan Cincinnati. She is a strong advocate for meaningful community engagement and a local champion for superior planning practice. As her leadership positions grew, so did her efforts to mentor the next generation. Katherine has served APA on the Board of both the Cincinnati Section and Ohio Chapter. A regular presenter at conferences, she is most passionate about drawing attention to the importance of planners’ mental health.

Kyle Ezell, FAICP

Kyle Ezell is a professor of practice in city and regional planning at the Knowlton School, where he has taught since 2005. Ezell has 25 years of experience as a practicing city planner. His work at the school involves students heavily in experiential learning, both in nearby communities in Ohio, and on the international travel programs he manages.

As a co-founder and administrator of the American Planning Association’s Planning with Underserved Populations Interest Group, he uses his Advanced Specialty Certification in Urban Design from the American Planning Association to plan and design for underserved populations. Most recently, Ezell’s work leading students in planning and designing for adults with autism was published in the July/August 2018 Planner’s Advisory Service Memo and featured in the October 2018 edition of Planning. Along with undergraduate studios, Ezell’s signature course CRPLAN 6010 Innovations in City and Regional Planning provides students an opportunity to engage in planning practice-related research associated with underserved populations. He also owns Ezell Planning and Design, a planning practice with a mission of bridging ideas from the academy to the planning practice. 

He holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a Master of Science, Geography, from South Dakota State University.

Todd Kinskey, FAICP

For the entirety of Todd’s 26+ year career he has dedicated himself to improving communities in Southwest Ohio through sound planning principles and practice. He has distinguished himself as a leader in the planning profession through the jobs he has held in Greater Cincinnati and the City of Dayton. Todd served as the Planning Director in Hamilton County (800,000 population) for over ten years and began his tenure as the Planning Director in the City of Dayton (140,000 population) in May 2018.

Over his career, he has led and authored numerous comprehensive plans for local jurisdictions in Southwest Ohio; prepared countless neighborhood/area plans; written several zoning codes; been a regular presenter on various planning topics over the years at local, state, and regional conferences; and been a general champion of planning and the profession. Over his career, he has distinguished himself as one of the most experienced practicing planners in Ohio.