CNU34 will feature over a hundred sessions, tours, and workshops featuring a diverse swath of expert practitioners across a number of fields. Below are a few of our headlining speakers that you will see this May in Northwest Arkansas.
Keynote Speakers:
We Shape Our Neighborhoods, and Our Neighborhoods Shape Our Future
![]() |
Raj ChettyDelivering the Opening Keynote on Connecting Quality of Place to Economic Opportunity Raj Chetty is the William A. Ackman Professor of Economics at Harvard University and the Director of Opportunity Insights, which uses big data to study the science of economic opportunity: how we can give children from all backgrounds better chances of succeeding? Chetty’s work has been widely cited in academia, media outlets, and policy discussions in the United States and beyond. |
|
|
|
![]() |
Eric KlinenbergDelivering the Closing Keynote on Measuring the Impact of Place on Social Connectivity Eric Klinenberg is a bestselling author, renowned sociologist, and Helen Gould Shepard Professor of Social Science and Director of the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York University. His latest book, 2020, is a “gripping, deeply moving account of a signal year in modern history.” In his previous book, Palaces for the People, Eric argues that social infrastructure, “the physical places and organizations that shape the way people interact,” is the surprisingly simple key to building a democracy that works for everyone. |
All Sessions and Speakers
The Northwest Arkansas Regional Growth Strategy
- Matt Lambert
- Susan Handerson
- Nelson Peacock
From Vacant to Vibrant: A Blueprint for Local Retail Revival
- Elizabeth Moselle
- Edie Weintraub
Forward 2050: Regional Transportation Plan for Northwest Arkansas
- Tim Conklin
- Nicole Gibbs
Principles for growing transit in a Polycentric region
- Larry Gould
Re-Regulating for Attainability
- Eric Kronberg
- Elizabeth Ward Williams
Implementing Climate-Adaptive Urbanism
- Dhiru Thadani
- Andres Duany
Reframing Aspirations for Walkable, Equitable Communities: Insights from Sub-Saharan Africa
- Simon Donkoh
Learning from Mediterranean and South American Cultures
- Korkut Onaran
- Fernando Pages Ruiz
The 8 Cs of Sustainable, Resilient Communities
- Senen Melchor Antonio
Why Planners and New Urbanists Should Study Ecology
- Matt Schaefer
Faith as Infrastructure: Strategic Planning with Churches in Disinvested Communities
- Teresa Jeter
- Jerry Davis III, Pastor
- Rev. Dr. Carlos Perkins
The Transect and Firm Culture: A Tale of Two Practices
- Jeremy Lake
Safe and affordable: legalizing taller single-stair apartment buildings
- Alex Horowitz
- Patrick Siegman
Framework versus Free-for-all: A Building Types Approach to Zoning Reform
- Mark Nickita
- Adam Cook
Techniques and Lessons Learned from Incubating Neighborhood Main Streets
- Stephen Poulakas
- Alexandra Vondeling
- Edie Weintraub
Complete Neighborhood’s Shops & Restaurants – The Triple Bottom Line
- Bob Gibbs
The Design of Cities Begins with the Design of Streets
- Victor Dover
- John Massengale
Building the Practice with Practice
- Doug Farr
- Dhiru Thadani
- Juniper Rose Hentz
- Matt Lewis
The Core, Practical Distinctions between People-Centered and Car-Centered Design
- Tristan Cleveland
- Matthew Pinder
Commercial Main Street Architecture: Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers
- Ben Northrup
Improving Neighborhood Affordability through Traditional Site and Infrastructure Design
- Jacob Hyman
- Paul Crabtree
Pattern Writing: The Design DNA for Livable Neighborhoods
- Ross Chapin
- Michael Mehaffy
New Urbanist Design and Retrofit for Rainwater Conveyance and Detention
- Aaron Cook
- Paul Crabtree
- Annie Sales
Latino Urbanism and the Laws That Shaped the New World
- Dyllan Nguyen
- Richard Cameron
The Tuning of Urbanism and Architecture
- Geoffrey Mouen
- Sara Baga
From Languishing to Lively - Transforming Dead Malls into Neighborhoods
- Adam Bonosky
- Chris Kuschel
Accelerating Climate Action at Regional Scale
- Douglas L. Farr
- Stephen Luoni
- JeffreyE. Huber
CNU France and the Transformational Ecosystem
- Guy Courtois
The Complete Story of the Rural-to-Urban Transect
- Andres Duany
- Alejandro Douglas Duany
In Conversation- Fireside Chat: Learning from the Archives of New Traditional Architecture
- Stefanos Polyzoides
- Marianne Cusato
Lexicon of the New Urbanism
- Andres Duany
The Transect+Traditional Urbanism in Practice: Community-Driven Planning from Indigenous Lands to Latin American Cities
- Peter Friedrichs
- Nadia Samir Rincon
- Miriam Samir Rincon
Planning for the Transportation Future: Urban Design Strategies for Transit-Ready Development
- Matt Hoffman
- Jeremy Sommer
Reflecting on Hope VI
- Neal Payton
Incremental Development: Training, Codes, Coalition
- Alli Thurmond Quinlan
- Eric Kronberg
- ElizabethWard Williams
New urbanism and agriculture: Creating healthy communities and conserving farmland
- Neal Collins
- Daron Joffe
Beyond Zoning: Hidden Code Barriers to Middle-Scale Housing
- John Zeanah
- Emily Liu
The Town Architect’s Craft and Design Review across Transects
- Mike Watkins
- Steve Mouzon
- Marina Khoury
- Tim Busse
Trail Network Planning from Vision to Regional Transformation: Lessons from the Razorback Greenway and Beyond
- Tim ReavisTristan Hill
- Allison Burson
- Jim Hemphill
A Tale of Two Transect-Based Cities
- Tyler Overstreet
- Joe Rexwinkle
- Shelli Kerr
How to Implement Urbanism Through Faith-Based Housing Development
- Aaron Lubeck
- Eli Smith
Family Foundations
- Jim Constantine
- Macon Toledano
Mapping the Urban Harvest: Integrating Food Systems and Form-Based Urbanism
- Anna Baggett
- Sara Delroshan
Making Room: How Cities & States Can Re-Legalize Co-living
- Samuel Hooper
- Atticus LeBlanc
- Zoe Tishaev
Trail-Oriented Development: Applying the Transect to Active Transportation Infrastructure
- Kourtney Barrett
- Matt Hoffman
- Tyler Overstreet
- Allyson de la Houssaye
Razorback Greenway Corridor Plan: Regional Transect for Seven Cities
- Matthew Hoffman AIA
- Rohan Lewis
Multiplying the Middle: Expanding Housing Choice in Arkansas and Texas
- Duke McLarty
- Felicity Maxwell
- Nicole Clowney
- Brita Wallace
“From Strip Malls to Main Streets: Retrofitting Suburban Neighborhoods”
- Monte Anderson
Expanding Housing: Applying the International Residential Code up to Eight-Units
- Emily Liu
- Willie Franklin
Reimagining Cultural and Civic Districts: “Continuous Transformations” in Germany
- Tobias Keyl
Smart Zoning & Predictive Planning: AI in Code Implementation
- Andrew Clum
- Max Zabala
- Elmira Moskvina
Fire Code Reform - An Update
- Scott Brody
- Patrick Siegman
Walmart Home Office: Design Decisions for a Walkable, Connected Campus
- Matthew Hoffman AIA
- Roger Boskus AIA
- Joe Allbright
Designing Participation: Setting Your Project up for Success
- Jennifer Hurley
- Christina Anderson
How to be a Lovable Engineer: Engineering New Urbanism
- Aaron Cook
- Ed Lane
- Maggie Taylor
Lessons Learned: Quick-Build In Northwest Arkansas And Beyond
- Mike Lydon
- Tim Conklin, AICP
Ramble On: From Design to Delivery of Fayetteville's Urban Trail
- Allison Thurmond Quinlan
The Invaluable Lessons of Failure: A Look Back at the Mistakes that New Urbanists Can't Afford to Forget!
- Andres Duany
The Software of Community: Building Social Fabric Through Design
- Alli Thurmond Quinlan
- Ross Chapin
- Clay Chapman
- JonJon Wesolowski
Reimagining Housing Conversations: The CHATS Engagement Experience
- Lindsey Navarrette
- Duke McLarty
CNU Transportation Forum
- Larry Gould
- Todd Litman
Transportation Context Classifications (DOT) and the Local-scale Transect
- Matthew Lambert
- DeWayne Carver
Tired of Waiting? City as Developer
- Eric Kronberg
- Rebekah and Tim Kik and Corcoran
- Tim Corcoran
CNU Latino Gen Z Urbanists: Organizing the Next Generation of Leaders
- Carlos Espinoza
- Bryan Barros
Evaluating Built New Urbanism: Developing the System
- Jennifer Hurley
- Scott Bernstein
Mentorship Huddles
- Thomas Long
- Kenneth "Kip" Santos
From Design to Development: Bridging Vision and Viability
- Ethnie Xu
- Andrew Clum
Small Towns Leading the Way on Zoning Code Reforms
- Marla Keethler
- Michael Mehaffy
- Jennifer Krouse
- Dean Gunderson
Research on New Urbanism: Good News, But More Is Needed
- Michael Mehaffey
- Jennifer Hurley
Bridging Planning and Engineering for Human-Scale Streets
- Patricia Tice
- Wei Liu
DIY Disaster Recovery: Using the Transect to Address Immediate Needs
- LC Clemons
- Steve Mouzon
Fire Code –Where to go from here? Fight or Collaborate
- Brad Hardin
- Matthew Hoffman
Newest New Urbanists
- Sophie McAdara
- Keegan Stanton
- Cameron Clark
Laying the Foundation for a Main Street Design Toolkit
- Adam Bonosky
- Judith Bell
Small Wheel Coalition Kickoff
- Matt Lewis
- Eliza Harris- Juliano
- Dean Gunnarson
Toward a Model Adaptation Legislation Guidebook
- Camille Cortes
- Korkut Onaran
- Scott Bernstein
Climate Action Handbook for Urbanists: Engaging the Movement
- Mallory Baches
- Rob Steuteville
- Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz
- Michael Mehaffy
Reporting and Request for Ideas following the New Urban Council XI: Affordable Urbanism
- Rico Quirindongo
- Anne Tate
Streamlining Infill: Pre-Approved Buildings Across Four Cities
- Kyle Clifton
- Leslie Karr
- John McCurdy
- Jonathan Curth
Re-Establishing Urban Roots - Vision for Reparative Design
- Sharon Killian
- Ngozi Brown
- Wayne Hamilton
Great BODs (Bicycle-Oriented Developments): Supporting Urbanism through Regional Bikeways
- Scott Curry
- Tim Conklin
- Brantley Tyndall
- Jared Draper
Streamlining Housing Development with Pre-Approved Plans
- Christina Carlson
- Eric Kronberg
- Alli Thurmond Quinlan
Resiliency in the face of post-natural disaster recovery.
- Jennifer Mayden
- Willem Swârt
- Marianne Cusato
- John Miki
Planning and Coding in a Time of Pre-Emption
- Marina Khoury
- Eliza Harris Juliano
- Susan Henderson
- Lisa Wise
CNU 34 Legacy Projects
- Katy O'Meilia
- David E. Green
- Scott Layton
- Mike Watkins



















