Meet our Summer Interns!
Barrett Planning Group is excited to have not one, not two, but four interns join our team this summer! Their enthusiasm and diverse range of skills are valuable assets to our company and the wide range of projects we are currently working on.
Please join us as we welcome Fiona Gain, Elias Kann, Laurel Mire, and Jean-Charles Zurawicki.
Pictured from left to right: Elias, Laurel, Fiona, and John-Charles.
Meet Fiona! Fiona comes to us from Tufts University Graduate Program where she is studying Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning. By focusing on urban planning, she can prioritize forward-thinking strategies and harm reduction related to the issues of climate change. Fiona is eager to tackle the challenges of integrating climate and sustainability in her work, recognizing that climate resiliency goals can be met through dedicated efforts in particular areas, such as housing. This summer Fiona is working with BPG on the Strategic Housing Plan for the Town of Wellesley, which aims to increase accessibility and choice of housing stock in the Town. She is intrigued by how urban design can impact housing and open space considerations, which leads to necessary examination about density and natural resource protection. In her spare time Fiona enjoys trying various art-based hobbies, however her favorite hobby of all is baking, especially perfecting croissants which connects Fiona to her French heritage.
Meet Elias! Elias is entering his second year at Cornell’s Master’s of Regional Planning Program, specializing in climate adaptation and affordable housing development. Before Cornell, Elias spent four years providing housing services and legal representation to newly arrived refugees. His experience in refugee resettlement inspired him to pursue planning as a means to increase access to affordable housing and create equitable climate adaptation strategies. At BPG this summer Elias is working on a zoning reform project to facilitate affordable housing development, and the creation of a regional housing services program for Barnstable County. By reducing regulatory barriers and leveraging resources across municipalities, these projects address critical obstacles to affordable housing development and help build local capacity. From hiking and sailing to basketball and Brazilian Jiu jitsu, Elias loves all kinds of sports and outdoor activities. He is also an avid reader and greatly enjoys practicing his language skills in French and Spanish.
Meet Laurel! Laurel is a soon to be graduate from Tufts University, with a Master’s of Environmental Policy and Planning. She decided to pursue planning so she could help cities and towns support their environment and their citizens simultaneously. She loves using GIS to make maps as a data visualization and public engagement tool. She is excited to start her career locally, where so much is happening in planning across the environmental, climate, housing, and energy sectors. She also hopes to work in the resilience and disaster preparedness space to aid communities in better preparing for and recover from extreme events. This summer Laurel is working on a master plan update for the Town of Nantucket, while also assisting BPG teams on various GIS projects and public engagement events. After relocating from Louisiana to the Boston area for grad school, she continues to enjoy all that New England has to offer including hiking in Acadia National Park and exploring her local Boston neighborhood surroundings on foot while training for a 10K.
Meet Jean-Charles! A graduate student at Montreal’s McGill University Master’s of Urban Planning Program, Jean-Charles is concentrating on urban development and urban design, with a particular interest in housing and public spaces. Originally from the Boston area and having moved several times during the Covid-19 pandemic, Jean-Charles discovered the significant impact neighborhoods have on your health, mobility, and community. He enjoys the multifaceted nature of planning and looks forward to a career combining data and spatial analysis, visualization, policy, and community engagement to make communities more welcoming, inclusive, and resilient. This summer at BPG Jean-Charles is working on the City of Taunton's Housing Production Plan, which details the city's housing needs, challenges, and opportunities, in order to plan for affordable housing. Outside of planning, Jean-Charles enjoys cooking, is an avid drawer, and recently picked up painting as a new hobby.
