Submitted by SCJ Alliance
Linda Amato has achieved the planning profession’s highest honor by being named to the elite College of Fellows for the American Institute of Certified Planners (FAICP) for her outstanding achievements in land use planning. Linda is one of only 53 inductees this year. Inductions are done biennially, and fellows represent only 2% of the American Planning Association membership.
Linda’s career has spanned over thirty years. Her outstanding contributions to the field of transportation and environmental analysis have contributed to transportation projects across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
“Of all the corridors I worked on, the Amtrak Cascades program and system – which runs from Oregon through Washington to Vancouver, BC – was by far my favorite. For over ten years I was WSDOT’s consultant Environmental and Planning Manager for the corridor,” shares Linda. “I prepared and managed feasibility and planning studies, NEPA and SEPA documents, and oversaw public outreach. I had the opportunity to meet and work with legislators and planners along the 400+ mile corridor, spearheading a new approach to designing and writing environmental documents.”
Linda’s leadership changed how technical planning information is presented to the public, legislators, and stakeholders. Her Plain Talk techniques were adopted by State and local agencies throughout the United States, leading to a more engaged public and increased transparency.
“Individuals who make up the College of Fellows are the true leaders of the planning profession,” said AICP Past-president Valerie Hubbard, FAICP. “These individuals have made lasting contributions to the profession and have inspired generations of new planners. They are truly awe-inspiring.”
Linda is a senior consultant at SCJ Alliance where, among other things, she is currently working on the replacement of 24 WSDOT culverts and fish passages that impede salmon migration.
SCJ is a 100% employee-owned firm with over 130 employees specializing in civil engineering, transportation planning and design, environmental and urban planning, construction management, landscape architecture, and public outreach. SCJ has 11 offices across Washington, Montana, and Colorado.