University of Alberta grad Kaelin Koufogiannakis wants to help foster the next generation of urban, regional and land use planners

Kaelin Koufogiannakis, graduate of the Bachelor of Arts in Planning program

Being an urban or regional planner today is no easy task. According to Kaelin Koufogiannakis — a graduate of the University of Alberta bachelor of arts in planning program and principal planner with the Affordable Housing Project Development team at the City of Edmonton — the career changes rapidly.

Today’s city and regional planners — and others who work in the field of land use and development — need to understand emerging topics such as how the field intersects with concepts like Truth and Reconciliation, climate change and rapid technological developments. 

But, Koufogiannakis says, navigating these and future facets of planning can be a lot easier with a bit of help and mentorship. Which is one reason Koufogiannakis has taken the initiative to provide this to young professionals in the field, including U of A co-op students. She remembers the “supervisors, colleagues and friends who went above and beyond” to help her in her own career.

“Their support, guidance, and perspectives have directly shaped my own approach to mentorship, and I'm very grateful for that. I hope that the students I mentor can one day go on to mentor a future generation of students as well.”

Learning in and outside of the classroom

Koufogiannakis graduated from the planning program, with distinction and a minor in economics, in 2020. The degree provided a great foundation of knowledge, and invaluable practical and theoretical knowledge. But, she says, some of the most valuable experiences came from outside of the classroom. 

These include a co-op term to experience work in the private sector — particularly the development industry — and a studio class in which she and her classmates researched a report on infill housing for the City of Edmonton. She also helped direct a study on e-bikes and e-scooter programs for two Edmonton business associations. 

“These projects really showed me what it would be like to work as a planner,” she says.

She also made invaluable connections during her time at the U of A. Her classmates ended up working at the City of Edmonton, the private sector and various other employers across Canada. 

“Finally, I met my wonderful husband in university, as he did the Human Geography program — so that was really the best takeaway,” she says.

As principal planner of the Affordable Housing Project Development team, a position she’s held since February of this year, she and her colleagues are deeply involved in all parts of housing developments, from the proposals stage, to construction. 

“At a time when so many people are facing challenges to finding safe and affordable housing, it's very rewarding to play a small part in getting new affordable and supportive housing built across Edmonton,” she says.

From mentee to mentor

Koufogiannakis also recalls the mentorship and advice she received during her studies, and wanted to provide the same support to others looking to enter planning. In 2022, one month into her first job at the City of Edmonton, a co-op student from the U of A was hired into the office. She recalls providing the student with some informal mentorship, and seeing the impacts that it had on the student’s work over the rest of the year. 

When she found out the office was going to hire another co-op student, she asked to be more involved. In 2023 and 2024, she was part of the hiring process for co-op students from the U of A, and took on a more formal onboarding and mentoring role with them, and continued to provide insights and advice to people new to the field. Koufogiannakis says it was incredible to see how the co-op students’ confidence and abilities grew over their time at the office. The experience also grew her passion for being a mentor. 

Neil Roy Choudhury, who is currently pursuing a bachelors of urban planning, was a co-op student in Koufogiannakis’s office in 2023. He recalls feeling intimidated at first, but with a bit of help, that passed.

“Kaelin's mentorship was invaluable as she not only helped me understand the work that needed to be done through answering questions and guiding me through my initial tasks, but she also helped me feel comfortable and welcome in the unfamiliar work environment,” he says.

In 2024, Koufogiannakis took part in a few events focused on early career development, including as a panel member at the arts+businessWORKS Career Development Conference. As a former U of A co-op student, she was invited to join the panel on careers in the public sector with professionals from the province and federal administrations.

“I hope students took away an understanding that public sector careers can be fast-paced, interesting, and provide opportunities to work on a wide variety of initiatives that serve the public,” she says of the event. 

According to Koufogiannakis, the urban, regional and development planning profession is small, particularly in Alberta. The relationships students build early in their careers and during their education are vital, as they provide support far into the future, she says. 

“I like to think about it as relationship building rather than networking,” she says, “because it's really about creating long-term connections with people you can look up to, learn from, support, mentor and have fun with over your career!”