Who We Are
- American Planning Association, Pennsylvania Chapter, Lehigh Valley-Berks Section (Section or APA PA LVB) is the Allentown-Reading area section of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association, representing members in the counties of Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton.
- The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association (Chapter or APA PA) is made up of 6 sections (including the Lehigh Valley-Berks Section) and was created in 1985 by the consolidation of three separate chapters of the American Planning Association located in Pennsylvania. You can join just the APA PA by clicking here.
- The American Planning Association (Association or APA) is the non-profit professional organization that helps promote planning in the United States. It was founded in 1978 by the merger of the American Institute of Planners and the American Society of Planning Officials, which have roots dating back to 1917. To become an APA National member, click here (automatically includes PA Chapter Membership).
- The American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) is the APA’s professional institute which certifies professional planners to promote ethical planning, professional development, planning education, and standards of practice through the Certification Maintenance (CM) program and associated continuing education credits.
Our Purpose
As outlined in the bylaws, the purpose of the Section is to facilitate participation of members of the Section in the affairs of Chapter and to further the purposes the Section. We do this by:
- Providing the opportunity for Section members and the public to actively participate in Section and Chapter activities.
- Furthering planning by educating members and the public on various planning topics through program meetings and workshops.
- Providing professional development training and promote membership in the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) of the Association.
- Promoting the involvement of citizen planners in the Association.
- Disseminating news of Section interest.
- Furthering the purposes of the Association in the Section area.
Being Involved
To meet our purpose, the Section strives to obtain maximum participation by Section members, businesses, and the general public through a variety of outreach methods spearheaded by our volunteer members.
Inclusion
APA-PA-LVB Section Council meetings and committee meetings are open to everyone, whether they are an active APA member or just interested in participating. Updates on meetings are posted on the APA-PA-LVB website www.apapalvb.org and on the various social media pages. Please invite your friends and colleagues to join any advertised meeting or sign up for any committees. If you have suggestions for increasing engagement with the APA-PA-LVB section, we would love to hear them.
Interested in volunteering or joining? Fill out this form!
Sharing Information
Any relevant information can be shared on the Section’s website by sending a blog post entry, preferably with a photo, to [email protected]. Job listings can also be posted on the blog, with sponsors getting featured job listings. Those that are relevant and provided three weeks before the next Section Council meeting will be included in an email blast to members.
Section Council
The managing body of the Section is called the Section Council. It consists of voting members who act on official business before the Section.
Section Council Meetings
The Section Council meets every month on the Second Thursday to conduct business. Each committee discusses a regular day and time that works best. All meetings allow a call in option for participation from those living further out in the region. Bylaws require elected council members to participate in at least half of the annual meetings. Section Council meetings are open to everyone, whether they are an active APA member or just interested in learning more about APA PA LVB
Committees
The Section has several different committees that work on specific issues and report back to the Section Council. Committees can meet regularly or as needed.
Events Committee
Focused on developing and recommending educational and social events for planners. This committee helps coordinate potential activities, such as: recommending CM events for the Section Council; working out details for events, such as speakers, venues, hospitality, etc.; planning for the annual event/Christmas party; assisting the Conference Planning Committee when hosting the state conference; planning for outreach events to promote planning to the public, such as booths, tables, etc.; providing content for Section social media, website, and newsletters.
Education Committee
Focused on providing outreach about planning to educational institutions at various levels. This committee helps coordinate potential activities, such as: promoting planning as a career to local university students in related fields; promoting the Chapter scholarship program for students interested in planning; promoting mentorship programs to help students learn about the variety and day to day responsibilities in planning jobs; providing information to high school students or attending career fairs to advocate for planning; promoting internships and entry level positions to college students and recent graduates; coordinating with the Chapter Student Engagement Committee on events and initiatives.
Nominating Committee
Focused on managing elections. This committee helps coordinate the election process for the section, such as: soliciting nominations for positions, collecting information on candidates, preparing ballots, coordinating with Section Council to distribute election information, and tracking required deadlines per the section bylaws.