Contributing authors to “Growing Pains - The Crisis in Growth area Planning”

Maxine Cooper has more than 40 years’ experience in social research, community development and planning in a range of organisations in both the private and public sectors. She has particular expertise in community planning, social infrastructure requirements investigations, sustainability planning and strategic planning. She has prepared assessments of social planning implications, advised on community building processes, conducted community infrastructure analysis and contributed to the development of structure plans across Australia and overseas. She pioneered the development and application of social impact assessment in Victoria, and was awarded the VPELA Richard Evans Award for Excellence in 2007.

Bruce Echberg is an architect, landscape architect and urban designer who has been working mostly in private practice in Australia and overseas since the early 1970s. He founded Urban Initiatives, a Melbourne based landscape and urban design practice, in 1981, which has won numerous professional awards and continues to provide consulting services to government, institutions and private clients around Australia. Bruce has also been and active participant and supporter of Urban Design Forum since it’s inception in 1986.

Stephen Pelosi has over 34 year’s experience in transport planning and traffic engineering in Australia, the Middle East, Asia, the U.S. and Latin America. In 2013 he co-founded the consultancy Movendo, where he has pursued his passion for delivering more sustainable communities and outcomes. Stephen regularly provides strategic and business advice to governments, private agencies, infrastructure providers and operators through the delivery of major transport studies.