APA News

Karen Wolf, FAICP, Begins Term as President of American Institute of Certified Planners

CHICAGO (January 19, 2023) — Karen Wolf, FAICP, a Seattle resident, begins her tenure as president of the American Planning Association's (APA) professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). APA is a 41,000-member organization that provides leadership in the development of vital communities. The professional institute certifies planners and focuses on ethics, professional development, and standards of professional practice.

Karen Wolf, FAICP

Karen Wolf, FAICP

Wolf will serve two years as Commission president and is responsible for leading the eight-member American Institute of Certified Planners Commission. She will represent the more than 17,000 certified members of APA's professional institute. This is a volunteer position.

Recently, Wolf retired from her role in King County, Washington, where she served as a trusted advisor to elected leaders for more than 30 years. She continues to serve as an affiliate instructor at the University of Washington (UW) and on UW's Professional Council for Urban Design and Planning.

Wolf is a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners, the profession's highest honor bestowed upon a planner. Active within APA, Wolf served eight years on the Commission focusing on growing the profession seamlessly from education to employment. She chaired both the exam committee and the ethics committee and helped establish a mandatory equity education requirement for certified planners.

Wolf earned her master's and bachelor's degrees from the University of Washington.

The American Planning Association is an independent, not-for-profit educational organization that provides vital leadership in creating great communities for all. APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are dedicated to advancing the profession of planning, offering better choices for where and how people work and live. APA's 41,000 members work in concert with community residents, civic leaders, and business interests to create communities that enrich people's lives. Through its philanthropic work, APA's Foundation helps to reduce economic and social barriers to good planning. APA is based in Chicago. Learn more at www.planning.org.

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Media Contact: Roberta Rewers, APA, 312.786.6395; rrewers@planning.org


January 19, 2023