Emma is an urban geographer, storyteller, and designer with a multidisciplinary background in anthropology, journalism, and urban planning. She leads communications at Happy Cities, translating research and best practices into compelling stories that show the power of urban design in influencing human wellbeing. Her combination of urban planning and communications skills ensures our communications are both accessible and engaging, distilling complex planning concepts into creative graphics, stories, and reports.
Emma has worked to create happier and healthier communities through a wide range of public engagement, policy, and research projects at Happy Cities. She has completed urban planning, graphic design, and communications work for municipalities across North America—all the way from St. Petersburg, Florida to Vancouver, British Columbia. She brings expertise in consulting work on active mobility and best-practice bicycle infrastructure
Emma completed her Master’s degree in Urban Geography at McGill University, where she conducted federally-funded research on new master-planned smart and green cities with the New Cities Lab.
Projects Emma has worked on
- Accessibility Plan – City of Regina
- Dementia-inclusive planning and design guidelines – Simon Fraser University
- My home, my neighbourhood wellbeing survey – Vancouver Coastal Health
- Accessibility legislation engagement for Alberta – Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities
- Community wayfinding strategy – City of Richmond
- Campus placemaking master plan – Zamorano University, Honduras
- Community arts & culture framework – City of Fort St. John
- Economic data visualization and communications – City of Rossland
- Olde Town Hills, Bridgewater master plan
- Permanent patio program development and applicant guide – City of Richmond
- Eastern Passage community design
- Happy neighbours: Design and programming for social connection in multi-unit buildings
- Social wellbeing in modular housing – Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
- Uptown active transportation and public realm improvements – City of New Westminster
- Crosstown Greenway: Youth-led placemaking for safer streets – City of New Westminster
- Agnes Street Greenway activations – City of New Westminster
