Can Public Spaces Be Vibrant and Safe?

Discussion Leaders Profiles:

Jess Miller
Councillor
City of Sydney

Councillor Jess Miller was elected to the City of Sydney Council as part of the Clover Moore Independent team in 2016.

She is the Deputy Chair of the Environment Committee, Cycling Advisory Committee and Disability and Inclusion Committees on council. Much of her work within council has been focused on supporting the 24 hour economy, closing the ‘gender play gap’, food security and active transport.

Jess’ key areas of expertise are in environmental systems specifically urban ecology and urban forestry, and local food systems. She is an advocate for a slow city with lots of active and public transport, character, community, sport, colour and creativity. Professionally, she consults to Government on resilience, living infrastructure, community engagement and collective impact. Jess sits on the Board of TEDxSydney and the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre.

 

 

 

Matt Norris
Director
Urban Land Institute

 

Matt Norris supports ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative and works on projects linking health, sustainability, and real estate development. He is the primary or contributing author of several ULI publications, including The Pandemic and the Public Realm: Global Innovations for Health, Social Equity, and Sustainability and Successful Partnerships for Parks: Collaborative Approaches to Advance Equitable Access to Open Space. Matt previously worked at the Tri-State Transportation Campaign where he focused on improving access to safe, reliable, and equitable modes of transportation. Matt earned his Master’s in City and Regional Planning from Rutgers University in 2010, where he focused on international development and comprehensive planning. Matt also holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Kansas.

 

 

 

Diana Schoder
Senior Associate,
Urban Land Institute

Diana Schoder supports the Building Healthy Places Initiative as Senior Associate, Content. In this position, she contributes to research and writing on health, social equity, and development. Diana holds a B.A. in economics and environmental studies from Haverford College. She was previously an Economics Editorial Fellow at the American Economic Association and worked at the Council on Foreign Relations as Research Associate, Global Health, Economics, and Development. Diana is a Fitwel Ambassador and EcoDistricts AP.

 

 

 

Liu Yuyang
Founder and Principal,
Artelier Liu YuYang Architects

Born in Taiwan and educated in the U.S., Mr. Liu researched with Rem Koolhaas and co-authored Great Leap Forward in 2001, a seminal work on the urbanization of China’s Pearl River Delta.  Having held a number of professional and academic positions in the U.S. and Hong Kong, Mr. Liu established his Shanghai-based Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects in 2007.  Mr. Liu’s notable research-based projects with public interest and forward thinking include Shanghai Contemporary Museum of Art (MoCA), Cidi Memo iTown in Beijing, Shanghai Minsheng Wharf Waterfront Landscape and Reconnection and Shanghai Yangpu Waterfront Landscape and Connecting Infrastructure in Shanghai.

 

 

Moderator Profile:

 

Lay Bee Yap
Group Director, Architecture and Urban Design
Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore

 

Lay Bee Yap is the Group Director of Architecture & Urban Design at the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the national land use planning and conservation authority of Singapore.

Leading a multi-disciplinary team of architects and planners in URA, she develops structure plans, urban design plans, and formulates strategies, policies and programmes to realize the planning agenda to make Singapore a sustainable, attractive and vibrant global city.  She has experience in public-private partnerships, having worked closely with other Ministries, government and private sector agencies in Singapore to implement key projects. This includes implementing key public environmental works, and facilitating urban development and economic growth through appropriate planning and regulatory measures.  Lay Bee also oversees and carries out policy reviews, and organise public programmes to enliven public spaces and promote architectural and urban design excellence for Singapore.

Lay Bee is also a registered architect in Singapore.