Heba ElGawish from Cohort 2014-2015 recently joined the DC Office of Planning as a Community Planner focusing on community-based long-range planning. Since April 2019, Heba has been managing the last phase of community engagement and plan development of DC’s Comprehensive Plan Update. The update of the Comprehensive Plan integrates four major themes that address critical needs of the District while managing the city’s continued growth:

• Housing affordability in a growing city
• Racial equity and justice
• Resilience and climate change
• Systemic approach to public resources including health, education, and food access

Prior to joining DC Office of Planning, Heba was an Urban Planner with the City of Alexandria, Virginia for four years where she managed the planning process and implementation efforts for the Old Town North Small Area Plan, lead the adoption of the Old Town North Arts and Cultural District, and reviewed development projects for their compliance with the City’s Master Plan and Design Guidelines.