There are several ways to engage with UrbanPlan, offering diverse and rewarding opportunities to shape the future of land development—you can volunteer as a facilitator, team advisor, or mock-city council member; contribute to the workshop planning process on the steering committee; support one of the Urban Plan subcommittees; or actually lead and instruct an UrbanPlan workshop.  

At ULI Nashville, we are privileged to have two seasoned UrbanPlan instructors, Stacy Deru, Client Development Director at Engineered Tax Services, and Matt Anderson, Director of Real Estate Development Services at Al. Neyer. Through this Q&A, they unveil their inspirations for becoming instructors and the rewards of the experience.  

What is the role of an UrbanPlan instructor?  

MA: An Urban Plan instructor’s role is to guide participants through a fictional RFP, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals of land development. 

SD: The instructor is Chief Cat Herder.  Just kidding, sort of.  We are laying the framework for the workshop, setting expectations, and keeping everyone on time and task.  We are there to answer questions, provide guidance to the volunteers and hopefully, ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience. 

What inspired you to become an UrbanPlan instructor?  

MA: I have always had a passion for teaching and being a mentor. Becoming an Urban Plan instructor allowed me to combine my professional career with the opportunity to work with students and community members, guiding them towards better understanding the world of land development. 

SD: I must admit, I’m a bit of a control freak, and I find great satisfaction in keeping everyone on task. Urban Plan’s instructor role perfectly aligns with my natural inclination to facilitate and organize, making it an immensely rewarding endeavor. 

Can you share a bit about your background and how it aligns with the role of an instructor?  

MA:  My background is in civil engineering but I currently work in development as the Director of Development Services at Al. Neyer. My current role is very similar to the fictional design team in the Urban Plan program. I am trying to create equitable new developments that are the highest and best use of the land and also work with competing stakeholder interests. 

SD: In my day job, I spend time getting to know companies and individuals then presenting solutions in the form of other professionals to help them in achieving their goals.  I spend a lot of time gently nudging and keeping everyone on task and keeping all the moving parts of engagements progressing smoothly, so a lot like managing an Urban Plan workshop. 

Were there any specific qualifications or training required to take on this role?  

MA: Yes, ULI has a great training program to get you prepared to instruct the course. I feel any background could be successful in being an instructor as long as you have a passion for community involvement and land development. 

SD: Just the Urban Plan trainings, first for volunteers, which is where I started with the program about 5 or 6 years ago, then an additional instructor training. 

What do you find most rewarding about being an instructor in this program?  

MA: Getting to meet a lot of great people! Additionally, I find it helpful practicing my presentation skills which come in handy professionally. I also hope I’m helping remove the stigma that all developers are just money hungry corporations that don’t care about anyone but themselves. 

SD: Seeing people understanding the different viewpoints that contribute to an effort like this, and realizing there is more than one way to reach a common goal. 

Could you share a memorable experience you had while instructing a session of UrbanPlan?  

MA: One that really sticks out to me was one of the high school sessions. One student was really closed off and quiet at the start of the program but by the end he had found his passion for the project and basically morphed into the team leader. Another memory to share, not as an instructor, but one of my first council’s I participated in, my co-council member did not hold back asking extremely difficult questions of these high school students. Being only a couple years out of school at the time, I know I would not have been prepared to answer his questions. I remember being really impressed with these high school students’ responses (as well as the few that fell short). 

What advice would you give to someone who is considering becoming an UrbanPlan instructor?  

SD: It does take a time commitment, but it allows you to spend more quality time with other ULI members in a non-networking environment. 

As an instructor, how do you incorporate real-world urban planning issues and trends into your sessions?  

MA: I try to use real life examples that tie to the program. As an example, I had a real project that had very outspoken community groups that did help shape our development, very similar to the fictional RFP. When instructing high school students, I try to hit home that their fictional roles are very real career paths they could and should explore further. I also try to explain to all groups that this RFP is only the first step in any development. 

What are the key takeaways you hope participants gain from the UrbanPlan program?  

MA:  I really hope it provides insight into the fact that development is a very complex process with a multitude of competing interests, and while not every stakeholder will be 100% satisfied, we can work together to provide an equitable solution. 

SD: Being open minded in how you approach a situation and willing to compromise for the greater good. 

Matt Anderson, AL. Neyer

Stacy Deru, Engineered Tax Services