Hackensack, NJ - The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation's board of trustees (NNJCF) announced the appointment of Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP as the organization's Executive Director. Vazquez comes to NNJCF with more than 30 years of experience working as an urban planner, community economic development professional, creative placemaker, educator, journalist, and author.The NNJCF, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) group with its main office in Hackensack, New Jersey, was established in 1998, and this year it marks its 25th anniversary. Th...
Hackensack, NJ - The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation's board of trustees (NNJCF) announced the appointment of Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP as the organization's Executive Director. Vazquez comes to NNJCF with more than 30 years of experience working as an urban planner, community economic development professional, creative placemaker, educator, journalist, and author.
The NNJCF, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) group with its main office in Hackensack, New Jersey, was established in 1998, and this year it marks its 25th anniversary. The work of the Foundation is mainly focused on public health, philanthropy, civic engagement, education, and climate action.
"Leonardo Vazquez 's long history of leadership in the fields of urban planning, community economic development, and creative placemaking will substantially benefit northern New Jersey. His impact across the region will be maximized by his extensive nonprofit management experience in building collaborative community partnerships," said Michael Shannon, President of the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation.
Sign Up for FREE Hackensack Newsletter
Get local news you can trust in your inbox.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
“This is an exciting opportunity to serve northern New Jersey and to help communities through planning for climate change, creative placemaking, environmental justice and social justice initiatives. The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation undertakes many great things by promoting collaboration, bringing people and communities together to help them achieve more than they could alone. I am honored to join the Foundation and to be a part of this effort,” explained Vazquez.
As the founder and director of The National Consortium for Creative Placemaking and Creative Placemaking Communities, he used cutting-edge networking and professional development initiatives to expand the creative placemaking industry across the United States. His two organizations worked with over 8,000 individuals from the fields of cultural heritage, the arts, public policy, and other fields to investigate how to use the power of culture and the arts to improve communities.
Numerous national awards have been given to Vazquez for his work in urban planning, civic involvement, creative placemaking, and social justice. He received the National Planning Leadership Prize for Advancing Diversity and Social Justice in Honor of Paul Davidoff from the American Planning Association (APA) in 2012. Additionally, he authored or contributed to plans that were recognized with statewide honors by New Jersey Future and the APA's New Jersey Chapter.
In addition to two master's degrees in planning and public administration from the University of Southern California, Vazquez holds a bachelor of science in journalism from Northwestern University. At the following institutions: The New School, the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers State University of New Jersey, and The Knowlton School in the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University, he also taught a variety of subjects, including urban planning history and theory, economic development, creative placemaking, and planning ethics. He has written for several publications, including Leading from the Middle: Strategic Thinking for Urban Planning and Community Development Professionals and co-edited Dialogos: Placemaking in Hispanic Communities.
Vazquez, an Argentinean native who was raised in Staten Island, New York, has resided in New Jersey for more than 25 years and is a Maplewood resident. He participates in the Maplewood Arts Council and chairs the Sustainable Jersey Arts and Creative Culture Task Group. He is an advisor to the APA's Arts and Planning section as well as co-founder of the Latinos and Planning division.