People

Spencer Williams Architect and City Planner @institutechange Spencer joined Futurewise as an Urban Designer & Planner in 2014 and works within the Livable Communities Program promoting healthy, connected and equitable communities. He brings years of policy and design experience at a variety of scales, a love for urban environments, and a commitment to expand opportunity throughout the region. In Fall 2014, in coordination with Happy City author, Charles Montgomery, Futurewise co-hosted Happy Seattle, an urban design lab where the public could participate in a laboratory for testing the effect that design has on the way we feel. Previously, Spencer worked within the Urban Design Studio at the City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability on a variety of neighborhood plans as well as citywide strategic and comprehensive plans. Spencer’s previous work focused on growth management, designing integrated infrastructure systems, creating performance metrics, and community engagement- with a special focus on engaging youth in the planning process. He holds a BFA in architecture from Savannah College of Art and Design and a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University. He is committed to equipping people, places, and institutions with the strategies needed to manage change and improve outcomes.