Helen Ganahl, APA

Community Planner

As a Community Planner with Groundwork Studio, Helen believes in the power of planning, policy and design to create equitable public spaces. Growing up in Bishop, a small town in Payahuunadü, the Owens Valley, surrounded by the Sierra Nevadas, Inyo and White Mountains, Helen was inspired to focus her work on policy and resource management. Coming from the west coast and working in the food industry contributed to Helen’s appreciation for fragile desert environments. Her professional interests include collaborating with Indigenous communities, local governments and MainStreet organizations. In her spare time, Helen enjoys hiking, film photography and planting (and smelling!) resilient plants like the many varieties of sage found in New Mexico.

Education:
Associate of Arts with an emphasis in Sustainable Urban Agriculture, Seattle Central College
Bachelor of Arts in Community, Environment and Planning, University of Washington
Master of Community & Regional Planning, University of New Mexico

Professional Credentials:
Udall Environmental Scholar