Nationally and internationally recognized as a leader in urban planning and housing, Dr. Goldstein is hailed as an authority in community development, with a diverse background spanning government and private sectors. With over 20 years of experience, she has led significant city-building initiatives throughout Alberta and held multiple roles at the City of Calgary, serving as both the Manager of Affordable Housing, the overseer of the City of Calgary's housing initiatives, as well as the Manager of Community Planning.
Dr. Goldstein is an accomplished instructor and, for eight years, has taught as part of the University of Calgary - School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. She successfully defended her Doctorate in June 2023 centered on the emotional dimensions of growth and change in local area planning.
In 2022, Dr. Goldstein served on the City of Calgary's Housing and Affordability Task Force which has been hailed as a leader of change-making policy, partnerships and leveraging all possible levers required to help facilitate the creation of more housing. Dr. Goldstein's diverse experiences bear testament to her ability to drive growth, uplift lives, and achieve ambitious objectives.
Jennifer Keesmaat
An urban planner, Ms. Keesmaat was named one of the "most powerful people in Canada" by Macleans, one of the "most influential" by Toronto Life, and one of the top Women of Influence in Canada. She spent half a decade as Toronto's Chief City Planner, where she was celebrated for her forward thinking and collaborative approach to city-building.
Ms. Keesmaat is President and Chief Executive Officer of Collecdev-Markee, developing new communities across the Greater Toronto Area as sustainable, liveable places that prioritize access to high quality, affordable housing. A Distinguished Visitor in Residence Emeritus at the University of Toronto, Ms. Keesmaat continues to share her vision for cities of the future, through her WEBBY Award-winning podcast, Invisible City.
Ms. Keesmaat is the Chief Architect of the 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities, which is a blueprint for adapting cities post COVID-19 that has been adopted by cities around the world. She is on the Advisory Board of the Urban Land Institute, Toronto, and is appointed to the International Panel of Experts, Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority. Ms. Keesmaat is also the President's Planning and Growth Advisory Board and Design Review Panel for Ohio State University and is recognized as one of the 100 most influential urbanists of all time by Planetizen Magazine.
