Edward Ng, AICP (Candidate for Vice-President of Conference Services)

Professional Experience: 

• Technical Vice-President, Planning Division; The Corradino Group (2017 – Present)
• Senior Planner; The Corradino Group (2016-2017)
• Planner; The Corradino Group (2013 – 2016)
• Planning Intern, Planning Department, Middlesex County, NJ (2007)

Educational Background:

• Master of Planning, Master of Public Policy; University of Southern California (2012)
• Bachelor of Arts, Major: Planning and Public Policy, Minor: Economics; Rutgers University (2008)
• Graduate Certificates: Public Management (USC, 2012); Homeland Security and Public Policy (USC, 2012); Real Estate Development (Rutgers, 2011); Housing and Community Development (Rutgers, 2008)

APA Florida/APA Experience:     

• Chair, Local Host Committee, APA Florida 2021 Conference (Miami)
• Conference Committee member, APA Florida (2020 – Present)
• Immediate Past Chair, Gold Coast Section (2020 – 2022)
• Chair, Gold Coast Section (2018 – 2020)
• Vice-Chair, Gold Coast Section (2016 - 2018)
• Professional Development Officer, Gold Coast Section (2015 – 2016)
• YPG Ambassador, Gold Coast Section (2014 – 2015)

 Position Statement

 I am running for the Vice-President for Conference Services to ensure that our annual conference continues to offer valuable opportunities for personal and professional growth and networking.

Conferences are about the attendees’ experience, and that will be my key focus. As we navigate emerging planning issues, we must continue to provide lessons through engaging sessions and mobile workshops that offer food for thought or toolboxes that we can take back to our communities. Importantly, we must also continue to diversify our offerings so that we can meet new AICP CM requirements as well.

 Education, however, is so much more than about meeting requirements. Virtual learning opportunities which revisit ideas after each conference, and adaptation of new session formats seen at the national conference to what works for Florida are high priorities. We can explore innovative applications of existing methods, including intelligent match-making, to better connect attendees to sessions on current interests, or expand their boundaries by suggesting something new to learn. Introducing more “Well-being” events at our conferences can also provide us with both personal development and networking opportunities as well.

Networking opportunities at conferences are critical. Conference networking got me my first planning job, and interacting with other planners have resulted in a flow of ideas that benefited my projects. I will work with the state conference committee and the local host committee to explore and expand the types of in-person and virtual events, as well as pre- and post-conference tie-ins, that will strengthen the connections we forge at conferences.

Budgeting, however, continues to be the major challenge for introducing new items and ideas for our conference. To ensure we can realistically implement new ideas, I will work to identify potential revenue, including non-traditional source sponsorships, to meaningfully expand our in-person and virtual learning, mobile workshop, and networking opportunities.