Connect with APA Florida
  1. Welcome to APA Florida
  2. Connect with APA Florida
  3. Executive Committee
  4. 2024 APA Florida Executive Committee Elections

Lynda Kompelien Westin, AICP (Candidate for Vice President of Continuing Education)

Professional Experience:

Over 30 years of AICP-certified experience in land use and transportation planning

  • Vice President, Project Manager/Discipline Lead, WSP USA – 2020 to Present
    • Long-range transportation planning, equity analysis, transit operations planning, and transit corridor studies
  • Transportation Manager, City of Miami Beach (2017 to 2020)
    • SMART Program liaison, bicycle and pedestrian feasibility studies
  • Transportation Planning Manager, Real Estate (2005 to 2017)
    • Grant funding specialist awarded over $80 million, manager of 12 charrettes around transit stations and within CRAs

Awards:

  • APA Gold Coast Award of Excellence for Miami-Dade Rail Opportunities (2016)
  • FHWA Transportation Planning Excellence Award, TRCL Market Study, handbook and video (2015)
  • Smart Growth Partnership Award, TRCL Market Study, handbook and video (2014)
  • APA Gold Coast Award of Excellence, TRCL Market Study, handbook and video (2013)
  • FHWA Transportation Planning Excellence Award, Transit Resource Guide (2010)
  • FHWA Transportation Planning Excellence Award, SFRTA Regional Transit Plan
  • FRA Kenzie ward, 2001

Educational Background:

  • M.S. Urban and Regional Planning (University of Wisconsin – Madison)
  • B.A. Economics, (University of Minnesota – Duluth)
    • Bulldog and Arrow Student Leadership Awards

APA/APA Florida Experience:

Gold Coast Section Experience 2005-2017.

  • Notable accomplishments include M-Path (Underline) Month and Climate Change/Green Infrastructure workshop.
  • Chair - April 2016 to 2017
  • Vice Chair - September 2015 to April 2016.
  • Treasurer - 2008 to 2015.
  • Awards chair – 2005-2015

Position Statement

I am energized and honored by the opportunity to provide continuing education to the planners of Florida. My goal is to make APA Florida the go-to resource for continuing education and the latest planning best practices.

Technology is an amazing resource allowing us to reach our statewide membership like never before. Expanding virtual event opportunities can provide a deeper, statewide bench of professionals and topics to draw on for continuing education. This will ensure great quality content and supplement the local section’s continuing education events.

I would also like to increase opportunities to fill the law, ethics, and resilience credit requirements. These are more challenging to find, and in the crunch to get those last few credits filled I have benefited from the online resources of other Chapters, as well as APA Florida!

There are also innovative in-person events happening at the section level. An example are the noontime Cafecito’s programmed by the Gold Coast Section. Perhaps fun events like these can be tested statewide.

My deep and long-standing interest in continuing education reaches back to serving on my college student activities board. My focus on event programming continued with the Gold Coast Section, where I planned events for local planners around new and relevant topics. Through this experience, I developed a knack for identifying topical issues which I can bring to the position.

I look forward to working for and with you to provide high quality, relevant, accessible continuing education opportunities. This is the perfect way to re-engage with the planning community after a bit of a hiatus to focus on my growing family.

I am excited by this opportunity to serve and would appreciate your vote!