Described as an "architect of public process," urban planner Steven Ames (MS '76) is widely recognized for his work in community visioning and civic engagement. As former principal of NXT Consulting Group and now with his own private consultancy, Ames has advised the long-range planning efforts of cities and regions in North America and overseas, from Portland, Oregon, to Perth, Western Australia.

Ames is the author of the award-winning American Planning Association (APA) handbook, "A Guide to Community Visioning," and innovator of its Oregon Model, featured in APA's "Planning and Urban Design Standards." The model is inspired in part by the concept of "anticipatory democracy"—blending civic foresight with grassroots public participation and action.

"The Oregon Model is a 'whole-of-community' planning approach that links environmental sustainability with such concerns as growth management, livability, social equity, and most recently, resiliency," he said. "One aspect of this approach is to understand how societal trends are driving change; another is monitoring and measuring planned change over time. While the tools are constantly changing, my focus continues to be engaging people in building communities that endure and thrive."

Ames has applied this approach over the years to help clients—often smaller cities and towns—achieve signature outcomes, including: Arizona's first-ever urban growth boundary in Flagstaff; one of the nation's first LEED-certified city halls in Hillsboro, Oregon; a vision plan for Blue Mountains, Australia, a city inside a World Heritage national park; a regional research and innovation district for rural Washington's Wenatchee Valley; and a second-generation vision for Bend, Oregon, ranging from major "game changer" projects to small things individuals can do to contribute to their community's future.

Ames credits two University of Michigan professors emeriti for their guidance: Jim Crowfoot for skillfully mentoring his graduate educational experience and Donald Michael for inspiring his career in long-range community planning. "Don had a profound influence on my way of thinking about the world. His courses and insights into long-term societal change were foundational to my career—and my life," said Ames.