John Morck, AICP, Chief Planner. John first joined DCA as a Community Development Planner in 1993. After departing for three years to serve in local government, he returned to DCA in 2000 where he has been Senior Planner and now Chief Planner. John’s prior experience includes six years in Guilford County and three years with the City of Monroe, NC as Planning Services Manager. John graduated from Ripon College in Wisconsin with a B.A. in Economics and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Masters in Urban Planning. John’s areas of specialty include land use planning, meeting facilitation, growth management, and historic preservation and recreation trails. He presently serves on the Board of the North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association as Vice President for Professional Development. John can be reached at jmorck@nccommerce.com.
Oliver Bass, AICP, Senior Planner. Oliver has been with DCA since 1998, first as a Community Development Planner and now Senior Planner. Before then, Oliver worked as a City Planner for 8 years in Ocean Spring, Mississippi. Oliver graduated from Jackson State University with a B.A. in Urban Studies and the University of Kansas with a Masters in Urban Planning. Oliver’s areas of specialty include land use planning, growth management, and annexation and incorporation studies. He also assists towns in downtown revitalization, meeting facilitation, and training. Oliver can be reached at obass@nccommerce.com.
Lee Nichols, Community Development Planner. Lee is a graduate from East Carolina University with a B.S. in Urban and Regional Planning and a certified North Carolina Zoning Official. Prior to coming to DCA in 2006, Lee worked in local government as a Code Enforcement Officer and Planning Director. He has completed instruction in Municipal Administration and his areas of expertise include municipal codes and ordinances, North Carolina planning practices and state law, and training for Planning Boards and Boards of Adjustment. Lee also assists jurisdictions in comprehensive development planning. Lee can be reached at lnichols@nccommerce.com.
Ravin Gore, Community Development Planner. Ravin is a native of Greensboro by way of Supply, North Carolina. She is a graduate of UNC-Charlotte with a B.S. in Geography, concentrating in Urban & Regional Development, and North Carolina Central University with a Masters in Public Administration, concentrating in Community Development. Ravin joined DCA in 2007 and works specifically with the 21st Century Community Initiative. Her areas of expertise include community development (urban and rural), youth development, and strategic planning. Ravin can be reached at rgore@nccommerce.com.
Betsy Kane, Community Development Planner. Betsy began work with DCA after several years working as a planner with local and state government and in private consulting firms. She received a law degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Florida. Her focus has been on helping communities formulate neighborhood plans and downtown plans with an emphasis on placemaking. She has also helped many communities update their zoning ordinances to be more functional and predictable, as well as to protect community visual character and environmental quality. Much of her planning work has been grounded in public participation and community visioning processes. bkane@nccommerce.com.
Will Best, Business and Technology Applications Analyst. Will is a graduate of East Carolina University and a specialist in the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). He has experience working in the private sector on mapping and aerial photography interpretation. Will also worked for the City of Raleigh Planning Department prior to joining the DCA . At DCA, Will works on mapping, annexation studies, and redevelopment planning, in addition to managing the Agrarian Growth Zones (AG Zone) and Urban Progress Zone (UP Zone) programs. Will can be reached at wbest@nccommerce.com.
Sarah Humphrey, Office Assistant. Sarah provides adminstrative support to the Central Regional Office. Sarah has a B.S. degree in International Business and has been working with the State of North Carolina since 1983. Sarah can be reached at shumphrey@nccommerce.com.