Karen Smith, AICP, Chief Planner. Karen began working for the DCA Western Regional Office as a Community Development Planner in August of 2005 and became its Chief Planner in June of 2006. Prior to joining DCA, Karen spent almost 14 years working as a planner for Henderson County, NC, including more than 6 years as the Planning Director. Karen has a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Boston University and a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her experience includes land use and comprehensive planning, growth management, ordinance preparation and administration, board and committee support and training, and planning administration. She currently serves as an appointed member of the Executive Committee of the North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association in the positions of Awards Committee Co-Chair and At-Large Member for the West. She is also a member of the Western Carolina University Local Government Training Program Advisory Board.
Virginia Faust, AICP, Senior Planner. Ginny joined DCA in 1997 after working for Haywood County for six years; previously she had been the City Planner Hendersonville when she first moved to the area in 1985. She has a degree in history from the University of Notre Dame and received her Master’s in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While an interest in farmland preservation led to her decision to pursue a career in planning, her areas of expertise now include urban design, creating walkable communities, encouraging downtown revitalization, and floodplain management issues.
Kristy Carter, Community Development Planner. Kristy joined DCA in January 2006. Prior to working with DCA, Kristy worked with homeless folks and on housing issues in Asheville, NC. Kristy has a BS and an MPA from Western Carolina University. Her specialty areas include housing, facilitation and training, and neighborhood development. Kristy is involved in a variety of community activities and is an alternate member of the City of Asheville’s Board of Adjustment.
Sara D. Evans, Community Development Planner. Sara joined DCA in March 2007 to work with the Department of Commerce's 21st Century Communities Program in Western North Carolina. Her prior experience includes 13 years working in environmental protection, as manager for the Resource Conservation/ Local Planning and Assistance Branch, and as coordinator for the Source Water Protection Program with the Kentucy Department for Environmental Protection. She served as resource conservation policy advisor to her cabinet secretary and the legislature, and worked with counties on natural resources program planning. Sara also worked as secretary and organizer for community land-use planning groups in Kentucky and Missouri, and has worked as a cartographer/drafter for city public works departments. Sara obtained her degrees in Geology/Hydrogeology from the University of Kentucky in 1994. Her areas of expertise include; natural resources program development and planning, team-building, grant development and management, sustainable community planning, meeting facilitation, and solid waste and water resources planning.
Ron Hancock, Community Development Planner. Ron graduated from Western Carolina University in 1995 with a B.S. in Geography, and from Appalachian State University in 2001 with an M.A. in Geography and Appalachian Studies. Ron has been with DCA since 2006 and has prior local government experience working as a Land Use and Air Quality Planner for the Western Piedmont Council of Governments in Hickory, NC. He was previously employed as a GIS Technician for the N.C. Center for Geographic Information and Analysis in Asheville and was the GIS Administrator and an Instructor in the Department of Geography and Planning at ASU. Ron’s areas of specialty include: small town and rural planning; environmental and natural resources conservation; and spatial analysis.
Glen Locascio, Business and Technology Applications Analyst. Glen has been with DCA since 2001 as a specialist in the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). He graduated from Tufts University with a BS and Duke University with a Master of Environmental Management in 1996. Glen previously worked in the private sector and with the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition in the field of GIS. With DCA he provides GIS support services for communities in Western North Carolina, including GIS training and implementation as well as technical assistance for local governments and economic development organizations. His projects range from zoning map creation to evaluation of development constraints on the natural environment. Glen specializes in analyzing and characterizing information to assist officials in the decision-making process. He currently serves on the Asheville Greenway Commission.
Janet Pamfilis, Office Assistant. Jan began working for DCA in December of 1978. She graduated from St. Geneieve of the Pines School for Secretaries in 1976, and has witnessed the evolution of office work from shorthand and typing, to word processing and voice mail!
Glenn M. Rhodes, Community Development Planner. Glenn joined DCA in December 2006. He has a long history working with local governments in Western North Carolina. He spent 20 years as the Economic/Community Development Coordinator with the Isothermal Planning and Development Commission. Glenn has also been a Town Manager for the towns of Tryon and Columbus in Polk County, NC. Glenn received his B.S. in History and Secondary Education from Western Carolina University. Glenn’s areas of specialty include economic and community development, grant writing and administration, housing, solid waste planning, and local government management.