Meagan Ehlenz, PhD, AICP, serves as the Associate Director of Planning and an associate professor at Arizona State University's School of Geographical Sciences & Urban Planning. Her professional background spans both practical planning and scholarly pursuits focused on urban revitalization, housing, and community development.
Ehlenz's research agenda explores urban revitalization in the context of neighborhood change, the impact of anchor institutions on local housing markets, and strategies for affordable housing. Her current projects include studying how anchor institutions can leverage their assets to increase affordable housing supplies, evaluating shared equity housing models in Arizona, and analyzing housing market dynamics around universities, particularly their impacts on students and local residents.
As a PennIUR Scholar, Ehlenz has published case studies and participated in round tables focused on anchor institutions and affordable housing strategies. Before starting her academic career, Ehlenz gained extensive experience as a planning practitioner, working for the City of Milwaukee and as a planning consultant in partnership with local governments across Southeastern Wisconsin. She continues to contribute to the profession as a board member for the Arizona Chapter of the American Planning Association and as a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). She holds a PhD in City and Regional Planning from the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania, a Masters in Urban Planning from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Bachelors in Environmental Design from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.