Lauren Shurtleff is the Director of Planning at the BPDA, where she manages the Planning Division staff to produce plans, guidelines, and policies appropriate to the planning issues in Boston’s many neighborhoods and Downtown. She guides and mentors staff to work collaboratively with community, business and institutional organizations on public planning processes associated with physical planning in Boston. Additionally, Lauren collaborates with BPDA Development Review staff as well as with City, State and other community agencies and organizations to facilitate the coordination of the public planning and development review processes relating to planning issues.

With over ten years of public policy experience in the District, Yesim is recognized by policymakers and advocates as a source of reliable, balanced analyses on the District’s economy and demography. Before joining the D.C. Policy Center, Yesim lead the team within the Office of the Chief Financial Officer that scored the fiscal impact of all legislation the District considered. She frequently testified on high profile legislation and worked closely with the executive and Council staff to ensure that policymakers fully understand the fiscal implications of their proposed legislation. She co-founded and blogged at District Measured and her work was highlighted in Washington Post, Washington Business Journal, City Paper, and the Governing Magazine, among others. Yesim also has worked in the private sector, and consulted with international organization on a large portfolio of public finance topics.