Opportunities and Tensions Between Planning, Sustainability, Community Engagement, Equity, and Politics

Content

Join us for a Zube Lecture presented by Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra on Thursday, March 26th, at 4:00 p.m. in the Design Building Lecture Hall (room 170). Admission is free and open to the public. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

A recording of this discussion will be posted to UMass LARP's YouTube channel following the event.

About the Talk

This lecture will explore the intersection and tension of city planning and the real-world implementation and long-term maintenance of plans within a political framework. It examines how planners design visions that cities must sustain over time, often amid limited municipal resources and shifting political realities. As mayors and city councilors change, so do priorities, political will, and constituent expectations - highlighting how quickly and dramatically the landscape of local governance and public demands can evolve.

About the Speaker 

Gina-Louise Sciarra is the 45th Mayor of the City of Northampton. Mayor Sciarra was elected in November 2021, and again in November 2025 for a second term. Prior to serving as the city’s Chief Executive Officer, she was elected to four terms on the Northampton City Council - as Ward 4 City Councilor from 2013 to 2019, and City Councilor At-Large and City Council President from 2019 through 2021. Gina-Louise earned a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and earned a master’s of Philosophy in Sociology degree from CUNY. Gina-Louise lives in Northampton with her husband and two daughters.