Leading Ladies Panel

Mary Kopaskie-Brown is the Planning Director for the City of Mesa. With over 35 years of experience, Mary has both domestic and international experience allowing her to work with planners from around the globe. She has also worked in both the public and private sector allowing her to understand the … Read More

Mary Kopaskie-Brown is the Planning Director for the City of Mesa. With over 35 years of experience, Mary has both domestic and international experience allowing her to work with planners from around the globe. She has also worked in both the public and private sector allowing her to understand the challenges of planning from various perspectives. Mary is passionate about creating great places for people. Read Less

Ms. Sarkissian is a land planner with more than 22;years of experience in both public and private sector planning with multiple municipalities within Maricopa, Yavapai, Cochise, Coconino, Navajo, Pinal and Greenlee Counties in Arizona. She has worked on the public side with the City of Phoenix, City of Chandler and … Read More

Ms. Sarkissian is a land planner with more than 22;years of experience in both public and private sector planning with multiple municipalities within Maricopa, Yavapai, Cochise, Coconino, Navajo, Pinal and Greenlee Counties in Arizona. She has worked on the public side with the City of Phoenix, City of Chandler and for Pinal County. She has worked with several engineering firms on the private side over the years, learning both sides of development. She was previously a member of the City of Mesa Planning Board, the Town of Gilbert Planning Commission, was the Town of Gilbert Zoning hearing Officer and currently sits on the City of Mesa Historic Preservation Board and General Plan Update Committee. Ms. Sarkissian's experience is grounded in working between the private and public sector to process entitlements efficiently and retrieve information quickly as well as bridge public outreach efforts for public sector clients to ensure plans and updated for Comprehensive and General Plans receive thorough public review and comment and are representative of the public input as well. She is also an active participant in the American and Arizona Planning Association, is AICP and LEED AP as well as with local partnerships and national ULI volunteerism for community education as well. Read Less

Executive Director, Sun Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Read More

Executive Director, Sun Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Read Less

Carol (Shixue) Hu joined the Greater Phoenix Economic Council as the Vice President of Strategy. Carol leads the delivery of in-depth and accurate market knowledge to internal and external stakeholders. She is responsible for the development and implementation of business intelligence strategy, enterprise-level solutions and platforms that support information management … Read More

Carol (Shixue) Hu joined the Greater Phoenix Economic Council as the Vice President of Strategy. Carol leads the delivery of in-depth and accurate market knowledge to internal and external stakeholders. She is responsible for the development and implementation of business intelligence strategy, enterprise-level solutions and platforms that support information management for GPEC. She brings 10+ years of experience gained from her role as an urban planner and community developer for the City of Glendale and Maricopa County. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the American Planning Association Arizona Chapter and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Carol was formerly the Vice Chair of the Neighborhood Advisory Commission, an inaugural member of the Sustainability Commission for City of Tempe and a Sustainability Advisor for International Economic Development Council. With a deep appreciation of the urban environments and community engagement in Greater Phoenix, Carol is an active member of this community involved in numerous program developments such as the APA State Conference, state and local planning workshops, award committees and mentorship programs. Carol is bilingual and previously lived in China and Canada before calling Phoenix home. Carol holds a Master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from Arizona State University. Read Less

Denise Lacey is currently the Systems Planning Branch Manager at Maricopa County Department of Transportation. She is a fourth generation Arizona native and has watched the growth and development of not just Maricopa County but the entire state. Denise’s Planning career has taken her to the communities of Williams, Flagstaff, … Read More

Denise Lacey is currently the Systems Planning Branch Manager at Maricopa County Department of Transportation. She is a fourth generation Arizona native and has watched the growth and development of not just Maricopa County but the entire state. Denise’s Planning career has taken her to the communities of Williams, Flagstaff, Fountain Hills, and Buckeye. She also tried her skills in the private sector but her love for the Public Sector brought her to Maricopa County. Her experience ranges from Retail to Tourism, Marketing to Economic Development and of course multiple positions in Planning. Investing in others, providing opportunities, and coaching through difficult challenges is something Denise truly enjoys. She believes that if one door closes another opens - when you are willing to step through! In her free time Denise enjoys with her five-generation family and discovering the next RV and off-roading adventure with her spouse. None Read Less