Organizational Info and Leadership 

The Land Use Planning Community of Practice (CoP) Board of Directors meets monthly, virtually, to provide leadership for the national organization. The board is structured as follows:

  • One board member from each Cooperative Extension Rural Development Region (four)

  • Five at large board members

  • An Executive Committee comprised of the board: Chair, Past Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer

View our current Bylaws 


Land Use Planning CoP Board – As of June 2022 Annual Meeting

Executive Committee (one year appointments)

Chair - Brad Neumann AICP, Michigan State University Extension, [email protected]

Brad is a Senior Extension Educator with Michigan State University and focuses on planning and zoning, community development, and good governance programming. He helps manage the Michigan Citizen Planner Program and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Explore Brad's work.

Vice Chair - Jake Powell, Utah State Extension, [email protected]

Jake is an Extension Specialist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at Utah State University. His teaching and extension efforts focus on understanding and improving how the planning and design of communities, sites, infrastructure, and natural areas affect the quality of the environment and the human experience. Explore Jake’s work.

Past Chair - Melissa Hamilton, University of Idaho Extension, [email protected]

Melissa Hamilton is a county based Extension educator with the University of Idaho. She is the county chair for the office and focuses her programming on community development, agriculture, and horticulture in Valley County. Melissa is focused on rural regional planning, multi-modal transportation systems, asset/value based development, community food systems, meeting facilitation and capacity building. Melissa holds a Master's of Science in Bioregional Planning and Community Design from the University of Idaho and a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biology from the University of South Carolina. Explore Melissa’s work

Secretary - Peter Wulfhorst AICP, Penn State University Extension [email protected]

Peter Wulfhorst is an Economic and Community Development Educator with Penn State Extension in Pike County since 1999. Peter has extensive experience in land use and comprehensive planning having worked prior to Penn State Extension for 12 years with the Pike County planning department.  Peter’s other experience includes assisting communities & organizations in developing strategic plans, conducting grant-writing workshops & volunteer management workshops, overseeing a Penn State Extension land use webinar series and assisting homeowners with their private water supply concerns. Peter is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.


Treasurer - Kara Salazar, Purdue University Extension [email protected]

American Citizen Planner contact - Kara Salazar, Purdue University Extension,[email protected]

Regional Representatives (three year terms)

East - Michael Dougherty, West Virginia University Extension (through 2026)
West - Melissa Hamilton, University of Idaho Extension (through 2024)
South – Deborah McGiffin – NC State Extension - [email protected] (through 2024)
North Central - Kara Salazar, Purdue University Extension (through 2025)

At Large Representatives (three year terms)

Myra Moss, Ohio State University Extension (through 2026)
Brad Neumann, Michigan State University Extension (through 2024)
Jake Powell, Utah State University Extension (through 2025)
Peter Wulfhorst AICP, Penn State University Extension (through 2025)