Elise is currently at NYU's Wagner School of Public Service studying for a Master's degree in Urban Planning with a concentration in City and Community Planning. She grew up in Texas and received her bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Before attending grad school and moving to New York City, she was employed as a Bridge and Roadway Engineer in Houston, Texas for a small consulting company whose main client was the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Through this experience of working to create detailed design plans for the construction of various transportation infrastructure projects, she gained experience coordinating with government agencies, following state and local regulations, and understanding the effort and materials needed to complete these projects, from massive highway bridges to country farm-to-market roads to neighborhood walking and biking trails. These experiences enlightened Elise to the inner workings of the transportation industry and inspired her to explore the world of planning. She is very passionate about the intersection between infrastructure and policy and various transportation safety efforts, such as Vision Zero and Complete Streets. In her free time, Elise enjoys exploring NYC, painting, dancing, and watching RuPaul's Drag Race.
ACE Rebrand Update: The Alliance for Citizen Engagement is now the Alliance for Civic Engagement.