Celia McAdam, Executive Director of the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (PCTPA), received the planning profession’s highest honor by being named to the prestigious American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) College of Fellows for her substantial achievements in urban planning.
Called “[one] of the most important transportation officials in Northern California” by the Sacramento Bee, Ms. McAdam has served as the Executive Director of PCTPA since 1998. She has also served as the Executive Director of the South Placer Regional Transportation Authority (SPRTA) since its formation in 2001. An expert in transportation funding, Ms. McAdam combines her extensive knowledge of transportation funding with creative ideas to develop innovative strategies that move projects forward. Her ability to maneuver around bureaucratic and technical obstacles has led to the construction of nearly $2 billion of transportation projects, including the I-80 Bottleneck Widening and the SR 65 Lincoln Bypass.
“It’s an honor to be recognized with such a prestigious group of professionals who have made significant contributions to planning and creating better communities,” said Celia McAdam. “I look forward to continuing to advance PCTPA’s mission to keep Placer moving by planning, funding, and building transportation infrastructure.”
Recently, Ms. McAdam’s commitment to transportation planning in the Placer region has included evaluating placing a transportation funding measure on the November ballot. The Placer region will need to invest at least $3 billion in critical transportation improvements over the next 30 years. These improvements include fixing traffic hot spots, filling potholes and resurfacing roads, and adding freeway, interchange, and road capacity throughout the County. As a result of extensive community outreach, PCTPA developed a draft Keep Placer Moving Expenditure Plan to address needed transportation improvements in Placer County.
“Placer County needs to maintain and improve our transportation infrastructure to get people where they need to go and to maintain our quality of life,” said PCTPA Board Chair and Roseville Vice Mayor Susan Rohan. “Celia’s ability to develop creative funding strategies has been instrumental in PCTPA’s success with delivering important key transportation projects on time and on budget, despite difficult bureaucratic processes.”
Fellowship is granted to members who have achieved and continue to exhibit excellence in professional practice, teaching and mentoring, research, public and community service, and leadership. The Fellowship is one of the highest honors that the AICP bestows upon a member. As outstanding professionals in the field of planning, AICP fellows address student organizations and professional development programs to mentor and advance the profession of planning.
“Individuals who make up the College of Fellows are the true leaders of the planning profession,” said AICP President Valerie Hubbard, FAICP. “These individuals have made lasting contributions to the profession and have inspired generations of new planners. They are truly awe-inspiring.”