Representing: New Mexico
New Mexico Public School Facilities Authority
Albuquerque, New Mexico

John Valdez, AICP is a planning manager with the New Mexico Public School Facilities Authority where he works with demographic/socioeconomic data and capital improvements planning. He is a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico. A graduate of the University of New Mexico’s dual Master’s Program in Community and Regional Planning/Public Administration, he worked as a planner for local government, private practice, and now with state government. In his career, he has been involved in land use/long-range planning, consulted on development projects, and school-district capital improvements planning. He has also been involved in numerous planning projects in small towns and rural communities throughout New Mexico and the West.  He has held various positions within the New Mexico Chapter of the American Planning Association over the last 15 years. He was recently President of the chapter, with his term ending in December 2022.  He now serves as Immediate Past President for the Chapter.

Representing: New Mexico Chapter APA
Planning Solutions
Santa Fe, New Mexico
newmexico@westernplanner.org

Dan Pava is an environmental planner and a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners. He retired from Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico in 2020 after 30 years of service. Dan has also worked for cities and counties, preparing comprehensive and general plans. He served on the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission and the city’s Planning Commission. Pava is on the board of Western Planner, where he also served as president, and he is a former president of the APA New Mexico chapter. He holds Master's degrees in Community and Regional Planning and Public Administration from the University of New Mexico. Currently, he also serves on the Santa Fe County Planning Commission and the Capital Improvements Advisory Committee. Pava and his very patient wife, Carol, live in Santa Fe with their loyal Akita, Bella.