Charlotte's push for improved mobility and infrastructure can be attributed, in large part, to the efforts of two pivotal city officials, Ashley Landis and Mackenzie Nowacki. Steering the Strategic Investment Areas (SIA) program, these women are on the leading edge of a movement. They're working diligently to bring city plans to fruition through smart, data-driven projects, as detailed in a recent feature by the City of Charlotte.
The SIA mission is to bolster connectivity, reduce traffic, and create safer, more equitable transit options across the entire city. With criteria ranging from safety, pedestrian accessibility to transit prioritization, 22 neighborhoods have been earmarked for this overhaul, in an effort the City of Charlotte calls "a unique, incredibly rewarding experience." However, the resources, they cannot meet the expanse of mobility needs without a laser-focused strategic approach. Landis and Nowacki have thus positioned themselves not merely as professionals but as conduits for change in what has long been considered a male-dominated field.
Their paths to this point have been anything but conventional. Landis veered away from her family's pedagogical roots upon discovering a knack for geometry and engineering, an epiphany sparked by a chance encounter with a guest speaker in college. Nowacki, conversely, grew up steeped in the world of civil engineering, fighting against a vested interest in business to return to what she knew best. These distinct journeys have converged, molding them into champions of Charlotte's burgeoning infrastructure development.
In an age where representation is more crucial than ever, the successes of Landis and Nowacki are resonating loudly. The duo works diligently not just to reimagine Charlotte's thoroughfares, but to illuminate the path for future women engineers. According to the City of Charlotte, Landis and Nowacki's message to the next generation echoes this sentiment: "Gender doesn’t define what you are capable of and where you’ll go, so don’t let it." Their trajectory is clear, staking a claim in an arena that has too often sidelined women's advancements and aspirations.
It's evident that the work of Landis and Nowacki, along with their diverse teams, is cut out for them. Yet their combined experience and passion point to what's more than just infrastructural progress—it's a fundamental shift in a professional landscape, making the term "male-dominated" a relic of the past. To learn more about their ongoing efforts and the Strategic Mobility Plan, interested parties can visit the City of Charlotte's Strategic Investment Areas program page.
