MPC Spotlight: Audrey Wennink - Metropolitan Planning Council

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MPC Spotlight: Audrey Wennink

Meet Audrey Wennink, Director of Transportation and a leader on the Weekly Activities Committee (WAC). Audrey is celebrating an anniversary this month as she's been with MPC since February 2017! Audrey leads the development of research, policy, and advocacy strategies related to all aspects of transportation. 

Q&A with Audrey

Chicago region native? If not, where are you from and what brought you to the Windy City?
I grew up in Connecticut. In my twenties I lived in Washington, D.C. and then decided I wanted to live somewhere new. On a business trip to the Democratic Convention in 1996 I fell in love with Chicago and decided to move here. After coming to Chicago I decided to pursue a career in urban planning and couldn’t have picked a better place.

What’s the most rewarding part of your career?
I love how transportation is something everyone can relate to and has opinions about. Most people do not actively think about how much transportation affects so many dimensions of their lives. I love that my work has potential to improve people’s mobility choices, improve safety on the road, provide more affordable options to get around, create healthy communities where walking and biking can be integrated into everyday life, and be a key solution for climate change.

Favorite Chicago region activity?
Walking or biking along Lake Michigan. My COVID-era lifestyle has been to take a three-mile walk every day before work. I have seen the sun rise over the Lake many days in the past year and it’s been a wonderful start to the day. I am in awe of how much the character of the lake can change depending on the weather, season, and time of day.

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