Executive Committee

  • President

    Ruben Landa is an experienced and accomplished leader in the architecture, engineering and construction industry with more than 23 years of experience in public involvement, public affairs, planning and diversity program management. His career includes time with STV Incorporated, HDR Inc., the Texas State Senate, K Strategies Group and now with WSP USA, Inc., where he is the senior communications manager for the Texas/Mountain Region. A proud native Texan, Ruben has earned Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in political science from Sam Houston State University.

  • Past President

    Brian is Director of Urban Design and Planning for JHP. He brings a passion for place-making, creating communities, and visioning of neighborhood redevelopments which emphasize diversity and sustainable over time. As a dedicated advocate for “Good Urbanism” his endeavors to infuse these planning principles into all his projects and efforts.Brian has more than 25-years of extensive mixed-use, urban redevelopment and master planning experience. His professional experience having been centered on urban design and planning, lead to a desire to create both livable communities and great urban spaces. Brian has served as the Chair of GDPC Urban Design Awards 2014, 2015 and 2016.

  • Treasurer

    Nikki Simon is the President of Simon Engineering & Consulting, Inc., a civil engineering planning and design firm. With over 28 years of experience in the planning, design, and construction of civil infrastructure projects, Nikki’s achievements have played a major role in transportation projects throughout the DFW Metroplex, including projects for the City of Dallas, NTTA, TxDOT, DART and Trinity Metro.

    Nikki has a passion for improving the livability of underserved communities, which drives the service she provides to her profession and community. Nikki is a former President of the Greater DFW Chapter of WTS, an organization committed to the advancement of women in transportation; a past Board Member for the City of Frisco Parks and Recreation Department; a past President of Frisco Sunrise Rotary Club; and a past President and current Board Member of Interlink North Texas, an organization focused on developing tomorrow’s workforce by bridging the gap between industry and education.

  • Secretary

    Colleen Zwiebel is a senior civil/rail engineer, with experience in Texas and the northeast. Colleen earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware. Colleen works for Arup in the downtown Dallas. 

    Arup has a diverse staff in multiple countries, with 12 offices in the Americas. In 2001, we established our first Texas office in Houston, and Arup’s presence has since grown to include a portfolio of projects across diverse industries and regions. The Dallas office opened in 2016 to support Texas High Speed Rail Owner's Engineer work. Our engineers, consultants, designers, and planners are dedicated to sustainable development, offering multidisciplinary services to shape a more resilient, equitable built environment. Our combination of local perspective and deep global expertise brings to life world-class projects for the communities in which we live and work. 

    Colleen works primarily on rail projects with clients such as DART, Texas High Speed Rail, NJ TRANSIT, NYCT, Amtrak, and CapMetro. 

  • VP of Issues

    Peter is an Architect based in Dallas, Texas, specializing in aviation and transportation architecture and urban planning. He provides leadership guidance on transportation projects and commercial development nationally, including urban mixed-use projects, airport and transit-oriented developments, and commercial office and adaptive-reuse design. Peter is also actively involved at the local level, addressing urban design and transportation challenges in and around Dallas. Peter is engaged with several different professional organizations, including the Greater Dallas Planning Council (GDPC), currently as Vice President of Issues, and serves on the Executive Committee. Peter was the chair of the GDPC Urban Design Awards from 2019 to 2021. Peter was recently also the President of the Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 2024 and served as Vice President of Programs in 2022. Additionally, he has served as Director of Education in 2021 and 2017, Chair of Historic Resources, and Vice-Chair for Architecture Matters. He is involved with the local AIA Dallas Public Policy and Urban Design Committees. Peter will be the National Chair for the AIA Regional and Urban Design Committee in 2026 and has led the planning of multiple national urban design symposiums.

  • VP Programs

    David Alexander is a communications and public involvement professional at WSP USA. He is a multidisciplinary leader who marshals technical analysis and team-based collaboration aimed at delivering sophisticated communications and stakeholder engagement solutions. He is adept at developing public involvement and public education campaigns to improve the quality of life of stakeholders. David has created comprehensive communications and public involvement strategies, as well as managed public affairs initiatives, grassroots recruitment, agency trainings, and high-quality collateral materials. David also effectively builds strong coalitions and nurtures stakeholder relationships. His recent projects include the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Master Plan, LBJ- 635 East, and DART Silver Line.

  • VP of Marketing & Communication

    Gair Abbud is passionate about people and creating engaging communities. As a Planner with Pape-Dawson Engineers, his objective is to develop and enhance relationships through meaningful and thoughtful design solutions. Gair is a big believer in volunteering and giving back to the community. He also believes that the Metroplex could be the best metropolitan area in our country. He’s a graduate from Texas Tech University and Universidade de Sao Paulo. Above all, he’s a proud Texan at heart.

  • VP of Membership

    Josh Peterman is a Principal and leads the Dallas office of Fehr & Peers.  For over 25 years he has involved himself with the planning and design of multimodal transportation infrastructure, working to integrate it with the context of the local environment.  His recent projects have been focused on a goal of improved safety and comfort for all users on Texas roadways.  Josh is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin (MSCE), and the University of California at Davis (BSCE) – i.e. both an Aggie and a Longhorn.

    Fehr & Peers is a national 400-person firm, long recognized as a leader in transportation consulting, combining deep analytical prowess with a forward-looking approach to address the dynamic challenges of the current age. They have over 20 offices nationwide, Josh opened the Dallas office in 2021.

  • At-Large

    Cristina Criado is a practicing civil engineer, has over 29 years of experience in Civil Engineering Design in Texas. Cristina earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and her Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. Cristina founded Criado & Associates in 2001, where she leads as President and CEO. Criado & Associates is a successful Woman-Owned, Minority, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and successfully operates as a full-service Civil Engineering, Land Surveying, Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE), Right of Way (ROW), and Construction Administration Services Firm, providing quality consulting services to the public sector in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Criado has actively participated in a wide variety of contracts serving local clients, including but not limited to Dallas Water Utilities, City of Dallas Public Works Department, City of Arlington, City of Fort Worth, City of Keller, Texas Department of Transportation, DFW International Airport, North Texas Municipal Water District and Fort Worth Water.

  • VP of Equitable Engagement

    Adrienne Williams is an experienced project manager specializing in commercial construction and heavy civil construction projects. She brings more than 20 years of inclusive practices and procurement strategy supporting multi-disciplinary teams for public and private work experience at all levels of government and non-profit organizations.

    Her experience includes working for 3 ENR top 20 prime contractors in both commercial and civil construction supporting some of the nation’s largest public infrastructure projects. Adrienne brings a passion for developing strategy, collaboration and consensus building for projects and programs that are intentional about community-centered engagement. She effectively builds strong coalitions and nurtures stakeholder relationships.

    In addition to serving on the GDPC Board, she also serves on the boards of North Texas Interlink and the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) Foundation Board. She brings a passion for cultivating the next generation of future leaders in the AEC industry to create a viable workforce through inclusive practices, equitable investments in infrastructure, and impactful strategies.

  • At Large

    Carmen García launched her new company in December of 2020, ABRAC, LLC and serves as President. ABRAC, a Business Relations Advisory Company, will focus on advocating for the growth and inclusion of minority business enterprises with providing professional services in the areas of public involvement, community engagement, government relations and diversity & inclusion. Previously, she was the Assistant Vice President, Diversity & Inclusion and Outreach Programs for Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) after serving 12 years at the Agency. She directed the agency’s minority outreach program for minority contracts and D/M/WBE vendors. She developed strategic partnerships and served as a liaison to major chambers representing minorities, women and small business enterprises to enhance economic opportunities. Prior to joining DART, Carmen spent seven years with the State Fair of Texas as the director of community affairs responsible for the Fair’s Speakers Bureau and special events. Additionally, she is active in a broad spectrum of national, state and local diverse organizations. The Houston native graduated from Dallas Baptist University with a degree in public administration.

  • At Large

    Tony is a Principal with Huitt-Zollars providing leadership to a Dallas-based team in the public works, transportation, and land development markets. His background of extensive experience in these areas locally, across Texas and a other states helps others with project execution, staff development and firm management. In addition to serving on the GDPC Board, he also serves on the boards of the North Dallas Chamber and the North Texas Commission. He brings a passion for enhancing the long term growth of our community and region through sustainable practices, investments in infrastructure, and balanced development strategies.

  • At Large

    Ross Kahn is a detailed oriented and data-driven Transportation Planner with extensive experience in varied transportation planning and traffic engineering studies. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with diverse clients, such as architects, zoning consultants, developers, engineers, state agencies, and city staff. Ross is fervently committed to advancing mobility in communities, working towards the creation of safe environments that accommodate all users, regardless of their chosen mode of travel.

    Currently, Ross holds the position of chair for the Urban Design Awards. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Community Development and his Master's in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

  • At Large

  • At-Large

    Michael Boykin is currently the marketing and business development director for Kirksey Architecture in the Dallas area for 3 years. He’s a graduate from Texas A&M University and earned his Bachelor of Environmental Design. He has over 25 years of experience in the architectural and design industry in Houston and Dallas. Prior to coming to Kirksey, he was a Co-Partner for 15 years at an architectural firm in Houston, specialized in corporate interiors and healthcare design. His dedication, helping design beautiful healthy spaces for a wide variety of clients brings self-gratification. With his outgoing personality and his community involvement he’s proud to serve on the GDPC board.

Board of Directors

  • Gair Abbud

    Pape-Dawson Engineers

  • David Alexander

    WSP

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GDPC STAFF

The Greater Dallas Planning Council is managed by a staff of professionals at The TransSynergy Group engaged on a fractional basis to oversee administration of GDPC. They are available to answer questions about GDPC and help members with registration and website logins during regular business hours. Call 214-445-6397 and leave a message. You will be called back within a business day or sooner. If you prefer e-mail, you can e-mail the office at gdpc@gdpc.org. You will receive a response within a business day or sooner. 

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