ULI Philadelphia: Member Breakfast Series July - How Community Engagement Can Shape a Project

Marisa Denker is the founder and CEO of Connect the Dots, a WBE/DBE firm focused on inclusive public and stakeholder engagement. Evolving from Marisa’s Fulbright project, Connect the Dots is based in Philadelphia and operates as a WBE/DBE on the east coast, where the firm is known for designing and delivering strategic, innovative and inclusive engagement processes to meet people where they are. Connect the Dots specializes in community-informed decision making in transportation, planning, placemaking economic development projects and more with clients including SEPTA, DVRPC, City of Philadelphia, Jersey City, NJTPA, and many more. Marisa brings deep expertise in inclusive public and stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, stakeholder management, and participatory research. She holds an MA in Design Practice from Dublin University (via her Fulbright fellowship) and a BA Urban Studies from University of Pennsylvania where she graduated as Phi Beta Kappa. Marisa is also an adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania where she has developed and teaches a course on public engagement entitled Participatory Cities.

Rosanne is a Principal and Strategist at Connect the Dots. She earned a Masters in Community Planning from University of Maryland in College Park, and has since worked in the transportation field for the City of Chicago and economic development organizations in the Washington, DC area. Rosanne’s planning work is informed by a prior decade-long career in advocacy and public relations. Her varied experience has developed her priorities for creating high-quality communication, detailed project management, and innovative participatory processes.

Brenda Hernández Torres was born in Mexico City, Mexico. Brenda started her advocacy career at 17, volunteering with Juntos as a Youth Advocate, then began organizing and mobilizing in her South Philadelphia community. Shifting her focus to mobility justice, Brenda is now a social justice leader, addressing structural racism and integrating strategies to assist underserved communities through transportation and infrastructure. Now working with the City of Philadelphia Office of Infrastructure and Transportation Systems as Community Coordinator.

I am a Complete Streets District Manager with the City’s Office of Multimodal Planning. I have been with this team since 2018, and in that time, I have worked on a range of projects including the CONNECT Strategic Plan, the Philadelphia Transit Plan, and the redesign of the Broad, Germantown, and Erie intersection. I love working with our team to develop projects, programs, and policies that create safe, sustainable, multimodal transportation systems.

Sophia is a Senior Associate at Connect the Dots. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Sociology from Swarthmore College. In her role, Sophia plays a crucial part in data analysis and reporting, supporting research and analysis throughout various project stages. She is passionate about listening to the experiences and stories of community members and using that data to craft actionable recommendations.

Briana Paschall oversees all marketing initiatives for City Ave District. She is the organizational and strategic force behind planning and logistics for events including the Annual State of City Ave, professional networking happy hours, and community events. Briana manages and updates the District’s social media channels, newsletters, and website with daily development news, traffic alerts, and new business openings.

Ian Litwin is the Central District Community Planner in the Art and Design Division of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. His work guides change and adaptation in Philadelphia’s urban core through human-centered urban design and creative placemaking. In addition to work­ing for the City of Philadelphia, Ian has experience as a planner and urban designer for both large and small private sector planning and architecture firms. Ian received a Master of City and Regional Planning from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. As a resident of Philadelphia for over 15 years, I take inspiration from the city’s diverse culture and history. When not at work, I enjoy eating my way through Philadelphia's many neighborhoods with my wife April, going to concerts with my friends, and riding the rails with my son Max.