Leonardo Vazquez, AICP is a national award-winning urban planner who is Executive Director of The National Consortium for Creative Placemaking in Union, NJ and Director of Creative Placemaking for New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester, NH.  He was formerly a Senior Associate with Nishuane Group in Montclair, NJ

With two decades of experience in the field, he specializes in community development, local economic development, culturally competent placemaking and the role of arts and culture in urban planning. 

He is the co-editor of Dialogos: Placemaking in Latino Communities and author of Leading from the Middle:  Strategic Thinking for Urban Planning and Community Development Professionals.  He won the 2012 National Planning Leadership Award for Advancing Diversity and Social Justice in Honor of Paul Davidoff from the American Planning Association.