Planning Welcomes Aubrey Loria

Aubrey was born in Fort Stewart, GA, but grew up mostly in Miami, FL. By the time she started high school, she had made her way to Alpharetta, GA, a suburb of Atlanta. Four years later she moved again to attend the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

There she earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and stayed to complete a master’s degree in geography with a focus on environment and natural resources. Her master’s thesis was on seagrass, and she interned at Everglades National Park to complete her research.

Aubrey says that during her studies, geography won her over because it is the branch of science that combines everything – everything has its own place and nothing can exist outside of it. Science and environmentalism are natural fits for her; other family members are involved in environmental protection, which has had a big impact on her since childhood. Her mother has worked for the Audubon Society since 1996, and she and her work strongly influenced Aubrey’s interests and passions.

While Aubrey’s work up until this point has been focused on natural sciences, she’s excited about expanding her skillset to learn more about the impact of planning and the work of our agency in the community. She was drawn to government because she feels like those doing the most to protect our communities are the individuals working in local government.

Aubrey started her position as a research assistant with Planning in September. She’s already working with Census data, and will continue a deep dive into it as Census 2020 approaches. She will also be working on technical reports, story maps and dashboards, and other research projects. She says she looks forward to learning about community needs and interests in terms of data and research, and hopes to become a resource for those who use and follow our agency.

And what brought her to Knoxville? She decided to move here with her father as she finished up her thesis. In that short amount of time she has fallen in love with the area and decided to stay. She’s currently living in East Knoxville, though she is enjoying exploring all parts of the city. She looks forward to doing more of that, and is especially eager to try restaurants and breweries in the area – two things there won’t be a shortage of any time soon.

Welcome, Aubrey!