Agency Welcomes New Assistant Planners

Jake Beaumier and Malynda Wollert joined our agency as assistant planners last fall.

Jake grew up in Maryland, just north of DC, and made his way to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee.  When he first began his undergraduate degree, he was studying civil engineering, but quickly decided to transition into the geography department. This interdisciplinary program offered a combination of STEM and humanities courses and provided an introduction to the field of planning.

Though the University of Tennessee does not have a planning program, Jake was able to learn more through his geography classes, which exposed him to our agency. He was specifically interested in the work we were collaborating on with the city related to their middle housing initiative. Through his research on this project and other courses on the urban environment, Jake discovered the positive influence that planning can have on a community.

Following his graduation, Jake interned with the East TN Development District. This opportunity served as a professional introduction to planning and offered him experience working with GIS. Jake then came to our agency as a planning services intern before accepting a full-time position.

Outside of work, Jake enjoys reading, cooking and eating, spending time at some of his favorite local restaurants, biking and running, and traveling to see his parents.

Malynda is an East Tennessee native. She was born in Johnson City and moved to Chattanooga with her family when she was a child. She then attended Duke University, where she studied cultural anthropology and art history.

During her undergraduate program, Malynda began taking courses in urban planning and ultimately completed a thesis project that focused on political and religious sign postings in rural areas in East Tennessee. She also worked as a research assistant in labs during college and spent time researching the architecture of court houses across North Carolina.

Along with developing a love for historic preservation, Malynda gained experience working with data, public policy, architecture, and public engagement. Her interests and experiences drove her to work in the public sector.

Since joining our agency, Malynda has jumped into several projects and tasks.

When she is not in the office, Malynda enjoys cooking a variety of cuisines, including southern comfort food and Persian meals. She can also be found hiking at Ijams, hanging out with her cat, Lady, or grabbing dinner at Billie Rae’s BBQ.