Let’s give a big warm welcome to our new planning intern, Hiyabu Habtemichael! Hiyabu recently received his M.A. in urban studies with a concentration in public administration. He also has a B.S. in economics and a B.A. in sociology from Seton Hall University.
Hiyabu first got involved in planning while interning for the Planning & Zoning Division of the City of Paterson, where he got his first experience working with master plans, which emerged into passions for conservation, GIS, and smart growth.
When asked what brought him to The Land Conservancy, he says, “As someone interested in sustainability and smart growth, I wanted to get a better understanding of the state’s rural planning goals and objectives. This drew me to TLC, to learn more about how a state as dense as New Jersey is able to maintain its title as the ‘Garden State’.”