Based in HR&A’s New York office, Matthew’s work centers on the intersection of economic development, real estate strategy, parks and open space planning, and climate policy for clients across the country.

Matthew brings with him prior work experience advising business improvement districts, providing economic policy consulting for municipalities, conducting policy research with community development financial institutions, and in both public and private commercial real estate. Since joining HR&A, he has:

• • Guided the allocation of over $13 million of grant funds to fund quality-of-life improvements across New York City through the New York Forward program;

  • Helped develop a programming, funding, and governance plan for the ambitious reimagination of the stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol Building to the White House into a more activated, pedestrian-friendly, and dynamic public space;

  • Supported the design and implementation of a national challenge to scale clean energy retrofits in the low- and moderate-income (LMI) housing market, designing trainings and resources for building upgrade programs to utilize as they refine their offerings;

  • Evaluated financial strategies, best practices in design, and redevelopment options for large-scale food distribution centers in New York City and Washington, D.C.;

  • Assessed the existing ecosystem and demand for energy assistance services among low-income and energy-burdened households across the State of Washington, then created strategies to improve significantly scale and improve programs to achieve equitable energy assistance and housing decarbonization;

  • Supported a new initiative coordinating national and local expertise to develop the tools, talent, and networks that will allow movement organizations, the philanthropic community, and government leaders to respond to both the humanitarian and political crises that unfold during and after moments of disaster.

  • Analyzed the budget, operating procedures, and maintenance practices of the parks department of a major city to understand spending on parks maintenance and recommend needed levels of spending to achieve a higher standard in the upcoming fiscal years.

  He holds a Master of City Planning degree and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania, where he collaborated on a climate change resiliency plan for the island of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands and worked with Philadelphia’s first commercial land trust on its long term growth strategy.

Rebecca brings over 13 years of experience in politics and public service, focused on developing programs and policies that support community economic development and economic mobility.

Most recently, Becca had an independent consulting practice where she advised and built programs for social impact organizations focused on issues related to civic technology and civic engagement. Her clients included New America, Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, the NYC Tech Talent Pipeline, and Civic Hall @ Union Square.

Previously, Becca served in the Obama Administration in roles at the White House, U.S. Trade Representative Office, and the U.S. Department of State, including a six-month rotation at the U.S. Mission to the OECD. During her time in the Administration, she led the design, development, and execution of public and intergovernmental engagement strategies to advance the President’s international economic agenda. She began her career in politics working on then-Senator Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Becca holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, and B.A.’s from the University of Maryland.

Sophie’s analysis advances urban mobility and inclusive growth by guiding strategic investment in transit-oriented development and affordable housing.

Based in the New York office, Sophie serves a range of clients across the country through economic development strategy, market analysis, and stakeholder and community engagement.

Prior to joining HR&A, Sophie served as the Regional Mobility and Infrastructure Intern at the Greater Washington Partnership. There, she researched best practices in equitable transit-oriented development for bus rapid transit in Richmond, Virginia, assessed Washington-area employers’ return-to-work plans, and supported advocacy for a D.C. bus network transformation.

Sophie holds a B.A. in History with Honors from Davidson College and a minor in Digital Studies. In her senior thesis, she explored the history of development in neighborhoods around the D.C. Metro and 1960s urban policy.

As an analyst in our New York office, Anna is passionate about equitable economic development, affordable housing, and urban resilience.

Before joining HR&A, Anna worked as a Program Associate at the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, where she assisted low- and middle- income homeowners across New York. She was previously an intern at Sam Schwartz Transportation Consultants and a Princeton in Asia Fellow in Phang Nga, Thailand, where she taught English at a public high school.

Anna received a B.A. in Urban Studies from Brown University. Her senior capstone project analyzed rental housing ownership in Providence, RI, in service to a local community-based organization. As a researcher with Brown’s Climate and Development Lab, Anna attended the 2017 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 23).

Kas works to develop policies and strategies that uplift and protect marginalized groups’ histories, cultures, and communities. She advises clients across sectors on harnessing the power of preservation for economic and community development, sustainability, housing affordability, and representation.

Kas works on issues of history, culture, and equity across disciplines – from planning and policy development for local government, to equity audits of monuments and memorials, to tools to mitigate cultural displacement for large-scale real estate developments. Kas leads all projects with a focus on people, working closely with stakeholders from grassroots community leaders to elected officials. She has extensive experience collaborating with local government staff to develop strategic plans focused on creating equitable outcomes for both government employees and the diverse communities they work in. Recent examples include Los Angeles County Planning’s latest strategic plan, a Historic and Cultural Preservation Strategy for the City of Dallas, and an Equity Audit of Monuments and Memorials for the San Francisco Arts Commission.

Throughout her training and experience, Kas has collaborated with community organizers, planners, real estate developers, designers, policymakers, community-based organizations, and philanthropists, and enjoys bringing everyone to the table and translating across sectors and disciplines to build support for important initiatives.

Before joining HR&A, Kas was a Community Engagement Fellow with the City of Baltimore’s Office of Sustainability and a Special Assistant to the Executive Director of the Center for Community Investment at the Lincoln Institute for Land Policy. She has a lifetime of experience working and volunteering with community-based history museums in Dallas, Texas, Butte, Montana, and Baltimore, Maryland.

Kas holds a B.A. in Architecture and Urban Studies from Yale University and is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Native American Studies from Montana State University. Kas is also a graduate of Downwinders at Risk’s community organizing college (taught by a leading Dallas environmental justice organization).

Kayla is at the forefront of creating equitable and just urban communities; she has worked with a variety of government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and private sector clients to develop policies and programs that support the United States’ changing demographics.

Prior to her time at HR&A, Kayla conducted field interviews throughout the Midwest and traveled on a research grant to eastern Germany to study transnational socioeconomic policy implementation in declining industrial centers. Kayla also analyzed historical and economic trends of eminent domain and highway development in Dallas as an Engaged Learning Fellow at Southern Methodist University.

When she isn’t at work, Kayla enjoys reading, trying new recipes, playing board games, and hiking. One of her goals for the summer is to volunteer with a literacy organization to support learning outside of the classroom.

Kayley works across digital equity, food justice, community development, and more to help build cities that are more just. She’s passionate about designing systems, programs, and places that better serve communities of color and the working class.

As part of the Broadband and Digital Equity Team, she’s managed statewide public engagement programs and conducted extensive quantitative and qualitative analyses to help several State’s write their digital equity plans and funnel millions of federal dollars into the communities most impacted by the digital divide. She’s also helped design digital equity programs for public, private, and nonprofit actors across the country to better deliver broadband service, devices, and digital literacy training.

Kayley has also advised various clients on real estate market and development projects, with a focus on revitalizing neighborhoods, preserving housing and commercial affordability, and delivering new community spaces and facilities. She also works on food system projects and policy issues at HR&A, bringing experience working with the Sweet Water Foundation in the South Side of Chicago, where she practiced urban farming and urban ecology as a means of regenerative neighborhood development.

Kayley graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in Urban Studies.

As an Analyst in the New York office, Andrew provides financial and data analysis to real estate and economic development projects across the county.

Andrew has worked on projects creating financial models to assess the feasibility of asset repositioning and new development, facilitation of both public and private investments in affordable housing, transit-oriented development initiatives, municipal affordable housing plans, and real estate and economic development leveraging professional sports franchises and entertainment assets.

Prior to joining HR&A, Andrew assisted in the underwriting of both real estate and business loans resulting in hundreds of affordable and supportive housing units being developed throughout the county. Andrew interned at the Swearer Center at Brown University where he researched the impact different economic policies had on park accessibility and childhood obesity in lower income areas in Providence, RI. Andrew received his Bachelor of Arts from Brown University in Business Economics and was a four-year varsity athlete on the football team.

Tommy specializes in policy development, organizational and operational strategy, and systems transformation to create just and equitable cities.

Partnering with local governments, civic organizations, and philanthropies, Tommy designs bold strategies to address systemic challenges and deliver measurable outcomes. With experience working both within government and alongside external coalitions, Tommy creates actionable policy agendas that tackle critical urban issues such as housing, homelessness, public safety, and economic development.

Tommy has supported new leaders in Allegheny County and Dallas during executive transitions, helping craft 100-day agendas that leverage moments of change to enact transformative solutions rooted in community values. In parallel, Tommy brings deep expertise in supporting coalitions to align stakeholders, set strategic priorities, and drive measurable impact. In San Francisco and New Orleans, Tommy facilitated agenda-setting processes with labor unions, advocacy groups, and community organizations to develop plans that shape public discourse and influence governing agendas.

His work extends to transforming public sector structures and advancing equity through governance strategies. Tommy led the development of SACOG’s Engage, Empower, Implement Framework, fostering equitable partnerships between community-based organizations and local jurisdictions, and guided the creation of the Chicago’s New Arrivals Cabinet, charged with advancing compassionate integration of new residents. In Dallas, Tommy played a key role in the creation of the Community Development Unit to drive equitable real estate development, and in Oakland, crafted a roadmap to strengthen worker protections through the Department of Workplace and Employment Standards. In New York City, Tommy helped establish the first centralized civic engagement office, defining its mission and creating evaluation frameworks to enhance participation and accountability. Tommy’s work is driven by a belief in the transformative power of responsive and equitable governance to address systemic challenges, uplift communities, and create lasting change.

Tommy holds a Master’s in Urban Planning from New York University and a Bachelor’s in Construction Management from the University of Florida.