Education
Kara holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City, which she attended (as all students do) under a full-tuition scholarship. After graduation from The Cooper Union, Ms. Luckey pursued additional coursework in social psychology, sociology, environment and behavior, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the University of Colorado Boulder. Ms. Luckey is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Design and Planning from the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado Denver under a fellowship from the National Science Foundation’s Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT).
Work Experience
Kara has over seven years of experience in the planning field. She was fortunate to serve as an intern at the Regional Plan Association in New York, where she worked for two years on urban revitalization and waterfront redevelopment projects. Kara also worked as a Task and Project Manager with David Evans and Associates, Inc. (DEA) a planning and engineering consulting firm that focuses on improving quality of life through the built environment. Kara was involved in a range of transit and transportation planning projects including alternatives analyses, feasibility studies, and environmental documentation. Clients included federal and state governments, counties and municipalities, and local and regional transit agencies. Kara was particularly involved in work with the National Park Service, RTD FasTracks, and various counties in the Denver Metro Area. Kara’s experience includes extensive coordination with public agencies and local jurisdictions, as well as community engagement and participatory planning efforts.
Research
Kara’s current research relates to infrastructure and behaviors that enhance sustainability, livability and healthy communities, with a focus on transit-specific contexts. She is interested in a variety of related topics including:
• Understanding lived experiences of place, the social meaning embedded in place, and how socio-cultural contexts can inform place-making and improvements to quality of life
• Use of transit as a community-building tool
• Community change related to public investment and economic development efforts
Memberships/Committees
Transportation Research Board (TRB) Committee on Transportation Needs of National Parks and Public Lands (ADA40)
• 2010-Present: Member
Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS)
• 2009: Emerging Leader of the Year
• 2008-Present: Lead, WTS Mentoring Program
• 2007- Present – Professional Development Committee
American Planning Association (APA)
• 2007: Oletski Valley Community Vision Planning Team
• 2005-Present: Member
Fun Stuff
Kara is an avid traveler and trail runner, and tries to combine the two as much as possible!