We’re very pleased that two of our planners, Kate Wigley and Melissa Kurihara, have been selected as Women of Influence 2021 by The Planner magazine.

The list celebrates women working in planning who have made a difference over the past year. The year has brought many challenges – the COVID-19 pandemic, planning reform, and an increased urgency to address the climate crisis.

Kate Wigley, Director of Environmental Planning

Kate is a Chartered Environmentalist with over 18 years of planning experience. Her entry in the Women of Influence list states:

“Kate has had involvement in upwards of 50 energy infrastructure projects in her career at LUC. Her resilience and perseverance throughout 2020 has helped to grow LUC’s portfolio of work in the renewables sector in Wales. She achieved this despite the challenges of remote working during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

“Kate is also a fantastic mentor and role model. She consistently dedicates time to supporting junior members of staff, ensuring that team members feel confident and supported.”

Melissa Kurihara, Associate Director of Planning

Melissa is a Chartered Town Planner with over 10 years of planning experience. Her entry in the Women of Influence list states:

“Melissa returned to work in summer 2020 following her maternity leave and found herself in a transformed working environment. However, not only did Melissa navigate the process, she immediately set to work launching initiatives to build the skills of our planning team alongside her day-to-day project and business development work.”

“She is a distinctly authoritative and insightful guide through the planning system for both LUC’s clients and for team members. She is also an inspiration in balancing challenges inside and outside the office.”

About Women of Influence 2021

The Planner is the official magazine of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). It publishes its Women of Influence list annually on International Women’s Day (8 March), as nominated by its readers. A panel of distinguished planners from across the UK then select the finalists.

The list is non-ranked and non-competitive – its sole aim to celebrate the impact of women in planning. It includes women working within the public, private, and third sectors, the legal sector, and in academia. It also includes international planning professionals based outside the UK.

Read the full list here.