Janet Tharp

Partnering Project Manager

Janet's inclusive, participatory and creative management style reflects her personal and professional values and has resulted in her leading diverse, multi-disciplined teams to action and achievement. Janet has gained expertise and successfully completed projects in a range of communities - from the most urban to rural - from Dallas, Texas to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana to Barrow, Alaska.

Janet's interest in urban planning began at the age of 17, when she worked for several years for a special task force - the Federal/State Land Use Planning Commission for Alaska - appointed by the Secretary of the Interior and the Governor of Alaska to administer the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. During her graduate studies in Oregon, Janet worked with a leading planning and market analysis firm, which began her career in planning consulting. From there, she spent several years consulting in rural Alaska, where she learned about the importance of recognizing, understanding and incorporating community and cultural values into planning work. After working in Alaska, she has practiced in both the public and private sectors, honing the ability to address individual client needs while developing practical and innovative plans. Because of her work directing large and mid-sized City Planning Departments and as a leader with a number of non-profit organizations, Janet is especially talented at developing plans with strong implementation mechanisms.

Janet is currently co-managing the East Baton Rouge Parish Comprehensive Plan and the Louisiana Coastal Development Best Practices Study, and managing the Greater Downtown Waco Plan for Fregonese Associates. She has worked as a partnering manager with Fregonese Associates on several projects in the past, including serving as project manager of the West Feliciana Parish Plan, the Pointe Coupee Parish Plan, and PLANiTULSA, Tulsa's recently adopted Comprehensive Plan. She also directed the ForwardDallas! Comprehensive Plan for the city of Dallas.

Janet has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon and a BA in Geography from the University of Texas at Austin. She has served in leadership roles in regional and state planning organizations, has served two terms on Dallas' Landmark Preservation Commission and is an active volunteer with several nonprofit organizations.