Ana Rae is an urban planner and designer whose passion for urbanism, placemaking, and health and wellness drives her work at Pel-Ona. Growing up in Seattle, Ana Rae developed a love for both cities and the outdoors, sparking her interest in healthy, sustainable communities. After getting her undergrad in Environmental Policy and Spanish at Western Washington University, she interned at Stand.earth and gained valuable experience in zoning, land use, and sustainability. After that, she took off on a solo backpacking adventure through South America, immersing herself in various cultures and landscapes for seven months.

Upon returning, Ana Rae pursued a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from the University of Washington, enhancing her skills in spatial analysis and data visualization. She applied those skills in her position at Northwest Harvest, where she worked on food justice initiatives across the state of Washington.

Still eager for knowledge, she headed to Denver for grad school at the University of Colorado Denver. There, she earned two Master’s degrees in Urban and Regional Planning, and in Urban Design. After finishing grad school, she couldn’t resist another backpacking trip, this time through Mexico and Guatemala. Back in the States, Ana Rae landed at Pel-Ona, where she gets to put her passion for urbanism into everyday use. In her free time, you can find her playing soccer, hitting the trails, or teaching Barre classes.

MA in Urban Design from University of Colorado-Denver

MA in Urban and Regional Planning from University of Colorado-Denver

BA in Environmental Policy from Western Washington University