Karen S. Walz

Karen S. Walz, FAICP, is the principal in Strategic Community Solutions, a professional consulting firm that helps clients build successful and sustainable communities.

Ms. Walz has over 35 years of experience in strategic planning, public engagement, comprehensive planning, and plan implementation. Her work experience includes East and West coast communities, as well as Texas, the Midwest and Western U.S. Clients include cities, counties, metropolitan regions, and non-profit organizations. Client communities range from towns of a few thousand people to cities with over one million residents, and counties covering 13,000 square miles. 

Ms. Walz wrote the North Texas: Returning to the Trinity case study in the PAS Report Green Infrastructure: A Landscape Approach. Other publications include A Step-by-Step Guide to Sustainability in Planning magazine and Metroplex Dallas Inner-Ring Suburbs (co-author) in the ULI Press book Regenerating Older Suburbs.   

Karen Walz was inducted as a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners in 2006. Ms. Walz’ work has been recognized by numerous awards and commendations, including Dallas’ highest urban design recognition (The Kessler Award), selection as an Honorary Member of the Texas Society of Architects, an Honorary Member of AIA Dallas and an Honorary Member of AIA Fort Worth. In 2011, North Texas 2050, the vision and action package produced by the Vision North Texas partnership, received national recognition with the receipt of the American Planning Association’s Innovation in Sustaining Places award.

Karen S. Walz received a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction in Environmental Earth Sciences from Stanford University and a Master of City and Regional Planning from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

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