Why I'm Saying Goodbye to Upzoned

For those who already know me, you might recognize me as the host of Upzoned, which I’ve been a part of for the past six years with Strong Towns. I was actually the second host of the show, stepping in after Kea Wilson in 2019.

Hosting Upzoned was a meaningful chapter of my life. It pushed me to think more deeply about current events and sharpened how I communicate as a planner. More importantly, it connected me with an incredible community of listeners and advocates who have genuinely shaped my thinking and my work.

Because Upzoned and it's listeners matter so much to me, it also feels important to share why I’m no longer continuing with the show.

I first connected with Chuck Marohn through the advocacy work of my former employer, led by Dennis Strait. I had been a longtime fan of Strong Towns, and when the opportunity came up, I reached out without really knowing what would happen next. Chuck took a chance on me, even though I had zero podcasting experience at the time.

Looking back, those early episodes were probably rough. I was incredibly nervous. But over time, I found my voice. And along the way, I built a friendship with Chuck and strong relationships with the broader Strong Towns team that I’ll always value.

There’s also a bit of irony in the timing. I had just started hosting a current events podcast when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Suddenly, “current events” carried this whole new weight. But during that time, there was also space to think, to riff, and to have conversations that felt exploratory and fun, despite everything happening in the world. The world of urban planning was shifting, too, in both positive and negative ways. Integrating Upzoned into my life was a really confronting part of my earlier years in the planning profession.

As the years went on, things shifted as they always do. Strong Towns grew significantly. My own career and personal life evolved, and became more demanding. The cadence of Upzoned slowed. Coordinating schedules became more difficult. Eventually, Chuck stepped back from regular hosting, and I found myself carrying more of the show with guest co-hosts.

I’ll be honest… my own enthusiasm for the show’s premise had started to wane, too. Focusing on current events can become repetitive, and I found myself circling the same ideas without much new to add. Many news stories also lacked important context, and I simply didn’t have the capacity to do the deeper research needed to fill in those gaps for listeners. These gaps can lead to local players not getting the credit they deserve, and at worse the show taking a critical or misleading tone (unintentionally). People work very hard at the local level, and I understand through my work as a planner how constrained those environments can be. The reality of local politics is rarely as simple as a headline makes it seem. Doing current events justice requires more time and attention than I can or want to provide.

Ultimately, I reached a point where I didn’t feel great about what I was putting into the world.

In December 2025, the Strong Towns team made the decision to pause Upzoned to reimagine what it could be. This was both relieving and emotional for me. The show had become a steady, familiar part of my life professionally and personally. It was something I could count on during periods of real uncertainty and change over the last 6 years. I felt some grief because I knew in my gut it was time for this chapter to end.

As the ST team was reconceptualizing the show, I quietly waited for a follow-up. And during this period I came to a clearer understanding: I was deeply invested in something that ultimately wasn’t mine to carry forward. Upzoned belongs to Strong Towns, and it deserves the space to evolve in whatever direction best serves their mission. It is now time for the show to take a new form and for me to focus on building something that is fully my own.

That realization is what led to this next chapter, which is pretty much just a blog and a podcast at this point. Right now, Unconventional Urbanism is truly a labor of love, a hobby, and a creative exploration.

Unconventional Urbanism is also an opportunity for me to continue to build my own voice in a more authentic way by exploring more specific interests of mine and sharing more of my own story in the process.

My hope is that if you found value in Upzoned, you’ll find your way here too… and that this new direction resonates in a different, maybe even deeper way.

Thank you, Chuck, for six great years with Upzoned!