Al Zelinka is an Assistant City Manager (and former Community Development Director) for the City of Riverside, California. Prior to joining the Riverside Team, Al was Planning Manager and Community Development Director for the City of Fullerton as well as Vice President with RBF Consulting and served as Principal of RBF Consulting’s URBAN DESIGN STUDIO. For the past twenty years, Mr. Zelinka’s practice has upheld his original planning and urban design career objective: to “make a difference” in communities and the profession. He has practiced planning and delivered presentations or training in more than 28 states (plus the District of Columbia), directed 100 projects and played an active role in another 50 (more than 35 of which have received awards), and has consistently been involved in the profession and public service throughout his career. He is the co-author of two APA publications, SafeScape and Placemaking on a Budget. Al is currently the immediate Past President of the California Planning Roundtable, a 30-year organization dedicated to advancing the practice and profession of planning and providing leadership for a better California. Al graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Public Planning from Northern Arizona University in 1989 and a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University in 1991.