Erin Christensen Ishizaki

Partner

AIA, AICP

An urban designer, planner and architect, Erin is passionate about building physical and social community. Her collaborative, listening approach highlights well-being and inclusion for neighborhoods, housing authorities, private developers and local governments. Erin is a national leader and advocate for healthy and sustainable urbanism, having pioneered the use of health impact assessments in design. Her areas of expertise include transit-oriented development, housing and high-performance districts. She believes in the power of a holistic, human-centric approach and evidence-based design to maximize investment and vibrant community outcomes.

Erin actively incorporates design research in her practice, through Mithun’s Design for Health Initiative. With an early career focus on housing and neighborhood redevelopment planning, she spent more than a decade advancing mixed-use, mixed-finance projects for private and public sector clients across the U.S. including multiple HOPE VI and Choice Neighborhoods projects. To date, she has led projects resulting in more than 3,000 units of new housing. Her work has received industry and peer awards for innovation in health, equitable design and sustainability. The Urban Land Institute recognized Erin as a Global 40 Under 40 Professional.

Education

  • University of Washington — Certificate Public Health Management
  • University of Notre Dame — Bachelor of Architecture

Memberships And Accreditations

  • American Institute of Architects
  • American Institute of Certified Planners

Community

  • AIA Pratt City Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team
  • City of Seattle Housing Levy, Oversight Committee Member
  • Congress for the New Urbanism, Past Board of Directors
  • HBN Healthy Affordable Materials Project, Advisory Committee
  • International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) Health Equity Advisory Council
  • ULI Building Healthy Places Initiative, Contributor to 10 Principles for Building Healthy Places
  • ULI Health Leaders Network, Advisor
  • ULI Northwest Center for Leadership
  • ULI Northwest Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
  • ULI Northwest, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Council
  • USGBC, LEED Location and Planning Technical Advisory, Past Co-Chair