Arlington Planner Kelly Lynema Promoted To Assistant Director

ARLINGTON, MA — The Arlington Department of Planning and Community Development has named Kelly Lynema its assistant director. Lynema will perform professional and technical work, including the drafting and implementation of land use policies for the town and management of community affairs.

"As a Senior Planner in Arlington, Kelly has already contributed much to the town," Jennifer Raitt, director of Planning and Community Development, said. "She has been instrumental in advancing several major projects in Arlington, including economic recovery efforts. I am confident she will excel in this new role and look forward to our continued work for Arlington."

Lynema has been a senior planner since October 2018. In addition to serving as a liaison to Envision Arlington, she helped guide the Historic Preservation Survey Master Plan, Mill Brook Corridor Study, Housing Plan, Residential Design Guidelines and conducted research into land use and housing and economic development.

"I am excited to step into this new capacity with the Town of Arlington, especially as we begin to implement our new plans on housing, transportation, open space, and achieving net zero," Lynema said. "We have a talented and dedicated team at DPCD, and I am happy to be working with them, our boards, and committees to take action to meet the goals the Arlington community has established in these important plans."

Before coming to Arlington, Lynema worked at the Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation, where she assisted in the implementation of the Faneuil Hall Marketplace Master Plan and developed and implemented the annual public realm program for the marketplace.

She was previously employed as an urban planner for two private sector firms, Utile and NBBJ, where she worked on neighborhood and comprehensive plans for communities across the eastern United States.

Lynema received her master's degree in Urban Planning from Harvard University and her bachelor's degree in sociology from Tufts University.