Petya Stefanoff, Chair of the Educational Committee with the American Planning Association, Oklahoma Chapter (APA-OK) and Gibbs College PhD candidate, has developed a new training program for local government officials. The program, focused on land use, zoning principles, and land development, recently certified its first graduates with Certified Citizen Planner status.
The program was developed to address a clear need. Stefanoff recognized that many appointed or employed commissioners and staff in local government lack planning expertise or understanding. “Since these individuals are making community-impacting decisions, they need to be trained,” she explained.
To create the training, Stefanoff recruited volunteers to work on a comprehensive curriculum. The final program consists of six modules covering the essential knowledge that commissioners and officials must master to make sound planning decisions.
After working on the curriculum for some time, the team launched a trial version in 2022. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with a high demand for more training. Following this success, the team prepared six full modules and opened the official class in August 2025.
Eleven students have completed all six modules and passed the final exam, earning the Certified Citizen Planner status from the APA-OK chapter, which has approved the certification. If you would like to learn more or are interested in joining the next training cycle in August 2026, please contact Petya Stefanoff at Petya.Stefanoff-1@ou.edu.
First-year students in Architecture Design I studio were recently hosted by Factory Obscura, an “Oklahoma City-based art collective creating immersive experiences that awaken wonder, build community, and make the world better”
A project by University of Oklahoma Architecture lecturer René Peralta, developed through Generica Architecture with co-director Monica Fragoso and collaborators Andrew Stone and Ty Brown-Field, is now on view in Gould Hall as a focused installation drawn from the recent exhibition Is Housing Still Housing? Houston’s Single-Family House.
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Petya Stefanoff, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) program, has been appointed the new role of Director of Community Development for the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma. She joined the city in 2024.
