LANSING, Mich. – The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (Tri-County) is pleased to announce the appointment of two new staff members to their team. Ashling Jackson will serve as Tri-County's Director of Marketing and Community Outreach, and Nick Tafelsky joins the transportation program as the Transportation Planner - Special Projects Coordinator. Both Jackson and Tafelsky officially began their roles in late May.
As Director of Marketing and Community Outreach, Jackson will coordinate Tri-County’s social media presence, marketing and publications, events, and public engagement and outreach efforts for the agency's programs.
Born in New York City and raised in Nashville, TN, Jackson received her Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and Literature from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL, where she served as the Co. Editor in Chief for the Eckerd Review. Jackson joins Tri-County as a recent East Lansing transplant and is excited to make an impact on the region.
“Good marketing and community engagement rely on honest storytelling, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to tell the story of Tri-County and the Greater Lansing region,” said Jackson. "I'm excited to further cultivate a sense of involvement and connection with our initiatives and the communities we serve."
Tafelsky, a Traverse City native, attended high school in Virginia before returning to Michigan to attend Michigan State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Planning. He went on to earn his master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from Arizona State University and relocated to Richmond, Virginia, where he worked as a transportation planner for the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission.
Tafelsky will be working primarily on special projects in non-motorized and safety transportation planning, assisting Tri-County's transportation team in creating comprehensive plans for the region.
"I'm eager to join Tri-County in continuing their improvements to regional transportation," said Tafelsky. "I'm excited to be back home in Michigan and I can't wait to see what we can accomplish, especially for our region's trail network."
"We are fortunate to have Ashling and Nick join the Tri-County team, as they both have unique skill sets that will greatly benefit our region," said Executive Director Jim Snell. "Nick’s strong local knowledge and variety of planning experience will bring new expertise to our agency, while Ashling’s writing and communication skills will greatly enhance our ability to educate our partners and municipalities and engage the public. We are thrilled to have them join our team and help further our mission to serve the community."
Learn more about Tri-County's team and programs at mitcrpc.org.
# # #
The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission is a public planning agency established in 1956, serving Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties in Mid-Michigan. Tri-County makes our region a more prosperous community by planning for a strong economy, reliable transportation, and sustainable infrastructure and natural resources. We connect local organizations and governments to funding, technical assistance, data resources, and opportunities to discuss trends and challenges affecting the Greater Lansing area. Learn more at www.mitcrpc.org.
