About

Hi! I am Christi Elflein. I have my masters in city planning from Georgia Tech and my bachelor’s in Social Sciences from Florida State University (Go Noles!). I’m fascinated by stormwater, obsessed with photographing street scenes, and I measure sidewalks and street widths for fun. I’m a pretty good journalist, having written for local and international lifestyle magazines. I use google aerials on a daily basis to track where I (and my kids) are going, and I LOVE to travel. I work for the best architecture firm in North Florida, Starr Sanford Design, and I am a long-term member and Kool-Aid drinker of the Congress for the New Urbanism.

 

I’m on a mission! I have a passion for sustainable living and I want to highlight to anyone who will listen the connection between urban design and sustainability. So I’ve written my first of hopefully many books, Great Streets of Singapore’s Chinatown. Writing this book is a marriage of all my interests. It has been so much fun! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed creating it.

 

If you are interested in learning more about me, here are my credentials:

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Education

• Master of City Planning, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia (1997)

• Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida (1995)

 

Experience

• Planning Director, Starr Sanford Design, Jacksonville Beach, FL (2017-present)

• Photographer and Columnist, AWA Magazine (2019-2022)

• Contributing Writer, First Coast Magazine (2014–2018)

• Acting Co-Editor, First Coast Magazine (2015)

• Principal Planner, NuVisions, Virginia Beach (2005–2010)

• Planner, Glatting Jackson, Orlando, FL (2001–2005)

• Planner, Vanasse & Daylor, Fort Myers, FL (1999–2000)

• Senior Planner, City of Atlanta, Georgia (1998–1999)

• Planner, Town of Vail, Colorado (1997)

 

Memberships/Associations

• Jacksonville Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), Board Member, Since 2023

• Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), Since 2000

    -2023-present Florida Chapter Board Member, Secretary

    -2023-present Jacksonville, Florida Regional Chair

    -2006-08 Hampton Roads, Virginia Regional Chair

    -2003-05 Orlando, Florida Regional Chair

    -2004-05 Florida Chapter Organizing Committee

• American Planning Association (APA), Since 1997

• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), Since 2000

• St. Paul’s Catholic School Board 2016-2018

• American Women’s Association (AWA), Singapore, 2019-2022