Abdul Barzak

When I was a little kid, I wanted to be a NASCAR Driver (still do), often those daydreams of taking home the checkered flag on Sundays, came while I was sitting at my parents restaurant. Being a small family-owned business, I spent every hour, not in school, at the restaurant juicing lemons or rolling silverware. Whenever my brother and I could sneak away we would slip into the alley behind the restaurant and explore. I remember being fascinated with how seemingly insignificant and small choices in design or a particular planting affected how I interacted with my environment in that back alley.

Twenty years later I understand the impact and have found a passion for planning, enhancing, designing, and managing our built, natural, and social environments and being a good steward of the resources before us to improve and sustain our communities.

What gets you up in the morning?

Everyday is full of new opportunities to build on yesterday or start something new.

Professional affiliations, awards, community involvement:

• Envision Sustainability Professional Certification (ENV SP)
• American Planning Association (APA)

Education:

• Bachelor of History, University of Colorado

Hobbies:

• Motorsports
• Travel
• Outdoors
• Aviation