Christopher Zimmerman

Christopher Zimmerman is Vice President for Economic Development at Smart Growth America, and Director of the Governors’ Institute on Community Design. In this capacity he provides technical assistance to local governments, regional agencies, and states, and conducts research on the interrelationships between land use, transportation, and development policies. He particularly focuses on the economic and fiscal impact of these policies on localities and regions.

Prior to joining SGA, Mr. Zimmerman was an elected official in Virginia, serving for 18 years on the Arlington County Board. A former civic association president and planning commissioner, Mr. Zimmerman was an advocate of the Countyís legacy of transit-oriented development, and an early proponent of the principles of the New Urbanism. On a regional level, Mr. Zimmerman worked to promote the concept of ìsmart growthî in the Washington Metropolitan area. In 2004 Mr. Zimmerman became the first recipient of the Livable Communities Leadership Award (now presented annually by the Coalition for Smarter Growth). Prior to his service on the Arlington County Board, Mr. Zimmerman was Chief Economist and Committee Director for Federal Budget and Taxation at the National Conference of State Legislatures. He holds a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Economics from The American University.