About

Jeff Byles is an author, editor, and community revitalization consultant deeply committed to the belief that communities can be inspired and renewed through the power of place. Jeff draws on twenty years of experience in writing, editing, research, program development, advocacy, and public engagement. In his role as Partnership Director of Being Here Landscape Architecture & Environmental Design, PLLC, Jeff works collaboratively with public and private-sector partners to help places and communities — from rural to urban, and at scales from small sites to neighborhoods to regions — create ecological, social, and economic vitality. Jeff's expertise in the worlds of public design and community revitalization includes leadership roles at Van Alen Institute, where he oversaw research initiatives in program areas exploring the intersection of urban form and well-being, and, as the Institute’s Interim Executive Director in 2012–2013, led design competitions and public programs devoted to transforming the built environment for partners including the U.S. National Park Service and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.