SACO — Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC) has hired a new director of Strategic Initiatives. James Rather, a planning and public policy leader with more than 15 years of experience in Portland and New York City, will join the organization in early December.

In his new role, Rather will oversee several projects, including spearheading a regional broadband initiative, crafting economic development strategies, and providing leadership on affordable housing initiatives in the region.

According to Paul Schumacher, executive director of SMPDC, “James is joining a strong team with expertise ranging from transit to climate action. Having James on board will allow us to more effectively advance our mission of coordinating regional efforts for land use, smart growth, resource management, housing, and transportation planning. We’re fortunate to have someone with his breadth of experience.”

Rather grew up outside of Boston and received a master’s degree at UMass Lowell in urban planning. Says Rather, “Councils of Governments (COGs) like SMPDC serve as the connective tissue for the communities they serve, especially in a home rule environment where all land use decision making is local. COGs provide a storehouse for good planning practice, and serve as ‘capacity boosters’ of sorts for communities that don’t have in-house planning staff. I’m interested in every facet of planning: from housing, to transportation, to urban design and to understanding the causal chain between an idea of what a given parcel of land could be – and what it could solve.”

Rather lives in Saco with his partner and five year old son. He enjoys cycling and recently started computer coding as a hobby. He begins his tenure in this month.

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