The EWU Planning Network in Action: Why Spokane is a Planning Powerhouse

Picture this: You graduate from EWU’s Urban & Regional Planning program and immediately land a job at a thriving consultancy, where your boss is also an EWU grad, your colleagues are fellow alumni, and current EWU students work alongside you, gaining real experience. Sounds too good to be true? Meet Nexus Planning Services.

When Your Entire Team Shares an Alma Mater

Nexus Planning Services is an incredible success story of the skills and dedication of EWU graduates. As of summer 2025, the team was fully staffed by EWU alumni, undergraduates, and master’s students. Principal Planner Ryan Hughes, AICP, earned his Urban Planning degree from EWU. Associate Planner Kurtis Johnson? A EWU Master’s graduate. The planning technicians, David Grechko and Anthony Maucione? EWU students. Operations Coordinator Lara Estaris? Also, an EWU student.

This isn’t a coincidence—it’s the EWU network effect in full display. When successful alumni hire from their alma mater and create opportunities for current students, everyone benefits. Students get real-world experience before graduation, recent grads find immediate career opportunities, and the region gets planning professionals who understand local needs and challenges.

Spokane’s Hidden Planning Goldmine

Here’s what many people don’t realize: the Spokane region is absolutely buzzing with planning opportunities. Washington State’s Growth Management Act requires comprehensive plan updates every eight years, creating consistent demand for planning services. Add in climate action planning requirements, tribal planning needs, economic development initiatives, and infrastructure projects, and you’ve got a region where planning skills are consistently in demand.

Ryan Hughes, AICP, with 18+ years of international planning experience, chose to base his practice in Spokane precisely because of these opportunities. “There is no limit to what an empowered community can accomplish,” he says, and the region offers countless communities ready to be empowered.

Real Experience, Real Impact

The Nexus model gives EWU students something many programs can’t: immediate professional experience with meaningful projects. Students have had the opportunity to work on tribal economic development plans, comprehensive plan updates, and climate resiliency projects—not just classroom exercises, but work that shapes real communities throughout the Northwest.

Kurtis Johnson’s EWU experience included projects with the Spokane Transit Authority and recovery planning for fire-damaged Malden, Washington. That experience translated directly into his current role in comprehensive planning and community outreach. David Grechko supported tribal economic development while finishing his bachelor’s degree. Anthony Maucione jumped from Gonzaga’s engineering program to EWU’s planning master’s program specifically because of opportunities like Nexus.

Beyond One Firm: A Regional Network

Nexus is just one example of the opportunities waiting in the region. The Spokane area needs planners for:

• Municipal Government – Cities throughout Eastern Washington need planning staff
• Tribal Planning – Multiple tribal nations require specialized planning expertise
• State Agencies – Washington State Department of Commerce, DOT, and others hire regionally
• Economic Development – Regional development organizations constantly seek planning professionals
• Environmental Consulting – Climate planning and environmental compliance create ongoing opportunities
• Transportation Planning – Regional transit authorities and DOT projects need planning support

The state-mandated planning requirements alone create steady demand, but add in federal infrastructure investments, climate initiatives, and regional growth, and you’ve got a planning job market that’s both stable and dynamic.

Your Network Starts Day One

What makes EWU special isn’t just the education—it’s the network you join. When firms like Nexus are founded and staffed by program alumni, when current students work on real projects, when recent graduates immediately find meaningful work, you’re not just getting a degree—you’re joining a robust professional community.

Lara Estaris, born to immigrant parents and passionate about racial equity, social justice, sustainability, and environmental stewardship, found her place in this network while still completing her degree. The values-driven approach she brings reflects what the program cultivates and what regional employers value.

Why This Matters for Your Future

The planning profession is experiencing unprecedented demand nationwide, but the Spokane region offers something special: a tight-knit professional community where EWU graduates support each other, create opportunities, and build careers that make real differences in their home communities.

When you choose EWU’s Urban & Regional Planning program, you’re not just choosing an education—you’re choosing to join a network that will support your career from day one through professional leadership. The success of Nexus Planning Services proves that EWU graduates don’t just find jobs in the region—they create them, lead them, and use them to build stronger communities.

Ready to join a program where your classmates become your colleagues, your professors become your mentors, and your education becomes an immediate professional opportunity? The Spokane region’s planning community is waiting for you.