Chapter Lead
Darrin Wasniewski’s journey into building communities can best be described as iterative. What began as a desire to save old buildings in the German Village neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio, evolved into a passion for fostering social connection and creating places for all ages and all abilities. He currently co-leads AARP Wisconsin’s Livable Communities efforts around the state in addition to being a partner in Grow Collaborative Consulting. As a volunteer, Darrin is a Global Walkability Correspondent for Pedestrianspace.org, a collaborative focused on advancing walkable communities around the world, where he leads international workgroups focused on Architecture & Urbanism and the Walkable Economy. In Wisconsin, his passion finds an outlet as a steering committee member of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin’s Active Wisconsin Network. Locally, in his home of Madison, he serves on the steering and transportation committees for Madison is for People, is a member of Downtown Madison Inc., participating on the organization’s transportation and economic development committees, and is a transportation commissioner for the City of Madison. Additionally, he maintains membership in the Wisconsin Downtown Action Council, Congress for New Urbanism, American Planning Association, and YIMBY Action. Darrin is a non-fiction book junkie, soaking up a few a month, and an avid podcast listener. Be careful; he’ll talk your ear off about a current read or a podcast he just listened to.
