Chelsea Foster was born in Indianapolis, IN, and remained there until moving to a small town in the northern part of the state to attend Goshen College. She majored in history at the small liberal arts school and also became familiar with environmentalism and sustainability. By the time she was writing her thesis on displacement caused by highway construction, Chelsea realized that many of these practices and subjects, like composting, active transportation, and environmental justice, had become passions. Chelsea’s growing interest in environmental and racial justice and the importance of those concepts in cities introduced her to urban planning. When exploring options for next steps after graduation, she learned of TPO’s AmeriCorps opening. Though she didn’t have a move to Tennessee on her radar, she knew the position was a perfect fit and was excited to be offered the spot. In her position as an AmeriCorps Member, Chelsea will manage bicycle and pedestrian counts and present information to area high school driver’s education classes and other interested groups. She will likely lean more on virtual platforms than ever before and have to find alternative ways to reach students during the pandemic. Chelsea is also looking forward to learning more about planning, getting a better understanding of the work involved in planning processes, finding opportunities for community engagement, and working with other government agencies and partnering organizations. When she isn’t in her TPO or home office, you’ll likely find Chelsea spending time outside. She loves hiking, soccer, and yoga and is excited to explore natural resources in the area. Her creative side leads her to also spend time reading, drawing, and taking photographs. We’re excited to show her what our region has to offer, and looking forward to the contributions she makes in her time with us. Welcome, Chelsea!