Image Kristen Juan, 2020.
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RAMSA Staff and Guests
A series of short conversations with colleagues, clients, and friends on timely topics and their implications for space, place, and design thinking.
In the most recent segment, RAMSA Partner Meghan McDermott speaks to Prema Gupta, Center City District Vice President for Parks and Public Realm in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the important role of public space in cities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prema joined CCD in February 2020, where she directs and supervises the operations of four parks: Dilworth Park, Sister Cities Park, Cret Park, and John F. Collins Park. She previously served as Senior Vice President of Navy Yard Planning and Real Estate Development, managing capital projects, planning, marketing, and public transportation on behalf of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation. Prior to her work at the Navy Yard, Prema was the Director of Planning and Economic Development at University City District, where she was responsible for the execution of several prominent civic real estate projects, including The Porch at 30th Street Station.
Segment 4 | The Renewed Importance of the Public Realm in 2020. Videographer: Peter Jakubowski. Photographer: Matt Stanley for Center City District.
Segment three is titled "Resilience & Inspiration: Public Libraries in 2020." RAMSA Partner Alex Lamis speaks to Nashville Public Library Director Kent Oliver and Los Angeles Public Library City Librarian John Szabo about COVID-19’s impact on the design, operations, and sustainability of public libraries.
Segment 3 | Resilience & Inspiration: Public Libraries in 2020. Video Peter Jakubowski, 2020.
Segment two is titled “The Arts Ecology: COVID-19 and the Survival of Arts Organizations.” RAMSA Partner Melissa DelVecchio speaks to Chair of the DeVos Institute of Arts Management Michael Kaiser about arts organizations and how they are weathering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the face of income loss, varied reopening strategies, and the acceleration of digital art forms. Michael was president of the Kennedy Center from 2001 through 2014 and has previously served as the executive director of the Royal Opera House in London, the American Ballet Theatre, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He is now working with RAMSA on the Schwarzman Center at Yale University, the future world-class center for student life and the arts.
Segment 2 | The Arts Ecology: COVID-19 and the Survival of Arts Organizations. Video Peter Jakubowski, 2020.
Segment one is titled "Change Under Pressure: Higher Education and COVID-19." The ongoing COVID-19 crisis is forcing colleges and universities to quickly reassess business and instructional models. Chronicle of Higher Education Senior Writer Scott Carlson and rpk GROUP Senior Partner Rick Staisloff speak with RAMSA Partner Jennifer Stone about the prospects for meaningful and lasting change in higher education.
Segment 1 | Change Under Pressure: Higher Education and COVID-19. Video Peter Jakubowski, 2020.
