Meet CCPC's Summer Interns
Posted August 16, 2023
The Chester County Planning Commission was fortunate to have three interns who brought a wealth of enthusiasm to their various roles at CCPC this summer. Meet Elise Davis, Emily Kaplan, and Nick Ogborn!
Elise Davis
As a recent West Chester University graduate with a major in History and Geography and a minor in Planning, Elise's passion for historic preservation and planning made her a perfect fit for CCPC's Community Planning Division!
In her time at CCPC so far, Elise's efforts have revolved around updating the county's metrics spreadsheet with data related to the National Register Listed and Eligible historic resources. She has also been researching national housing market trends and has taken on the task of creating and mapping a new Brandywine Battlefield driving tour from scratch, which can be used by the public to interpret the events of the 1777 Battle of Brandywine here in Chester County.
"I intend to combine my history expertise with planning and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) through the Brandywine Battlefield driving tour plan," Elise noted. "The plan combines historic preservation, planning, and GIS into one product that enriches the public's interpretation of local history."
While Elise currently lives in Franklin Township, her favorite spot in Chester County is Downtown West Chester as it holds cherished memories from her college days (like Tuesday karaoke night at the Split Rail Tavern). In her spare time, she can often be found cycling with her dad in Delaware or cooking up a new recipe in the kitchen. Aside from that, Elise has been a Girl Scout for thirteen years, and even traveled to London and Paris with her mother and sister to meet some fellow Scouts and Girl Guides back in 2015.
When asked what her favorite quote, life motto or song is, she replied with, "Make the world a better place," from the Girl Scout Law.
Elise will be interning with CCPC until September, and we look forward to continuing to work with her until then!
Emily Kaplan
With a passion for sustainability and a double major in environmental science and sociology, Emily provided a fresh perspective on a range of projects during her summer internship with CCPC's Sustainability Division!
Some of the projects Emily worked on this summer included tracking electric vehicle (EV) charging station growth through GIS, curating a resource database for Homeowner Associations, and updating CCPC's natural resource inventory to help determine which townships have standards related to native plant requirements and timber harvesting in their ordinances.
"The projects [CCPC] works on align extremely well with my interests in both people and policy as well as sustainability and the environment," Emily noted. "I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to intern here for the summer!"
Emily also helped gather inspirational sustainability success stories from across the county where she enjoyed talking with others about their work and projects.
When she's not immersed in sustainability endeavors, Emily likes to visit Chester County's Northbrook Market (especially after a hike or bike ride), where she says, "They have the best apple cider donuts!" She also likes spending time at Natural Lands' Stroud or Cheslen preserves with her two dogs.
Emily has visited 12 national parks, and her favorite song is currently "Forever in Blue Jeans," by Neil Diamond.
While Emily's internship has recently ended, we thank her for dedication to CCPC and wish her the best of luck in her future!
Nick Ogborn
Before heading back to school to finish his master's degree this fall, Nick wanted to keep his skills sharp and get some hands-on experience in the planning industry. With a versatile skill set, he has been a great asset to both CCPC's Community Planning and GIS divisions so far!
Splitting his time between the two divisions, Nick has been engaging in projects such as the county's Open Space HOA Initiative, as well as the transition of Story Maps to Experience Builder. "With the skills and knowledge I gain from here, it will not only help me in school, but also propel me further in my career in GIS," he said. "Also, I want to utilize my skills to help an area that I love, and after living in West Chester my entire life, I couldn't ask for a better office to work in to do just that!"
As a Chester County native, Nick's favorite place is Longwood Gardens where his family has visited each Christmas Eve for almost 50 years. "It is such a special and amazing place that I have endless memories from my childhood and beyond, and for it to be so close by makes it that much better," he noted. "We also frequent there during the warmer months as well and have an almost equal number of great memories too!"
In his spare time, you might find Nick at his job as a bartender where he loves the atmosphere and meeting new people. He can also be found relaxing and enjoying time with friends and family, traveling and exploring new areas, or hanging out with his family's two pigs — Gus and Gracie!
Nick's philosophy that he likes to live by is: "I never want to live my life with regret. Everything I do in my life is done for a reason. Even if I know I did something regrettable in the past, I can recognize that I thought it was the best thing for myself in that very moment, and I accept that. I don't like to think of what my life would be like had I done or not done a certain thing, because this is the only life I have ever known. I live my life knowing I did everything I could for myself in the moment, and I wouldn't want to live any other way!"
Nick will be interning with CCPC until he returns to school in the Fall, and we look forward to continuing to work with him until then!
Learn more about CCPC's staff and various divisions.