Mariia Zimmerman

Deputy Director for Sustainable Communities
Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Degree: MPlanning, 1995
Location: Washington D.C., U.S.A.

An epiphany on her honeymoon prompted Mariia Zimmerman to change careers from teaching geography to transportation planning. Within a week of returning home to the Twin Cities, she applied to the Humphrey School and hasn’t looked back since.

Recently, Zimmerman accepted a position at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Prior she had worked at Reconnecting America as vice president of policy.

What did you do in your job with Reconnecting America?
I worked for a national nonprofit transportation organization and oversaw the policy development and federal policy advocacy. I did research as well as worked with the Administration and Congress on developing new policy and improving existing laws related to transportation, housing, and development.

What did you like best about your work there?
I liked that it was always changing and challenging. My work brought together a lot of different areas that were interesting to me—economics, sociology, place-making, and political science. I worked with a lot of different partners and viewpoints to engage with many different stakeholders.

Occasionally, I even got to feel like I’ve had a positive impact and made a difference. For instance, I started working with the Federal Transit Administration and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on a project a few years ago. It was the first time the two agencies had worked together in 30 years. That project helped to spearhead the recently announced DOT-HUD-EPA Interagency Partnership on Sustainable Communities, so they’ve come a long way.

Where did your passion for transportation originate?
I think I’ve always been really interested in how things connect. To me transportation is really exciting because it literally brings things together. It’s the bones of a city. The infrastructure is the foundation on which our communities rest. It’s fun for to work with folks for whom transportation planning is a new issue. Once people start to understand it, it’s a “Wow, this is really critical to my life and community.”

Do you have any advice for incoming and current students interested in a career like yours?
To my chagrin, all the economics I took is what I use the most. Even if you disagree and you don’t enjoy it that much, it is important to get that perspective. Also, be sure to take advantage of any opportunity (a fellowship, internship, etc.) to apply your knowledge and learn to put theory into practice. My work with the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs and the State and Local Policy Program had an immeasurable impact on my career.