Upfront Planning Podcast

Upfront Planning Podcast

Jessica Sarkissian

Episodes 145
Avg. Duration 55m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 4.7 (12)
Since Jun 2023
Latest Episode Apr 2026

Outreach Signals

Features Guests

Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
75%
Hosting
rss.amperwave.net

About This Podcast

Join the dynamic conversations in the Upfront Planning Podcast as the owner of Upfront Planning, a renowned land planning and entitlement consulting firm based in Arizona, delve into the captivating world of development. Be prepared for lively discussions, unique perspectives, and intriguing experiences shared by the hosts and occasional guest experts. With each episode, we explore a wide range of topics within the development field, touching on everything from the latest trends to the intersection of politics. But it doesn't stop there! Our casual and engaging format extends to water cooler discussions, mind-boggling work-life experiences, and thought-provoking moments that will leave you saying 'OMG, can you believe this?' Tune in for a fun and entertaining podcast that will take you on an immersive journey through the fascinating realms of development. From the weekly topic to unexpected detours, the Upfront Planning Podcast delivers insightful content that keeps you hooked. Follow us now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your shows!

Explore Statistics

Recent Episodes

Ep 139: Master Planning is BACK!

Apr 08, 2026 56m

Amy Weidman with Harvard Investments joins the podcast to talk about thier development projects moving forward as well a thier massive new development in the west valley, Rio 1900 "Soltstice".  Hear…

Ep 138: 2026 ULI Housing Opportunity Conference Debrief

Apr 01, 2026 35m

Jessica quickly downloads all the sessions and takeaways from the Baltimore ULI Housing Opportunity Conference in March.  Hear about great ideas, tools, upcoming housing opportunities, and what we…

Ep 6. - Lawyering Up with Zoning

Mar 25, 2026 57m

Carolyn Oberholzer of Bergin, Frakes, Smalley & Oberholtzer and Lindsay Schube of Gammage and Burnham join the podcast to talk about what it's like to be a zoning attorney and what even is a…

Ep 8. - Hey, I live in an apartment!

Mar 18, 2026 56m

Tempe Mayor Corey Woods and City of Phoenix Planning Director Josh Bednarek join the Upfront Planning podcast to talk about the big housing issue and what needs to be done locally, at the state and…

Ep 137: Trends Day 2026

Mar 11, 2026 58m

ULI Arizona Trends Day 2026 recap with Angie Grendahl, MRED. Hear about the sessions, the take aways and what it was like working on the team to put this huge one day event together gathering over…

Ep 136: Buying International and the Risk that goes with it

Mar 04, 2026 57m

Santiago Fajardo discusses some of the ins and outs of buying properties and investments internationally.  Hear how deals get cash deals done and the crazy stories that go with buying international.

Ep 135: PART 2: Rio PHX Project

Feb 24, 2026 58m

Maggie Soffel from Arizona State University and Enrique Bojorquez-Gaxiola from the City of Phoenix continue to discuss Rio Reimagined in greater detail, following the recent report that the City of…

Ep 134: PART 1: Rio Reimagined

Feb 18, 2026 1h 6m

Maggie Soffel from Arizona State University talks about Rio Reimagined.  A multi-jurisdictional river project spanning 55 miles along the Rio Salado and Gila Rivers in Arizona, traversing 6 cities…

Ep 133: Agility Training with Tom Bilsten

Feb 11, 2026 1h 2m

Tom Bilsten tells us the importance of being agile and faster than a dog with some amusing stories in public outreach.  Tom is a well respected community outreach expert and a lifelong community…

Ep 132: The People Who Plan: Jackie Guthrie, AICP

Feb 04, 2026 1h 1m

Jackie Guthrie, AICP,  one of the first professional planners Jessica met in her career reminisces about the fun and crazy projects she worked on over the long career as a land planner working on…

Ep 131: How do you entitle a project like Culdesac?

Jan 27, 2026 53m

Culdesac is an innovative carless community in Tempe, AZ.  Tempe Development Director Ryan Levesque, AICP talks about how it came to be and what the City needed to do to make it a reality for the…

Ep 130: Young Planners taking the lead!

Jan 21, 2026 1h 1m

Laney Corey and Lucas Jensen join the podcast to talk about building their planning careers and making connections in planning.  Hear where their careers have led them and how they have been so…

Ep. 25 Rerelease - Always Thankful For People Like Hannah and Joe

Jan 06, 2026 46m

Hannah Whitwer from The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Joe Cable, PE from Bowman Consulting and an active church member within the Church of Latter-Day Saints joins us to talk about the ways…

Ep. 11 Rerelease - Occasionally Accused of Murder

Dec 30, 2025 51m

Jen Ruby and Jamie Blakeman join Upfront Planning to talk about their experience working through the development process.  From working through municipal staff comments to dealing with neighbors and…

Ep. 129: Former National APA President Kurt Christiansen, FAICP

Dec 23, 2025 1h 1m

Former American Planning Association president Kurt Christiansen, FAICP joins the podcast to talk about what its like being on the National APA Board, what life is like after retirement for him, how…

Episode 6 Rerelease - Lawyering Up with Zoning

Dec 17, 2025 57m

Carolyn Oberholzer of Bergin, Frakes, Smalley & Oberholtzer and Lindsay Schube of Gammage and Burnham join the podcast to talk about what its like to be a zoning attorney and what even is a…

Ep 128: Arizona HB 2721, 2720, 2297 And Others In A Nutshell

Dec 10, 2025 45m

Dorn Policy Group's Lucas Atencio explains a few new bills taking affects in January 2026 such as: HB2721, HB 2720, HB 2297 and more.  Listen in to what they means for the jurisdictions in Arizona. …

Ep 127: Supervisor to the Rescue!

Nov 25, 2025 46m

Board Chairman Thomas Galvin talks about the role, challenges and the fun parts of being a Maricopa County Board Supervisor.  Hear how he is able to manage this difficult position with important…

Ep. 126 - Finding Excitement in Development

Nov 14, 2025 1h

Alexandra Gino, Senior Designer at Gensler talks about her journey from London to Arizona and how she gets to work on all her favorite projects and drive her passion for architecture while staying so…

Ep 125: The New NAIOP

Nov 07, 2025 57m

Cheryl Lombard talks about being back in AZ and what she did while in Washington D.C. Hear about the new excitement in NAIOP with Cheryl at the helm and what they are doing to change the development…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Upfront Planning Podcast have?

Upfront Planning Podcast has published 145 episodes since June 2023, covering topics in Business, Society & Culture.

Is Upfront Planning Podcast still active?

Upfront Planning Podcast is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 55m.

Similar Podcasts