Kimberly Driggins, Executive Director at Washington Housing Conservancy, named Chief Influencer

 

The Communications Board names Kimberly Driggins, Executive Director at Washington Housing Conservancy, as a Chief Influencer.

Chief Influencer’s host Anthony Shop speaks with Driggins, an urban planning expert, about the importance of influence for urban planners and leaders. Driggins highlights that planning departments, while critical for reimagining neighborhoods and spaces, are often small agencies with limited budgets. Therefore, the ability to influence other agency directors and bring colleagues along to the vision is crucial for achieving meaningful change.

Driggins emphasizes the need for consensus-building, particularly when working with different government departments and community groups as these agencies often have larger budgets for capital projects, making it crucial for urban planners to secure buy-in and collaboration from the outset.

Driggins shares her experiences on influencing others effectively through advocacy, coalition building, and community engagement, and advocates for expanding the definition of affordable housing to include those who struggle to afford housing near their jobs and calls for more innovative solutions to tackle the housing affordability crisis.

This conversation covers valuable insights for leaders in various fields on topics such as coalition building, consensus, trust, and embracing the gut instinct while translating visions for others.

Host: Anthony Shop
Guest: Kimberly Driggins
Producer: The Communications Board
Sponsor: The George Washington University College of Professional Studies

 
 
The Communications Board