Rachel Flynn joined the Department of Community Planning & Development from Harvard University where she recently received her Masters in Public Administration at the Kennedy School of Government. In addition, she worked with the Mayor's Institute on City Design at Harvard's Graduate School of Design where she developed a national housing conference that focused on HUD's HOPE VI program.

Prior to returning to graduate school, Rachel practiced architecture for nearly thirteen years in various cities including Washington, New York, Boston, Toronto, and Paris. The greater part of her practice was with the architecture and planning firm of Cannon where she was a senior associate. She received her B.S. in Architecture and her M.S. in Engineering / Construction Management at Catholic University.

Rachel chose Lynchburg because she wanted to work in a more "manageable" city where she could have a greater impact on planning and development. A native Washingtonian she wanted to return to the South where there is much growth and change. (Biographical information according to www.ci.lynchburg.va.us/CP&D/RFLYNN.htm.)