MEMPHIS, Tenn.— March 5, 2026—The American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners are proud to announce that John Zeanah has been named to the 2026 Class of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners (FAICP). Zeanah has earned the profession’s highest honor in recognition of his outstanding achievements and lasting contributions to planning practice and leadership.
Fellowship is granted to planners who have achieved certification through the American Planning Association’s professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, and have achieved excellence in professional practice, teaching and mentoring, research, public and community service, and leadership. Invitations to join the College of Fellows come after a thorough nomination and review process, ensuring the candidate has had a positive, long-lasting impact on the planning profession.
“Being named a Fellow honors a planner’s dedication, vision, and impact on communities,” said Erin Perdu, AICP, president of the AICP Commission. “It recognizes those whose work inspires colleagues and sets a standard for excellence in the profession.”
Zeanah is the Chief of Development and Infrastructure for the City of Memphis and previously served as Director of Planning and Development for Memphis and Shelby County for over seven years. Zeanah is best known for leading the development and adoption of the Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan, the city’s first comprehensive plan in forty years, and winner of the American Planning Association’s Daniel Burnham Award of Excellence for a Comprehensive Plan in 2020 and a Charter Award from the Congress for the New Urbanism in 2021. Zeanah’s forthcoming book, Today’s Comprehensive Plan: An Adaptive Approach from Princeton University Press, explores lessons from navigating comprehensive plan development and implementation in a complex urban environment.
“I’m deeply honored to be inducted into the AICP College of Fellows,” Zeanah said. “Planning provides cities the most value when it leads to outcomes that make communities stronger for those who live there. While I am grateful for this recognition, induction marks a new challenge to find new and broader ways to contribute to communities and the profession.”
“I’m deeply honored to be inducted into the AICP College of Fellows,” Zeanah said. “Planning provides cities the most value when it leads to outcomes that make communities stronger for those who live there. While I am grateful for this recognition, induction marks a new challenge to find new and broader ways to contribute to communities and the profession.”
Zeanah is one of 55 inductees into this year’s College of Fellows. The Class of 2026 Fellows will be formally inducted during a ceremony at the National Planning Conference in Detroit on Sunday, April 26, followed by a ticketed reception celebrating the new Fellows and the planning profession.
About the American Planning Association
The American Planning Association is an independent, not-for-profit educational organization that provides vital leadership in creating great communities for all. APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are dedicated to advancing the profession of planning, offering better choices for where and how people work and live. APA’s nearly 40,000 members work in concert with community residents, civic leaders, and business interests to create communities that enrich people’s lives. Connect with APA on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Media Contact:
Arlenia Cole , City of Memphis Communications.