Founding partner, colleague, and friend Carol Rhea has recently decided to retire from her practice with Orion Planning + Design. Carol began her transition toward retirement in the fall of 2022 and concluded in late August of this year. Carol served as managing partner from the firm’s founding in 2011 through 2020, and her role in establishing the success of Orion Planning + Design is incalculable. Her career achievements are many and she has served above and beyond in every aspect of her life and profession.
Carol Rhea has embodied the values of inclusiveness and participation as she used her passion for building capacity, promoting good government, and fostering volunteerism to make a difference throughout her career. Through her consulting practice, Carol was instrumental in the adoption of plans and ordinances in numerous towns and counties that shaped their futures and changed their destinies, and she has been a tireless advocate of planners in service to local government. As a leader in the profession, Carol is a Past President of the American Planning Association, during which time she successfully advocated synchronized election cycles and a consolidated ballot to improve service to members. She was inducted as a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners in 2014 and continues to serve the profession as a volunteer and advocate in her retirement. Please join us in expressing appreciation for her tireless work and exemplary career as she shifts her focus towards new horizons!