Women in Architecture will host Ellen Kokinda, Santa Barbara city planner, and Ashley Thomas-Pate, the city’s new architectural historian at an event 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 7 at Mission Audio Video, 1910 De La Vina St., Santa Barbara.

Kokinda is an urban planner with experience in community development, land use policy, and public engagement. She currently serves as city planner with Santa Barbara’s Community Development Department; she previously served as design review supervisor.

In both roles, Kokinda has guided applicants through the city’s permitting and design review processes and advised on how to keep projects moving forward.

Kokinda currently oversees Santa Barbara’s Single Family Streamlining Project — an initiative to simplify the approval process for single-family residential projects through Zoning Ordinance and Single Family Design Board amendments, balancing greater flexibility for homeowners with Santa Barbara’s tradition of quality architecture and neighborhood character.

Kokinda holds an MA in urban and environmental policy and planning from Tufts University and a BA in media arts and design from James Madison University.

Santa Barbara architectural historian Thomas-Pate most recently she served as a senior interior designer and heritage specialist with over a decade of experience across the U.S., U.K. and Europe.

She holds a bachelor of interior architecture from the University of Oregon and a master’s in conservation of historic Bbuildings from the University of York.

Her career spans award-winning firms including Gensler, HLW, and Perkins&Will, where she has led commercial interior design projects for major tech, professional services, and sports and entertainment clients.

An advocate for historic preservation, Thomas-Pate has worked as a heritage consultant in the U.K. and has been involved with Denver’s Larimer Square — the city’s first historic district — leading design efforts and community engagement through programs like Doors Open Denver.

She promotes inclusive design for all and recently won a research grant to explore evidence and research-based design for women in sports.

For tickets, visit here.