Bonnie Nickerson is the newly appointed Deputy Director of Providence’s Department of Planning and Development. Since 2007, she has held the position of Director of the Long-Range Planning Division. In her role, Bonnie oversees the City’s current and long-range planning projects and initiatives including comprehensive and neighborhood planning efforts as well redevelopment and special area plans.

Her staff leads the City’s initiatives in urban design, GIS, waterfront planning, environmental planning and transportation and transit planning. She also oversees large grant projects such as the current HUD Community Challenge project, and coordinates planning efforts with local, state and regional planning partners. She serves as the City’s liaison to the joint City and State I-195 Commission, working to redevelop the twenty acres of land freed up by the relocation of Interstate 195.

She ran the international design competition to select the pedestrian bridge that will replace the highway connection across the major river through the City and is working with partners to shape the new signature downtown park as part of the highway relocation. Prior to her current position, Bonnie joined the City Department as a principal planner after working in the non-profit sector and as a VISTA volunteer.

Bonnie has a Master of Community Planning from the University of Rhode Island and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Urban Studies from Mount Holoyoke College.