Crescent
City Shapers
Who We Are
2022 EXECUTIVE BOARD
(2023-2024 Board Coming Soon)
Ellis Combes | President
Ellis Combes (he/him) is from Spartanburg, South Carolina. He graduated from the College of Charleston in 2021, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and minored in Urban Studies. Eight months ago, Ellis moved to New Orleans and began the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program at UNO. At this time, he intends to specialize in Housing and Community Economic Development. Ellis works as an entry-level planner at Villavaso and Associates. Long term, Ellis aspires to have a career where he can help make everyday people in urban environments through the planning process.
Ellis is excited to take on this leadership opportunity with the Crescent City Shapers (CCS). During his term, he hopes to engrain CCS more into the New Orleans community and cultivate a vibrant planning community on UNO’s campus.
In his free time, Ellis enjoys a myriad of activities like biking, reading, traveling, playing pool and spike ball, and exploring the city with his friends.
Sam Mercier | Vice-President
Sam Mercier (he/him) serves as Vice-President for CCS, a role he’s excited to fill as the Shapers return to campus after COVID. He’s a graduate student at UNO pursuing a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree and a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). He plans on specializing in transportation planning. Sam also works as a long-range planner with Jefferson Parish.
Prior to planning school, Sam spent five years in project management at a law firm in Chicago. Before that, he was involved with research of 17th and 18th-century architecture in Virginia and Jamaica. An avid biker and equally avid Excel user, he’s passionate about transportation and economic revitalization of postindustrial regions, and how planners can link the two to shape equitable growth. After graduating, Sam is interested in working at the intersection of these issues.
A native of northwestern Illinois, Sam moved to New Orleans from Chicago in 2019. He has a B.A. in Biology and Spanish from Lake Forest College. Outside of school, he likes biking, exploring new neighborhoods, and spending time with his wife, dog, and friends.
Sarah Bechdel | Secretary
Sarah Bechdel is the secretary for CCS and a graduate student in UNO’s Urban and Regional Planning program. She works as a graduate assistant researching climate migration for the Center for Hazards Assessment, Response & Technology (UNO-CHART).
Before returning to school, Sarah’s research focused on the intersection between economic injustice and the American criminal justice system. She worked in capital defense in Louisiana and spent five years with the Southern Poverty Law Center, where she researched systemic abuses by court systems and bail bondsmen throughout the Southeast.
As a planning student, Sarah is interested in how planning and economic development can reduce economic inequality. In her free time, Sarah enjoys camping and backpacking. She graduated with a B.A. in Anthropology and Spanish from Bryn Mawr College.
Daniel Maldonado Jiménez | Treasurer
Daniel Maldonado Jiménez (he/him) is proud to serve as our 2022 Treasurer. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Daniel attended the Universidad de los Andes, where he studied Architecture with an emphasis on Business Management.
Daniel moved to New Orleans in 2020 and is now part of the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program, specializing in housing and community economic development at UNO. Daniel also serves as a research assistant with UNO-CHART where he conducts research related to hazard risk communication in homebuyer programs on the Gulf Coast. In the future, Daniel hopes to work in the real estate development field and propose new horizons for housing development strategies.
As treasurer for CCS, Daniel aims to make an inclusive space that helps planning students and the urban planning department continue to grow. In his free time, Daniel loves to skateboard and ride his bike around the city. He also enjoys sports and spending time with his friends and family.
Maya Struhar | APA-LA Student Representative
Maya Struhar (she/her) is thrilled to serve as the 2022 APA-LA Student Representative. She was born, raised, and educated in the American Heartland. In May 2021, Maya graduated from Cottey College with a B.A. in Organizational Leadership and double minors in Dance and Theatre.
Last August, Maya moved to New Orleans to pursue her Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree at UNO. Maya intends to specialize in Environmental and Hazard Mitigation Planning, as well as earn a graduate certificate in Disaster Management and Community Resilience. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in hazard mitigation and emergency management to help urban areas prepare for the ever-imminent threat of climate change.
As the APA-LA Student Representative, Maya is excited to begin working on a long-term mentorship program for planning students and established planners. She also hopes to raise the level of student involvement in APA activities, from socials to conferences. In her free time, Maya likes to run along Lake Pontchartrain, attend karaoke nights with her friends, cheer on the drum corps she called home for seven years (The Colts), and advocate for disability rights as a member of the Hard of Hearing community.