Elena directs Heart of the Community, a Placemaking grants and technical assistance program, now entering its sixth year with close to 20 implemented projects around the United States, including the“Beach” at Detroit’s Campus Martius Park, the revitalization of Travis Park in downtown San Antonio, improvements to Philadelphia’s City Hall Courtyard, and new amenities in downtown Atlanta’s Woodruff Park. She is currently working on concept designs for Oklahoma City’s Kerr Park, and on a public space plan for a new neighborhood park in downtown Houston. Placemaking focuses on a community's assets and engages local institutions. Elena Madison is an urban planner with rich experience in the planning and design of parks, plazas, campuses, and the outdoor spaces of civic and cultural institutions. A Vice President at Project for Public Spaces, Elena is a veteran of Place making and loves working with people in communities to create great public spaces. She is a dedicated practitioner of collaboration in all aspects of her work from visioning and concept development, to programming, implementation and management. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx