A Coffee with Gopinath Gnanakumar Malathi, Senior Analyst

We grabbed coffee with Gopinath ‘Gopi’ Gnanakumar Malathi. We discussed his career transition from architecture to urban planning, the impact of data-driven approaches to economic development strategy, and his Urban Design Forum fellowship project, which aims to empower youth through participatory urban design. As a Senior Analyst at Karp Strategies, Gopi leverages his experience working with quantitative and geospatial analytics for public, private, and nonprofit organizations to support equitable economic and infrastructure development in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Maine. His journey from an architecture and urban design background to data analysis offers a unique perspective on integrating diverse disciplines to tackle urban challenges effectively.

Gopi began at Karp Strategies as a Graduate Analyst and over his four years at the firm, has had the opportunity to advance his career through promotions and varied experience, as he has been staffed on various projects with a focus on research and analysis. This fall, Gopi will transition into the PhD program at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, where he will investigate the social and ethical implications of urban information science.

How do you like your coffee?

Interestingly, I'm not actually a coffee person. I might be one of the very few who survived architecture school without coffee. I'm a big fan of hot chocolate, though—it's my favorite beverage.

Why did you join Karp Strategies?

During my graduate program at Pratt Institute, I became acquainted with several classmates, including Yuri Chang, who was already working at Karp Strategies. Additionally, Jen Becker, a principal at the firm then, was faculty. I remember hearing wonderful things about the diversity of projects, clients, and geographic contexts in which Karp Strategies was engaged. It felt like the perfect post-graduation opportunity to apply what I had learned at Pratt.

Describe what you do at Karp Strategies.

At Karp Strategies, I have a unique and interesting role. I support project teams in effectively identifying and addressing challenges our clients face using emerging data and advanced analytical methods. As an analytical lead working on economic impact assessments, retail supply/demand analysis, workforce conditions research, and neighborhood-level market studies for cities and towns across New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. I work closely with associates and senior associates to design and implement mixed-methods research. This involves collaborating with analysts and graduate analysts to ensure our approaches are comprehensive and impactful. My goal is to contribute to insightful solutions that meet the needs of our clients and their stakeholders.

Coming from an architecture and urban design background, what inspired your transition into urban data analysis? How do you view data-driven approaches in tackling urban issues?

While urban design and urban information science may seem distinct, I find they both involve elements of design thinking and a systems approach. 

In this context, design thinking would mean the iterative and creative process of leveraging urban data analytics to consider context, the client’s needs, and community requirements—akin to how urban designers approach public space design projects.

A systems approach in urban design involves considering factors like climate, regulations, local culture, and/or building materials when developing a vision for a space. At Karp Strategies, I constantly consider the people, the economy, industries, businesses, places, neighborhoods, and demographics because changing any factor will impact all of the above. Therefore, I need to be conscious of the entire system and what is being impacted by the decisions I choose to make.

They're also very different because urban information science requires a scientific approach. It's important to understand the possibilities and the rationale, which, In this case, are grounded in both technical and social sciences. Urban design has a more creative approach.

In the rapidly evolving urban world, how do you effectively adapt and apply your knowledge and transferable skills to address new challenges or industries within this dynamic environment?

Obviously, there is a certain level of nuance and technical expertise in each of these different fields, which is acquired through years of academic training or professional experience. However, the work we do is very interdisciplinary. These different fields, including economic development, workforce development, real estate strategy, land use planning, transportation planning, infrastructure development, housing, or sustainability like renewable energy, are very much connected, intertwined, and interdependent by nature, which makes it very easy to transfer our experience from one of these to the others. 

Apart from that, I think addressing new challenges is critical because, as a civilization, we're facing unprecedented crises. They can vary widely, from geopolitical extremities to something as simple as shifts in population demographics, such as the aging of the American population, which is a critical new challenge for us to consider, evaluate, and address. These challenges underscore the importance of being a system thinker who can identify and solve issues within the broader context of various sectors or verticals.

What emerging trends in urban information science are you currently following or excited about?

This is a particularly interesting question—one that I’ve been thinking a lot about, especially given the rapid evolution of urban information science compared to other subfields in urban science. As data analysts, staying relevant is something important to keep in the back of your mind. At the forefront of urban information science lies artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, which can streamline processes that are currently taking us hours in less than a minute. Industries are rapidly integrating AI into various analytical tasks, including descriptive, diagnostic, and predictive analyses. For example, companies like Esri are leveraging AI to help users identify relevant data sources, manage databases, and even analyze data without ever having to clean them up. Qualitative data is becoming much more indexable and analyzable.

On the other hand, they also pose challenges, particularly regarding accuracy, representation, and inclusivity. It's crucial to engage in ongoing discussions and reflections that not only focus on emerging technologies but also on emerging trends and theories. Take an example of counter-data and counter-mapping, which have been discussed for years, but are resurfacing as counter-algorithms. They are produced with a bottom-up approach to counter the status quo against the interests of grassroots communities and disadvantaged populations. 

Can you tell us more about your experience as a Forefront Fellow at the Urban Design Forum? What are you particularly excited about? 

This year's fellowship theme focuses on the youth in the city. Over the first six months, my colleagues and I conducted research and engagement to understand the unique opportunities and challenges that young people across different age groups, from school-age youth to young adults, face as they try to grow into becoming equal participants in shaping the future of New York City. Over the first six months, we conducted research and engagement to understand the unique opportunities and challenges the youth have to be equal participants in city spaces, city decision-making, and city processes.

Currently, we've formed smaller groups to design and implement projects to address the needs of young New Yorkers. To address the need for more engagement tools, my smaller group is developing a prototype for an urban design-based board game that will guide a group of youth to envision an imaginary public space, design it, and get it funded in a fun and engaging way.  We hope to empower youth to play an active role in transforming and advocating for their neighborhood spaces. Our goal for this board game is to be scalable and accessible to youth not only in New York City but across the country. 

The game itself will combine physical and digital elements, allowing youth to experiment with urban space when playing the board game and translate this into digital elements that they can further explore in augmented or virtual reality. By integrating digital technology into the gaming experience, we wanted to extend the impact beyond the game itself. We are experimenting with using LiDARscanners available on iPhones to capture the participant’s physical design and convert it into a 3D model, which they can use to advocate for and shape the spaces that hold meaning and matter to them.

A pilot version of this game being tested by school students in Washington Heights

What do you love about cities? What about urban planning do you enjoy the most?

I find cities fascinating because, in many cases, they epitomize democratic coexistence. They compel individuals from diverse backgrounds, speaking different languages, or holding different beliefs to share spaces and power. You don't necessarily have to engage with them, but it allows you to coexist with them and make them a part of your life. I see that as my main motivation to continue thinking about cities, which leads me to my interest in disciplines like urban design and urban planning, as they serve as tools to preserve and augment the diverse fabric of cities, towns, or other scales and settlements.

What has been your favorite highlight of working at Karp Strategies?

If you were to ask me a thousand times, it would always be the people that I have had the pleasure to know and the opportunity to work with. It’s been a nourishing experience to collaborate with people who are not just smart and talented but also incredibly passionate.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Hint hint: I guess you might say spending time with your dog?

Lately, I have loved spending time hanging out with my 11-month-old golden retriever, Poori. Besides that, I enjoy staying active and being outdoors. Whether it’s hitting skate parks, going on hikes, or simply relaxing at the beach, I'm always up for it.

Lastly, how has Karp Strategies supported your transition back into academia?

From the onset, my colleagues, managers, and the leadership team at Karp Strategies have been aware of my aspirations to pursue a PhD and have shown unwavering support to help me achieve it. They facilitated connections with professors at institutions I was interested in, encouraged me to apply for fellowship and funding to secure external research opportunities, and promoted me to roles within the firm that emphasized research and analysis. Their commitment extended to directly supporting my applications and writing recommendation letters, highlighting their investment in my personal and professional goals. 

The firm has provided me with an environment that fosters continuous learning and development. This experience has not only prepared me for the rigors of a PhD program but has also enriched my understanding of the practical applications of academic research in real-world scenarios. The experiences I've gained at Karp Strategies have been invaluable, shaping me into a more capable and confident individual ready to embark on this new academic journey.

Fast Facts:

Last TV show I binge-watched: The Mare of Easttown

Restaurant (delivery) I’d recommend to close friends: Kanyakumari (One of the best biryanis I’ve had in New York)

Book that changed me: How to Lie with Maps

Movie I’d pay to see again and again: Avengers: Endgame

My heroes are: Anyone committed to taking time between their day jobs, parenting, and everything else to advocate for civil liberties and human rights.

Coffee with Annie White, Director of Real Estate + Economic Development

Annie in her office. Artwork by Noah MacMillan.

We grabbed coffee with Annie White to talk about her experiences in promoting equity, economic development, and her Midwestern pride! We also got some great stories about some of Annie’s favorite odd jobs over the years.

Annie is the Director of Real Estate and Economic Development at Karp Strategies and joined us after six years at the NYC Department of City Planning. Annie is a big advocate of the importance of recognizing inequitable systems at play in our built environment and working towards creating more equitable systems in their place, as well as engaging the community in this process.

Why did you join Karp Strategies?

I was incredibly excited to join Karp Strategies because I was looking forward to being part of a small but growing and active team. I loved the idea that there was enough space for me to take on the work I wanted to take on while being supported by the leadership team. Also, after working in NYC government, I wanted to have the opportunity to work more on a regional basis and learn more about the offshore wind industry in general. As Director, I have gotten to engage in more real estate planning work (such as zoning analyses, market analyses, land use studies, etc.) and have been able to work on community engagement to ensure the end result of our projects builds equitable wealth for our city and the communities we are serving.

What do you see as the major intersection between architecture and urban planning? What inspired your switch to urban planning primarily?

When I started my career, I was at a small architectural design firm in St. Louis, MO. St. Louis is a city that has seen the full rise and fall of urbanization and population decline. While at the firm, we did a lot of historical rehabilitation and housing work. Being there helped me to realize that I was interested not so much in what we were designing but in the systems in place that allowed all these neighborhoods to see this amount of disinvestment and extreme racial inequality that was present in St. Louis. I went back to planning school to understand these systems more and ended up getting really interested in real estate and economic development. One fun thing to note—I have a lot of Midwestern pride. While in planning school, I was one of the few people who refused to use New York City or Boston case studies—I always would investigate ones from the Midwest.

What do you see as an important policy step that needs to be taken that will make urban planning and design more equitable?

I think that the city needs to be better about equitably distributing resources (both physical as well as programmatic) across the five boroughs. When working in planning, you continually see neighborhoods that take the burden of housing growth and resiliency that should be better and more equitably distributed. We are still living in a deeply segregated and inequitable city. When thinking about the bigger conversations we’re having surrounding housing equality, the resources and benefits that come with having enough affordable mixed-income housing are essential for fair and equitable living.

What advice would you give to an urban planner whose project isn’t the most popular with the public?

I think the most important thing is trying to find some common ground with the public, even when facing extreme opposition. I have learned that there will always be very vocal opposition to any planning work you’re doing, but oftentimes, that is just a very vocal minority. When I worked on the Soho and Noho rezoning projects, we realized that we needed to have large town hall settings but also smaller conversations to meet the locals where they were at. There was also a lot of misinformation; once we could sit people down and discuss the impacts the project would have on their housing situation, we made more headway. Anyone living in unstable housing has fears around rezoning, but once you talk to them one on one, you can find common ground, and people were able to start seeing some of the benefits of the rezoning.

What has been your favorite odd job you’ve worked and why?

I have always worked in the service industry and really enjoyed my time there. But I did end up being DJ for a few weddings in grad school, and that was a really cool experience. Hit me up if you ever need some fabulous wedding playlists—tried and tested!

Tell me about a favorite hobby of yours and how you got into it.

When I was growing up, I played volleyball a lot. I recently got back into this hobby with the volleyball subculture at Domino Park. I started playing in Domino Park during 2020, and it was a fun way to enjoy the outdoors, get a great view of the city, and enjoy the nice weather while we have it.

Fast Facts:

Last TV show I binge-watched: Succession

Restaurant (delivery) I’d recommend to close friends: Xi’an Famous Foods

Book that changed me: Anything by Elena Ferrante

Best concert I’ve ever experienced: Beyonce

Movie I’d pay to see again and again: 10 Things I Hate About You

My Heroes are: A personal one is my sister—she is in med school right now and is an absolute rockstar. Another one is Anthony Bourdain—I was obsessed with him and how he used food to explore and understand different cultures.

A Coffee with Ali Sutherland-Brown, Principal

Ali with her daughter Thea

We grabbed coffee with Ali Sutherland-Brown to talk about cities, storytelling, and what it's like to be a working mother. We got some great book and movie recommendations too!

Ali is a Principal at Karp Strategies. As the first employee after Rebecca Karp founded the firm, Ali has been instrumental in helping build the company into what it is today. With over 13 years of industry experience, she previously worked at the NYC Department of City Planning and the Institute of Urban Design. She is a proud Coro Leadership New York graduate and holds degrees in Urban Planning and History/American Studies from MIT and Princeton, respectively. While trained as an urban planner, she is also an ardent advocate for creative and adaptive communication: “A good idea doesn’t mean very much if you can’t communicate it well.” She is also obsessed with behavioral economics and organizational psychology. Karp Strategies could not have grown to where it is today without Ali’s fierce commitment to the company and its people and passion for the work.

How do History and American Studies inform your practice of City Planning?

There’s always context and history you have to appreciate. American Studies is an interdisciplinary subject, and it totally changed my perspective on the different lenses through which you can think about and experience a place. You need to know its streets, its maps, its music, its novels, and its people—just to name a few elements of what ‘place’ really is. This idea is central to my work, and I use it to examine creative ways of understanding. Beyond that, part of the reason I love this field is that while I may be an expert in methodology, I am not an expert about every place we work in. Humility is critical, and my job is to understand the expertise that already exists in communities. You can find all of that if you take an interdisciplinary approach.

How has your experience living in different cities guided your understanding of urban planning?

I didn’t really know what urban planning was in undergrad—I just always knew that I loved cities and had a strong reaction to space. Living in different cities made me realize how much I’m affected by the built environment. For example, when I was an undergrad, I really thought I was going to be a TV writer and producer. But when I spent a summer interning in LA, I realized I just couldn’t live in such a car-centric place. Manhattan, Brooklyn, Cambridge, Chicago, DC, LA, and Ottawa—they are all so different but fundamentally led me to this career. I do this job because I want to positively affect how we experience cities and highlight how place and space affect our physical and mental health.

Why is the craft of writing and storytelling important to your work?

Everything is fundamentally about communication—every job comes down to your ability to communicate well with the people around you. This allows you to get what you need from your job, motivate other people to do their jobs, and be satisfied throughout it all. Ultimately, there is no shortcut to having an open line of communication or establishing empathy with someone—and this is the #1 thing I try to bring to my leadership at the firm and to clients. Just have the conversation. Prepare for it, especially if it’s a tough one. And see the situation from the other person’s perspective before you ever show up in the room. Written communication is also incredibly important because one of our primary jobs as urban planners is communicating the content we’ve created. We’re not doing our jobs effectively if we are not, for instance, writing as crisply and cleanly as we can. ‘Storytelling’ doesn’t have an implication of falsehood, to me—it’s all about getting your message across.

What has been your favorite highlight of working at Karp Strategies?

Growing the company! As someone with a degree in Urban Planning, I never thought that half my job would be helping to build a company from scratch. To the extent that people become urban planners because they’re excited to build something—a park, a facility, a district, a city—this company is what we’ve built. And by ‘we,’ I mean everyone who works—or has worked—here has contributed to its DNA. This has been one of the most unexpectedly rewarding experiences of my life. Making Karp Strategies the best company it can be is such an immense but rewarding challenge because if we can do that, then we can keep doing this great work.

Tell me a life-changing moment that helped shape who you are today.

Having my daughter—she’s two years old and is the best person I’ve ever met. Mostly, she makes my life much more complex, and also weirder and more wonderful than I thought possible (you can’t really anticipate the experience of dancing to Cookie Monster’s interpretation of a Swedish electropop beat until it happens to you). As this relates to work, historically in the US, there’s been a mistaken impression that working mothers are distracted and, therefore, less valuable as employees (I highly recommend Jessica Grose’s recent book on the subject). But working mothers are the most efficient and empathetic people you’ve ever met. Falling under the category of ‘cliche for a reason’: parenthood has changed my perspective on everything, including what work can and should be. And for what it’s worth, I’m immensely grateful to work somewhere that doesn’t just tolerate but celebrates my family and intense responsibilities at home.

Fast Facts:

Last TV show I binge-watched: Yellowjackets

Restaurant (delivery) I’d recommend to close friends: Mint Heights

Best concert I’ve ever experienced: Belle & Sebastian

A book that changed me: Anything by Lauren Groff and James Baldwin, Americanah (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie), Priestdaddy (Patricia Lockwood), Slouching Towards Bethlehem (Joan Didion), Why We're Polarized (Ezra Klein), The Image of the City (Kevin Lynch)

A movie I’d pay to see again and again: Charade, Rear Window

My heroes are: Nora Ephron, Barack Obama, Kathryn Bigelow, Lorne Michaels, Jean Michel Basquiat, Daniel Kahneman, Holly Whyte