Member Advocates
Member Advocates
The APA Virginia Chapter has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and discrimination of any sort. We are serious about creating and conveying our expectation of a Welcoming Environment for anyone who participates in Chapter-sponsored events and activities.
Has an interaction with another Chapter member, while you were volunteering in a Chapter leadership or other role, or during a Chapter event or activity left you feeling uncomfortable, unwelcome, or disrespected? Member Advocates serve as a resource for Chapter members. They are available to listen and help direct members to resources that may aid them in overcoming and resolving the issue…all in a confidential manner.
To reach a Member Advocate, please email: advocates@apavirginia.com. The mailbox is monitored weekly and a Member Advocate will contact you. If you wish to only speak with a specific Member Advocate listed below, please specify that in your email communication.
Member Advocates and Terms:
- Jeryl Rose Phillips, AICP (identifying as a woman, term expiration: 12/31/2026)
- Kyle A. Gilmer, AICP (identifying as a person of color, term expiration 12/31/2027)
- Sophie Huemer, (identifying as non-binary, term expiration 12/31/2028)
Background
A Chapter Bylaws amendment was adopted by the Chapter membership in 2023 to create the Member Advocate positions. They intentionally function independently of the Board of Directors but may request to present to the President, Executive Committee or Chapter Board on matters of broad chapter importance. Three (3) Member Advocates are elected at large by the Chapter membership to serve staggered terms:
- One (1) Member Advocate must identify as a woman
- One (1) Member Advocate must identify as a person of color.
Inaugural elections were held in Spring 2024 and for terms of three, two and one year with the candidate receiving the most votes earning the three-year term; the second most votes the two-year term; and, the third most votes the one-year term, provided that the eligibility requirements of one candidate identifying as a woman and one as a person of color are met. Additional Member Advocate(s) may be appointed by elected Member Advocates in order to fill composition gaps, as per the Bylaws, or gaps that most accurately reflect Chapter membership composition. Subsequent elections have occurred annually.
Member Advocates are not adjudicators but, rather, simply serve as a conduit through which members may raise concerns about actions they have witnessed or experienced at Chapter events regarding their person. Member Advocates are expected to protect the anonymity of the Chapter members or guests that contact them, unless expressly granted written permission to disclose identity. Should it be necessary, Member Advocates will follow the procedures set forth in the Chapter Bylaws for complaint investigations.
To reach an advocate, please email: advocates@apavirginia.com
Jeryl Rose Phillips, AICP (she/her)
Jeryl has been an APA member since 1990, first serving as the Student Representative from UVA on the Chapter Board 1990-91, and an AICP Member since 2003. She is humbled to serve as an inaugural Member Advocate. Her intent in this position is to help the Chapter Board create an always-welcoming, nurturing, and inclusive environment of trust, learning, and professional advocacy among our Chapter members, that enables active and comfortable engagement by all members and guests at Chapter events. Her goals are:
1) be available to listen and provide guidance, as needed, in strict confidence, when a member has a concern regarding involvement at a Chapter event;
2) learn from AICP and APA leaders the various ways other Chapters and APA National are being successful with similar programs and to lead and share with others, when there isn't clear guidance available;
3) meet with the AICP Ethics Officer, the APA Welcoming Environment campaign, and the Chapter AICP Professional Development Officer, as needed, to advocate for our members; and,
4) develop and present, with fellow Member Advocates, Chapter leaders, and the Inclusion Committee, various learning opportunities for our members, offered in a Chapter-provided, safe space that can foster dialogue and greater understanding to equip our members, regardless of where they are on their professional journey, with the vocabulary and tools necessary to lead dialogues about creating safe work or school environments, that can enable them to thrive as emerging, new, and seasoned Planning professionals, educators, students, and Planning Commissioners. Professionally, Jeryl has enjoyed a 30+ year, multi-faceted career in regional planning and local government, private sector, and academia in the Hampton Roads, VA region, and now works in private practice. She has served in several leadership positions with APA Virginia and APA National, including Chapter President (2008-2012) and VP Legislation & Policy (2004-2008) and the APA Chapter President’s Council (CPC). Her leadership, in collaboration with the APA Virginia Chapter Board , was recognized by her peers via the CPC’s 2012 Karen B. Smith Award for Outstanding Chapter President at the 2012 National APA Conference in Los Angeles, for which she was subsequently recognized with a House Resolution from the Virginia General Assembly during the 2013 Session.
Education:
>B.A. Government, College of William & Mary
>Master of Urban + Environmental Planning, University of Virginia
>Master of Legal Studies (forthcoming), William & Mary Law School
Current Committees:
Legislative & Policy Committee, Inclusion Committee, Conference
Planning Committee
.
Kyle A. Gilmer, AICP (he/him)
Kyle Gilmer is a transportation planner and local government professional with nearly a decade of experience across planning and planning-adjacent fields. His career has spanned transportation and community planning, GIS and spatial analysis, public engagement, policy development, long-range planning, and work across local and regional government. Today, he serves as the Transportation Strategic Planner with the City of Norfolk, where he leads multimodal transportation planning and project development, transportation policy, public engagement, and initiatives focused on creating safer and more connected communities.
Throughout his career, Kyle has found himself working at the intersection of people, place, policy, and public service. His work often involves bringing together community members, colleagues, public agencies, and organizational leaders around complex issues where different experiences and perspectives need to be heard and understood. Those experiences have strengthened not only his skills as a planner, communicator, facilitator, and leader, but also his belief that good planning begins with people.
For Kyle, planning has always been as much about people as it is about places. His work in public engagement, equity and accessibility, community-focused transportation, and long-range planning has reinforced the importance of creating room for voices that can sometimes go unheard or overlooked. He believes people are more likely to participate, speak honestly, and contribute when they feel respected, when they know someone is genuinely listening, and when they believe that what they have to say matters.
That same belief has shaped Kyle’s involvement with APA Virginia. He previously served as the Chapter’s Vice President of Inclusion, where he worked to strengthen connections across the planning community, broaden participation, and help create a professional environment where more people could see themselves represented and feel that they belonged. He has also remained involved in mentorship and professional service, supporting planners and emerging professionals as they navigate their own careers and find their place within the profession.
As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Kyle also brings his own lived experience to this work. He understands how meaningful it can be to find people and spaces where you can show up as yourself and know that you will be treated with dignity and respect. That perspective has deepened his commitment to uplifting others, particularly people who may not always feel comfortable speaking up or who have felt unseen, unheard, or overlooked within professional or community spaces.
Kyle approaches the Member Advocate role with that same sense of care. He knows that reaching out about an uncomfortable experience or difficult concern is not always easy, and that sometimes the most important first step is simply having someone willing to listen. His goal is to meet members where they are, hear them without judgment, and help them understand what support, resources, or next steps may be available to them.
Above all, Kyle sees the Member Advocate role as a natural extension of what he values most about planning, leadership, and professional service: creating space for people to be heard, helping others feel supported and empowered, and contributing to a professional community where members can participate fully and authentically.
Education
B.S. Geography/GIS, Old Dominion University
Master of Urban and Regional Planning, Virginia Commonwealth University
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Sophie Huemer, AICP (they/them)
Sophie Huemer is an urban planner with more than a decade of experience in public-sector planning, capital planning, and community-focused project delivery. They currently work in educational facilities planning, where their work emphasizes long-range planning, interagency coordination, and transparent decision-making in service of students, families, and communities.
Sophie has been an active member of the American Planning Association since 2011 and has participated in APA chapters in Texas, North Carolina, and Virginia. Since 2016, they have been engaged with APA Virginia and have served on the Chapter’s Awards Committee for three years, including one year as Chair.
Sophie is deeply committed to fostering professional environments where planners feel safe, respected, and empowered to participate fully. They believe strong professional communities are built on trust, accountability, and inclusion, and that creating space for open, respectful dialogue is essential to the health of the profession. Their approach emphasizes active listening, confidentiality, and fairness, particularly when navigating sensitive or challenging situations.
Throughout their career, Sophie has worked in complex stakeholder environments that require empathy, professionalism, and sound judgment. They bring this experience to their advocacy work, striving to support planners across career stages and practice areas while promoting respectful engagement and thoughtful resolution of concerns.
Sophie holds a master’s degree in urban planning and remains dedicated to advancing ethical practice, mentorship, and inclusive professional culture within APA Virginia.
Education
B.A. Political Science, Roanoke College
Master’s of Urban and Regional Planning, Virginia Commonwealth University