OUR TEAM
Donovan Toews
MCIP, RPP Partner
Donovan has 22 years of experience in the planning field. He was a business leader for the largest planning group in Manitoba for seven years and has an established reputation as a leader in effective public engagement practices. Donovan is a principal of Landmark Planning and manages major projects throughout Manitoba. Donovan is an active volunteer in the planning community and has served as president of the Manitoba Professional Planners Institute (MPPI) and Vice President of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP).
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Brendan Salakoh
MCIP, RPP Partner
Brendan Salakoh is a graduate of the Masters in Planning program at the University of Toronto, where he focused on urban intensification, transportation, and real estate development. In over a decade as a planning consultant, he has excelled at policy development, planning approvals, and data analysis. Brendan is a Registered Professional Planner (RPP), Full Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP), and served as a council member for the Manitoba Professional Planners Institute (MPPI) from 2014 to 2020. Outgoing and fluent in both French and English, Brendan is passionate about public consultation, community engagement, and meeting with stakeholders. He has led public consultation and stakeholder engagement for large infrastructure projects and has managed development approval processes for real estate clients across Manitoba.
Andrei Friesen
MCIP, RPP, LEED AP Partner
Andrei Friesen is a graduate of the Masters of City Planning program at the University of Manitoba and has a decade of experience in the planning field. His expertise are in the areas of rural land use planning, development plan, secondary plan and zoning by-law review, green community design, land development facilitation, subdivision, and consultation. As a member of the International Association for Public Participation and as a LEED Accredited Professional, Andrei’s project work is grounded in open and transparent community engagement and environmentally sustainable design principles. Over the course of his career, Andrei has obtained a wide array of public and private sector planning experience, working with municipalities, First Nations, landowners and developers, public institutions, and residents from communities across Manitoba and Ontario.
Jeff Pratte
MCIP, RPP Partner
Jeff Pratte has a wealth of experience coordinating community planning projects and development approvals throughout Manitoba. Drawing off his diverse experience, Jeff works with municipalities and planning districts to craft visioning and regulatory documents. Jeff also works with a diverse group of land development clients collaborating on multi‐disciplinary teams completing complex district planning and land development projects.
Jeff holds a Master’s of City Planning from the University of Manitoba and completed the Foundations in Public Participation training through IAP2. He is a Registered Professional Planner (RPP) with full membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP).
Choi Ho
M. Arch, MCP Intermediate Planner
Choi holds a Master of Architecture and a Master of City Planning from the University of Manitoba. Her planning interests include public engagement, urban development, and large-scale infrastructure projects. As a planner, she has experience assisting project leads on consultancy work for private and public sector clients in Winnipeg and rural Manitoba. Choi leverages her architecture and planning expertise to determine what is possible and practical. She brings a desire for design excellence, an openness to understand diverse perspectives, and a proven ability for finding solutions to the complexities with each project.
Marie Etcheverry
MALA, CSLA Landscape Architect & Urban Designer
Marie is a registered landscape architect with a diverse range of experience from small scale park and plaza design to master-planned land development projects. Marie approaches her projects with a balance of creativity and practicality, drawing on research-based design solutions, and believes in interdisciplinary collaboration throughout the design process. She has a keen interest in exploring connections between the landscape and human health and focuses on designs that engage people with the outdoor environment in a meaningful way.
Marie holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Manitoba and is a full member of the Manitoba Association of Landscape Architects (MALA) and Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) where she currently sits on the Committee for Human Health and Well-Being.
Brennan Johnson
MCPIntermediate Planner
Brennan holds a Master of City Planning degree from the University of Manitoba and has a background in social sciences. With experience in both the non-profit and private sectors, he has experience working on a broad range of projects with various stakeholders. Brennan’s planning interests include urban development, community engagement, and sustainable growth. Using his strong communication and research skills Brennan brings a people-first approach to his work to provide meaningful solutions to complex challenges.
Tess McCharles
Office Administrator
Tess brings years of experience in accounting administration and project coordination. She likes to take an organized, hands-on approach with her projects. With a background involving HR experience, Tess works hard to see all sides of a problem before implementing a plan of action, to ensure the correct approach is taken for all parties involved. Her optimistic personality brings a can-do attitude to the teams she works with.
Chad Rempel
MCP CandidateJunior Planner
Chad is an MCP candidate at the University of Manitoba. His planning interests include urban development, with a growing interest in community engagement and large-scale infrastructure projects. Chad has an extensive background in construction and design, and together with his education in Landscape Architecture and Urbanism, he brings a broad range of both theoretical and practical experience to his work.
Barak Al Dabous
B.Envd.Junior Landscape & Urban Designer
Barak is a graduate of the Environmental Design Program at the University of Manitoba where he specialized in Landscape Architecture & Urbanism. During his time at the University of Manitoba, Barak was involved in the Students Architectural Society (SAS) and the Landscape Architecture Students Association (LASA) where he facilitated initiatives and designed graphics involving landscape architecture, urbanism, sustainability, and design. Having a design background, Barak brings a creative sensibility while combining big-picture thinking with a detail-oriented approach to solving complex problems. He has a strong interest in placemaking and creating healthy, vibrant, and equitable urban environments that contribute towards a greater everyday for all.
Carolina Herrera
MCPJunior Planner
Carolina holds a Master of City Planning degree from the University of Manitoba and has a background in architecture. Her planning interests include urban development, urban design, and environmental planning. With experience working on design and project management, Carolina looks to find efficient solutions that accommodate the specific needs of each project.
Duchess
Pawlanner
Born on Valentine’s Day, Duchess is a four-year-old French Bulldog that loves meeting new people. She is very friendly and enjoys playing tag, tug-of-war with her toys, and begging for treats. When she’s not sniffing around for food crumbs and protecting the office from other dogs, she’s likely napping, snoring, chewing on a bone, or just looking cute. Duchess is a big fan of walks in Stephen Juba Park, patio lunches, and warm Winnipeg summers.