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ABOUT
Leslie Olson, AICP
Leslie Olson, AICP, is co-principal at District Planning Group. Prior to launching this business in early 2022, Leslie served for six years as St. Lucie County’s Planning and Development Services Director, where she led a team of 50+/- employees providing planning, GIS, permitting, code enforcement and economic development services to unincorporated St. Lucie County. Her nine years of service at St. Lucie County started as the Planning Manager overseeing development review. During emergencies she also served as St. Lucie County’s Planning Section Chief in the Emergency Operations Center for activations that included Hurricane Irma, Dorian, and COVID-19. Before joining St. Lucie County, Leslie served her chosen hometown of Fort Pierce for four years as Historic Preservation Officer and Interim Assistant Planning Director. In her free time she takes on ridiculously complex remodeling projects for which most people would say she’s completely unqualified. Despite this she retains all her appendages.
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Kara Wood, MArch
Kara Wood is co-principal of District Planning Group. She brings 22 years of experience in the realm of architecture, urban design, land development regulations, form-based codes and policy making to her collaborative urban planning practice. She has a Master of Architecture from University of Miami, having studied there with legendary teachers such as Vincent Scully, Michael Graves, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and Andres Duany. After designing hotels and historic house renovations in Miami Beach and the Bahamas for Shulman & Associates in the Miami Design District, Kara moved to Fort Pierce and joined the public sector. Within two years she progressed from an entry-level planning position to Historic Preservation Officer to managing a newly-created Urban Design Division for the City of Fort Pierce. She joined the staff of St. Lucie County in 2007 and served as Planning Manager for six years. Kara is also co-owner of Hi-Tide Boat Lifts, her family's manufacturing company in Fort Pierce.