Meet Our Team
Planners, policy specialists, and community advocates — united by a commitment to equitable, people-centered planning.
Jasifa Chowdhury
Jasifa Chowdhury founded Baystate Planning & Consulting to bring high-quality, equitable planning expertise to municipalities, nonprofits, and communities that need it most. With over 10 years of cross-sector experience in municipal, regional, and international planning, she has built a reputation for translating complex policy into actionable plans.
Her work spans affordable housing policy, zoning and land use strategy, climate resilience, federal and state grant writing, and community engagement — across scales from individual neighborhoods to entire regions.
Jasifa is known for her ability to bridge technical expertise with authentic community engagement — delivering solutions that are both rigorous and human-centered.
The Extended Team
Baystate works with a network of trusted planning professionals and specialists — each brought in for their specific expertise to deliver the best outcomes for our clients.
Specializes in spatial analysis, zoning reform, and comprehensive plan mapping. Former regional planner with 8+ years of municipal experience.
Expert in affordable housing financing, HUD programs, and CDBG/HOME grant management. Background in community development and housing authority operations.
Builds civic technology for municipalities and housing authorities. Expert in permitting portals, housing dashboards, and government data systems.
Climate vulnerability specialist with expertise in resilience planning, BRIC/HMGP grants, and environmental justice frameworks for frontline communities.
International planning consultant with deep experience in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Specializes in informal settlement upgrading and SDG-aligned urban strategy.
Could be you.
We're always looking for talented planners and consultants to collaborate with. If you share our values, we'd love to talk.
Get In TouchOur Values
These aren't aspirational words on a wall — they're the principles that shape how we work with every client and every community.
Equity First
Every plan we write considers who benefits and who has historically been left out. Equitable outcomes aren’t a checkbox — they’re the goal.
Technical Rigor
We back every recommendation with data, policy analysis, and professional expertise. Our work holds up to scrutiny because we do the homework.
Authentic Engagement
Community voices shape the best plans. We design engagement that actually reaches people — not just those who already show up to public meetings.
Creative Problem-Solving
We’re known for finding solutions that others miss. Complex challenges call for out-of-the-box thinking grounded in real-world experience.
Long-Term Thinking
The decisions we help make today shape communities for decades. We plan with that weight in mind — and with optimism about what’s possible.
Partnership
We don’t hand over a report and disappear. We work alongside our clients as true partners — sharing knowledge and building capacity along the way.
Join the Baystate Team
We're a growing firm working on meaningful planning challenges across housing, climate, community development, and technology. We're always looking for talented planners and consultants who share our values.
We work with experienced professionals, emerging planners, and specialized consultants on a project and retainer basis.
Don't See Your Role? Let's Talk.
We're open to conversations with planners, policy analysts, and specialists who bring expertise we don't yet have in-house. Send us a note about your background and what you're looking for.
Send Us a Note