Brian Higgins

About Brian Higgins

I am a leader who uses his design education, twelve years of river guiding, and project management expertise to bring a unique perspective to challenging problems. Where intractable problems may stifle forward progress or innovation, I can help a team find a way out of no way. Where the turbulent rapids ahead may seem impassable, I know that the ability to quickly develop a strategy is necessary and that making adjustments mid-rapid are inevitable. As a designer, I know assembling a capable, empowered team can be the difference between success and disaster. Further, a good designer understands the constraints and opportunities presented in every design problem. Whether the setting is a community, non-profit or other environment, I thrive when expectations for solving problems is diminished and the desire becomes to turn away from the problem rather than address it head on. To make it down the river, there is no choice but to tackle these problems as they come at you and adapt as conditions change. Some of the toughest waters a whitewater guide will take his team through are Class 5 rapids – doing so takes patience, a keen ability to assess changing conditions, confidence in your technical expertise, and an awareness of the capabilities of the passengers (aka team) in order to chart a successful trip through them. I have brought this same insight, awareness and approach to design ecological restoration projects, tackle a persistent problem of community blight, coalesce a community of leaders around sustainability, and navigate the waters of a newly formed partnership to identify innovative, workable solutions towards solving a mutually-shared problem of food waste. I believe that behind every problem is an opportunity to merge design principles, a river guide’s mind, and a willingness to lead that can lead towards measurable progress against that problem.

Experience

1. Senior Project Manager

   Avalara

   Mar 2025 — Present

Education

• Duke University

  Certificate, Non-Profit Management

• The Johns Hopkins University

  MA, Environmental Science & Policy

• Xavier University

  Master of Science (M.S.), Urban Sustainability

• The Conway School: Graduate Program in Sustainable Planning and Design

  MA, Landscape Design

• Portland State University

  Certificate, Watershed Management

• Georgetown University

  BA, Sociology, Spanish

• Universidad San Francisco de Quito

  Spanish, Anthropology, Ecuador History, Service-Learning

Skills

• Land Use Planning
• Sustainability
• Landscape Design
• Environmental Compliance
• Stormwater Management
• Stream Restoration
• Erosion Control
• Environmental Planning
• Ecological Restoration
• Public Participation
• Community Outreach
• Non-Profits
• Wetlands
• Watershed Management
• Neighborhood Revitalization
• Neighborhood Planning
• Placemaking
• Green Infrastructure
• Land Conservation
• Public Policy
• Environmental Policy
• Social Media
• Blogging
• Autocad
• Ecological Design
• Construction Documents
• Community Organizing
• Zoning
• Trails
• Urban Design
• Recreation Planning
• Low Impact Development
• Streetscapes
• Native Plants
• Environmental Consulting
• Endangered Species
• Public Speaking
• Nonprofits
• Urban Planning
• Environmental Issues