Our Leadership
Dr. Vanessa L. Deane is the founding principal of Pinchina. She is also the Director of Urban Planning at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service (NYU Wagner), where she is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Urban Planning and Public Service.
Dr. Deane’s research praxis is rooted in the political economy of disasters, primarily in small island developing states. In light of a changing climate and rising instances of natural hazards, she is currently exploring the postcolonial adaptive capacity of select francophone nations facing current and imminent disaster threats. She was a Visiting Professor of Urban Planning at Sorbonne Université in 2022.
Meaning of Pinchina
Pinchinat (original spelling) is the maiden name of the founder’s mother and grandmother. Also, Pierre Pinchinat was a free person of color and political strategist in the Haitian Revolution (1791-1803). Lastly, one of the largest post-earthquake tent communities was named Pinchinat. With the confluence of personal, historical and post-quake realities, ‘Pinchina’ emerged as the most fitting name for this firm. The silent ‘t’ was dropped to assist non-French speakers with its pronunciation.
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Our Mission
The mission of Pinchina is to positively influence the holistic wellbeing of evolving communities. Our urban planning, project management, and policy-driven research offerings will facilitate the development of communities that are well-planned for – while the leadership, technical assistance and consultation we provide empowers local stakeholders to take ownership of the present and future wellbeing of their communities.
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What Makes Us Different
Pinchina delivers culturally relevant and locally appropriate urban planning, project management and policy-driven research to the communities and stakeholders we serve. In the midst of a rapidly changing climate, growing socioeconomic inequalities, and varying governance capacities, we work closely with government entities, the private sector, community-based organizations and more as communities evolve from where they are to where they can be.
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Why We Are Needed
Too many communities exist at the margins of our global society and the need to address these disparities calls for bold and competent advocates who are willing to take a stand on their behalf. Pinchina is such an advocate, ensuring that the perspectives of the most marginalized among us are squarely situated at the forefront of urban planning, community development and policymaking processes.
