Ian Baxter, AICP

Ian's work focuses on community resilience and public policy, with expertise in project management, facilitation, strategic planning, and proposal development. He works closely with local governments, state agencies, universities, nonprofits, and community organizations to develop collaborative solutions to complex regional challenges.

At IEN, Ian has led and supported resilience initiatives across Virginia, including coordinating the Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (RAFT) process in Dickenson and Carroll Counties. Through this work, he has convened local leaders, state agency partners, university researchers, and community stakeholders to identify resilience priorities, strengthen local capacity, and develop actionable implementation strategies related to disaster preparedness, economic resilience, infrastructure, and community development.

Prior to joining IEN, Ian was a Regional Planner at the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC), where he worked on regional housing, transportation, environmental, and resilience initiatives. His work included coordinating eviction prevention efforts, developing hazard mitigation plans, advancing affordable housing initiatives, and leading other regionally focused planning projects across Central Virginia. Earlier in his career, Ian worked in political organizing and voter registration, focusing on increasing civic engagement among young people by helping high school students throughout the Richmond region register to vote, participate in elections, and encourage their peers to become involved in the democratic process.

Ian earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from James Madison University and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. While at Batten, he served as a teaching assistant and focused on affordable housing policy.