Kathe Newman elected as Chair of Board, Urban Affairs Association

June 5, 2026

Kathe Newman, Ph.D., professor of urban planning and director of the Ralph W. Voorhees Center for Civic Engagement at the Bloustein School, was recently announced as Chair of the Governing Board of the Urban Affairs Association.

Her fellow officers are José W. Meléndez, Vice Chair; Deyanira Nevarez Martinez, Secretary; and Kimberly Mayfield, Treasurer.

Dr. Newman holds a Ph.D. in political science from the Graduate School and University Center at the City University of New York. Her research explores urban change, what it is, why it happens, and what it means and has explored gentrification, foreclosure, urban redevelopment, food security, community economic development and community participation.

Dr. Newman has published articles in Urban Studies, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Urban Affairs Review, Shelterforce, Progress in Human Geography, Urban Geography, Housing Studies, GeoJournal, and Environment and Planning A. She is an associate editor at Environment and Planning A.

The Urban Affairs Association (UAA) is the international professional organization for urban scholars, researchers, policy analysts, and public service professionals. dedicated to creating interdisciplinary spaces for engaging in intellectual and practical discussions about urban life. Through theoretical, empirical, and action-oriented research, the UAA fosters diverse activities to understand and shape a more just and equitable urban world. 

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