Our Staff

Zachary Kennedy

Extension Educator, Community and Economic Development

University of Illinois Extension
801 North Country Fair Drive
Suite D
Champaign, IL 61821
Phone: 217-333-7672
FAX: 217-333-7683
zkenned2@illinois.edu

Zach Kennedy provides programming in community leadership development, participatory community planning, organizational development, and community economic development in Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermilion counties. He has been an Extension employee since 2009. His previous role within Extension was with the Community Assessment and Development Services. He has particular interests in helping local governments and non-profit organizations build their capacity to engage in data driven decision making and planning.

Kennedy is a native of Champaign-Urbana and holds two degrees from the University of Illinois including a Bachelor's degree in Economics, and a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning with a concentration in Economic Development. He is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Illinois, and his research interests are small-town planning and sustainable development.

He is a member of the American Planning Association (APA), the Illinois Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (IL-ACDEP), and the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER).