most of the work that shapes place is invisible.
i think a lot about how those invisible systems work, how they connect, and who they work for.
some of this is thoughts. some is just documentation, for the official record.
APA-WI President’s Message 26.03
So much of the work we do is invisible.
Even for those of us who are out in front – facilitating meetings, building things, or leading [insert process] processes. So much of what matters happens behind the scenes.
It’s the relationships that we build over time. The trust we cultivate in each other. The amount of thought that we give to the impacts of every decision, and the care we put into every word of a plan, an ordinance, and a memo, knowing they shape real outcomes in the world around us.
We’re a profession that holds itself to a high standard. We know that what we do matters. But when we care so much about communities, people, and getting it right – it can take something out of us.
I’ve been feeling it lately. And I don’t think I’m alone in it.
So this month, I want to say it out loud. The invisible work matters. The care you bring to it matters. And even if it doesn’t feel seen – I can promise you that it’s felt by this community.
If you’re feeling the weight like I am, I hope you’re also finding moments to center care for yourself. This work only continues if we can.
APA-WI President’s Message 26.02
I have a lot of things on the walls of my workspaces – and the newest addition is a print from Jen Delos Reyes, former Artist in Residence at the National Public Housing Museum. It’s a line from the poem Invitation by Mary Oliver.
It’s also my new timely reminder that noticing joy in the world is not denial. That lingering in joy is a resistance to what feels broken. That inviting space for joy is a grounding professional practice. And that our profession exists, at its core, to add real, tangible structure to the hope of the world. It’s what we’ve chosen. And it can be life-changing.
Work in the tension between freshness and brokenness is necessary. And I believe that we’re all here because we know that making things a little more hopeful is well worth our patient work and care. It means something. It could mean everything.
Thank you for the work.
APA-WI Incoming President’s Message 26.01
If there’s anything that I’ve learned over the past few years, it’s the importance of community. As AI is running rampant, and as apps divide our already divided attentions (there’s an app for that, of course), I’ve found myself needing to focus in – doubling and tripling down on the things that hold us together to keep myself grounded. APA-WI is one of those things for me. And I want to make sure it can be for you, too.
We are a community of people connected by caring deeply for the future of places and the people who live there. No matter the place, no matter the set of descriptors attached.
APA-WI is a non-partisan organization – but that doesn’t mean we should disregard the fear in our world right now. Our communities can be as divided as our attentions. And our organization can’t solve that, but we can ground each other as neighbors through it. Our skills are uniquely suited to it.
So as I step into the role of President, I invite you to join me in finding an enhanced and enriched community here. To keep learning from each other and taking the best from each other in the process, always leaving room for more members at the table.
Who we invite into our community shapes us. And if we’re lucky, we can all give shape to each other along the journey.
Matt Frater, AICP is the new President of the American Planning Association – Wisconsin Chapter for the 2026-27 term. He is a proud holder of a High School Equivalency Diploma from Minneapolis Public Schools, attending Minneapolis Community & Technical College and the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in completion of a degree in Urban Political Economy, History, and American Indian Studies, and is a graduate of the Urban and Regional Planning master's program at UW – Madison. He works for the City of Madison, WI, where he works on housing policy, finance, stability, and equity.