Alpa Depani leads the Strategic Planning and Design team at Waltham Forest, where she champions a ‘policy for place’ approach, promoting an inclusive design-led culture with a focus on high quality. Before moving into the public sector, Alpa has previously worked in architectural practice, and was awarded a travel fellowship by the Churchill Trust and British Council to undertake international research on community-led public space. She currently teaches at the London School of Architecture, and is a Trustee for The London Society.