Maria Pellot of UrbanWorks has achieved a career milestone by passing her planning certification exam. She joins an elite membership of approximately 15,000 professional planners worldwide that hold AICP certification. The exam and certification is managed by the American Institute of Certified Planners, the professional institute of the American Planning Association. AICP certified planners stand out within the planning profession for meeting rigorous standards and maintaining their expertise through continuing education and serving community interests. Passing the AICP exam is the final step in earning the status of a certified planner. To take the exam, individuals must fulfill a series of requirements including education and job experience. “Achieving AICP certification is not easy and requires a high level of personal and professional commitment,” said Felicia Braunstein, director of Professional Development for the American Planning Association. “The certification demonstrates an individual’s credibility and knowledge, and serves as a standard for the planning profession.” Certified planners bring extra value to their employers and community, demonstrating a higher level of leadership, education and professionalism. As a certified planner, individuals are required to operate in a professional manner and uphold a code of ethics. APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are dedicated to advancing the art, science and profession of good planning — physical, economic, and social — so as to create communities that offer better choices for where and how people work and live. The American Institute of Certified Planners provides recognized leadership nationwide in the certification of professional planners, ethics, professional development, planning education, and the standards of planning practice. For more information, visit www.planning.org.