Co-Executive Director, Project for Public Spaces
Kelly Verel’s unwavering belief in the transformative power of public spaces to drive social change fuels her role as the co-executive director at Project for Public Spaces, an urban planning and design nonprofit based in New York. In this role, she drives and executes the organization’s vision and oversees the Market Cities Program, Events, Finance, and Operations departments.
In almost two decades at Project for Public Spaces, Verel has led the planning, design, and development of public markets for numerous North American cities. With her passion for connecting and convening professionals in her field, she has spearheaded many of the organization’s popular online trainings. Since 2009, she has planned and now directs the International Public Markets Conference, the last three of which were held in Toronto, London, and Barcelona. She also enjoys sharing her passion for public spaces, including markets, with others and is a sought-after speaker and thought leader. Most recently, she gave the keynote address at a technical workshop on public markets at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, Italy.
Her career began in the local food and sustainable agriculture field, specifically farmers markets. Verel remains very involved with NYC’s farmers markets both professionally and personally—it’s where she does her weekly shopping in pursuit of culinary adventures.
In her spare time, you can find her exploring NYC with her husband and two kids.