Posted on September 4, 2025
Post categories: Alumni & Partners Landscape Architecture News Urban Design & Planning
Tim Lehman (Northern Arapaho) didn’t set out to become Seattle’s first Indigenous planning strategist. As a teen, he was drawn to the hands-on craft of masonry. It wasn’t until his time at the University of Washington (UW) — and a FEMA-supported coastal hazard mitigation project — that he discovered a love for design.
That turning point launched a career grounded in equity, environmental justice and community-rooted planning. After earning dual master’s degrees in urban planning and landscape architecture from the UW College of Built Environments (CBE), Lehman began working with Native communities across the country, from elder care facilities in Oklahoma to shoreline restorations at Seattle’s Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center.
In 2023, he made history as the city of Seattle’s first Indigenous planner — a role he advocated to create. He’s now leading efforts to integrate Indigenous knowledge into city systems through wayfinding, culturally relevant housing and land stewardship practices.
“My goal is to create spaces for communities where they feel that they can be happy, celebrate each other and practice their cultures,” Lehman says. “This, for every community in Seattle.”
Lehman remains closely connected to CBE, where he teaches and mentors students — helping shape the next generation of planners and designers committed to justice and belonging.