John currently serves as UNH Extension field specialist in Community and Economic Development in Merrimack County, NH. More broadly through his work in education and community engagement, he explores the representational practices through which individuals and the public gain a meaningful voice and shape their cultural landscape.

Emerging from a background in the arts and humanities, John has woven these creative interests together with his passions for urban studies, land use planning, and community engagement. His research examines such themes as inclusion in placemaking strategies, the funding and reception of public art, and the fostering of a dynamic public realm. He is also completing work as PI for a National Park Service project aimed at producing an Ethnographic Overview and Assessment of Lowell, MA for the National Park Service.

In his community, John serves on the Plymouth Planning Board, Lakes Region Planning Commission, and on the Board of Directors for the Plymouth Historical Society and has collaborated in various capacities with other local organizations.

For his service, John received the Citizen Planner of the Year award in 2024 from the Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association.