Sakina Khan, a well-respected leader in urban planning and economic development, has started this week as Director of Community and Economic Services for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), the region’s association of 24 local governments and planning organization.

Khan was previously Deputy Director of Planning and Data Visualization at the DC Office of Planning, where she led a team of professionals in citywide and neighborhood planning and helped guide the rewrite of the District of Columbia’s Comprehensive Plan.

In her new position, Khan will oversee COG’s community planning programs focused on housing, land use, public health, and child welfare as well as a new priority area, regional economic development.

“Sakina Khan’s deep knowledge and skillset make her the ideal leader at this pivotal time for metropolitan Washington,” said Clark Mercer, COG Executive Director. “The Council of Governments is thrilled to welcome her as we look to build on recent efforts with our member governments and partners to shape a more resilient, regional economy and vibrant communities across the District, Maryland, and Virginia.”

COG has recently collaborated more closely with organizations like the Greater Washington Board of Trade, Greater Washington Partnership, and Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area on initiatives like the Potomac Conference to address regional issues more holistically.

Just last year, these partners and COG formed an even broader group of public, private, and nonprofit sector leaders, the Greater Washington Together initiative, which launched Talent Capital, a first-of-its-kind AI tool to match displaced federal workers with jobs and skills training, helping them stay and thrive in the area. COG also partnered with Brookings Metro on the DMV Monitor, an in-depth, data interactive tracking the region’s economic health.

At COG, Khan will look to expand on this work through the creation of a first-ever Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the region. In her prior role, she oversaw the District’s CEDS, which helped unlock millions in federal funding, and advised on the District’s Comeback Plan. She also led several high-profile initiatives like the District’s Cultural Plan, Housing Equity Report, and large-scale redevelopment projects, including planning for the RFK Campus, and community-level plans focused on vibrancy and inclusive economic development.

Khan holds a Master of City Planning from MIT.