2024 Stuart Meck Distinguished Service Award
Tashilee (Tashi) Vazquez has been a key leader in the APA New Jersey Community Planning Assistance Program, where her outstanding leadership has guided volunteer-driven efforts to improve the transit hub surrounding the NJ TRANSIT rail station in Perth Amboy’s downtown. Tashi led a team of over six planners to update vital planning studies, review prior plans, engage in public outreach, and deliver essential findings to city leadership. Her team conducted thorough analyses of zoning regulations, transit patterns, traffic flow, and development proposals to envision a more vibrant, connected transit hub.
Tashi has demonstrated a deep commitment to community-driven development and urban revitalization in her decade-long career with the City of Perth Amboy. As the Executive Director of the Perth Amboy Redevelopment Agency, she has overseen nearly two dozen redevelopment projects, transforming 1,000 acres of brownfields into thriving community assets. Under her leadership, the city has executed redevelopment agreements valued at over $1 billion, creating mixed-income housing, new retail and industrial spaces, and over 1,000 local jobs.
Tashi’s ability to build strong partnerships across sectors has been central to her success. She works closely with local residents, business leaders, and government officials, securing resources for key projects and managing complex real estate financing. Her bilingual skills and deep community ties have enabled her to build consensus and implement strategies that benefit the entire city. Tashi’s visionary leadership, volunteerism, and assistance to the Chapter make her an excellent recipient of this year’s Stuart Meck Distinguished Service Award.
