Our People
Leah M. Bojo
Director of Land Use & Entitlements
Leah works with property owners and developers from start to finish in the development process, adding deep policy experience and an unmatched understanding of code and transportation issues.
Before entering the private sector in land use consulting, Leah worked for two Austin City Council members, most recently as Policy Director with a focus on land use and transportation. In addition to handling rezoning cases, neighborhood plan amendments and city code amendments, she also worked on the rewrite of the City of Austin’s vested rights ordinance, the approval of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, the Downtown Austin Plan and the Austin CodeNext Land Development Code.
Leah’s experience is critical for Drenner Group clients, particularly for those working on challenging urban infill and adaptive reuse projects in Austin and Central Texas. She’s a registered lobbyist with the City of Austin who has seen government policy making from the inside.
She has a proven ability to build consensus among stakeholders — city council members, county commissioners, city boards and commissions, governmental staff, environmental groups and neighborhood organizations. Leah works closely with the firm’s real estate transactional attorneys to advance our clients’ entitlement objectives, collaborating on covenants, reviewing grandfathered codes, and sharpening policy arguments for city and state officials.
Leah has a particular interest in placemaking and working to create inspiring public spaces with the built environment. Outside of the office, she bikes and enjoys the Austin music scene with her husband, a singer-songwriter.
Experience
- Senior Land Use & Policy Manager — Drenner Group (2016-present)
- Entitlements and Policy Manager — Land Use Solutions, LLC (2015-2016)
- Policy Director/Aide — City of Austin (2011-2015)
Professional affiliations
- Board member & President — Congress for New Urbanism, Central Texas Chapter, 2011-2019
- Board member – The Trail Foundation, 2019
- Leadership Austin – Essential Class, 2019
Education
- Master of Public Policy — LBJ School of Public Affairs
- Graduate portfolio in Dispute Resolution
- Master of Community and Regional Planning — School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin
- B.S. in Environmental Studies — Mount Holyoke College