Our Team

Aminah Ricks
FOUNDER

Aminah Ricks is an architect, urbanist, writer and teacher who created Future Planners to include and empower children in the process of improving our cities. She helps schools, public and private institutions, NGOs and governments in the US, Europe and Asia recognize the benefit of embracing the unique perspective and experience of children in the city design process from the outset.

She is also the creator of Mila & The Marvelous City a series of books which encourages children to see the city as theirs, supporting their evolution from passive to active observers on the streets they traverse everyday.  Learn more here: https://aminahricks.com/

Aminah earned degrees in Architecture and Building Engineering at the Università degli Studi di Roma Tre (all coursework in Italian), and English Literature at Carleton College. She spent over a decade living in Italy, creating designs and plans, renovating and restoring historic villas and towers, and managing artisans and builders.

A passionate advocate for walkable and bike-friendly cities, she puts her feet where her views are every day of the week. Aminah loves cities (has lived in 9 and visited more than 100 worldwide) and believes in their potential to serve the needs of all residents, especially the young ones!  She lives with her husband and their daughter, the original city-zen.

Benedetto Davi
URBAN PLANNER

Benedetto Davi has urban planning in his blood.  Since he was a young child, his love for maps developed into a lifelong passion for the urban fabric.

Benedetto earned his degree in Urban Planning at the University of Palermo in Sicily. He works for Cucich Architecture in Queens, NY and shares his thoughts, vision and energy to collaborate with Future Planners, including teaching and curriculum planning.

Isabelle Bui
TEACHING ASSISTANT

Isabelle Bui is a star on the rise.  She has already interned in political offices in the Bronx, for Bloomberg Associates as well Future Planners.  She brings joy, enthusiasm and sensitivity to her work.

Currently Isabelle is completing her degree at Middlebury.