A June 3, 2015 Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) press release announced that John Sirota, AICP  has been named as Assistant Secretary For Planning Services.  In that role, Sirota will be leading MDP’s efforts to provide technical services and support to county and municipal governments.

Stuart Sirota, Source: Maryland Department of Planning 

From the press release:

Sirota, or “Stu,” comes to the department with 29 years of experience as a professional planner, having served as the principal of TND Planning Group, the consulting practice he founded in 2005. …

“Stu brings a wealth of experience in helping local government implement their planning visions,” said [Maryland Secretary of Planning David] Craig. “His involvement with helping advance urban, suburban and rural efforts in Maryland is in line with the mission of MDP, to advise, assist and provide technical planning support to all communities across the state.”

Sirota comes to MDP with a well-rounded planning resume, working at all levels of the profession. Over the past decade, he has been recognized for his work in transformative planning and design for urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout Maryland and the U.S. Mr. Sirota has provided planning and implementation expertise to a diverse client base that has included local and state government, non-profit organizations and real estate developers. Highlights from his recent work include: developing strategies for preserving and revitalizing Port Tobacco in Charles County; working with economists to identify near term redevelopment opportunities around the West Baltimore MARC Station; and providing in-house project management of multiple planning studies at the New Castle County (DE) Department of Land Use. Stu was also involved with planning numerous mixed-use communities on the Eastern Shore, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.