Ylda Capriccioso, AICP MPA

Ylda is the Park Development Manager for the City of New Braunfels Parks and Recreation Department, where she manages the park and trail master planning and construction projects. She brings more than 15 years of urban planning experience from San Antonio River Authority, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Evanston, IL and Louisville, KY. Ylda  holds an Master’s of Public Administration from UTSA, a certified planner (AICP), active member in Texas American Planning Association (APA), Texas Recreation and Parks Society (TRAPS), and National Recreation and Park Association.

Ylda is currently the Park Development Manager for the City of New Braunfels Parks and Recreation Department. In coordination with the Director of Parks and Recreation, she manages the park planning activities of the department and the City by coordinating the park master planning process and reviewing and carrying out city land use policies that impact residents in public parks and open spaces. In New Braunfels she has worked hard to incorporate more inclusive playground equipment to serve the broader community. Over the last years, her professional affiliations have provided her training in universal design of public space and parks to build more inclusive, healthy spaces to serve a broader community of all-abilities. In addition, she coordinates with various departments like Planning and Development, Engineering and ADA City Coordinator on many urban planning projects, such as bike lanes, sidewalks, trails, and wayfinding. All impact how the City creates more inclusive communities.

Ylda more than 15 years of experience in environmental, transportation, and land use planning. Her She began her career at the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) to help make the San Antonio River Improvements Project a reality and worked with the Texas Legislature to ensure regional and state water planning as well as legislation to establish new funding for flood infrastructure projects. In 2007, Ylda moved to Chicago to work at Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to create and implement the first regional comprehensive plan for the Chicagoland region – GO TO 2040. This plan integrated transportation and land use planning into one comprehensive long-range plan. Unique to the time it addressed green space, mobility, water resources, human resources, and housing. Her work with CMAP helped expand mobility policies and programs while working for the City of Evanston. Her efforts secured improvements to the CTA Red-Brown Line Project, establishing the Sheridan Road CycleTrack, and the first suburban expansion of Divvy bikes. Before making her way back to Texas, Ylda and her family moved to the Louisville, KY. Here she had the opportunity to work in the Louisville Metro’s Advanced Planning department assisting with various signature projects such as the Dixie Highway Bus Rapid Transit project, Move Louisville – the City’s first multi-modal plan, Louisville Loop, and smart city projects.

Ylda is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), a member of the Texas APA chapter and Central Texas Recreation and Parks Society. She received a Master of Public Administration degree from UTSA in 2007 and her undergraduate degree from St. Mary’s University. Ylda loves planning; it is a profession that touches every aspect of a person’s life – from where people live, work, learn, and play. Her passion for planning is really of love of helping communities find opportunities to love where they live, understand their choices and trade-offs, and ultimately finding the balance. She and her family live in Comal County. She enjoys bike riding and striving to garden in the hill country #rockysoil #ohdeerandothernightimecritters.