Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Vitale

Sarah Vitale, AICP – a two-time FSU alumna (B.S. Interdisciplinary Social Science ‘14; M.S. Planning ’17) – was recently promoted to planning director of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC).  

The TBRPC coordinates planning among local governments in the Tampa Bay region, fostering collaboration and sharing solutions for community development. Since 1962, the organization has assisted with economic development, emergency preparedness, planning and design visualization, and more to assist government, non-profit, and private entities.  

Sarah Vitale headshot
Sarah Vitale

Vitale has been working for the TBRPC since 2018, when she started as a senior planner/designer. In 2023, she was promoted to principal planner/designer until her most recent promotion as planning director. She is also a member of the American Planning Association’s American Institute of Certified Planners and the Congress for the New Urbanism. 

“As planning director at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, I have the privilege of working with a talented team of planners who are passionate about strengthening the region’s resilience and sustainability,” Vitale said. “One of my key priorities is fostering a positive, creative environment where we can push the envelope on how technology and data are used to solve planning challenges.” 

Vitale received her B.S. in Interdisciplinary Social Science (ISS) with a minor in music. As an undergraduate, she immersed herself in classical piano studies and was involved in the Marching Chiefs as trumpet section row leader. However, it was her sociology and social science courses that drew her to the flexibility of the ISS program.  

“In the ISS program, I had the chance to explore a range of topics like geography, environmental studies, and sustainability,” Vitale said. “This really sparked my interest in urban and regional planning and ultimately led me to pursue a master’s degree.” 

She earned her Master of Science in Planning (MSP) at FSU, specializing in neighborhood planning and community design, which she completed in 2017. She became involved with Synoptikos, a student leadership organization within FSU’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning. As a part of Synoptikos, Vitale maintained an on-campus garden and volunteered to educate children about urban planning in local schools to raise awareness of the planning profession. 

Vitale also served as a teaching assistant, co-developing an award-winning online introduction to an urban planning course. Her research efforts centered on measuring social benefits and mapping opportunities for affordable housing projects across Florida. She also completed a summer internship with Preservation of Affordable Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing developer in Boston. 

“FSU provided a strong foundation, connecting me to valuable resources and networks,” Vitale said. “These experiences helped me grow personally and professionally, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and gave me the confidence to keep learning and exploring.” 

For more information on the Interdisciplinary Social Science program at Florida State, visit coss.fsu.edu.iss, and for more information about the Master of Science in Planning FSU’s Department of Urban & Regional Planning, visit coss.fsu.edu/durp. To learn more about FSU’s College of Music, visit music.fsu.edu.