Mentor Bio
Green Steps mentors are representatives from the public and private sectors who offer guidance in planning, executing and judging the school projects. To contact a mentor via e-mail, simply click on his or her name.
Tourkow, Aliza (Appalachian Council of Governments)
Mentor for: Forestry, Water conservation/water quality
Aliza is an environmental and community planner for the Appalachian Council of Governments (ACOG), where she researches and writes ordinances related to landscaping, parking, zoning, corridor and district design, open space, water quality, and any other topic relating to planning for a sustainable community. Aliza wrote the Preferred Plant List and the Prohibited Plant List for the Upstate, documents that all Upstate schools can use to guide their landscaping decisions.
After receiving her B.S. degree in Earth and Atmospheric Science/Geology from Purdue University, Aliza spent a few years land surveying, environmental testing, and using GIS. As a result of taking a month off work to backpack through Europe, Aliza realized that she admired the form and function of European cities - especially their walkability and emphasis on preserving the natural environment. She wanted more community interaction and the ability to positively influence the form and function of American cities. This led Aliza to return to school. She earned her M.A. in Geography, with a specialization in urban planning, from Appalachian State University. She has worked as a City Planner in both Louisville, KY and La Vergne, TN (a suburb of Nashville, TN) before moving to the Upstate to work with the ACOG. She now resides in Greenville with her songwriter/musician husband, who is presently studying to become an Occupational Therapy Assistant, which will allow him to mesh the rhythm of music with the rhythm of life.