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John McClain

Senior Policy Fellow

Main: 703-993-2401
Fax: 703-993-2284

3351 Fairfax Dr., MS 3B1
Arlington, Virginia 22201


John McClain is a senior professional with over 25 years of experience analyzing the Washington region. For fifteen years he was at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments where he directed the planning and policy programs and economic and demographic forecasting programs for the Washington region. He helped establish and for several years directed the Cooperative Forecasting Program, which provided official forecasts for metropolitan and local planning programs in the region.

He was a senior executive at the Greater Washington Board of Trade, where he directed policy and research programs for the region's business community. He helped establish and direct The Potomac Conference, a process of convening the region's public and private sector leadership to address regional issues. He created the "State of Potomac" presentation and other economic research and analytical materials regarding the size and changing nature of the regional economy. Following his work at the Board of Trade, Professor McClain directed economic and real estate research for the Northeast region of the U.S. for a major international commercial real estate company.

He received a BS in Civil Engineering from Duke University and a Masters of Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the American Planning Association, the National Capital Region Technology Investor Conference, and the Arlington County Planning Commission. He received the 1998 Individual Achievement Award for service to the Washington region by the National Capital Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is a graduate of Leadership Washington.



Areas of Research
  • Economic and Demographic Forecasting
  • Housing Policy
  • Metropolitan Transportation Planning
  • Real Estate Development
  • Regional Analysis and Economic Development
  • Urban and Regional Planning

Education
B.Sc. Civil Engineering, Duke University, Durham, N.C.

Masters of Regional Planning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Professional Experience
2001 – Present, George Mason University School of Public Policy, Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, Center for Regional Analysis.

1998 – 2000, CB Richard Ellis, Director of Information, Northeast Region.

1987 – 1998, Greater Washington Board of Trade, Vice President,

1975 - 1987, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, DIRECTOR, Metropolitan Planning and Development.

1973 – 1975, Fairfax County Office of Comprehensive Planning, Chief, Technical Studies Branch

Professional Activities and Honors

  • Board of Directors, American Planning Association (1988-1992)
  • American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)
  • Leadership Washington (Class of 1990)
  • 1998 Metropolitan Service Award, National Capital Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
  • Arlington County Planning Commission (1986-1987)
  • President, National Capital Chapter, American Planning Association (1984-1986)

Teaching
PUBP 714 - Transportation and Land Use in the Metropolitan Economy: Principles, Policies, and Practice

PUBP 723 - Metropolitan Transportation Policy & Planning

Areas of Expertise

  • Regional Economic Development
  • Urban and Regional Planning
  • Metropolitan Transportation Planning
  • Metropolitan Housing
  • Real Estate Markets
  • Economic and Demographic Forecasting

 

Awards and Honors
McClain, J. Appointed by the Arlington County Board to serve on the Arlington County Economic Development Commission, 2011.

Presentations and Proceedings
McClain, J. Panel moderator on sustainable transportation practices. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials annual meeting, Biloxi, Mississippi, October 31, 2010.

J. McClain. Speech to the Falls Church City Council about the city's economic development potential during its annual retreat. Falls Church, VA, September 25, 2010.

Fuller, S. S., and J. McClain. "Great Washington Regional Report." Presented to the Great Washington Initiative, 2008.

Honors
Appointed Board Member. Arlington County Economic Development Commission, 2011.

Board of Directors, American Planning Association (1988-1992)

American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)

Leadership Washington (Class of 1990)

1998 Metropolitan Service Award, National Capital Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Arlington County Planning Commission (1986-1987)

President, National Capital Chapter, American Planning Association (1984-1986)



SPP is recognized as one of the largest, most diverse, graduate public policy schools in the nation.

SPP is one of the fastest growing schools within George Mason University, which was ranked as the number one university to watch by U.S. News & World Report.

SPP’s Arlington campus is on the Metro Orange Line, mere minutes from Washington, D.C. – the global capital of policymaking.