Who We Are

Steve GibsonSteve Gibson, President

Long Beach Office

Steve Gibson is president and founder of Urban Place Consulting Group, Inc. (Urban Place), which was formed in July 2001 and specializes in organizing and revitalizing business districts. Urban Place evolved from the Main Street Group, Steve’s prior consulting firm, which he founded in 1989. From 1989 to 1992, Main Street Group was the California representative for the national consulting firm Project for Public Spaces.

Steve has experience operating nine downtown districts as President/CEO. As a consultant, he has provided services to 45 districts in 35 cities and 24 states.

Steve is a contributing author, Business Improvement Districts (Urban Land Institute, 2003, Second Edition).

Steve has spoken at the following conferences:

  • “Business Improvement Districts: The American Experience,” for conferences in: Mexico City, Mexico; Barcelona, Spain; Edinburgh, Scotland; and Coventry, England
  • “Business District Development and Operations,” for conferences of the California League of Cities, California Redevelopment Association, International Downtown Association, California Downtown Association and the European Federation of Town Centers
  • “Principals of Management for Downtown CEOs,” International Downtown Association conference
  • “The Effective CEO…Balancing Leadership and Management,” International Downtown Association conference
  • Guest lecturer, “Public Space Use,” School of Architecture, California Polytechnic University
  • Guest lecturer UCLA

He is a member of the International Downtown Association and served on its board of directors from 1996-2002. Steve is also a member of the California Downtown Association. Steve received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern California.

Aaron AulentaAaron Aulenta, Vice President, Public Space Use and Development

Long Beach Office

Aaron has overseen a large scope of diverse projects. His love and focus is on understanding how people use public spaces and increasing the quality and quantity of that use. Aaron was the project manager for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Agency project that developed strategies to increase both ridership and the user experience at each of five underused bus stops in downtown Los Angeles.

Aaron managed the LA Walks wayfinding signage project in downtown Los Angeles. This project consisted of over 1,300 signs, including both vehicle and pedestrian systems. He has also worked on wayfinding signage projects in Hollywood, Long Beach, Citrus Heights, and Sacramento, California; Providence, Rhode Island; New Haven, Connecticut; and Pensacola, Florida. Aaron has also worked on several of Urban Place’s parking and pedestrian use projects.

Additionally, when Urban Place works with local communities to start or renew a BID, Aaron develops the databases, helps facilitate the petition and Proposition 218 ballot process, assists in the development of the petition and ballot and other key documents, and works with the principal in developing the budgets.

Aaron holds a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from San Francisco State University and a Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona. He is also a member of the American Planning Association.

Katie Gibson, Project Manager, BID Development and Management

Long Beach Office

Katie oversees the management of our BID operations in California and also works on our BID establishment projects. Using her retail and design experience, Katie works closely with both the property and business owners in the areas of marketing and communications.

She has a strong background in retail operations in a downtown setting. Prior to joining Urban Place, Katie worked as a designer and product merchandiser with some of the leading surf wear clothing companies. She also owned a clothing and accessories boutique that specialized in handmade unique items in Downtown Long Beach.

Katie has a degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

Ashley WestmanAshley Westman, Project Manager

San Diego Office

Ashley has managed the formation of Business Improvement Districts in West Los Angeles and Arcadia, California, and conducted comparative research on the best practices of public space management for the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation. Prior to joining Urban Place, she worked at the non-profit organization Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative, where she secured over $3 million in grant funding for neighborhood improvement projects, oversaw the construction of a new five-acre park and trail project in San Pedro, CA, and collaborated with property owners, council offices, and City staff. A San Diego native, she has also worked for the County of San Diego’s Department of Planning and Land Use.

Ashley previously worked in finance and accounting as an auditor at Apple Inc. in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and an M.A. in Urban Planning from UCLA. She is a member of the Green Building Certification Institute and the Congress for the New Urbanism.