Tori Kanellopoulos ’11, an urban planner in the City of Charlottesville, VA, likes to say that Harley was home for nearly her entire childhood. She started in Kindergarten as a member of Primary C with Meredith Cavallaro P ’20, ’23 (Lower School, 1998-present). Looking back through her years at Harley, it’s the relationships, curiosity, and constant encouragement to engage deeply with the world that stand out most.
In Lower School, she remembers heading out to Allens Creek where science meant pulling on boots to look for crayfish, learning how to observe and analyze the world firsthand. Middle and Upper School English classes shaped her experience, where discussions and debates weren’t just encouraged, they were expected. Teachers like Bob Kane (English and Hospice, 2003-2013), Kirsten Allen Reader Brown ’90, P ’20, ’26 (Middle School English, 1999-2018, Dir. Of Enrollment, 2018-2025, US English, 2025-present), Kim McDowell (English, History and College Counseling, 2000-2022), and Barbara Willard (Middle School, 1990-2006) challenged students to think critically, listen carefully, and speak honestly. She was also one of the students that worked with Mrs. Willard, planting daffodils for the “Garden Show” in the Wilson Gallery for the entire community to enjoy after Spring Break.
One of the most influential figures in Tori’s time at Harley was Mr. Kane. His English classes and work with the Hospice program had a profound impact, teaching students how to have difficult conversations, consider multiple perspectives, and truly hear other people’s experiences. Those skills, she says, are at the heart of her work as an urban planner. “You have to be able to listen and humanize the work,” she explains. “All of those discussions and debates at Harley prepared me to do that.”
Tori attended the University of Virginia, earning her BA in Political Science and Spanish before pursuing an MA in Urban Planning. Harley prepared her well for college—with all those AP credits, she graduated a year early. While the first semester required some adjustment, she felt confident in her writing, organization, and ability to participate meaningfully in class discussions.
Her path to urban planning took shape through experience as much as coursework. Studying abroad in Valencia, Spain during her sophomore year at UVA was transformative. Living without a car and experiencing a city designed for walking, public transportation, and accessible parks sparked a deep interest in how communities are built. Later, while living in Washington, D.C. and working with Georgetown’s Bioethics Program, she became fascinated by public policy, housing, and transportation systems—especially after learning about the history of the DC Metro.
After internships at UVA and the Federal Home Loan Bank in Boston, Tori began her professional career with Albemarle County, Virginia. Over seven years, she worked onsite plans, development reviews, zoning code requirements, and eventually long-range planning, including comprehensive plans and guidance for capital improvement programs for infrastructure. Today, she works for the City of Charlottesville, bringing a regional perspective shaped by her county experience. Her role focuses on collaboration—particularly around shared housing, transportation, and park networks—and building strong relationships across jurisdictions.
Much of her work centers on listening to communities and finding common ground. Whether facilitating roundtable discussions for rural comprehensive planning or walking neighborhoods with traffic engineers and residents to talk through safety concerns, Tori emphasizes the importance of showing people they are heard. As a city planner, you need to have the ability to accept that the project outcome might not be exactly as you hoped and that compromise really matters.
Her advice for current Harley students reflects that same openness. Be willing to explore new ideas, engage in difficult conversations, and find your voice. Even if you don’t think of yourself as artistic, she encourages students to take creative classes. Harley’s glass studio and creative writing class were her outlets. “Those experiences build a broader self,” she says. “Being uncomfortable is okay.”
And perhaps, most importantly, Tori encourages students to keep talking to one another, face-to-face. “Technology is great,” she says, “but it’s not the same as sitting together and really listening.”
For Tori, the lessons she began learning at Harley—curiosity, empathy, and thoughtful engagement—continue to guide her work and her life, shaping the communities she serves every day.
