Meet Jonathan Mandel, New Director of Development & Planning

Jonathan Mandel recently joined the Village of Northbrook staff as the new Director of Development & Planning Services. His role encompasses oversight for all Building, Zoning, and Planning Code regulations and processes for the Village, along with participation on the management team for Northbrook’s economic development efforts. Michaela Kohlstadt, having served as the department’s Director since February 2021, opted to return to her previous role of Deputy Director.

Mandel has over 20 years of community development experience for local governments in Illinois and Ohio. Most recently, he served as Community Development Director for the Village of Clarendon Hills in the western suburbs of Chicago. He received his bachelor’s degree as well as his master’s of urban planning from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.

“Northbrook clearly continues to be a desirable community,” notes Mandel. “I plan to reinforce this reality by continuing the transparent and predictable processes here in the Development & Planning Services Department using my 20+ years (so far) of progressively advancing development and planning experience.”