Assistant Planner

Saj Elle McBurrows

Saj Elle McBurrows is an Assistant Planner at McKenna’s Northville office. Saj supports comprehensive master planning, parks and recreation planning, zoning ordinance updates, and active transportation initiatives. She began her career at McKenna as an intern in 2025 before moving into the Assistant Planner role in January of 2026. She is known for her collaborative approach, clear communication, and enthusiasm for community engagement that helps translate local vision into actionable planning outcomes. Her academic and professional interests span transportation, sustainability, and physical planning.

Saj holds dual master’s degrees from the University of Michigan in Urban and Regional Planning and Environment and Sustainability. She also earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Development from Columbia University, with a Special Concentration in Public Health. During her studies, she was a 2025 Dow Sustainability Fellow, a member of the Urban Planning Student Association’s E-board, and an NCAA Division I volleyball student-athlete at both Columbia University and the University of Michigan.