Meet the Directors.
As the Directors and leading Urban Strategists at The Urban Advisory, Dr Natalie Allen and Greer O'Donnell are nationally recognised strategic advisors in housing, precinct delivery and urban development across Aotearoa, New Zealand.
With two decades of experience, they have led the team to pioneer an integrated service offering — combining research, strategy, design, and implementation advisory — to solve complex urban challenges.
Their work has supported the industry to innovate how we deliver our homes, neighbourhoods, towns, and cities, ultimately creating places that are more liveable, inclusive, and future-ready.
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Dr Natalie Allen
PhD in Urban Design, Master of Architecture (Hons), Bachelor of Architecture (Hons), Bachelor of Architectural Studies
Dr. Natalie Allen is a recognized expert in applied urban research and complex systems strategy, translating rigorous, data-informed insights into innovative solutions for the built environment. She works with our clients to make the seemingly complex simple when it comes to designing and delivering our built environment.
Leveraging her extensive research experience — which spans critical urban topics such as integrated urban planning, community visioning, and housing demand—Natalie leads pioneering projects focused on complex urban systems technology development. She partners with councils and our technology partners to co-design and implement sophisticated, data-informed frameworks that solve critical urban challenges, driving greater accuracy and efficiency in urban development.
With a background in architecture, urban/spatial design, and urban governance, she maintains wide-ranging industry networks in both the public and private sectors and brings a creative, long-term strategic perspective to all our work.
Natalie regularly speaks at conferences, delivers webinars, is a panel moderator and writes about delivering citizen-centric neighbourhoods.
She grew up in Tāmaki Makarau and spent alternating weekends growing up visiting her tīpuna in Paihia, Te Tai Tokerau and Ngāmotu, Taranaki. She also spent formative time living in Costa Rica, Uganda, and Cheng du. Natalie currently lives in Tāmaki Makarau with her husband and two young daughters.
Natalie specialises in:
- Urban Research
- Urban Regeneration
- Housing Strategy
- Housing Needs Assessments
- Community + Stakeholder Engagement
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Greer O'Donnell
Bachelor of Law, Bachelor of Arts (Political Science, Anthropology)
Leveraging her legal, anthropological, and systems change expertise, Greer O'Donnell offers a distinctive, whole-of-system perspective to the industry. Her expertise is concentrated in the early establishment phases of a project, where she acts as the essential bridge between high-level vision and implementable delivery, and she is frequently brought in to review and identify the issues of projects that have stalled. This includes a key role as a change manager on complex technology and urban development initiatives. She draws on significant experience, including her involvement with the strategic planning for the Christchurch (Ōtautahi) rebuild and other major regeneration projects, to facilitate cross-sector collaboration —among market, public sector entities, and key stakeholders — moving projects from strategic origination into successful action.
Her approach is grounded in rigorous, data-informed evaluation of context and assumptions, enabling her to identify key strategic opportunities and resolve structural barriers before they lead to project stall. This work is focused on creating the necessary conditions to attract multiple sources of capital and capability, resulting in robust partnerships and a comprehensive foundation for urban development initiatives.
As a leading voice and expert on innovative housing models and precinct delivery, Greer's core strength is in co-designing implementable pathways and establishing the crucial partnership frameworks and governance structures that translate strategies into tangible outcomes across various sectors. Her commitment to innovation and creative solutions is informed by extensive international research from multiple study tours, with a particular focus on evolving approaches to city-making and upholding the role of mana whenua in guiding the restoration of Aotearoa’s social, ecological and cultural richness.
Greer grew up on a hill country farm in Whanganui and currently lives in Tāmaki Makaurau with her husband and son.
Greer's areas of specialisation include:
- Precinct Delivery
- Urban Regeneration
- Project Feasibility and Origination
- Affordable and Community Housing
- Change management in Urban Development
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Media
Media
Dr Natalie Allen and Greer O'Donnell are leading housing and urban development experts in the Urban Strategy space for Aotearoa New Zealand.
With over two decades of collective experience, they are highly knowledgeable in regards to past, current and future trends in our local Urban environments.
Natalie and Greer break down complex urban topics into easy to understand concepts, providing depth and insight into urban development, housing economics, the housing crisis, and more.
Natalie and Greer have been quoted, written for or had research featured in multiple publications, including:
They are available for interviews and to provide comment on their work, latest thinking, research and what’s going on in New Zealand’s urban environment.
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Keynote Speaking
Keynote Speaking
As leading experts in New Zealand’s housing and urban development space, Dr Natalie Allen and Greer O'Donnell are engaging and high-energy keynote speakers.
Active in their research and work in developing Aotearoa New Zealand’s urban environments as healthier and more equitable places to live, Natalie and Greer are uniquely positioned to provide unparalleled insight into how all of the urban pieces fit together.
Keynote topics include:
- Urban Strategy: The Essential Bridge to Delivery
- Innovative Housing Models and Housing Diversification
- Precinct Delivery: Moving Projects from Origination to Action
- Complex Urban Systems Technology and Data-Informed Decision Making
- Community Wealth Building and Equitable Economic Growth
- Governance Structures and Partnership Frameworks
- Lessons from the Christchurch Rebuild and Major Regeneration Projects
- Upholding the Role of Mana Whenua in Urban Development
- Wellbeing and the Built Environment
- Attracting Capital and Capability for Urban Initiatives
Presenting to audiences across Australasia, Natalie and Greer bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table to inspire, challenge, and ultimately encourage people to think differently about how we do housing and urban development.
Workshops & Masterclasses
Workshops & Masterclasses
Greer and Natalie host workshops and masterclasses on high-value topics essential for urban strategy and project delivery.
Empowering professionals and stakeholders with a blend of strategic knowledge and practical experience, these interactive sessions delve into the core of TUA’s Urban Strategy—moving projects from high-level intent to action. They offer valuable insights, innovative approaches, and actionable frameworks for tackling complex urban challenges.
Through their workshops and masterclasses, they foster a deeper understanding of system-level solutions, governance structures, and data-informed decision-making, equipping participants with the tools to drive project momentum and delivery confidence in their communities.
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Study Tours
Study Tours
Study tours are a vital component of urban strategy, enabling decision-makers to directly visualise and understand world-class examples of the built environment and its successful delivery.
TUA is highly experienced in leading and facilitating these immersive tours, both locally and internationally.
For example, in 2018, Natalie and Greer participated in an international study tour visiting London, Freiburg, Oslo, and Amsterdam. They also participated in the inaugural City Makers Guild Study Tour on Collaborative Urbanism, which visited Berlin, Vienna, and Zurich. In 2019, the Directors led their own International study tour, visiting sites in both the UK and the USA.
These tours are a crucial way to get key players in our urban environments to examine, rethink, and explore innovative approaches to city-making.
Feel free to reach out to Natalie and Greer if you would like to organise and facilitate a study tour aligned with your team's strategic intent.
Published Work
Published Work
Dr Natalie Allen and Greer O'Donnell's expertise is further demonstrated through their significant body of published work.
They regularly contribute to academic journals, industry reports, and thought leadership pieces, sharing their research, data-informed insights, and innovative approaches to urban strategy, housing, and regeneration.
Their publications offer valuable resources for professionals, policymakers, and communities, providing evidence-based frameworks and actionable intelligence to understand and address complex urban challenges in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.
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Governance
Governance
The Urban Advisory’s Directors, Dr Natalie Allen and Greer O’Donnell, bring deep strategic and systems expertise to governance roles across the urban development sector.
Their experience includes board appointments, independent advisory positions, and chairing complex multi‑stakeholder committees.
They specialise in establishing and strengthening governance frameworks for high‑impact projects —supporting accountability, managing risk, and ensuring decisions are informed, transparent, and aligned with long‑term strategic outcomes. Their approach is grounded in a whole‑of‑system perspective, enabling boards and leadership teams to navigate complexity, balance diverse interests, and maintain momentum on mission‑critical initiatives.
Natalie and Greer welcome consideration for new governance, board, and advisory roles where their expertise in urban strategy, housing, urban systems, and system‑level delivery can contribute to better outcomes for Aotearoa’s built environment and advance TUA’s purpose-led mission.
