Sara Nienow

Sara Nienow is a Professor of Practice in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She serves as an applied economist at RTI International’s Center for Applied Economics and Strategy, where she leverages over 20 years of professional experience in economic analysis and program evaluation.

Her expertise spans assessing economic and social impacts of industrial developments, policy changes using input-output models, and designing community benefit plans. She has also evaluated initiatives to fund scientific innovation and conducted regional economic analyses, survey research, and strategic planning. Her current role involves project management, staff guidance, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Previously, she held roles as a Principal Program Evaluator for the North Carolina General Assembly, a long-range planner for the Town of Cary, and an economist/planner at the NC Department of Commerce. She is IMPLAN-certified and holds the Council for Community and Economic Research’s CERP certification.

No specific grants or advising details are disclosed, though her work emphasizes applied research with practical policy implications. She remains affiliated with the Department of City and Regional Planning at UNC-Chapel Hill.