Komal Macwan is an Associate I at TEI Planning + Design, where she brings an interdisciplinary approach to advancing transportation systems that are not only technically robust but socially and environmentally responsive. With a background that spans architecture, sustainability, and urban planning, she is especially passionate about creating equitable, multimodal mobility networks that serve communities holistically.
Born and raised in Mumbai, India — a megacity of extraordinary vibrancy and deep structural contradictions, Komal grew up witnessing how infrastructure can both empower and marginalize. Her early training in architecture sharpened her sensitivity to the built environment, but it was the everyday paradoxes of Mumbai — informal settlements shadowed by high-rises, overburdened transit in a rapidly globalizing city that ignited her deeper interest in urban systems. She came to understand that the most pressing urban challenges weren’t confined to individual buildings, but embedded in the broader policies, patterns, and networks that shape how cities breathe and evolve.
This realization led her to the United States to pursue dual master’s degrees in Urban & Environmental Planning and Sustainability Solutions at Arizona State University. There, she immersed herself in sustainable transportation, resilience planning, and community-centered development. Her work included economic development initiatives with tribal nations and active transportation project with the City of Phoenix — efforts that bridged data, design, and equity. Living car-free in car-dependent Phoenix city solidified her belief that access, mobility, and climate action must be central to how we plan and engineer the cities of tomorrow.
Now at TEI, Komal is excited to translate that experience into technical practice. As she begins her journey in traffic engineering, she supports intersection studies, multimodal design, and complete streets planning with a keen eye toward equity, safety, and environmental performance. She is a member of the American Planning Association (APA) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), and her past work has received honors from the APA, IEDC, and AAED.
Outside of work, Komal enjoys traveling to new cities, exploring cafes and cuisines, watching films, and volunteering for community events. She finds inspiration in everyday aesthetics and loves connecting with people from diverse walks of life — always curious about how urban spaces shape human experience.