Elizabeth Schultz, AICP
Instructor
Regional & Community Planning
Community Development
1086 Seaton Hall
920 N Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Manhattan, KS 66506
T: (785) 532-5961
Elizabeth Schultz, AICP, is a Professor of Practice in the College of Architecture, Planning & Design at Kansas State University, where she brings extensive professional leadership experience and a deep commitment to lifelong learning into the classroom. Her work is guided by a belief that thoughtful architecture, planning, and community-centered design can meaningfully improve people’s lives while strengthening the connections between individuals, places, and the environment.
In parallel with her academic role, Schultz serves as Senior Manager, Architecture with Walmart’s New Stores Design & Development team, where she contributes to the strategic planning, design leadership, and delivery of large-scale retail and mixed-use environments across the United States. In this role, she collaborates with cross-functional teams to advance design excellence, operational efficiency, and community-responsive solutions at a national scale. This professional practice directly informs her teaching, allowing her to connect theory with real-world application and emerging industry standards.
As an educator, Schultz thrives on mentoring students and helping them understand how architecture, urban design, and planning shape the human experience. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes curiosity, collaboration, and creativity, with a focus on developing critical thinking, leadership, and ethical decision-making skills necessary for impactful professional practice.
Prior to her current roles, Schultz served as Director of Strategic Initiatives & Community Development and as a Project Manager, where she led interdisciplinary teams, coordinated complex projects, and facilitated meaningful public engagement processes. These experiences strengthened her commitment to inclusive, sustainable design and reinforced her belief in the power of mentorship and collaborative problem-solving. Her continued volunteerism reflects her conviction that education is most effective when shared and applied in service to others.
Schultz is a licensed Architect (NCARB) and a certified Community Planner (AICP), credentials she has held since 2016. She has contributed to a wide range of multi-disciplinary projects nationwide, spanning architecture, urban design, and community planning. In 2022, she founded CRIT Workshop LLC, a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), through which she partners with public and private clients to explore innovative, equitable, and sustainable design solutions.
Balancing academia, professional practice, and mentorship, Schultz actively builds bridges between education and industry. Whether in the classroom, through her leadership at Walmart, or via CRIT Workshop, her goal is to inspire others to create resilient, inclusive, and transformative environments that serve the greater good.
Learn more at www.critworkshop.com.