The PLANH research group has begun its work at the University of Lausanne, Institute of Geography and Sustainability, in August 2025.
Members of PLANH team
Prof. Gabriela Debrunner
Assistant Professor (Tenure Track)
Prof. Gabriela Debrunner was appointed and elected Assistant Professor of Human Geography and Sustainable Urban and Regional Planning (tenure track) in August 2025. She is a human geographer by training, with a specialization in spatial planning and environmental social sciences. Before, she has worked as a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zürich (SPUR) and has completed her PhD at the University of Bern, Institute of Geography. She has also worked as a planning practitioner in a private spatial planning office in Zurich and Lucerne from 2020 to 2022.
Dr. Jessica Verheij
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr. Jessica Verheij has joined the PLANH research group as a Postdoctoral Researcher in September 2025. She holds a PhD in Geography and Spatial Planning from the University of Bern, two Master’s degrees—one in Sustainable Urban Planning and Design from KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm) and one in Human Geography from the University of Amsterdam—and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Lisbon.
Anne-Sophie Spinaci
PhD Candidate
Anne-Sophie Spinaci has started her PhD in the PLANH research group in August 2025. She holds a Master’s degree in Urban Studies from University College London (UCL) and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Development Studies from SOAS, University of London. Her main research interests include spatial politics, informality studies, and community-led projects.
Florence Testorelli
PhD Candidate
Florence Testorelli has started her PhD in the PLANH research group in January 2026. She holds a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Lausanne (UNIL) and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Geneva (UNIGE). Her main research interests include Political Ecology, (Urban) Agriculture, Food Systems, as well as Planning and Housing outside buildable zones.
Carla Jaboyedoff
PhD Candidate
Carla Jaboyedoff has started her PhD in the PLANH research group in February 2026. She holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Architecture from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). Her main research interests include urban planning and design, urban governance, social justice, and community-based approaches. She is affiliated with both the Haute École de Genève and the University of Lausanne.
Sasha Gex-Collet
Student Assistant
Sasha Gex-Collet has joined the PLANH research group as a Student Assistant in August 2025. She is currently a Master’s student at the Institute of Geography and Sustainability, specializing in sustainable rural and mountain development. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts, English, and Geography from the University of Lausanne.
Her academic interests focus on social justice issues in housing and urban planning, as well as political ecology approaches.