City of Palo Alto Planning and Transportation Commission Commissioner Allen Akin

Allen Akin has lived in Palo Alto since 1986, and in Professorville since 2013. The rise in traffic and accidents there prompted him to build a traffic-measurement system that was used by concerned residents in Professorville, Downtown North, and Crescent Park. His interest in the practical aspects of growth—such as transportation and the cost of building housing—led him to volunteer for the PTC in 2023.

Married with two children who local schools, Akin is originally from Atlanta, where he graduated first in his class at Georgia Tech. He retired in 2022 after 43 years of writing software, managing computer hardware and software engineering groups, and consulting. He enjoys woodworking, barbecue, and science fiction.