My career has focused on applying the tools of design in public service, working for educational institutions, governments, and non-profits to improve lives, promote equity, and advance environmental sustainability. I learned the tools of urban planning, architecture, and construction technology through work at a series of exceptional design firms in the 1980s and '90s in New York, Princeton, and Philadelphia, leading projects for commercial and institutional clients on a variety of building and planning projects. I joined the Peace Corps in 1992 as the City Architect in Lilongwe, Malawi. Working alongside Malawian counterparts, I directed the city design office to help manage the growth of a rapidly urbanizing city. In 2000, the appeal of working in a critical capacity for a mission-driven institution led me to accept the newly created Senior Facilities Planner position at Penn, where I helped lead campus planning during a period of dramatic capital expansion. In the early 2000s, as sustainability became recognized as an increasingly central issue for universities, I transitioned roles to direct Penn's efforts to become a nationwide leader in carbon reduction, energy conservation, and campus environmental performance. After setting the course for an estimated 65% carbon emissions reduction through a renewable power purchase agreement in 2019, I left Penn to take a leadership position at Rowan University as University Architect and Planner. Throughout my career, I have contributed my talents to public service: I founded Philadelphia's Community Design Collaborative in 1991; co-founded the Delaware Valley chapter of the US Green Building Council in 2001 (and later served as chair); and in 2007 I drafted the City of Philadelphia's first sustainability action plan for then mayoral candidate Michael Nutter. I currently serve as cochair of the Philadelphia Civic Design Review Committee, charged with assessing and recommending improvements for major public and private

Vaughn is the founder and principal of Rvesta, a consulting practice that works to enact lasting, positive change in cities by meeting the policy or organizational goals of clients in the fields of economic development, real estate development and city planning, transportation and infrastructure, and government advisory policy. Vaughn believes he can bring a unique consultative approach to clients by balancing unconventional thinking, generated by intellectual curiosity, with his lived experience as a high-level government administrator in one of America's largest cities. Past and current clients include the Pew Charitable Trusts, PIDC, Philadelphia250, the Philadelphia Equity Alliance, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, Elevate 215, and the 76ers. Vaughn previously served as First Deputy Chief of Staff to Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney from 2016-2021. In his time with Mayor Kenney, he retained a portfolio of departments focused on economic development, transportation and infrastructure, and housing, real estate development, and planning. Vaughn has extensive experience working with Philadelphia community-based organizations such as registered community organizations, business improvement districts, community development corporations, neighborhood violence prevention partners, and faith-based institutions. Prior to joining municipal government, Vaughn spent five years as a fundraiser for political campaigns in and around Philadelphia. He led successful fundraising efforts, culminating in Mayor Kenney’s 2015 victory, and oversaw direct donor outreach, principal management, and financial compliance. Vaughn serves on the board of directors of the Philadelphia City Fund, a non-profit organization that serves as the City Government's steward of public-private partnership funding, and Germantown United CDC, an organization that promotes and facilitates the revitalization of Germantown and its business corridors.