Hello!

I am an urban strategist, planner, and designer working towards a more environmentally just future. As Senior Adaptation Planner for The Water Institute of the Gulf, my work explores the interrelationships among infrastructure, social, and natural systems with a focus on helping cities and regions develop visions and actionable strategies for adapting to thrive in the face of a changing environment and climate. I work closely with public-sector partners such as the City of Houston, the City of Charleston, the State of Louisiana, FEMA, and the Army Corps of Engineers to translate science for decision making, develop long-term visions and strategies, and advance implementation.

I previously spent five years working in the public sector in New Orleans, advancing resilience and sustainability projects and programs with a focus on coordinating across departments and ensuring projects were designed for multiple community and climate benefits. I was a core member of the team that developed the award-winning Resilient New Orleans: Strategic actions to shape our future city, the city's first-ever climate action strategy Climate Action for a Resilient New Orleans, the city's $141 million award-winning proposal to HUD's National Disaster Resilience Competition, and the design and implementation of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. I focused on long-term visioning, strategy, and integrated planning, and translated those efforts into proven implementation and cross-departmental collaboration. 

A native San Franciscan, I first happened upon my love for making cities work better while living in Los Angeles. I earned a Master in City Planning with a Certificate in Urban Design from MIT, and a BA in Global Studies from UCLA. In my free time I like to build terrariums, dance to Cajun and zydeco music, take walks along the Mississippi River, and futilely attempt to start a Talking Heads-themed workout club called Feel the Byrne.