Alexandria McBride, EPSM ’16, Named Chief Resilience Office for Oakland, California
As a student at the Milano School of Policy, Management, and Environment, Alexandria McBride deepened her understanding of how policy, design, and social justice perspectives can be used to address critical environmental issues generated by the impacts of climate change and other environmental threats. Her research, “Assessing the Impact of Environmental Education on Minority STEM Interest,” which she presented at the Tishman Environment and Design Center Student Scholars Lunch and Learn: Earth Week 2016, demonstrated her achievements in the field.
McBride, MS Environmental Policy & Sustainability ’16, has spent the last two years carving out a successful career by applying and elevating this approach, most recently joining the City of Oakland, California as its new chief resilience officer.
I’m excited to share my recent appointment to Chief Resilience Officer for the City of @Oakland. It’s an honor to serve such an innovative, mission-driven city and join the @100ResCities network of leaders promoting urban resilience globally. #ResilientOakland
— Alexandria (@AlexHMcBride) August 30, 2018
The chief resilience officer leads city-wide resilience building efforts, with the goal of helping Oakland prepare for, withstand, and bounce back from the “shocks,” like catastrophic events like earthquakes, fires, and floods, and “stresses,” i.e. slow-moving disasters like sea level rise, homelessness, and economic inequality.
“Alexandria will help Oakland approach our most challenging and systemic issues through an equitable and resilient lens,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a statement. “Alexandria’s track record proves innovation and collaboration are her core strengths, and she’ll bring a dynamic energy to Oakland to help make our city thrive for all residents.”
Prior to landing her new role, McBride served as director of environment & sustainability at the Information Technology Industry Council in Washington D.C. There, she directed climate and product energy programs and activities on behalf of the tech sector while developing and advocating positions on domestic and international policies related to product energy efficiency, clean and renewable energy, and climate.