President
Congress for the New Urbanism
Lynn Richards has a dual Masters in Environmental Science and Public Affairs from Indiana University. She is President and CEO of the Congress for the New Urbanism.
Previously, Richards had a distinguished career at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), holding multiple leadership roles over 13 years in the Office of Sustainable Communities. She worked with dozens of state and local governments to implement placemaking approaches by developing policies, urban design strategies, and environmental solutions for vibrant, prosperous neighborhoods. Additionally, she produced groundbreaking research on water and land use strategies.
Before joining the EPA, Richards worked briefly in the private sector at a consulting firm. She lived and worked in the former Soviet Republics from 1988 to 1995, helping environmental groups increase their organizational and political effectiveness. Richards was awarded a Loeb Fellowship in Advanced Environmental Studies at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in the 2012-2013 school year.
