Robyn Eason on building relationships to help cities thrive

Robyn studied architect, civil engineering, and city and regional planning, and today she  is the Long Range Planning & Sustainability Manager at the City of West Hollywood. Robyn notes that building genuine, long-lasting relationships within and across industries and communities is the key to meaningful, district-scale sustainability work. “Transformation is happening at the local government level,” she says, “and it’s so important for us to learn about what’s working. That’s why the networks and relationships are so valuable.” She attributes the growth of sustainability activity at the local level (even when it’s not called that) to the thought leadership shared via those networks, such as the Government Alliance on Race and Equity and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network. At the moment, Robyn is working on a Climate Action & Adaptation Plan that centers equity and addresses the drought and heat that is ahead for the community of West Hollywood. And she is thinking a lot about the gnarly problem of decarbonization of existing buildings, which is a challenge facing communities of every scale.