Kate Wright is the Executive Director of the Local Government Commission (LGC)— a nationally recognized nonprofit connecting local leaders, implementing innovative solutions and advancing smart-growth policies.
Founded in 1980, LGC has over 700 members, 40 staff and 90 CivicSpark Fellows working on smart growth initiatives throughout the state and the Nation.
Kate is a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum and has been recognized for her climate-change work by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as one of the nation’s “40 under 40 Young Leaders Who Are Solving the Problems of Today – and Tomorrow”.
Kate launched many of LGC’s pioneering programs including:
- CivicSpark a Governor’s Initiative AmeriCorps program which places 90 fellows per year in communities across California to address climate change and water management issues.
- The California Adaptation Forum—a biennial event attracting over 800 people.
- The Alliance of Regional Collaboratives for Climate Adaptation— a peer network of regional collaboratives across California working to advance resiliency initiatives and the Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative advancing adaptation in the Sacramento region.
- The Statewide Energy Efficiency Collaborative a partnership with the Institute for Local Government, ICLEI and California’s four Investor-Owned Utilities which provides no cost support to help cities and counties reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save energy.
Kate is a regular presenter at national, state and regional events; she has been asked to provide expert testimony at legislative and council hearings; has authored guidebooks, fact sheets, newsletters and blogs; and has been featured in podcasts, radio shows and documentaries.
Prior to joining Local Government Commission in 2006, Wright conducted research for the UC Davis Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Transportation Alternatives of Marin, 4-H Center for Youth Development, and the University of California Cooperative Extension. She earned a M.S. degree in community and regional development from UC Davis, and received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from CSU-Sonoma.
Publications
Meis, Kate. Fiscal Impact Tools Change Local Planning, Government Finance Review, December 2013.
Handy, Susan L., Barbara McCann, Linda Bailey, Michelle Ernst, Lanier McRee, Emily Meharg, Reid Ewing, Kate (Wright) Meis. The Regional Response to Federal Funding for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects. Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis, Research Report UCD-ITS-RR-09-15. 2009.
Media
Kate Wright is a regular contributor to Infinite Earth Radio, a podcast for local leaders committed to building a smarter, more sustainable, resilient, and equitable future.
- Meis, Kate, Carl Guardino. Infinite Earth Podcast: Topic: Leadership in a Time of Change. http://infiniteearthacademy.com/podcast/leadership-in-a-time-of-change/
- Meis, Kate, Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. Infinite Earth Podcast: Topic: Broadband for All — Part 2 http://infiniteearthacademy.com/podcast/broadband-for-all-part-2/
- Meis, Kate, Trish Kelly. Infinite Earth Podcast: Topic: Broadband for All — Part 1
http://infiniteearthacademy.com/podcast/broadband-for-all-part-1/ - Meis, Kate, Darin Dinsmore. Infinite Earth Podcast: Topic: Tiny Homes and Smart Infill Housing—Improving Housing Choices.
http://infiniteearthacademy.com/podcast/tiny-homes-and-smart-infill-housing-improving-housing-choices/ - Meis, Kate, Mike Hancox. Infinite Earth Podcast: Topic: New Partners for Smart Growth 2017.
http://infiniteearthacademy.com/podcast/new-partners-for-smart-growth-2017/ - Meis, Kate, Mike Hancox. Infinite Earth Podcast: Topic: The Future of “Infinite Earth Radio” and Sustainability and Equity in the Trump Era.
http://infiniteearthacademy.com/podcast/the-future-of-infinite-earth-radio-and-sustainability-and-equity-in-the-trump-era/ - Meis, Kate, Matthew Dalbey. Infinite Earth Podcast: Topic: The Future of Smart Growth
http://infiniteearthradio.com/podcast/the-future-of-smart-growth/ - Meis, Kate. Electric Vehicles: You Can’t Plan for Transportation’s Future by Looking Backward February 2017.
http://www.govtech.com/fs/Electric-Vehicles-You-Cant-Plan-for-Transportations-Future-by-Looking-Backwards.html - Meis, Kate. Youth Climate Report Documentary 2015.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVXsJKuGXv4
Livable Places Update *
- Wright, Kate. The Decline of Retail: What Local Governments Can Do (June 2017)
- Wright, Kate. Spinning Our Wheels: Bolstering Bicycling in The U.S. (May 2017)
- Wright, Kate. Broadband for Better Communities (April 2017)
- Wright, Kate. Vision Zero: A Vision for Safer Streets for All (March 2017)
- Wright, Kate. Driving the Next Decade: The Challenge to Put More Zero-Emission Cars on The Road (February 2017)
- Wright, Kate. A Message to The New Administration: The Economic Argument for Livable Communities (January 2017)
* Select articles from LGC’s monthly member newsletter distributed to over 700 local policymakers
https://www.legacy.civicwell.org/resources/community-design/lpu/