Julia Thayne
Julia is a global climate leader transforming ideas into impact.
With more than 15 years of experience across public, private, and nonprofit sectors, Julia has launched companies, technologies, and policies that benefit climate and communities in cities worldwide. Now founding partner of the advisory firm Twoº & Rising, Julia previously served as senior principal at the global NGO Rocky Mountain Institute. She led 100 staff to deliver a 2-year, $24 million grant decarbonizing energy systems for 25 heavy industry and transport facilities in the US with the goal of reducing 0.5GT of CO2e emissions by 2050. She also launched RMI’s Climate-Aligned Urbanism initiative to partner with cities on sustainable growth and mobility.
Prior to RMI, she served as executive officer at Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office, overseeing eight city departments and disbursing $150 million in financial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was the mayor’s first transportation technology advisor, launching public-private partnership Urban Movement Labs for electric and autonomous mobility and opening 50 miles of streets and all sidewalks to walking, biking, and outdoor dining. At clean infrastructure and tech company Siemens, Julia was a product manager advising more than 35 cities around the world on energy and transportation investments.
Trained as an economist and urban designer, Julia holds degrees from Emory University and the London School of Economics & Political Science. She is proudly from Atlanta and currently calls Los Angeles home.