Anne Maassen is the Senior Urban Research, Knowledge and Learning Manager at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. She manages quality assurance of knowledge products and promotes research excellence and learning across the cities program. Working closely with the Director of Knowledge Capture and Collaboration and the Director of Global Research, she helps shape, guide and evolve the program’s research, knowledge and learning efforts. 

Previously at WRI, Anne oversaw the first three cycles of the WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities, WRI’s award for excellence in urban transformation, and was the Research Associate for the Financing Sustainable Cities initiative, a partnership with C40 Cities and the Citi Foundation.

Before joining WRI, Anne was a project design and evaluation specialist for multilateral development banks and agencies and worked at the World Bank and the Climate Investment Funds. She has provided strategic advice to governments, multilaterals and non-profits, and has published and peer-reviewed studies on urban transformation for sustainability.

Anne holds a PhD in Geography from Durham University (UK), with a focus on urban sustainability and innovation, as well as an MSc in Environmental Monitoring, Modelling & Management from King’s College (London, UK) and a BA in Economics, Politics & International Studies from the University of Warwick (UK).

Anne lives in Washington, DC, with her partner and three kids, and likes to garden, bike with the kids and travel near and far.