Sophie Young is Manager of Environmental Justice and Equity. She oversees equity research and supports stakeholder engagement for WRI's Electric School Bus Initiative.

Before joining WRI, Sophie spent several years at the California Strategic Growth Council co-building and implementing the Transformative Climate Communities Program, an investment model for community-driven climate resilience planning and infrastructure. She served as Program Manager and oversaw $330 million of investment in over 30 environmental justice communities. She also led internal program evaluations and pilot policy initiatives, including efforts to improve tribal and rural community access to the program.

Sophie has worked with state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses to advance equitable and sustainable development initiatives for over ten years. Previously, she also worked as an environmental planner on local transportation projects, and as a consultant on sustainable land use projects in the U.S. and internationally.

Sophie earned a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and a B.A. in International Development Studies and Rhetoric from the University of California, Berkeley.

She lives in Oakland, CA and spends her free time hiking and on food tours.