Sophie Young is a Manager of Environmental Justice and Equity with the U.S. Program. She leads research and engagement initiatives on equitable and climate-resilient transportation and land use systems.

Sophie is an urban environmental planner with more than twelve years of experience. She has led strategic initiatives to advance livable and connected communities, sustainable regional development, and climate-resilient public infrastructure. Prior to WRI, she worked at the California Strategic Growth Council, where she co-designed and led the Transformative Climate Communities Program, an investment model for community-driven resilience planning and infrastructure. Sophie also delivered environmental and social impact analyses of transportation, housing, and renewable energy projects to inform public investment strategies at multiple government agencies. She was also a researcher and consultant on sustainable forestry projects in the U.S., Asia, and Latin America.

Sophie holds a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment, and a B.A. in International Development and Rhetoric from the University of California, Berkeley.

She lives in Oakland, CA and spends her free time hiking and exploring neighborhoods.