Leanne Kaplan Email & Phone Number

Washington Dc-Baltimore Area

- Manage the Communities First Infrastructure Alliance, a network of 100+ national and local organizations, community leaders, government entities, and philanthropy partnering with communities to ensure the just and equitable implementation of federal funding, including the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act- Communities First brings together leaders in government, philanthropy, and the public sector committed to supporting the implementation of federal funds and advancing community plans, priorities, needs, and visions for a more just, equitable, and thriving climate-resilient future.

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

- Led federal policy work for NUMO including Congressional engagement on legislation; coalition work with partners; engagement with federal agencies on program design and implementation of the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA); and through drafting public comments on requests for information and rulemaking for submission to the federal register- Managed engagement with NUMO’s 150+ allies and diverse partners to build support for and create just and sustainable cities for people- Supported the launch of the Community Connectors program to provide technical assistance and capacity building to small and midsize U.S. cities working to repair the harms of past infrastructure investments; led support for Minneapolis, Macon & Spokane teams- Provided core support for the Communities First Infrastructure Alliance (CFIA), including coordinating engagement with Alliance members and network of technical-assistance providers; hosting community-centered regional convenings to bring together federal, state, and local leaders to support the coordination and equitable implementation of climate-related federal funding and more inclusive infrastructure investment in the United States

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Bogotá, Colombia

- Completed a benchmarking analysis of international best practices in open government at the municipal level, interviewing 26 leaders from 15 cities across the globe - Developed the framework for a toolkit for local leaders in Colombian cities to implement open government initiatives for improved transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement

- Worked with graduate students to develop and improve memo writing skills- Oversaw grading and course materials for graduate course focused on environmental policy and sustainability

Nairobi, Kenya

- Researched and drafted case studies for MetroHUB publication on metropolitan development for sustainable urbanization - Wrote concept note and guidance documents for an Urban-Rural Linkages Regional Awareness Workshop with government officials from Guinea, Cameroon, Tanzania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Zambia

Greater New York City Area

- Managed fundraising, donor and public outreach, event production logistics, budgets, and vendor and sponsorship contracts for events raising more than $2 million annually, including Taste of Summer and the Conservancy’s annual gala, as well as public events including the Central Park Film Festival- Engaged with donors, the board of trustees, the NYC Mayor’s office, partner organizations, vendors, and members of the public to build support for the work of the Conservancy and secure in-kind and financial donations for fundraising events - Supervised 20-30 Central Park Conservancy staff at fundraising events

Greater New York City Area

Master Of Public Administration - Mpa, Concentration: Urban Policy, Specialization: Management

Co-founder, Civic & Voter Engagement Coalition (CIVEC) SIPA Student Association Social Chair

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.) In Communication, Honors Program, Majors: Public Relations And Geography & Regional Studies

Graduated Cum Laude with Departmental Honors in Communication and General Honors Studied abroad in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa