Priyanka serves as Project Officer for C40’s Reinventing Cities Programme within the Urban Planning and Design team. She has a background in Sustainable Design and holds an MSc in Environmental Design and Engineering from University College London. Prior to joining C40, she worked as a Sustainability Consultant, where she collaborated with design teams to integrate passive design strategies as well as renewable technologies into building designs.
Alongside her previous role, Priyanka worked as a Community Engagement Officer at Energy Garden, where she supported community groups in South London to deliver resilient projects such as community gardens to grow food and enhance biodiversity within London Overground Stations.
Ragene (or Jean) is the Inclusive Climate Action and Engagement Senior Manager for the UKAID CAI Programme in Southeast Asia. In this role, she facilitates the adoption of inclusive, fair, and just approaches and transformational action of cities in the region.
Prior to C40, Jean served as an urban researcher and development consultant. She has worked on urban informality, the climate-migration nexus, women and gender in climate adaptation, local economic development, and disaster rehabilitation with various UN agencies (including UN Women, IOM, UN-Habitat, and UNDP) and other international groups. Jean has published and presented various works about urban affairs, including feminist cities, urban inequality, care in cities, and public life and spaces.
Jean completed her MA in International Planning and Sustainable Development at the University of Westminster, London, as a Chevening scholar. She has represented the Philippines in professional fellowships and regional workshops and serves as a mentor for aspiring planners and young scholars.
Jean enjoys music, gardening, and cultural crafts.
Rebecca works in the Political Strategy and Leadership Support department and is C40’s Head of Internal Engagement and Steering Committee, responsible for supporting the Office of the C40 Chair by managing the processes of the Steering Committee. Prior to this, Rebecca was the Deputy Managing Director of the political organisation STRING, bringing together European cities and regions for sustainable infrastructure and sustainability. She has also worked for the Swedish/Danish cross-border cooperation the Oresund Committee and has experience in transport planning, strategy and stakeholder management from Newcastle City Council in the UK.
Rebecca’s academic background is in political science, and she has a Master’s degree from Lund University in Sweden and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Northumbria in the UK.
Reka is C40’s Grants and Legal Coordinator. In this role, she supports the team across the grant management cycle, from pre-award reviews to data management and reporting, and she also supports our work on governance and compliance.
She has experience volunteering as a social researcher, where she collected and analysed data to create reports as a fundraising tool for charities. Prior to C40, Reka joined teams such as Clean Air Fund, working on a variety of projects ranging from fundraising to HR and governance.
Reka holds an MSc in Evolutionary Psychology from Brunel University London. She also holds a BA in Psychology from University of Pecs, Hungary.
Richard is C40’s Head of Global Media, responsible for bringing the exciting, innovative and vitally important work of the C40 teams, mayors and cities to a global audience.
Prior to joining C40, he worked as a journalist across TV and radio for the BBC, including as a senior producer on BBC Breakfast and a reporter and newsreader for BBC London. He then moved to the Mayor of London’s press team, taking a lead role on high-profile communications projects including the launch of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, hosting the men’s and women’s European Championships and the capital’s response to the pandemic.
Richard is based in London and holds a BA in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Leeds.
Rodolphe serves as Technical Officer for Climate Change Mitigation, within the Measurement and Planning Team. In this role, he works on the greenhouse gas inventories of all cities within the C40 Network, ensuring that they are high quality and fit for use in the Climate Action Planning Programme. Rodolphe transitioned to this role after interning with the C40 Regions/Deadline2020 Team, where he worked on ensuring the continual participation of cities within the C40 network. Prior to joining C40, Rodolphe worked as an academic research assistant in Montreal, studying the effects of agricultural certification in relation to deforestation rates. Rodolphe is a graduate of McGill University, where he received a BA in Urban Geography, Environmental Studies and GIS.
Ruchi is the Senior Events Manager for the C40 x GCoM Joint Program. In this role, Ruchi oversees the seamless execution of world-leading international events that strategically advance the Joint Program’s mission.
With over 15 years of experience, Ruchi began her career at the Clinton Global Initiative before transitioning to Google, where she developed a deep expertise in leveraging events for social impact causes.
Ruchi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Columbia University, Barnard College.
Ryan serves as Senior Technical Manager, Climate Action Planning (Mitigation) within the Measurement and Planning Team. In this role, he supports the delivery of technical assistance to help C40 cities develop greenhouse gas emissions inventories in line with international best practice. This includes the development of further guidance, resources and case studies on data management, inventory development and climate action planning.
Prior to joining C40, Ryan worked with cities at CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) to help them publicly disclose their climate-related data and connect them with resources to advance their climate planning. There, Ryan led engagement with UK Cities, helping them to use public disclosure as part of their climate emergency response, and providing feedback on their plans and inventories to help build their evidence base for action.
Ryan holds an MSc in Sustainability, specialising in CSR, from the University of Nottingham and a BSc in Accounting and Finance.
Sabareesh serves as the Senior Manager of Climate Action Implementation and Engagements at C40. Prior to this, he was a Senior Associate with the World Resources Institute (WRI) ‘s climate resilience practice, where his primary task was to integrate adaptation and resilience strategies into various development initiatives while also working towards bolstering India’s preparedness to access climate-related funding opportunities.
His professional interests lie at the intersection of urban resilience, climate action financing, and setting up GHG Inventories. Sabareesh has accumulated substantial experience collaborating with esteemed multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, IFC, and numerous Indian state governments. His contributions have notably involved conducting in-depth sectoral analyses on urban management, finance, and urban governance reform initiatives. Sabareesh is also actively mentoring the United Nations SDSN (Sustainable Development Solutions Network) Youth Local Pathways Fellowship Program on a global scale. Moreover, he is a dedicated member of the Global Shaper’s Community, an initiative facilitated by the World Economic Forum, where he collaborates with a network of young professionals on various global initiatives.
Sabareesh holds a Bachelor’s in Architecture from the Faculty of Built Environment and Sustainable Habitat, Sathyabama University and a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from CEPT University. He also holds an executive MBA specialising in Business Analytics from NMIMS.
Sachin serves as C40’s Director of Climate Resilience. He oversees C40’s adaptation programmes and activities, including urban heat, water and urban nature.
Previously, Sachin worked in Arup’s International Development and Urban Design Departments for thirteen years. Sachin has a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Mumbai University and a Master’s degree in Urban Design from Harvard University.
Sallieu Kanu serves as Senior Manager, Youth Engagement and Campaigns at the C40 Co-Chair’s Office in Freetown. Sallieu possesses an extensive professional background and strong experience working with government leadership. He has a deep understanding of climate governance, backed by a wealth of years of experience as a Senior Project Lead for the clean cooking program at Freetown City Council, where he worked closely with C40 Co-Chair and Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr. He is passionate about advancing youth-led climate actions in urban areas, focusing particularly on the needs of poor and vulnerable communities.
Sallieu has successfully led and implemented multiple projects funded by organizations such as World Bank, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), UN-Habitat, the European Union, Bosch Foundation, and Bloomberg Philanthropies. These projects have spanned areas including water, energy transition, COVID-19 preparedness and response, urban farming, waste valorization, and tree-tracking trading.
Furthermore, Sallieu has built and nurtured partnerships with a variety of stakeholders, compassing government partnerships, the private sector, youth groups and civil society organizations.
Sam is Digital and Social Media Manager at C40. As part of the Communications team, Sam works closely with the Brand, Creative and Digital Content team, as well as members of the wider organisation, to create a strong brand for C40. Keeping global reach and local relevance in mind, Sam is key in helping conceptualise, strategise, and create engaging content that connects with C40’s target audiences and key stakeholders.
Sam has over 10 years of experience in content. She began her career as a print journalist in 2010 before diving into the world of digital writing, and then expanding her skill set to include areas such as social media management. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication from Murdoch University.
As Creative Content Manager on the Joint Program between C40 and the Global Covenant of Mayors, Samuel is responsible for developing and delivering all visual content and assisting the team with delivering campaigns, events and media coverage.
With a background in advertising, Samuel has a wealth of experience in the public and private sectors, having helped build brands, campaigns and high-value assets in the UK and internationally.
Samuel holds a BA in Advertising from the École Supérieure des Arts de Saint Luc in Liège, Belgium.
Sandino Lamarca serves as Senior Engagement Manager, Data and Tools, within C40’s Climate Action Planning and Innovation team. He has extensive experience providing technical assistance to Brazilian municipalities in the creation, implementation, and monitoring of Climate Action Plans. Sandino has led the development of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories (GHG), conducted Climate Risk and Vulnerability Analyses, and supported the formulation of Adaptation and Mitigation Objectives for cities that are signatories of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) in Brazil.
He holds a Master’s degree in Renewable Energies and Environment from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco.
Sandra Sarahí Aguirre is the City Adviser for Guadalajara in the UCAP Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme. With a degree in International Relations focusing on International Cooperation for Development, she brings over seven years of experience in international development.
Before joining C40, Sandra was the Technical Manager of International Cooperation at the Institute for Planning and Development Management of the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara (Imeplan). In this capacity, she led international projects, forged strategic partnerships, and collaborated with organizations such as the UNFCCC, the European Union, C40 Cities, Metropolis, and USAID.
A highlight of her career was coordinating the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara’s participation in COP26. The UNFCCC recognized the metropolitan coordination efforts in developing the Climate Action Plan within a unique governance model and high technical standards driven by C40 Cities. The team received a Climate Action Award as Climate Leaders. At the same conference, the UKAID program was announced with Guadalajara as a beneficiary city, a partnership Sandra has actively nurtured.
Sanele is a C40 Project Accountant based in Johannesburg, South Africa. She specialises in managing grant funds, budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis to drive informed decision-making.
Sanele holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting from the University of Johannesburg, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from the Wits Business School and is currently enrolled for a Master of Commerce in Strategic Management at the University of Johannesburg.
In her spare time, she likes to read, write, listen to music, practice yoga and play with her dog whom she works hard for so he can have a great life.
Based in Bengaluru, India, Sanjana is the Manager, Engagement and Climate Implementation with C40’s South and West Asia Team. Before this, Sanjana worked as the Regional Officer for South and West Asia, where she led some key strategic projects.
She joined C40 after working as a Research Analyst with McKinsey for the Asia-Australia region where she worked with clients in technology, sustainability and public policy. She completed an integrated Masters in Development Studies, focusing on urban and environment, from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in Chennai, India. She has also volunteered at her local FridaysforFuture chapter for over four years, as part of the youth climate movement, supporting local and global climate advocacy efforts. In her free time, she enjoys watching her comfort shows, reading, painting and occasionally, cooking.
Santiago works as a Data Scientist Officer in the Analytics Team at C40, where he supports the gathering, processing, and analysis of large-scale and cross-sectoral data relevant to climate action in cities. Through the scoping and implementing of novel statistical and mathematical methodologies, he also contributes to the Analytics Team’s mission of improving data capability within the organisation.
Prior to joining C40, Santiago was involved in multiple research projects related to social segregation and economic development in Colombia and briefly worked as a machine learning consultant in an applied mathematics firm. He holds a double degree in Economics and Government and Public Affairs from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia.
As Head of Implementation in Latin America, Sarah is responsible for the rollout of C40’s UCAP Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme in five C40 cities in Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Sarah has worked in the past 13 years in environmental sustainability and climate change both in the private and public sectors.
As the climate change advisor for the Secretary of Environment of the city of Bogotá, Sarah led and coordinated the formulation of the city’s CAP. Prior to this, she was the leader of the Building Energy Efficiency Accelerator program of the World Resources Institute in Bogotá and Colombia, while working at the Colombian Green Building Council. She also supported the Climate Change strategy for the Housing and Urban sector at the Ministry of Housing, Cities and Territory of Colombia and her first experience in the public sector was at the National Natural Parks office as a sustainable architect and project manager.
In the private sector she has worked as a bioclimatic and environmental sustainability advisor for architectural projects and founded an office for sustainable drainage and water recycling in Bogotá.
Sarah is an architect and holds a specialization in environmental engineering from Los Andes University in Bogotá and a MSc in sustainable design from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.