Our Story
Our Story
The Resilient Cities Network legacy is built on the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) initiative, pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation in 2013, as part of its Global Centennial Initiative.
The initiative was built on a substantial investment from The Rockefeller Foundation, which enabled cities to hire a Chief Resilience Officer (CRO), develop a resilience strategy, access pro bono services from private sector and NGO partners, and share ideas, innovation and knowledge through the global network of CROs.
Over years of deep engagement with city leaders, communities and the private sector, this initiative enabled transformational change in cities through support of resilience plans and early implementation of projects.
From our experience of creating resilience strategies in dozens of cities, we learned that using a resilience lens strategically to plan a portfolio of actions creates higher-impact projects that can deliver benefits to multiple sectors, in particular to vulnerable communities.
We also discovered a critical challenge: cities do not have enough support to articulate and develop their most innovative ideas, or to turn these ideas into fully realized projects. This gap in the market prevents cities from delivering on their most urgent objectives and prevents funders from identifying pipelines of transformational projects.
In 2019, as the 100RC initiative came to a close, member cities and CROs spearheaded the next phase of the initiative, which led to its transition into the Resilient Cities Network (R-Cities). For over a year, more than 30 percent of our member cities and CROs participated in a broad co-design process to build the new phase of the urban resilience movement.
With strong support from member cities, the network was officially launched in 2020, with a mission to reduce vulnerability and improve the well-being of over 220 million urban dwellers around the world. We have a presence in nearly 100 cities and over 40 countries around the world.
Using insights gained from our experience, R-Cities now brings together global knowledge, practice, partnerships, and funding to empower our member cities. CROs across our network lead their city’s resilience efforts, guided by their City Resilience Strategy. Our work is broadly organized into three pillars: Climate Resilience, Circularity and Equity.
With continued support from our funding partners, R-Cities continues to support cities and their CROs in future-proofing their communities and critical infrastructure. We are guided by four principles in building a safer, more equitable, and sustainable future for all:

City-led
Cities, represented by their CROs, participate in the governance of the network.

Impact-focused
We prioritize resilient projects that aim to improve the lives of city dwellers.

Regionally-driven
Activities are designed with more flexibility to cater to the needs of member cities in each region.

Partnership-based
Our Team

Ada Rustow
Associate, Knowledge and Communications

Alvaro Soldevila
Lead, Programs, Europe and the Middle East, and Resilience Practice

Aurora Lokita
Manager, Programs, Asia Pacific

Dana Omran
Global Director, Strategy & Operations and Regional Director, Africa

Eskedar Gessesse
Consultant, Programs, Energy Resilience

Eugene Zapata
Global Director, Partnerships and Regional Director, Latin America and Caribbean

Fabiola Guillen
Manager, Communications

Fanny Chang
Executive Assistant and Manager, Operations

Federico Aili
Associate, Programs and Engagement, Europe and the Middle East

Fitsum Gelaye
Consultant, Programs and Engagement, Africa

Gabriela Cantu
Consultant, Operations and Finance, Latin America and Carribean

Gladys Tan
Associate, Programs and Communications, Asia Pacific

Javier Garduño Arredondo
Lead, Latin America and the Caribbean

Jordana Vasquez
Senior Manager, Programs, Climate and Equity, North America

Katrin Bruebach
Global Director, Programs, Innovation and Impact

Key Hill
Director, Development

Lauren Sorkin
Executive Director

Laurian Farrell
Global Director, Knowledge Transformation and Regional Director, North America

Leon Kapetas
Lead, Programs, Europe and the Middle East, and Climate Resilience

Lina Liakou
Global Director, Network Engagement and Regional Director, Europe and the Middle East

Luciana Cardoso
Consultant, Programs and Engagement

Luis Bonilla
Lead, Programs and Partnerships, Latin America and Caribbean

Lynette Lim
Global Director, Communications

Malcolm Campbell
Associate, Programs and Knowledge, North America

Nadine Burbar
Manager, Events

Nicole Ponce
Consultant, Programs and Knowledge, Latin America and Carribean

Nilofer Tajuddin
Associate, Programs and Communications, Europe and the Middle East

Nini Purwajati
Senior Manager, Programs and Knowledge, Asia Pacific

Razvan Zamfira
Consultant, Graphic Design

Ron Harris
Lead, Knowledge Transformation

Saada Amadu
Associate, Programs, Climate and Equity, North America

Saurabh Gaidhani
Lead, Programs and Engagement, Asia Pacific

Shweta Nagarkar
Consultant, Programs

Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy
Global Director, Policy and Investments

Tham Chee Chung
Global Director, Operations and Finance

Thomas Halaczinsky
Consultant, Media, North America

Willie Ng
Consultant, Finance and Operations

Ada Rustow
Associate, Knowledge and Communications

Alvaro Soldevila
Lead, Programs, Europe and the Middle East, and Resilience Practice

Aurora Lokita
Manager, Programs, Asia Pacific

Dana Omran
Global Director, Operations Strategy Africa

Eskedar Gessesse
Consultant, Programs, Energy Resilience

Eugene Zapata
Global Director, Partnerships and Regional Director, Latin America and Caribbean

Fabiola Guillen
Manager, Communications

Fanny Chang
Executive Assistant and Manager, Operations

Federico Aili
Associate, Programs and Engagement, Europe and the Middle East

Fitsum Gelaye
Consultant, Programs and Engagement, Africa

Gabriela Cantu
Consultant, Operations and Finance, Latin America and Carribean

Gladys Tan
Associate, Programs and Communications, Asia Pacific

Javier Garduño Arredondo
Lead, Latin America and the Caribbean

Jordana Vasquez
Senior Manager, Programs, Climate and Equity, North America

Katrin Bruebach
Global Director, Programs, Innovation and Impact

Key Hill
Director, Development

Lauren Sorkin
Executive Director

Laurian Farrell
Global Director, Knowledge Transformation and Regional Director, North America

Leon Kapetas
Lead, Programs, Europe and the Middle East, and Climate Resilience

Lina Liakou
Global Director, Network Engagement and Regional Director, Europe and the Middle East

Luciana Cardoso
Consultant, Programs and Engagement

Luis Bonilla
Lead, Programs and Partnerships, Latin America and Caribbean

Lynette Lim
Global Director, Communications

Malcolm Campbell
Associate, Programs and Knowledge, North America

Nadine Burbar
Manager, Events

Nicole Ponce
Consultant, Programs and Knowledge, Latin America and Carribean

Nilofer Tajuddin
Associate, Programs and Communications, Europe and the Middle East

Nini Purwajati
Senior Manager, Programs and Knowledge, Asia Pacific

Razvan Zamfira
Consultant, Graphic Design

Ron Harris
Lead, Knowledge Transformation

Saada Amadu
Associate, Programs, Climate and Equity, North America

Saurabh Gaidhani
Lead, Programs and Engagement, Asia Pacific

Shweta Nagarkar
Consultant, Programs

Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy
Global Director, Policy and Investments

Tham Chee Chung
Global Director, Operations and Finance

Thomas Halaczinsky
Consultant, Media, North America

Willie Ng
Consultant, Finance and Operations
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