Innovating for Urban Resilience: 19th Annual Urban Leadership Forum

Join the Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) for the 19th Annual Urban Leadership Forum, with remarks by 2024 Lawrence C. Nussdorf Urban Leadership Prize winners. The 2024 Lawrence C. Nussdorf Urban Leadership Prize recognizes leaders who are guiding cities around the globe toward a resilient, sustainable, and equitable future. Their accomplishments and forward thinking are paving the way for today and tomorrow’s cities.

This year, three pathbreaking urban leaders from around the globe will be honored:

• Jaime Alberto Pumarejo Heins, former Mayor, City of Barranquilla, Colombia
• Andrew Melnik, Former International Projects Manager, City of Bucha, Region of Kyiv, Ukraine
• Lauren Sorkin, Executive Director, Resilient Cities Network.

About the 2024 Awardees

Jaime Alberto Pumarejo Heins served as mayor of Barranquilla, Colombia, from 2019 to 2023. Pumarejo established Barranquilla as a model for sustainable and inclusive urban development, including reclaiming a degraded and forgotten mangrove forest, re-greening the city, implementing solar and wind powered infrastructure, and fostering international collaborations for ambitious green infrastructure projects. Previously, Pumarejo served as City Manager of Barranquilla, Secretary of Economic Development of the Government of Atlántico, and Minister of Housing of Colombia. He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Commission on Nature-Positive Cities, the Advisory Board of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and the Global Commission for Urban SDG Finance. He was recently awarded WRI´s prestigious Ross Center Prize for Cities.

Andrew Melnik is a business developer, management consultant, and social entrepreneur with a focus on sustainability and preservation. For the last two years, he has dedicated his efforts to Ukraine's post-war reconstruction, urban development, and energy efficiency projects. He has represented Ukraine and the City of Bucha, a municipality in the Kyiv region, at many international forums to attract funding for Ukrainian municipalities, cooperating with the world's leading consulting and architectural companies, NGOs, and funds. Melnik has worked for more than 20 years in investment banking and management consulting on projects ranging from startup development to project management.

Lauren Sorkin is the Executive Director for the Resilient Cities Network where she oversees global efforts to strengthen cities in the face of the complex and interconnected challenges. Leading a team of urban resilience professionals in London, Mexico City, New York, and Singapore in collaboration with Chief Resilience Officers in 40 countries, her work builds on the unique capacity, breadth, and legacy of the 100 Resilient Cities Program to enhance the resilience of communities and critical infrastructure. She also serves as an advisor and spokesperson on urban resilience, sustainable finance, climate risk, stakeholder engagement, and urbanization trends. Previously with the Asian Development Bank, Sorkin led the Bank’s first ever climate change investment plan before moving to the ADB’s Vietnam Office to mainstream climate risks and opportunities in the country’s $7 billion portfolio.