RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The City of Richmond has hired the first director for its Office of Sustainability.
According to a release on Oct. 7 from the Office of the Mayor, Laura Thomas was previously the Sustainability Program Administrator for the City of Largo, Florida, and has experience in sustainability and resilience with a focus on equity.
“Growing a greener, more sustainable Richmond for all of our residents must remain our North Star,” Mayor Levar Stoney said in the release. “We’re delighted to have Ms. Thomas join our team and look forward to her positive contributions to make a difference in the quality of life for our residents.”
Thomas, who begins her new role on Monday, Oct. 10, will be responsible for coordinating citywide sustainability goals while working with the city’s sustainability experts on climate equity, action and resilience initiatives. She will also lead efforts to adopt by Council the RVAgreen 2050 Plan, the release read.
Thomas grew up in Henrico County and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has a master’s degree in sustainability from the University of Wisconsin and is also a Certified Climate Change Professional.
More information about the city’s Office of Sustainability can be found here.
