Petra Hurtado, PhD, is the research director at the American Planning Association, heading APA’s research team, programs, and related initiatives. Her areas of expertise and research include sustainable planning practices; smart cities; nature-based solutions; environmental psychology; planning and equity; and integration of technology, community, and nature. Prior to joining APA, Petra worked as an advisor, planner, researcher, and educator in the global urban sustainability arena. She has a PhD in urban planning from the Vienna University of Technology, where she teaches urban sustainability and environmental psychology. Additionally, she has been a guest lecturer at Loyola University Chicago and the Universidad Tecnológica de Bolivar, Colombia. She has authored and coauthored multiple books, research papers, publicly funded reports, and articles and has presented as a subject-matter expert at numerous conferences around the globe.