Udall Center welcomes CAPLA Prof. Ladd Keith as newest Associate Faculty

The Udall Center is proud to welcome Ladd Keith as its newest associate faculty member, who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience around heat policy and governance, including urban heat mitigation and management strategies and how local governments, states, and federal agencies can improve urban heat resilience.

In addition to his new affiliation with Udall Center, Keith also holds a position as an assistant professor in the UArizona School of Landscape Architecture and Planning in the College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture. He is also the founding director and chair of the Sustainable Built Environments undergraduate degree program.

An urban planner by training, Keith has over a decade of experience planning for climate change with diverse stakeholders in cities across the U.S. His current research explores heat planning and governance with funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Transportation. He also leads a network and monthly newsletter for individuals interested in the latest news, research, and opportunities called the Extreme Heat Network.

Keith has a PhD in Arid Lands Resource Sciences and an MS in Planning from the University of Arizona, and served a full term on the City of Tucson’s Planning Commission as well as chaired the development and adoption of the city’s comprehensive plan.