Sofia Barandiaran, Rutgers University

Sofia Barandiaran is currently pursuing a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. In her career as a planner, she hopes to advance solutions at the intersection between climate action, public health, and social equity. Before coming to Rutgers, Sofia worked at Alameda County, California on strategic planning for climate resilience. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Williams College, where she studied issues of environmental justice and green gentrification. In her free time, Sofia enjoys biking, hiking, and catching up with friends. For her host university project, Sofia is working on the Engagement Team for the Megalopolitan Coastal Transformation Hub (MACH), engaging stakeholders in the NY-NJ-PA region in developing climate resilience strategies for coastal communities. For her UC3 project, Sofia is analyzing UC3 cohort projects through the lens of the UC3 15 strategic goal areas to develop best practices.