James Powers

James Powers serves as the Climate Protection Project Manager for Albemarle County since February 2023, following a role as Agricultural Outreach Director at Rural Investment to Protect our Environment (RIPE) where emphasis was placed on the relationship between agriculture and climate policy. Previous experience includes project management positions at the Environmental Defense Fund, focusing on sustainable sourcing and working lands, as well as an intern role at the World Wildlife Fund related to REDD+ payment systems. James has a military background as a Senior Intelligence Collector and Arabic Linguist for the US Army, leading intelligence operations in Iraq, and contributed to social network analysis projects with SAIC. Educational credentials include a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Music Performance from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and specialized training in Arabic and Intelligence Operations.