Petra Hurtado

Petra Hurtado has had extensive work experience in various roles related to urban planning, research, and sustainability. Petra has held positions at organizations such as the American Planning Association, where they served as the Director of Research and Foresight, Research Director, and Deputy Research Director. Petra has also worked as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland, teaching a course on community visioning with foresight. At Technische Universität Wien, they served as an Adjunct Professor for a course on the psychology of urban sustainability. Petra also has experience in industry as an Industry Insider at TRENDONE GmbH. Petra founded Urban Breezes, where they worked as a Founder, Urban Sustainability Advisor, and Researcher. Petra has also worked as an Advisor for the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and as the Director of Smart City Projects at C.C. Johnson & Malhotra, P.C. Petra has held senior management positions at the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest and worked as a Project Manager and Urban Planner at ILF Consulting Engineers.

Petra Hurtado has an extensive education history. Petra received their Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Urban and Regional Planning from Technische Universität Wien, where they studied from 2009 to 2013. Additionally, they pursued further studies in Urban Planning at the University of Illinois Chicago from 2011 to 2012. Prior to their Ph.D., Petra completed their Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning at Technische Universität Wien from 2001 to 2007.

Furthermore, Petra has obtained several certifications throughout the years. In 2023, they completed the CIFS Megatrends Masterclass at the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies. Petra also completed the CIFS Futures Literacy Masterclass in 2022, and Applied Strategic Foresight - Bringing Futures Thinking into Strategy course, also at the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies. In 2020, Petra completed the Foundations in Design Thinking program offered by IDEO U. Additionally, they are certified in Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga, completing a 200-hour program at Yoga Now Chicago in 2018. Finally, Petra obtained the LEED AP Neighborhood Development certification from USGBC in 2016.

Petra's educational background also includes brief stints at other institutions. In 2006, they studied Urbanismo y Ordenación del Territorio at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Prior to that, they pursued Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Vienna from 2004 to 2006.