Priya Zachariah

Priya Zachariah, AICP has a diverse work experience spanning multiple industries. Currently, they serve as the Chief Resilience and Sustainability Officer at the City of Houston Mayor's Office. Prior to this role, they worked at the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County as the Manager of Regional and Long Range Planning, where they were responsible for project development and management of various transportation initiatives. Priya also worked as a Senior Transit Planner/Project Manager at the same organization, handling multiple capital projects and collaborating with various stakeholders. Before joining the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Priya worked as a Consultant at Deborah Murphy Associates, where they successfully obtained a planning grant for the LA River Revitalization Corporation. Additionally, they served as a David Bohnett Fellow at the Office of Mayor Villaraigosa, City of Los Angeles, where they developed a Climate Change Adaptation Framework for the city. Priya started their career as an Architect at Schuster Pechtold and later worked as a Design Manager/Deputy Project Manager at GHD Consultants, overseeing the design and construction of the Grand Hyatt Luxury Hotel and Spa in Doha. Priya holds the position of Product Development Manager and Construction Liaison at Intecture Pvt Ltd.

Priya Zachariah, AICP holds a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, which they obtained from 2008 to 2010. In addition, they completed a Graduate Certificate in Leaders in Sustainability from the UCLA Institute of the Environment (with UCLA Anderson School of Business) in 2010. Priya also holds a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from the School of Architecture, CEPT (Center for Environment Planning and Technology). In 2014, they obtained the AICP (American Institute of Certified Planner) certification from the American Planning Association.