Valerie Santos is a senor urban specialist at the World Bank Group. She works with national and local governments around the globe on urban economic development strategies, financing local infrastructure, regeneration of center cities and waterfronts, metropolitan management, and housing and has advised on urban projects in Brazil, Colombia, Georgia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, and South Africa. Valerie brings more than 15 years of experience in real estate and urban development and in structuring public-private agreements. Before joining the World Bank Group, she served as deputy mayor for planning and economic development in Washington, DC. During her tenure, the city invested in transforming hundreds of acres of underutilized land into parks and mixed-use and commercial developments, implemented ambitious neighborhood revitalization initiatives in underserved communities, and Valerie was responsible for a portfolio of projects valued at more than $13 billion. Valerie holds master’s degrees in business administration and public policy from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University.