Hillary Taylor, AICP, LEED AP
Wilmington,NC
Summary
I am an environmental management and sustainability specialist with experience in various capacities including project management, policy research, stakeholder engagement, and project operations. I have worked mainly on nature-based solutions for sustainable urban development in developing countries in the Asia Pacific region, as well as in the United States. I have a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Management, and a graduate certificate in GIS for Urban and Regional Planning.
Overview
1
1
Certification
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Long-Range Planner
City of Wilmington
Wilmington, NC
03.2024 - Current
- Managed the City of Wilmington’s Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP) initiative. Coordinated project stakeholders, designed and led community engagement activities, provided substantive feedback to the Risk and Vulnerability Assessment conducted by project consultants, and drafted the resiliency action framework.
- Led the development of Wilmington’s Neighborhood Planning Framework to standardize the plan development and implementation process.
- Conducted community engagement and data analysis to inform actionable recommendations for Wilmington’s Greater Downtown Plan, integrating resilience across all plan chapters.
- Supported coordination and compiled documentation for Wilmington's LEED for Cities certification.
- Performed regular policy analysis to evaluate consistency of rezoning cases with Wilmington’s Comprehensive Plan.
- Prepared case summaries and presented rezoning recommendations to Planning Commission and City Council.
- Designed and coordinated Parklet Day events, delivering temporary public spaces to activate streets and engage the community.
- Prepared grant applications, including NCDEQ’s Resilient Coastal Communities Program (Phases I & II) and the Bloomberg Asphalt Art Initiative.
- Contributed to a successful application to the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Communities program.
- Supported Historic Preservation during staff transition, preparing preservation case summaries and presenting findings to the Historic Preservation Commission.
Urban Climate Change and Risk Researcher
UN-Habitat Lao PDR Office
12.2020 - 04.2021
- Designed and coordinated climate change vulnerability and risk assessments in towns along the East-West Economic Corridor of Laos. Developed assessment methodology and survey questionnaires, coordinated data collection, and analyzed and summarized results.
- Conducted capacity needs assessments to evaluate local stakeholders' climate change planning capabilities.
- Based on the above assessments, authored a comprehensive report on climate change issues in the target area.
National Urban Policy Advisor
UN-Habitat ROAP
11.2019 - 12.2019
- Coordinated final peer review, incorporated feedback from national government stakeholders, and edited and finalized the National Urban Policy Pacific Region report.
Urban Ecosystems-based Adaptation Advisor
UN-Habitat ROAP, Bangkok Office
07.2019 - 10.2019
- Managed UN-Habitat activities for an ecosystems-based climate resilience project in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Developed project information brochures for local government stakeholders.
- Supervised three interns in conducting literature reviews, creating case studies, and compiling best practices.
- Conducted training needs assessments for target municipalities.
- Created training modules on urban ecosystems-based adaptation for local government stakeholders.
- Refined project targets and indicators with stakeholder input.
- Supported project reporting to the grant funder.
Project Advisor - Climate Change
UN-Habitat ROAP
11.2017 - 06.2018
- Authored a regional publication providing guidance on integrating climate change into national urban policies in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Developed case studies demonstrating the climate change integration process of 6 countries in the region.
- Prepared annual and final reports for the grant funder.
Community Planner, Designing Lady's Island Project
Coastal Conservation League
05.2017 - 10.2017
- Conducted community research to engage citizens in the planning and design of Lady's Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina.
- Facilitated community design charrettes to gather resident input.
- Created summary maps using ArcGIS to visualize community feedback.
- Prepared a summary report for Beaufort County, highlighting citizen interest in transit-oriented development.
Consultant for Training Module Development
UN-Habitat Myanmar Office
01.2017 - 05.2017
- Developed training modules on local climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction for Myanmar government officials.
- Formulated a comprehensive list of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction measures based on extensive regional studies.
Programme Management Intern
UN-Habitat Myanmar Office
05.2016 - 11.2016
- Authored the National Habitat Report for Myanmar, highlighting the current status of urban development and future urban vision of the country.
- Contributed research for national strategy documents, including the Myanmar Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.
- Supported data analysis for local climate adaptation projects.
- Drafted the project proposal for a Government of Japan-funded housing development initiative for ethnic minorities.
Project Assistant
UN-Habitat ROAP
12.2013 - 11.2014
- Supported multiple projects including the Cities and Climate Change Initiative in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Managed administrative tasks, such as contracting partners and coordinating consultant recruitment and payments.
- Facilitated travel logistics for national government attendees of the 7th World Urban Forum in Medellin, Colombia.
- Conducted research for project concept notes to inform strategic planning.
Project Manager, MDGs Working Group
United Nations Association San Diego Chapter
04.2013 - 11.2013
- Supervised the planning phase of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) project, which aimed to establish partnerships to advance MDGs locally.
- Drafted job descriptions, and recruited and trained interns and volunteers.
- Created workplans for the planning and outreach phases and delegated activities to interns and volunteers.
- Established and enforced working procedures and expectations for team members.
- Led the development of outreach materials, including email templates, presentations, briefs, and website content.
Account Executive
Salford Systems
01.2010 - 07.2012
- Conducted needs-based consultations with prospective clients to deliver tailored product recommendations.
- Negotiated contract terms and consistently exceeded monthly sales targets.
- Established rapport with clients, ensuring satisfaction throughout license duration by providing efficient service.
- Developed marketing materials and managed social media pages to generate new leads.
Education
Graduate Certificate - GIS For Urban And Regional Planning
University of Florida
12-2017
Master of Science - Environmental Policy And Management
American Military University
05-2017
Bachelor of Arts - Economics
Kyushu University
03-2009
Skills
- Technical experience with conservation planning and ArcGIS
- Experience in multiple capacities including project management, policy research, stakeholder engagement, and project operations and administration
- Extensive experience with coordinating internal staff, project partners, and donors remotely under multi-country projects
- Organized, efficient and can juggle multiple responsibilities simultaneously, delivering outputs quickly and with quality
- Takes ownership of work and sees project activities and outputs through to completion
- Excellent communication skills, flexibility and cultural sensitivity to engage with a wide variety of stakeholders in an international work environment and within complex teams
Certification
- American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)
- LEED Accredited Professional for Neighborhood Development
Publications
- City of Wilmington (2026). Wilmington Greater Downtown Plan. wilmingtonnc.gov/files/assets/city/v/4/government/city-clerk/boards-amp-commissions/planning-commission/05-may/greater-downtown-plan-full-draft-6.9.26.pdf
- United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) (2018). Climate Change and National Urban Policies in Asia and the Pacific: A Regional Guide for Integrating Climate Change Concerns into Urban-Related Policy, Legislative, Financial and Institutional Frameworks. http://www.fukuoka.unhabitat.org/cc_nup
- United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) (2020). National Urban Policy Pacific Region Report. https://unhabitat.org/national-urban-policy-pacific-region-report
Timeline
Long-Range Planner
City of Wilmington
03.2024 - Current
Urban Climate Change and Risk Researcher
UN-Habitat Lao PDR Office
12.2020 - 04.2021
National Urban Policy Advisor
UN-Habitat ROAP
11.2019 - 12.2019
Urban Ecosystems-based Adaptation Advisor
UN-Habitat ROAP, Bangkok Office
07.2019 - 10.2019
Project Advisor - Climate Change
UN-Habitat ROAP
11.2017 - 06.2018
Community Planner, Designing Lady's Island Project
Coastal Conservation League
05.2017 - 10.2017
Consultant for Training Module Development
UN-Habitat Myanmar Office
01.2017 - 05.2017
Programme Management Intern
UN-Habitat Myanmar Office
05.2016 - 11.2016
Project Assistant
UN-Habitat ROAP
12.2013 - 11.2014
Project Manager, MDGs Working Group
United Nations Association San Diego Chapter
04.2013 - 11.2013
Account Executive
Salford Systems
01.2010 - 07.2012
Bachelor of Arts - Economics
Kyushu University
Master of Science - Environmental Policy And Management
American Military University
Graduate Certificate - GIS For Urban And Regional Planning
University of Florida