Jorge Madrid is a Senior Advisor at Tzunu Strategies, leading a portfolio focused on cities, climate and energy policy, and philanthropic strategy. His career spans 15 years as a bridge builder between government, philanthropy, NGOs, and communities on the front lines of climate change. His expertise ranges from local and regional economic strategy, policy development and implementation, energy and transportation, urban planning, and the arts.
He approaches all of his work with curiosity and a deep respect for the history and lived experiences of his partners. Previous to this role, Jorge worked at the Energy Foundation, where he launched a city-based accelerator program as part of the American Cities Climate Challenge.
Jorge helped 25 cities (including Los Angeles and San Diego) meet -and exceed- targets set in the Paris Climate Accord. Previously, he served as the California Climate and Energy Director for the Environmental Defense Fund, and before that was an analyst with the Center for American Progress, and a staffer on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. In 2015, Jorge was published in the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy, and recognized for his scholarship on helping Latino/Latinx communities capture the full benefits of clean energy technologies. Jorge started his policy career as a Graduate Fellow with Los Angeles Mayor Villariagosa’s Office of Economic Development, and a Richard Polanco Public Policy Fellow with the CA Latino Legislative Caucus.
Proudly born and raised in East Los Angeles, Jorge is now raising two young boys with his wife in the community where he grew up. He earned a Master of Urban Planning and Public Administration from the University of Southern California, and completed an Executive Program in Climate and Energy Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.
