Fellow, Climate and Security Program

Olivia Urbanski is a Water Security and Foreign Affairs Officer in the Office of Conservation and
Water at the U.S. Department of State. She recently joined the Water Team after over three
years in the Office of Global Change and working directly with the Special Presidential Envoy for
Climate. While on the climate team, Olivia specialized in international climate policy, negotiated
on behalf of the United States at the two most recent UNFCCC COPs, and coordinated the
team’s bilateral and regional engagement in Africa including SPEC John Kerry’s travel to the
region. She also led engagement on climate security issues, youth, and the nexus of climate
and gender. Previously, Olivia was a fellow at U.S. Forest Service managing the national Youth
Conservation Corps program. She has also worked with the National Park Service in Alaska
and taught at an environmental learning center in northern Minnesota. Olivia holds a dual
degree in Global and International Studies and Environmental Studies from Loyola University
Chicago.