Julie Wagner

Julie Wagner is a Non Resident Senior Fellow and Trans Atlantic Fellow at the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program. She recently designed the comprehensive strategy for the $10 million JPMorgan Chase and Metro Program Global Cities Initiative. Strategies included how increase the global reach of U.S. metros and how to mutually advance the economic agendas of U.S. and international metropolitan leaders. For over the past five years, Julie conducted research on innovative policy and practice across Europe to help inform policy reform efforts in the United States. Research included: intelligent freight and logistics systems and policies, urban infill, successfully shrinking cities, industrial policy reform, and innovation districts. Julie also pioneered the Metro Program’s visual communications program, where the Metro Program was awarded an international communications award for public policy. Before joining Brookings, Julie advised the European Commission on how to advance potentially controversial large-scale development projects in eight European cities. She advised Washington DC’s Public Library system, where she successfully developed a planning and capital fund campaign to reconstruct over 15 neighborhood branch libraries. She also served as the Deputy Planning Director of Long Range Planning for the City of Washington DC where she received the award for Outstanding Work in a Special Community Initiative by the American Planning Association, National Capital Area. She earned a Masters in City Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Julie currently lives in Zurich but recently lived and worked in Washington DC, Rome, Milan and Lugano.

Cities and the 'multi-dimenionsionality' they offer to people across a range of ages, incomes and beliefs. How cities can provide the stimulation to set off a new idea, connection, or creation.

Innovation Districts: a relatively new term just beginning to gain currency among political, business and civic leaders focused on innovation led economic development in relatively small geographies of their cities and metros. By our definition, Innovation Districts cluster and connect leading edge anchor institutions and cutting edge innovative firms with supporting and spin off companies, business incubators, mixed-use housing, office and retail and 21st century amenities and transport.

City Planning and Design, Urban Policy, Visual + Verbal Messaging