Joe Leitmann

Dr. Leitmann is Lead Disaster Risk Management Specialist at the World Bank, heading teams on Resilient Recovery and Urban Resilience at the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). He is also GFDRR’s focal point for humanitarian and fragility/conflict issues. Previously, Joe spent four years managing the $400 million Haiti Reconstruction Fund which supports post-earthquake recovery in partnership with the Government and the international community. At the same time, he supported the creation of crisis response and development funds in a number of fragile and conflict-affected states (Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan). He also developed and managed the $650 million Multi Donor Fund to help rebuild after the tsunami in Indonesia. Joe has over 30 years of development experience with the World Bank in disaster risk management, climate change, natural resource management, urban development, forestry, and clean energy. He has worked in over 40 countries and held long-term assignments in Turkey, Brazil, Indonesia, Haiti, and the South Pacific (the latter as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer). Dr. Leitmann holds a PhD in city and regional planning from UC Berkeley and a Master’s from the Harvard Kennedy School. He is the author of a textbook on urban environmental management (SUSTAINING CITIES) and numerous articles; he is also co-author of the recently-issued World Bank flagship report, "Investing in Urban Resilience: Making Cities and the Urban Poor More Resilient."