Director
Gordon McCord is Associate Dean and Associate Teaching Professor of Economics at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at the University of California, San Diego. He is also Senior Advisor to the Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the United Nations. He has an extensive background in sustainable development and works at the intersection of development economics, public health and the environment.
Faculty Affiliates
David Victor is a professor of innovation and public policy at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego. He is the Peter F Cowhey Center for Global Transformation Endowed Chair in Innovation and Public Policy. Victor is also the co-director of the campus-wide Deep Decarbonization Initiative, which focuses on real world strategies for bringing the world to nearly zero emissions of warming gases. Victor is also an adjunct professor in climate, atmospheric science, and physical oceanography at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
SDGPI Team
Jane Abrams
Undergraduate researcher, San Diego SDG Dashboard
Jane is a student at UC San Diego majoring in Political Science: Data Analytics with a minor in Climate Change Studies. In addition to SDGPI Jane is an intern working in San Diego City Council, under Councilmember Joe LaCava in District 1.
Michael Andrews
SDGPI Affiliate, SDG ESRI Project
Michael Andrews recently graduated from GPS and is currently working with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network. He uses an interdisciplinary approach to deconstruct and address complex environmental and socioeconomic questions in order to inform grounded policy solutions.
Joe Bettles
Research Analyst, San Diego Regional Decarbonization Framework
Joe Bettles is a recent graduate of GPS with a Master’s in Public Policy Student at GPS where he is focused on environmental policy and development. In addition to his work with SDGPI, he worked with The Nature Conservancy on agroforestry policy interventions for smallholder farmers.
Claudia A. Fernández Calleros
Research Analyst, FABLE-Mexico
Claudia is a recent Master of Public Policy graduate from GPS specialized in Program Design and Evaluation. She is also a consultant to the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies at UC San Diego. Her work aims to promote equity and inclusion by complementing rigorous empirical research with critical policy analysis frameworks.
Charlotte Gonzalez-Abraham
SDGPI Affiliate, FABLE-Mexico
Charlotte Gonzalez-Abraham is a science consultant associated with ISLA, AC in Baja California Sur. She is working on projects on land use and food systems with a focus on sustainability and conservation of biodiversity.
Elise Hanson
Research Analyst, San Diego Regional Decarbonization Framework
Elise is a Graudate of GPS with a Master’s in Public Policy, specializing in Environmental Policy. Elise has three years of ecological field research experience and aims to use the experiences gained in the field to create scientifically sound, research-based policy affecting ecological resilience and environmental justice.
Fernanda Herrera
SDGPI Affiliate, FABLE-Mexico
Fernanda Herrera holds a PhD in Economics from El Colegio de Mexico. She is doing geospatial analytical modeling for sustainable land use planning.
Stefano Pannone
Undergraduate Researcher, San Diego SDG Dashboard
Stefano is in the last year of his bachelor’s at UC San Diego with a major in Environmental Systems: Earth Sciences. His research interests include environmental impact & climate change policy, bioremediation, and renewable energy.
Mario Rodriguez Heredia
Research Analyst, Paraguay Project
Mario is a policy analyst with a background in public finance analysis and evaluation of infrastructure and energy projects in Mexico. Currently, he is pursuing a Master of Public Policy in the environmental and program evaluation specializations.
Tyler Spencer
SDGPI Coordinator
Tyler is pursuing a Master’s of International Affairs at the University of California, San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy with a special interest in data analysis, impact evaluation, development, and geospatial analysis/remote sensing.
Isaac Wang
Project Manager, San Diego Regional Decarbonization Framework
After serving as an officer in the US Navy, Isaac worked in a variety of roles at the intersection of urban planning, technology, and public policy. He’s now hoping to bring sustainable land-use, housing, transportation, and equity issues to the forefront of the local policy agenda.
Joshua Zajdel
SDGPI Affiliate, SANDAG Intern
Josh Zajdel is a current MIA student at GPS focused on international economics and Latin America. He works with SDGPI and the San Diego Association of Governments building an SDG data reporting platform to align regional development initiatives with the global goals.
SDGPI Alumns
Romie Tejeda-Barron
GPS Class of 2021
Benjamin Swearingen
GPS Class of 2021