Christopher Kennedy is the associate director at the Urban Systems Lab, The New School and lecturer in the Parsons School of Design. Kennedy’s work and research explores the social-ecological benefits of urban plant communities and community-based approaches to environmental stewardship and planning.

He consults for leading private-sector companies like Google, Samsung, and Saint-Gobain, as well as municipal governments and organizations, to advance environmental planning, climate action strategies, and sustainable infrastructure investment. His expertise informs resilience investments, greenhouse gas and energy monitoring, and the development of data-driven solutions to support climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.

Kennedy holds a BS in environmental engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an MA in Environmental Conservation from New York University, and a PhD in Educational Leadership and Management from the University of North Carolina.