I am a PhD candidate studying urban planning in the Geography, Planning and Design program at the University of Colorado Denver. My dissertation research focuses on the tension of land use policy and reduction of climate/disaster risk. Specifically, I am studying policies related to land development practices and flood risk management in Rwanda. I am researching the policies themselves but also how policymakers, international organizations and local organizations are grappling with flood risks related to naturally occurring rainfall and human caused land development which are exacerbated by a changing climate. Flood risk management is underlaid by policies intended to slow rapid urbanization and increase the resilience and crop yields for a majority population reliant on subsistence farming. I have a background in civil engineering and have a dual master’s degree in Public Administration and Urban and Regional Planning.