Sam Adams

The former founding director of the World Resources Institute (WRI) United States, Sam Adams previously served in many positions in the Portland, Oregon, government. Starting with a 10-year term as the chief of staff to former Portland Mayor Vera Katz, Sam Adams later became a city commissioner before serving a term as mayor from 2009 to 2012. During his time as mayor, Mr. Adams focused on improving the city’s environmental health, creating jobs, boosting the high school graduation rate, and establishing many local programs and initiatives along the way. In 2009, he introduced the Climate Action Plan, which resulted in a 2 percent reduction in the city’s carbon footprint, established curbside food composting services, and banned single-use plastic bags. In 2011, his economic development strategy enabled the city to become a main US exporter of environmental technology and services, leading to the creation of 10,000 new jobs. By his last year in office, he had helped to create the Portland Plan, which put the city on a 25-year path to significantly improving the community from an economic, environmental, and educational standpoint. Sam Adams works a columnist for The Atlantic Monthly's Citylab (https://www.citylab.com/authors/sam-adams/) and as a consultant for nonprofits and businesses. In addition to his professional pursuits, Sam Adams is the co-founder of several nonprofits, including EcoDistricts (https://ecodistricts.org/) and Enhabit (https://enhabit.org/). When he is not working, he enjoys hiking, bike riding, beekeeping, and traveling.