Lily is a Financial Analyst Intern with the Natural Infrastructure Initiative at the World Resources Institute (WRI). She is researching the relationship between resilient water utilities and environmental health. In particular, Lily’s work is centered on the need for more widespread financing and funding opportunities for natural (green) infrastructure projects in Oregon. She is researching where utilities are and are not accessing financing/funding for natural infrastructure projects, as well as conducting interviews with stakeholders across the state to better understand opportunities and barriers to natural infrastructure investment. This work will inform recommendations for policymakers and utilities as they work to bolster wildfire resilience and recovery efforts, enhance drinking water quality and quantity, and support rural and local economies.
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Lily Colburn, Western Resource Fellow | Lily Colburn is a Master of Environmental Management candidate at the Yale School of the Environment studying nature-based solutions, conservation, and food systems. Prior to Yale, Lily worked at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama, studying the effects of reduced rainfall on root morphology and nutrient cycling. She has also spent time guiding backcountry trips in the Sierra Nevada. Lily holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in geography and English literature from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). See what Lily has been up to. | Blog