Last week, Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the appointment of Kevin Bush as the District’s first Chief Resilience Officer. Bush, a longtime U.S. Housing and Urban Development policy strategist and a national resilience expert, will lead an office dedicated to building citywide resilience to social, physical, and economic challenges
The creation of the Chief Resilience Officer position within DC government is a key component of DC’s partnership with 100 Resilient Cities, pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation (100RC). 100RC supports cities around the world in becoming more resilient to complex 21st century challenges. The foundation provides assistance through funding for a Chief Resilience Officer in each of the cities; resources for drafting a resilience strategy; access to private sector, public sector, academic, and NGO resilience tools; and membership in a global network of peer cities to share best practices and challenges.
According to 100RC, the Chief Resilience Officer position is specifically designed to break down existing barriers at the local level; account for pre-existing resilience plans; and create partnerships, alliances, and financing mechanisms that will address the resilience vulnerabilities of all city residents, with a particular focus on low-income and vulnerable populations.
