Risa Wilkerson is the Executive Director of Healthy Places by Design, a nonprofit consulting group serving philanthropy, nonprofit, and community-based organizations across the U.S. She provides overarching guidance and strategic vision to fulfill the organization’s mission of advancing community-led action and proven, place-based strategies to ensure health and well-being for all. Risa has 20 years of proven leadership in the healthy communities’ field, with a focus on equity, integrity, and collaboration. She has extensive experience supporting multidisciplinary community-based partnerships across the country. Risa is the lead author of the report Socially Connected Communities: Solutions to Social Isolation and A Sense of Belonging (published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review) and she stewards Healthy Places by Design’s initiatives and partnerships supporting this work. Risa holds an MA from Michigan State University. Risa is an action-driven optimist, abundance thinker, and simplicity seeker.