Lidya Woldeyesus

Transportation Planning | Geospatial Researcher | Master’s Candidate of Urban and Regional Planning at Georgetown University

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

About

I am a Master’s candidate in Urban and Regional Planning at Georgetown University with a geographic focus in the United States and Sub-Saharan Africa. As an emerging practitioner, I center transportation systems through leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and innovative sustainability frameworks to address the world's pressing urban challenges, including environmental degradation, inadequate infrastructure, and a rapidly growing urban population. These factors heighten vulnerability to climate-related disasters, making sustainable solutions critical. I am deeply committed to building resilient, equitable, and thriving communities as part of the fight against the climate crisis and global socio-economic and racial disparities. My background in community organizing, politics, and data-driven policymaking informs a human-centered approach to spatial planning that prioritizes inclusivity and sustainability. I hold a B.A. in Political Science and Civic Studies from Tufts University, and my work is guided by the belief that urban planning can drive transformative change for both people and the planet.

Experience

  • Transportation Planning Intern at WSP in the U.S.
    May 2025 - Present · 1 yr 2 mos

  • GIS Research Fellow at Georgetown Global Cities Initiative
    Aug 2024 - Present · 1 yr 11 mos

    Develop GIS analyses for a wide range of Georgetown Global Cities Initiative research projects. The role supports both faculty and organization-wide research.

  • Graduate Student Assistant at Mellon Foundation
    Mar 2024 - Dec 2025 · 1 yr 10 mos

    Provide support for Georgetown Professor Amani Morrison’s Mellon Sawyer Seminar on “Creative Placemaking, Black Restorative Ecologies, and Black Spatial Futures.” The role includes: event planning, management, and execution; managing the video/audio editing and digital archiving of recorded events; updating the website, social media publicity for events.

  • Content Development Assistant: Technology Division at American Planning Association
    Oct 2024 - May 2025 · 8 mos

    Assist with development of content for the American Planning Association (APA) Technology Division’s card game, “Planning Through the Black Mirror.” This includes researching urban planning case studies and building content for the game, ensuring content accuracy and relevance.

  • Racial Justice Legal Fellow at Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
    Jan 2022 - May 2022 · 5 mos

    In this role, I organized campaigns with coalitions across the state on legal issues ranging from municipal broadband to disparate school discipline. Additionally, I worked on the data equity project by streamlining the collection and management of state-wide racial data including 2020 Census and ACP enrollment. Throughout the fellowship, I directly supported the Director of Racial Justice Advocacy with strategic planning at both local and state levels.