Brooks Rainwater

Brooks Rainwater is the Senior Executive and Director of the National League of Cities’ Center for City Solutions. He oversees NLC’s research, research partnerships, leadership education, and community engagement efforts to strengthen the capacity of municipal leaders to create strong local economies, safe and vibrant neighborhoods, world-class infrastructure, and a sustainable environment. Brooks’ areas of expertise include economic development, sustainability, and urban innovation.

As a strong advocate for vibrant and successful cities, Brooks often speaks and writes on the subject, and has published numerous research reports and articles on the creation of innovative, sustainable, and livable communities. His recent research publications and interest have surrounded the sharing economy, open data, and the state of our nation’s cities. Brooks has appeared in a range of media outlets, including CNN, NPR, Bloomberg, and the New York Times. Brooks also frequently contributes writing to publications such as Fast Company, The Guardian, Business Insider, and Tech Crunch.

Prior to joining NLC, Brooks was Director of Public Policy for the American Institute of Architects (AIA). While at the AIA he developed the Local Leaders research series, analyzing nationwide trends in sustainability and livability. Additionally, he spearheaded the Cities as a Lab initiative, which focused in on the key role that cities play as creative instigators of innovative practices leading our country’s economy forward.

Brooks is an International Advisory Board Member for the City of Rotterdam. He also serves on the Board of Directors for STAR Communities and the Brookings Institution Innovation District Advisory Group. Brooks is a graduate of George Washington University’s Masters of Public Administration program and lives in Arlington, VA.