Dr. Denise Fairchild is Executive Director of the Emerald Cities Collaborative  in Washington, D.C., which is focused on the “greening” of American cities. Dr. Fairchild is a leader in the field of sustainable and community development in the City of Los Angeles and is recognized nationally for her innovative programs in the public and non-profit sectors.  She has dedicated over 30 years of her life to improving low income communities, domestically and internationally, through civic engagement, housing, jobs, businesses and economic opportunities.

In 1995, Denise founded the Community and Economic Development (CED) Department at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College (LATTC), as well as an affiliated non-profit community development research and technical assistance organization, CDTech (a.k.a. Community Development Technologies Center). These two institutions employ over 15 professionals focused on building livable communities by expanding jobs, income, assets and civic capacity within low income neighborhoods. Denise recently helped launch the Regional Economic Development Institute (REDI) and the Institute for Community Development at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College which expands the role of LATTC in strengthening the economic competitiveness of inner city residents and neighborhoods.

From 1989-1994, Dr. Fairchild directed the L.A. office of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and helped raise close to $100 million in equity investments, grants, and loans for community-based housing and commercial development projects and, generally, with building the non-profit housing and community development industry in the L.A. region.

Dr. Fairchild is a community activist and serves on the boards of numerous civic, community and civil rights organizations.  Her civic and political appointments have included the California ScholarShare Board, California Commission on Regionalism, the California Economic Strategy Panel, The California Local Economic Development Association, The Los Angeles Community Development Bank, The Urban Land Institute National Inner City Advisor, the Coalition for Women’s Economic Development and the Los Angeles Environmental Quality Board.   She recently served as Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s special advisor for South LA Investments.