Ladd Keith, Ph.D.

The Team

The Team
The team at the Comfort at the Extremes (CATE) Conference at the University of Arizona’s ENR2 Building. (2026)

Tackling climate change impacts like extreme heat requires an interdisciplinary approach. My research team reflects this by bringing together program staff, postdoctoral researchers, doctoral students, graduate students, and undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines, including urban planning, geography, public policy, public health, and landscape architecture. Our team has a strong culture of mentorship for students interested in both academic and practice-focused careers. We are dedicated to providing hands-on research experience to prepare the next generation of climate leaders to make a real-world impact.

Current and prospective students for the University of Arizona can reach out to me to learn about opportunities to join our team.

Team Lead

Ladd Keith
Ladd Keith, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Planning
Director, Heat Resilience Initiative
Associate Research Professor, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy
Distinguished Scholar
Biography

Current Members

Kirsten Lake
Kirsten Lake
Program Coordinator, Southwest Urban Integrated Field Laboratory (SW-IFL)
Halley Hughes
Halley Hughes
Program Coordinator,
Heat Resilience Initiative
Anne-Lise Boyer
Anne-Lise Boyer, Ph.D.
Assistant Research Professor, School of Landscape Architecture and Planning
Mahin Mehnaz
Mahin Mehnaz
PhD student in Arid Lands Resource Sciences and Graduate Research Assistant, graduate of M.S. in Urban Planning
Alekzander Ryan
Alekzander Ryan
PhD student in Arid Lands Resource Sciences and Graduate Research Assistant, graduate of B.S. in Sustainable Built Environments and M.S. in Urban Planning
Marci Caballero-Reynolds
Marci Caballero-Reynolds
Graduate student in dual M.S. in Urban Planning and Science, Water, Society, and Policy, and Graduate Research Assistant
Savannah Blide
Savannah Blide
Graduate student in M.S. in Urban Planning and Graduate Research Assistant
Ryan Green
Ryan Green
Graduate student in M.S. in Urban Planning and Student Researcher, previously B.S. in Urban and Regional Development
Gigi and Nico
Gigi and Nico

Featured Alumni

Malini Roy
Malini Roy, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate (2023-2025)
Currently: Assistant Professor of Urban Planning, The University of Texas at Arlington
Minwoo Ahn
Minwoo Ahn, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Research Associate (2024-2026)
Incoming: Assistant Professor of Environmental Policy at the College of Charleston
Ida Sami
Ida Sami, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Arid Lands Resource Sciences. Graduate Teaching Assistant (2018-2022). Currently: CEO & Founder at LamaTerra, Inc.
Joseph Iuliano
Joseph Iuliano, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geography and M.S. in Planning. Graduate Research and Teaching Associate (2013-2021).
Currently: Senior Lecturer of Planning at the University of Arizona

Alumni

  • Aaron Bouschor, M.S. in Urban Planning, Graduate Research Assistant (2024-2025). LinkedIn Profile
  • Lindsey Jordan, Dual Master of Business Administration and M.S. in Urban Planning. Graduate Research Assistant (2023-2024). LinkedIn Profile
  • Ash Avila, M.S. in Urban Planning and B.S. in Sustainable Built Environments. Undergraduate Research Assistant (2021-2023) and Graduate Research Assistant (2023-2024). LinkedIn Profile
  • Kaitlyn Wolfe, Master of Public Health. Graduate Research Assistant (2023-2024). LinkedIn Profile
  • Lauren Heath, M.S. in Urban Planning and B.S. in Sustainable Built Environments. Undergraduate Research Assistant (2021) and Graduate Research Assistant (2022-2023). LinkedIn Profile
  • Andrew K. Pongrátz, Dual B.A. in Economics and B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law. Udall Center Mo’s Policy Scholars Fellow (2023). LinkedIn Profile
  • Andrew Szentesy, M.S. in Urban Planning. Independent Study (2023). LinkedIn Profile
  • Bahati Oonga, M.S. in Urban Planning. Graduate Research Assistant (2023). LinkedIn Profile
  • Stephanie Smith, M.S. in Urban Planning. Graduate Research Assistant (2022-2023). LinkedIn Profile
  • Erika Lynn Schmidt, Master of Architecture, University of Arizona. Graduate Research Assistant (2020-2023). LinkedIn Profile
  • Jack Haskins, Dual B.A. in Dance and B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law. Honors Thesis Advisee (2022-2023). LinkedIn Profile
  • Hunter Lohse, Master of Landscape Architecture. Graduate Research Assistant & Peace Corp Coverdell Fellow (2021-2022). LinkedIn Profile
  • Veronique Argüello, M.S. in Urban Planning. Graduate Research Assistant and Indigenous Food, Energy, and Water Systems (Indige-FEWS) NSF Research Trainee (2021-2022). LinkedIn Profile
  • Ethan Wissler, Dual Master of Landscape Architecture and M.S. in Urban Planning. Graduate Research Assistant & Data Science Fellow (2021-2022). LinkedIn Profile
  • Tess Wagner, Master of Landscape Architecture. Graduate Research Assistant (2019-2020).
  • Maass, M.S. in Planning and B.S. in Sustainable Built Environments. Graduate Research Assistant (2015-2017). LinkedIn Profile