Kurt is the founder of KS Advisory, a consulting practice providing insights to cities, companies, and civil society organizations as they approach the challenge of extreme heat and climate resilience. Prior to launching KS Advisory, Kurt was the Director of Extreme Heat Initiatives at the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center. There, Kurt led the center’s mission to protect people and livelihoods from the risks and impacts of extreme heat by building global partnerships, connecting communities, developing policies and programs, and supporting implementation.
In 2011, Kurt launched the Global Cool Cities Alliance and built it into a global network of over 70 cities focused on implementing passive cooling solutions to combat rising urban heat. He is the lead author of World Bank’s Primer for Cool Cities and has led projects for the Department of Energy, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, the United Nations, and the Clean Energy Ministerial. Kurt is on the Board of Directors for Cool Roof Rating Council and the Energy and Environment Study Institute and is a member of the Advisory Board for the American Public Health Association’s Center for Climate, Health, and Equity.