Julia Thrift

Julia Thrift is an experienced professional in the fields of planning and public health, currently serving as Director of Healthier Place-making at the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) since May 2013. In this role, Julia leads initiatives to enhance green infrastructure, collaborating with various stakeholders including planners and public health teams. Julia also holds a position on the Board of Trustees for Trees for Cities and has a history of impactful leadership, evidenced by a successful tenure as Interim Director for the Ethical Property Foundation, where significant cultural changes were implemented. Previous roles include establishing CABE Space at the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, where Julia focused on the public realm, as well as enhancing the Civic Trust Awards and developing the Green Flag Awards scheme. Julia's career began in freelance writing and journalism, contributing to publications such as The Guardian and CABE, and holds a BA (Hons) in Philosophy from UCL.