David Abraham, PhD

Biography: Dr. David B. Abraham is a nationally recognized expert in sustainable development planning, specializing in the design and implementation of resilience and sustainability strategies across infrastructure, land use, and community development. His expertise spans mixed-use development, sustainable transportation planning, built environment and health impact assessments, revitalization strategy, environmental planning, and integrated community planning. Passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Abraham works at the intersection of planning, infrastructure, health, and data systems to create high-functioning, livable places. His approach emphasizes actionable, measurable solutions that integrate technical expertise with stakeholder engagement. He brings together planners, engineers, public health professionals, and community voices to guide projects from vision to implementation. Dr. Abraham has shared his work through workshops, keynote presentations, and conferences across the U.S. and internationally in Ireland, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, and Portugal. At Rice University, he teaches multiple graduate programs including the Professional Science Master’s Program, Global Affairs, Energy Transition, and the Jones Graduate School of Business. He also lectures in sustainable transportation at the Mineta Transportation Institute, part of San Jose State University's Lucas Graduate School of Business. He holds several national leadership positions, including serving on the board of the American Planning Association’s Sustainable Communities Division and chairing the Education Committee of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. Dr. Abraham is a former commissioner with the City of Houston Planning Commission and currently serves as an Honorary Fellow with the Urban Land Institute’s Planning Advisory Service (ULI-PASHA) and as a ULI Health Policy Fellow