Jorge Madrid

Research Associate

Jorge Madrid is a research associate for the Energy Policy Team, assisting Van Jones in spearheading the Green Opportunity Initiative. Prior to joining American Progress, Jorge worked as a legislative fellow in the office of Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), where he assisted with energy, technology, environmental, and transportation policy. While in the Senate, Jorge worked closely with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Task Force on Climate Change and the Green Economy, where he collaborated with legislators and stakeholder groups to develop national policy priorities and a strategic plan to include Latinos and underrepresented communities in the economic potential of the green economy.  

As a graduate student, Jorge worked in the office of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, providing research assistance and policy recommendations for the creation of a clean technology business cluster for the city, as well as job creation and antipoverty measures. In addition, he served as a consultant for the Los Angeles Infrastructure Academy, a nonprofit organization focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, or STEM, education, and green jobs training for inner-city youth. Jorge also served on the board of advisors for East Los Angeles Community College, in their green pathways program.  

Jorge completed a dual master’s degree program in urban planning and public administration at the University of Southern California. His research and core degree concentrations were urban economic development and environmental sustainability. While at USC, Jorge participated in an international consulting project through the U.N.-Habitat program, creating sustainable development recommendations for the Favela-Barrio project in Rio De Janiero, Brazil.  Jorge received undergraduate degrees in history and Latin America studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. 

Email: jmadrid /@\ americanprogress.org