165: From Uganda to Harvard, How the “Queen of Trash” is Changing the Environment

Join Dr. Judith Tumusiime, federal grants manager at the Cambridge Community Development Department, on the Innovation Storytellers Show, who shares her unique insights into revitalizing urban areas through innovation. She also highlights the importance of involving all players – government, private sector, and the community – in developing sustainable and self-sustaining innovations. 

We explore how putting people at the center of innovation can lead to more successful and impactful outcomes. Everyone has a stake in creating a more sustainable future, from employees and customers to local communities and government regulators. We’ll discuss why this collaboration is crucial for identifying and implementing effective solutions.

We also take a closer look at the role of corporations in sustainability when it comes to the issue of plastic waste. Judith shares her insights on the challenges of finding sustainable solutions for plastic bottles and how working with companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi can be a crucial factor in creating change. Listen to this inspiring conversation about working together to create a more sustainable, people-centered future.

Name: Dr. Judith Tumusiime
Title: Federal Grants Manager
Company: City of Cambridge

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Dr. Judith Tumusiime is the Federal Grants Manager at the Cambridge Community Development Department. The Community Development Department is the planning agency for the City of Cambridge, whose mission is to foster a livable, sustainable, just, and equitable community. Judith is a senior professional with solid expertise in urban development and research with academia, government institutions, non-profits, and the private sector in Africa, Europe, and the United States. She provides pro bono business consulting services to Boston area non-profits through Harvard Business School Community Action Partners and is a judge on the Social Impact Fellowship Fund committee and is a mentor at the Harvard Innovation Labs. 

She was part of the teaching team of Harvard Ash Center Innovation Field Lab (IFL). Judith was a Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative Fellow and protagonist in three teaching cases. She has also published several publications in international peer-reviewed journals. Judith has a Ph.D. from Wageningen University, an MPA from Harvard University, an MBA from the University of Warwick, MSc in Environment and Natural Resources from Makerere University.