Julie Wagner is president and founder of The Global Institute on Innovation Districts (GIID), a global reaching, not-for-profit organization. The mission of GIID is to accelerate the growth and evolution of innovation districts worldwide. She leads a multidisciplinary team that undertakes novel empirical research across dozens of districts worldwide to elevate their distinction from other economic models. Julie has shaped and led a global network of nearly 50 districts across five continents and 16 countries. Julie is a prolific researcher and writer. Her most notable research includes, “The Rise of Innovation Districts: A New Geography of Innovation in America” and “The Evolution of Innovation Districts: The New Geography of Global Innovation.” Her most recent paper was released in late 2023, titled “Why Governance Matters,” which boldly proclaims that the long-term success or failure of innovation districts, hinges on their ability to organize. A trained city planner from MIT, Julie was a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution for nearly 15 years. served as a deputy planning director for Washington DC, where she managed the development of plans to aid that city undergoing significant economic and social transformation.