Amber Richane is a nationally recognized leader in sustainable design and deep green planning with more than two decades of experience advancing high performance architecture and regenerative civic infrastructure. She is known for translating ambitious climate goals into built reality and delivering projects that are measurable, equitable, and transformative.

Amber led the completion of City Hall East (aka City Services Building), the world’s most sustainable municipal building, managing the project through opening for the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day in 2020. Delivered on time and under budget in a pandemic, the building sets a new benchmark for regenerative design, carbon neutrality, water independence, and healthy workplace transformation. The project demonstrates that truly sustainable buildings are achievable within public sector constraints and can serve as catalysts for broader change.

Prior to joining the City of Santa Monica, Amber spent nearly 20 years in commercial architecture, including thirteen years at CallisonRTKL, where she served as Performance Driven Design Lead across 18 international offices. Her work integrated building performance, environmental responsibility, and client vision at scale. Earlier in her career, she worked at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill in Washington, DC and at StreetSense, grounding her expertise in both global design excellence and human centered urbanism.

Today, Amber serves in the City Manager’s Office leading the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project, a once in a generation effort to transform 192 acres into a regenerative and community driven public future. The project requires coordination across all City departments and extensive engagement with local, regional, and state partners, using innovative outreach strategies to ensure broad and inclusive civic participation.

Environmental stewardship and social justice are central to Amber’s work and life. From advancing net zero public buildings to expanding access to equitable civic processes, she is committed to making sustainability accessible, practical, and enduring for everyone.