Virginia Gravalos is an Urban Development Planner with nearly 20 years of professional experience worldwide in integrated urban policy and management, urban planning and design, urban regeneration and upgrading, and urban heritage management in a framework of multistakeholder partnership working and community participation. She is a qualified architect from the Polytechnic University of Barcelona, holds an MSc in Development and Planning from the Development Planning Unit, and Diploma in Economics from the University of London. She has broad experience in Project in managing complex urban project, the elaboration of technical and financial proposals for international organizations, and in institutional strengthening of local and national government departments, including training and the development of guides and toolkits. Further areas of interest are climate change adaptation and mitigation planning, land tenure and housing. Some projects to highlight are her role as Team Leader for the WB-funded projects Mobility Plan and Detailed Design of Project Investments for Integrated Urban Upgrading of Gjirokastra in Albania and Advisory services for planning infrastructure and urban redevelopment in the Msimbazi Special Planning Areas in Tanzania.