ULI Washington is pleased to announce William Zeh Herbig as its new Executive Director, effective July 9. In this role, Mr. Herbig will lead the Washington District Council of the Urban Land Institute, a global organization dedicated to shaping the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide.

Mr. Herbig brings a wealth of experience to the position. In 2022, he launched and led ULI’s Homeless to Housed (H2H) Initiative in ULI’s Terwilliger Center for Housing – a national program exploring real estate-driven solutions to U.S. housing affordability and homelessness challenges. Previously, in ULI’s Lewis Center for Sustainability, he worked directly with ULI’s network of district councils to advance a portfolio addressing health and social equity disparities within the built environment.

“We are thrilled to welcome Will as ULI Washington’s next Executive Director,” said Anthony Chang, Governance Chair of ULI Washington. “He is a proven leader and long-time advocate for ULI’s mission. With the benefit of his breadth of experience within ULI and across the public and private sectors, he’s ready to make an immediate impact in support of our 2,000 members.”

ULI Washington’s Chair, Katie Bucklew, said “Will brings an energy and passion to the role that is infectious.  We are excited to see how his mission-driven approach, leadership engagement and consensus-building, and creative ideas will continue to shape the impactful work ULI is doing in the region with members and stakeholders.”

Before joining ULI, Mr. Herbig held significant public, private, and nonprofit roles, where he collaborated extensively with ULI Washington members, partners, and stakeholders. As a community planner at the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), he worked to align federal and local interests around some of the region’s highest-profile planning and economic development initiatives. Mr. Herbig also served as an elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC), representing Dupont Circle and parts of the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District.

His other experiences include roles at the Markle Foundation in New York, Kimley-Horn, the Congress for the New Urbanism, and Atlanta’s Midtown Alliance.

Mr. Herbig holds a master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Georgia State University. He is also a former Board Member of the Friends of Stead Park and a 2012-2013 ULI Washington Regional Land Use Leadership Institute graduate.