Loretta Lees

Professor Loretta Lees (FAcSS, MAE) is Director of the Initiative on Cities at Boston University. She is an urban geographer, urbanist, and urban social theorist who researches gentrification, urban regeneration, global urbanism, urban policy, and urban public space. Since 2024 she has co-organized the Boston Urban Salon; she previously co-organized 2009-2022 The Urban Salon: A London forum for architecture, cities and international urbanism and 2016-22 the Leicester Urban Observatory. Her awards include the 2026 Patron’s Medal, Royal Geographical Society and the 2025 Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs Award, Urban Affairs Association.