Rachel Bramwell

Rachel Bramwell is a passionate urban economist and strategic advisor helping cities and communities navigate complex challenges, from climate resilience to equitable development. As co-lead of the People pillar within Hatch’s newly integrated Environment, People, and Place (EP&P) practice, Rachel brings a cross-disciplinary lens to her work, blending economic insight with a deep commitment to social impact.

Her journey at Hatch has been marked by entrepreneurial leadership, mentorship, and a drive to create lasting, positive change. Growing up in Los Angeles, Rachel was fascinated by how cities worked, and knew from a young age that she wanted to help shape them. Today, she’s doing just that.

What do you do at Hatch?
I co-lead the People pillar of Hatch’s EP&P practice, focusing on urban economics, socio-economics, and advisory services. My work helps clients and communities make informed decisions about land use, development, and economic strategy, especially in historically underinvested areas. 

What does positive change mean to you?
To me, positive change means leaving a sustainable economic and social legacy for future generations. Whether it’s helping clients plan green aluminum plants powered by renewable energy or transforming waterfronts into resilient, connected spaces, I’m proud to contribute to long-term impact through thoughtful urban planning and economic development. Working on the development of the Port Master Plan for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was certainly a career highlight, bringing together diverse voices to guide long-term strategy for one of the region’s most critical urban assets.

What are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of growing my career at Hatch. I started as a Senior Consultant in our Brooklyn office, and am now co-leading a technical area globally, bringing technical best practice to the EP&P team across five continents and bringing global expertise to our clients. As part of this journey, I’m also very proud of mentoring and growing our team intoto a thriving, mission-driven group working across North America. I’m proud to be trusted as a “culture carrier” of Hatch’s culture.

How has your leadership evolved?
Completing the Coro Leadership New York program in May 2025—a leadership development program for leaders in New York City solving civic challenges—was transformative. It helped me build confidence as a leader and as a working parent, and how to bring my whole self to work as a leader. I learned to better understand my leadership style, mentor others, and communicate with purpose. It also reinforced the power of relationships in driving change, something I bring into every client engagement.

What’s different about Hatch’s culture?
Hatch is truly flat and connected. There’s no rigid hierarchy, everyone is encouraged to lead, share ideas, and collaborate. I’ve never seen teamwork like this anywhere else. We’re united by a shared mission and values, and that makes our work not only impactful but deeply fulfilling.

What really stands out to me is Hatch’s strong emphasis on technical grounding. No matter your role, there’s a deep respect for expertise and a drive to understand the technical foundations of what we do. Combined with our flat structure, connected teams, and culture of unconditional honesty, this technical depth is what enables us to deliver innovative, high-quality results to our clients.

What challenges are your clients facing?
Climate change is top of mind, resilience, adaptation, and mitigation are urgent priorities. Our clients need to understand the economic and social impacts of inaction. Through EP&P, we bring together environmental, design, and socio-economic expertise to help our clients and communities plan for a more sustainable future.

What excites you about your role?
I’m energized by the opportunity to shape strategy for our EP&P practice and collaborate globally across Hatch and a range of sectors and parts of our business. In particular, coming back from maternity leave into a global leadership role has been empowering and I’m excited to continue on my leadership journey with Hatch.