Deepti Adlakha, Ph.D., is the Director of the Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) and Associate Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning. Dr. Adlakha is a Fulbright Scholar and an interdisciplinary scientist with a diverse educational background. She holds degrees in architecture, urban design, public health, and has extensive research experience within international contexts. Dr. Adlakha’s research focuses on generating, translating, and scaling up evidence for reducing health inequities in underserved populations, especially children, youth, and families. This work includes examining how the neighbourhood environment impacts weight status, physical activity, and dietary behaviours across the lifespan. As Director of NLI, she is currently involved in designing outdoor learning environments for preschools, special education facilities, and school grounds in the US. Dr. Adlakha is passionate about promoting access to nature in the daily experience of children of all ages and abilities through environmental design, action research, education, and dissemination of information. She collaborates with community partners and public health practitioners to help implement policy, systems, and environmental change around active living. Dr. Adlakha has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and popular media, including TEDx, BBC, The Conversation, and Scientific American.