Denise Kemper was born in the city of Essen in the “Ruhrgebiet”, one of the most densely populated areas in Germany and grew up in Bavaria/Southern Germany. As geographer and project manager she was working in Malawi and Benin and saw, how differently cities outside Europe work and function. She is fascinated by the complexity of urban systems and social interactions. After years abroad, she came back to the Ruhrgebiet and recognized, the demand for CityChangers on-site.

She has been working at the Regional Ruhr Association for the last 8 years, being involved in different research projects. Her main task is to contribute to the protection and development of green and open space in the Emscher Landscape Park- the green heart of the Metropolis Ruhr. Her favorite research topics are Regional Development, Urban Gardening, Urban Agriculture, Green Infrastructure, Co-production and Network activities.