Johanna Holtan

FeME Project Manager
The University of Edinburgh

For over 20 years, Johanna Holtan has been creating impactful programmes, initiatives, and businesses for social good. As Project Manager for the Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME) network, she supports the strategy and delivery of the interdisciplinary global community to address the inequities caused by climate change through inclusive, sustainable engineering solutions.

As Operations Director of the Edinburgh Earth Initiative at the University of Edinburgh, she collaborated with researchers, students, and global partners to advance climate justice through transformative partnerships, fellowships, and scholarships. As Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh, she led the design and delivery of the transformative $27 million scholarship and leadership programme for young people from across Africa. At the University of Edinburgh, she also reshaped the UK’s first creative learning festival and launched a student-led award-winning internationalisation strategy.

She is the co-founder of award-winning CycleHack, a 50-city participatory platform empowering citizens to create cycling solutions. She was also the founding curator of TEDxPortobello and TEDxUniversity of Edinburgh, the country Georgia’s first ever Race for the Cure event for breast cancer survivors, and is on the board of Tribe Porty and the Shasha Network.

She is a proud recipient of the University of Edinburgh Principal’s Medal for her contributions to the University community.