KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Dr. Denise Fairchild - Denise, the inaugural president of Emerald Cities Collaborative, has dedicated over 30 years to strengthening housing, jobs, businesses, energy democracy and economic opportunities for low- income residents and communities of color, domestically and internationally.
She founded the Community and Economic Development Department at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. She helped launch the college’s Regional Economic Development Institute to provide inner-city residents with career and technical education for high-growth/high-demand jobs in the L.A. region. Before this she directed the L.A. office of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation and helped to build the L.A. region's nonprofit housing and community development industry. Other political appointments have included the California Commission on Regionalism, the California Economic Strategy Panel, the California Local Economic Development Association, the Urban Land Institute National Inner City Advisor, the Coalition for Women's Economic Development and the Los Angeles Environmental Quality Board. She also served as Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's special advisor for South LA Investments.
For Dr. Fairchild’s full bio, CLICK HERE
WWW.LAURAKOZLOWSKI.COM
Dr. Sandra Steingraber - Biologist, author, and cancer survivor, Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D. writes about climate change, ecology, and the links between human health and the environment.
“We are all members of a great human orchestra,” says Steingraber, “and it is now time to play the Save the World Symphony. You do not have to play a solo, but you do have to know what instrument you hold and find your place in the score.”
Recognized for her ability to serve as a two-way translator between scientists and activists, Steingraber has keynoted conferences on human health and the environment throughout the United States and Canada and has been invited to lecture at many medical schools, hospitals, and universities–including Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia, and the Woods Hole Research Center. She has testified in the European Parliament, at the European Commission, before the President’s Cancer Panel, and has participated in briefings to Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency, and before United Nations delegates in Geneva, Switzerland. Interviews with Steingraber have appeared in The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Rolling Stone, Outside Magazine, on National Public Radio, CBS News, “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” and “Bill Moyers & Company.”
For Dr. Steingraber’s full bio, CLICK HERE
SUMMIT PRESENTERS & CONVENERS
Shakoor Aljuwani - Shakoor Aljuwani has almost fifty years of experience in organizing, leadership development, and community development with a particular focus in this work as applied to limited resource communities. He has focused on cooperative economics, community business development, community organizing, leadership development, organizational development and youth development. As a founder of Co-op Power and the NYC Community Energy Co-op he has been one of the primary drivers, building Co-op Power's commitment to multi-class, multi-race organizing. As the coordinator for the NYC CEC he is supporting the development of more than 2 megawatts of community solar in NYC to benefit people in limited resource communities. He is committed to building the broadest possible movement for energy democracy and for a sustainable future. Shakoor serves as Chair of the Co-op Power Regional Network Board.
Diego Angarita Horowitz - Diego is a long time supporter of renewable energy and social justice. He was the Associate Director of Nuestras Raices in Holyoke MA and was a member of the board of Energía. He served on the board of Co-op Power and was the Director of Outreach and Marketing. He got his MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School in 2017. He currently lives in Arkansas and works for Walmart as a product manager.
Isaac Baker - Isaac Baker is a social entrepreneur committed to addressing racial inequality and the climate crisis through a just transition to clean energy. He is currently the Co-CEO and founder of Resonant Energy – a solar development company working to build wealth in environmental justice communities through the development of solar and storage projects for nonprofits, affordable housing, and homeowners. His work began as a member of a regional energy cooperative called Co-op Power where he launched their solar financing arm as the VP of Community Solar, piloting legal and financial tools to enable low-income access to community-owned, clean energy projects. Isaac is a contributing author to the book Energy Democracy: Advancing Equity in Clean Energy Solutions (2017) and holds a BA in Environmental Studies from Middlebury College.
Shalanda Baker - Shalanda H. Baker is a Professor of Law, Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University. She has spent over a decade conducting research on the equity dimensions of the global transition away from fossil fuel energy to cleaner energy resources. Shalanda teaches courses on renewable energy development, energy justice, and environmental law and, in 2015, she was awarded a 2016-17 Fulbright-García Robles grant to explore Mexico’s energy reform, climate change and indigenous rights.
Bill Baue - In the Pioneer Valley, Bill was involved in Free Radio Brattleboro in the late 90’s and then Valley Free Radio in the early 2000’s, where he co-founded Sea Change Radio (which still airs nationally / podcasts globally from San Fran). He has lived for the last 9 years at Pioneer Valley Cohousing, where he facilitated much of the work transitioning from traditional consensus to Sociocracy. Professionally, he's Senior Director of r3.0 (Redesign for Resilience & Regeneration) and coordinates the Connecticut Regional Bioregional Collaborative.
Lynn Benander - Lynn is the President and CEO of Co-op Power, a certified B-Corporation and consumer-owned sustainable energy cooperative that has been operating in Massachusetts for 15 years. Co-op Power is a regional network of Community Energy Cooperatives creating local ownership of renewable energy resources. Since 2002, the organization has been engaged in community outreach, education, and dialogue to build consensus about how to best support the transition to a sustainable and just energy future, and has raised more than $320,000 in Member Equity, $2M in member loans, and $850,000 in local investment to support the development of community-scale clean energy projects. Lynn was formerly President and CEO of the Cooperative Development Institute, taught community economic development at MIT and has over 25 years of experience in local and cooperative business development.
Dwayne Breger - Dwayne is the Director of the Clean Energy Extension at the UMass Amherst. CEE supports state goals to accelerate clean energy markets in Massachusetts through market outreach, technical assistance, and applied research. Dwayne spent 13 years as the Director of Renewable Energy at the MA Department of Energy Resources. Dwayne holds degrees in engineering, technology and policy, and resource economics. He lives in Amherst with his wife where we raised our two now adult sons, and this year has obtained a new title of “grandpa”.
Lily-Rakia Chandler - With ancestors from almost every continent, Lily-Rakia Chandler's life’s work has been navigating the many nuanced ways oppression affects people. With Building Bridges at the Great Falls, a Native-led social justice collective, she has served as Cross-cultural Convener and Youth Mentor, co-leading several Decolonization workshops. Recent projects include facilitating workshops on Dismantling White Supremacy, and leading solidarity groups for Loretta Ross’ courses, “White Supremacy in the Drumpf Era,” and “Calling in the Calling Out Culture“.
Leslie Cerier - For over 30 years, Leslie Cerier, “The Organic Gourmet,” Farm to Table Chef and Recipe Developer has been teaching culinary nutrition and hands-on vegetarian, vegan and gluten free cooking for health and vitality. Leslie is also a nationally recognized cookbook author, popular TV Chef, and Motivational Speaker who trains chefs worldwide. She focuses on eating local, seasonal, organic foods that are not just good for you, but are also pleasurable, delicious, and good for the Planet. Visit Leslie’s website: www.lesliecerier.com
Ernesto Cruz - Bio TBA!
Timothy DenHerder-Thomas - Timothy is the General Manager of Cooperative Energy Futures (CEF), an energy efficiency and community-owned clean energy cooperative serving members across Minnesota since 2009. CEF equips members state-wide to build socially just climate solutions that grow community wealth and power. CEF has financed and developed 6.9MW of cooperatively-owned low-income accessible community solar, offsetting the utility bills of over 800 Minnesota households for the next 25 years. Timothy has also helped build local control over energy decision-making in Minneapolis as a member of the city's Energy Vision Advisory Committee and supports energy democracy nationally through the People's Solar Energy Fund and the PowerShift Network.
Crystal Huang - Crystal is a Worker Owner of People Power Solar Cooperative and a 2020 Roddenberry Fellow. She has more than 10 years of experience in climate solutions technology—from resource recovery, to energy management, to solar. After serving as the Chief Operations Officer for a solar startup incubator, Powerhouse, she took on the role of Associate Producer of the climate film, “Time to Choose” (2016). Nationally, Crystal also coordinates the Energy Democracy Project, a collective resource to advance the work of organizations working to democratize energy in the United States.
Bill James - Bill James graduated from West Point in 1972 with concentrations in Physics and Nuclear Engineering. He is an NCAA All-American wrestler and Infantry veteran. He set up factories for Honeywell in the US and Europe, helping bring Just-in-Time and Six Sigma into Honeywell. Bill has founded three companies: one integrated computer networks to apply Lean Thinking to manufacturing; one applies computer networks to sales and operation processes; while JPods uses computer networks to guide mobility.
Emily Jones - Emily serves as the Senior Program Officer for LISC Boston's Green Retrofit Initiative. In this role, Emily convenes experts, supports owners, property managers, and other stakeholders, and drives progressive policy that results in clean, efficient, and equitable energy for Massachusetts’ affordable housing sector. Before joining LISC in 2016, Emily worked as an Ash Center Fellow for the City of Lawrence, Massachusetts, where she helped city officials create a strategy to revitalize physically distressed properties, and as Director of Partnerships for Union Capital Boston, a nonprofit that transforms social capital into opportunity. Emily has also served as a Gender Equity Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo, and worked and served as an AmeriCorps Member with City Year Boston. A proud native of Dedham, Massachusetts, Emily holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography from Dartmouth College, and a master’s degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Alphonse Knight - Alphonse was born on the island of Nevis. As a boy he built solar electric systems using recycled materials. He came to the US to attend school and studied electronics and electricity. He has worked for 34 years in the electronics manufacturing industry. He’s currently building robots. Alphonse has served as the Chair of the Co-op Power Boston Metro East Community Energy Co-op for ten years. He has served as the Boston Metro East CEC's Board Rep for nine years. His hobbies are ham radio communications, alternative energy, gardening, and music.
Olive Knight - Olive Knight is one of the founders of Boston Metro East Community Energy Co-op. She managed the office for the CEC's energy efficiency program, oversaw the CEC's communications with members, coordinated logistics for the annual regional Summits, and provided administrative support to the BME CEC's Board. She holds a Masters in Library Science and worked as a librarian in Boston for more than 25 years.
Louise LeGouis - Louise has been a “member of the movement” for many decades, dancing, or practicing taiji and yoga. She enjoys connecting with different communities through yoga practice wherever she goes. Louise is a certified 200-hour Embodoya™ and Yoga Tune Up™ teacher, and practices Viniyoga. Louise will welcome you where you are, at whatever level of experience or ability, and looks forward to guiding your yoga inquiry to your underlying wholeness. If you attend Louise’s workshop, Breathing in Times of Covid, and would like to contact her afterwards, you may do so here: legouisl@crocker.com
Tom Leue - Homesteading in Ashfield for over 45 years. Developing alternative approaches to regional issues since then. Technician at Smith and Hampshire Colleges. Many solar and biofuel projects so far. Superintendent of Solar Sewage Treatment System. Yellow Biodiesel. Yellow Heat Biofuel System. Homestead Inc.
Michael Lightsmith - Michael is a board member of the NYC Consumer Energy Co-Op and the steering committee of GoBK (Get Organized Brooklyn). He's also a co-facilitating organizer of RJBK (Racial Justice Brooklyn), where he's fostered actions combining legislation/public policy, interpersonal dialogues, and culture/community mobilization; focused on racial repair and reimagining our society. Michael is a Communications & Organizational Development professional working at the intersection of technology, culture, and human transformation.
Sherri Mitchell, Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset - Sherri is an Indigenous rights activist, spiritual teacher, and transformational change maker. She was born and raised on the Penobscot Indian reservation (Penawahpskek). She speaks and teaches around the world on issues of Indigenous rights, environmental justice, and spiritual change. Sherri received her Juris Doctorate and a certificate in Indigenous People’s Law and Policy from the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law. She is an alumna of the American Indian Ambassador program, and the Udall Native American Congressional Internship program. Sherri is the Founding Director of the Land Peace Foundation, an organization dedicated to the global protection of Indigenous land and water rights and the preservation of the Indigenous way of life. Sherri is also the cohost of the syndicated radio program Love (and revolution) Radio, which focuses on real-life stories of heart-based activism and revolutionary spiritual change. She says, "You can't use the Master's tools to dismantle the Master's house. How do we solve the problems of more than 2 millenia? We have people at various levels of consciousness that are coming to this awakening. Cancel culture is conquest. It's just a new face of colonization. We need to call ourselves out and call others in or we're just perpetuating the cycle. We can't use the practice of colonization, expoitation and genocide and expect to eradicate them from our society. You need to build relationships. Find something you can agree on, where you can build relationships with people who hold beliefs that are diametrically opposed to what you believe. Everything is about relationships - your relationship with yourself, your relationship with other people, your relationship with the earth. Indigenous wisdom says that human beings fell out of relationship with themselves, each other, and the earth, so the animals have given us illness so that we will do the hard work to come back into relationship."
Jacqueline Patterson - Jaqueline is the Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program. Jacqui Patterson has worked as a researcher, program manager, coordinator, advocate, and activist working on women‘s rights, violence against women, HIV&AIDS, racial justice, economic justice, and environmental and climate justice. She currently serves on the International Committee of the US Social Forum, the Steering Committee for Interfaith Moral Action on Climate, Advisory Board for Center for Earth Ethics as well as on the Boards of Directors for the Institute of the Black World, Center for Story-Based Strategy and the US Climate Action Network.
Catherine Ratté - Catherine is Principal Planner is the co-Manager of the Land Use/Environment section at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. Catherine is an experienced manager, facilitator and strategic planner, establishing connections and collaborations across disciplines with a focus on sustainability and an emphasis on racial equity. Catherine’s been with the PVPC for 22 years. Previously she worked for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the United States Peace Corps in Cameroon and the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Catherine has two Master's degrees, Urban and Regional Planning and Social Work, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an undergraduate degree in Literature and Society from Brown University. Catherine specializes in inter-disciplinary initiatives focusing on climate action and dismantling racism. She grew up in Amherst, left the region for 23 years, and is now happily settled in Springfield.
Scott Reed - Scott has worked in software development and vegetable farming. He's one of the founders of the regional Co-op Power network. He served for several years on the Products and Services workgroup where he helped organize the neighbor to neighbor solar hot water program. He has worked for Co-op Power as a trainer in the green jobs program. For the last couple of years he has been serving on the Co-op Power network board representing the Franklin Community Energy Co-op. He has also served on the Northeast Biodiesel Board, working to launch this Co-op Power and worker-owned cooperative this fall.
Elyssa Serrilli - A third generation Italian American with Roma heritage, Elyssa grew up in New Jersey speaking English, Spanish and un po’ d’italiano. For two decades, Elyssa has been an environmental educator, community organizer and change agent. Glad to be alive at this time of rising consciousness and rising collective positive action, Elyssa is most curious about applying ecological design principles – the laws of nature - to communication to support our collective desires for positive change.
Michael H. Shuman - Michael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and a leading visionary on community economics. He’s Director of Local Economy Programs for Neighborhood Associates Corporation, Adjunct Professor at Bard Business School in New York City, and Senior Researcher for Council Fire and Local Analytics. He is credited with being one of the architects of the 2012 JOBS Act and dozens of state laws overhauling securities regulation of crowdfunding. His most recent book is Put Your Money Where Your Life Is.
Gaya Sriskanthan - Gaya is the Solar Project Manager at The Working World. Gaya has 17 years of experience working on climate change, indigenous rights and community management of natural resources and energy. She previously worked for the UN Development Program where she oversaw the participation of indigenous peoples and civil society in a global forests and climate change program. Prior to this, Gaya spent seven years in Asia and the Pacific, working for a range of organizations including the UK Department for International Development, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and the World Wildlife Fund.
River Strong - River is the Associate Director at the UMass Amherst Clean Energy Extension. He has more than 20 years of experience designing, developing, assessing, and marketing renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and services. He previously served as founder and president of a clean energy, carbon management, and business sustainability consulting firm based in Burlington, Vermont. He sees his work as contributing to a global movement toward a more just, equitable, regenerative, and connected future. He lives in an Amherst cohousing community with two gorgeous, mischievous, and inspiring kids -- and a Puerto Rican street dog named Bobo.
Stan Swiercz - Stan has been working on climate change for about 15 years. Several years ago he joined a group of activists exploring the potential for using Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) as a platform to fight climate change. They are now working with Northampton, Amherst, and Pelham to form a joint CCA, and together with UMASS CEE and PVPC are working out the details of what they hope will be a regional climate saving organization.
Judith Van Hamm - Judeth Van Hamm is helping create Solar Powered Mobility Networks for Massachusetts with JPods Solar Personal Rapid Transit and Hyperloop, to reach 100% local clean energy in Massachusetts, leading to a stable sustaining climate. In Hull, she helped with the tri-town Weir River Estuary Park, Hull Lifesaving Museum, Fort Revere Park, and saving the Paragon Carousel. She holds a Master of City Planning from University of Pennsylvania and Bachelor of Architecture from University of Michigan.
Brooks Winner - As a Clean Energy Specialist II, Brooks supports communities that are planning and implementing clean energy projects and climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives. He provides technical assistance to cities and towns participating in the Massachusetts Green Communities program. Brooks also supports MAPC’s involvement in the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council and helps lead the organization’s efforts to expand access to clean energy for residents of affordable housing.
Brooks has more than 10 years of experience assisting cities and towns with planning and executing clean energy transitions. Prior to joining MAPC, he worked as a Community Development Officer at the Island Institute in Rockland, Maine, supporting clean energy projects, capacity building, and leadership development with island communities in Maine and beyond.
