Conference Speakers 2013
Featured Speakers:
Pleanry Session:
Majora Carter, Urban Revitalization Strategist, Majora Carter Group LLC
Majora Carter is an internationally renowned urban revitalization strategy consultant, real estate developer, and Peabody Award winning broadcaster. She is responsible for the creation & successful implementation of numerous green-infrastructure projects, policies, and job training & placement systems.
After establishing several local and national organizations to carry on that work, she built on this foundation with innovative ventures and insights into urban economic developments designed to help move Americans out of poverty.
Her long list of awards and honorary degrees include accolades from groups as diverse as Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, John Podesta’s Center for American Progress, Goldman Sachs, as well as a MacArthur “genius” Fellowship. Her 2006 TED talk was one of the first 6 videos to launch their groundbreaking website.
Majora embodies the American Dream. She has continually set new standards of excellence with projects in her South Bronx community, while expanding her reach nationally and internationally. Her philanthropic pursuits and business interests have all pointed toward greater self-esteem and economic potential for low-income people everywhere.
Keynote Address:
Stephen Hardy, AICP LEED AP
Stephen brings his experience staffing on Capitol Hill, working at the Conservation Fund, and pioneering BNIM’s community planning practice to his role with MindMixer. As MindMixer’s Chief Community Builder, Stephen spends his time pondering, cajoling and tinkering on behalf of better community process.
As a practitioner Stephen managed a host of complex community planning projects. In Greensburg, Kansas, Stephen helped the City plan for recovery after a catastrophic EF-5 tornado wiped out most of the community’s structures. In 2008, the Greensburg Comprehensive Master Plan received international recognition with the prestigious Sustainable Cities Award from Financial Times and the Urban Land Institute, and in 2009 was recognized by the APA with the Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan.
After building a successful planning division at BNIM, Stephen joined MindMixer to amplify our citizen engagement capability. Stephen’s areas of expertise include: Sustainable comprehensive planning, disaster recovery, whole systems integrated planning, high level facilitation, public engagement, the integration of design and planning and project management. Stephen also happens to be one of MindMixer’s first clients.
Stephen’s experience and his passion for community building make him a strong advocate for better communication leading to community transformation.
Panelists:
Neil J. Alexander, Esq., LEED AP, Partner, Cuddy & Feder LLP
Mark K. Boling, President, V+ Development Solutions, a division of Southwestern Energy Company
Antonia "Toni" Bouchard, Chief Operating Officer, SmartPower
Nanette H. Bourne, Senior Vice President, AKRF, Inc.
John C. Cappello, Esq., Partner, Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP
Arthur Collins, II, Principal, Collins Enterprises, LLC
Jeannette "Nette" Compton, Associate Director of City Park Development, Trust for Public Land
David Dixon FAIA, Principal for Planning & Urban Design, Goody Clancy
Kevin Dwarka, JD, Ph.D., Land Use and Economic Consultant and Senior Fellow, Pace Land Use Law Center
Don Elliott, FAICP, Director, Clarion Associates
Madeline Fletcher, Esq., Consulting Director, Newburgh Community Land Bank
Laura L. Francis, First Selectman, Town of Durham CT
Kelsey L. Gnoinski, LEED AP BD+C, The Chazen Companies
Steven L. Grogg, P.E., Vice President, Site/Civil Division, McLaren Engineering Group
Simon Gruber, Green Infrastructure Consultant, Hudson Valley Regional Council
Amy Heinemann, NY Solar Omnudsman, Sustainable CUNY
Melissa Kaplan-Macey, AICP, PP, Senior Associate, BFJ Planning
Connie Kepert, Councilwoman, Town of Brookhaven NY
Patrick L. Kinney, Sc.D., Director, Columbia Climate & Health Program, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
John H. Lee, RA, LEED AP, Deputy Director for Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency, NYC Mayor's Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability
Jeffrey P. LeJava, Esq., Adjunct Professor of Law , Pace Law School and Director of Innovation, Land Use Law Center, Pace Law School
Nadine Lemmon,Ph.D., Albany Legislative Advocate, Tri-State Transportation Campaign
Janet Lorn, Vice President, M & T Bank
Alan Mallach, FAICP, Senior Fellow, Center for Community Progress
Gina Martini, AICP, ENV SP, Senior Project Manager, VHB, Inc.
Barbara J. Moore, Former Mayor Village of Greenwood Lake
Nina Orville, Principal, Abundant Efficiency LLC and Executive Director, Southern Westchester Energy Action Consortium
Nathan Richardson, J.D., Resident Scholar, Resources for the Future
Stephen C. Ross, Esq., Santa Fe County Attorney
Jennifer Rushlow, Esq., Staff Attorney, Conservation Law Foundation
Joel Russell, Esq., Principal, Joel Russell Associates
Ryan Russo, Assistant Commissioner, New York City Department of Transportation
John Saccardi, AICP, Principal, VHB, Inc.
James E. Saiers, Ph.D., Professor of Hydrology, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
Ken A. Schwartz, AICP, Principal/Corporate Planning Practice Leader, VHB, Inc.
Jennifer Schwartz Berky, Principal and Founder, Hone Strategic, LLC
Joshua Simons, Senior Research Associate, Center for Research Regional Education and Outreach, SUNY New Paltz
Molly Stuart, Esq., Staff Attorney and Editor, Planning & Environmental Law, American Planning Association
Russell Unger, LEED AP, Executive Director, Urban Green Council
Russell Urban-Mead, PG, CPG, LEED AP, The Chazen Companies
Chuck Voss, AICP, Senior Land Use Planner, Barton & Loguidice, P.C.
Ralph R. Willmer, FAICP, NCICS, Senior Planner/Project Manager, VHB, Inc.
Michael Allan Wolf, Professor of Law and Richard E. Nelson Chair in Local Government Law, University of Florida Levin College of Law