Conference Speakers 2015

Featured Speakers:

Luncheon Keynote Speaker:

Gov. Parris N. Glendening is President of Smart Growth America’s Leadership Institute and the Governors’ Institute on Community Design, a technical assistance program run in partnership with the EPA-DOT Partnership for Sustainable Communities and Smart Growth America. In these roles, Glendening travels across the country and around the world advising state and local governments on smart growth, transit, sustainability, land conservation, and stormwater management policies and practices. He speaks regularly to business groups and professional organizations. Parris Glendening served as Governor of the State of Maryland from 1995-2003 where he created the nation’s first state-level smart growth policy package. Prior to being elected Governor, Glendening served three terms as elected county executive of Prince George’s County, Maryland. He taught political science at the University of Maryland, College Park for 27 years and is the author of two books and over 100 articles and conference papers.

Glendening has received numerous awards and recognitions. He most recently was named as Executive Advisor to the American Society for Public Administration and an Honorary Member of the American Institute of Architects. In addition, Governor Glendening serves on a number of non-profit boards and is a member of the AbTech Industries Strategic Advisory Board.

Born in New York and raised in Florida, Governor Glendening holds a doctorate degree in Government and Politics from Florida State University as well as eight honorary degrees. He lives in Annapolis with his wife Jennifer and their twelve-year-old daughter Bri. His son Raymond, a graduate of West Virginia University, previously was the Political Director of the Democratic Governors Association. He is currently Senior Vice President at Direct Impact and Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Ruck.us, an online social networking platform.

Panelists:

Jeffrey Anzevino, AICP, Director of Land Use Advocacy, Scenic Hudson, Inc.

Paul Beyer, Director of Smart Growth, NYS Department of State, Division of Local Government

Michael Blum, Chair, Energy Environment Committee, Town of Somers

Honorable Noam Bramson, Mayor, City of New Rochelle

Emily Chessin, Consultant, Meister Consultants Group, Inc.

Patrick Cleary, AICP, CEP, PP, LEED AP, CNU-A, Cleary Consulting: Planning & Environmental Services

Joseph Cotter, President, National RE/Sources

Kevin Dwarka, J.D., Ph.D., Managing Principal, Kevin Dwarka Land Use & Economic Consulting

Donald L. Elliott, FAICP, Director, Clarion Associates, LLC

Joshua U. Galperin, Esq., Director of the Environmental Protection Clinic and Clinical Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School

Jordan Gerow, Staff Attorney, Pace Energy and Climate Center, Pace Law School

Christopher Gomez, AICP, Commissioner of Planning, City of White Plains

Christopher Jones, Vice President for Research, Regional Plan Association

Jeffrey P. LeJava, Esq., Associate Counsel, Open Space Institute

Gina Martini, AICP, ENV SP, Senior Project Manager, VHB

Dwight H. Merriam, FAICP, Esq., Partner, Robinson & Cole LLP

Christian Miller, AICP, City Planner, City of Rye

Valerie Monastra, AICP, Senior Project Manager, VHB

John R. Nolon, Esq, Of Counsel, Land Use Law Center and Professor of Law, Pace University School of Law

Karen Parolek, Principal, Opticos Design, Inc.

James Pinto, Economic Development Specialist, City of Peekskill

Karl R. Rábago, Executive Director, Pace Energy and Climate Center, Pace Law School

Patricia E. Salkin, Esq., Dean and Professor of Law, Touro Law Center

Samuel Schwartz, P.E., President Chief Executive Officer + Founder, Sam Schwartz Consulting

Nancy Seligson, Supervisor, Town of Mamaroneck

H. Claude Shostal, Former President, Regional Plan Association

Lester D. Steinman, Esq., Partner, McCarthy Finger LLP

Gregg Swanzey, Director, Office of Economic Development & Strategic Partnerships, City of Kingston

Nava Tabak, Conservation Scientist, Scenic Hudson, Inc.

Bonnie Von Ohlsen, RLA, LEED GA, Director of Environmental Planning, John Meyer Consulting, PC

Linda B. Whitehead, Esq., Parther, McCullough, Goldberger & Staudt, LLP

Michael Allan Wolf, Esq., Professor of Law & Richard E. Nelson Chair in Local Government Law, University of Florida Levin College of Law

Eoin Wrafter, AICP, Commissioner, Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development

Jeffrey M. Zupan, Senior Fellow, Transportation, Regional Plan Association