Melissa graduated from San Diego State University with a B.A. in Public Administration and a Master’s in City Planning. Growing up in an underserved community, Melissa witnessed firsthand the impacts of environmental inequities, which inspired her to pursue a career focused on
Brent is the Chairman and CEO of the Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Foundation and the Community Brigade pilot program. He has led crisis management teams in response to over 70 events in 49 countries, working with heads of state, elected officials, and
Dr. Michael Shank is the Director of Programs at the Albert Einstein Institution and an advisor to local governments leading on sustainability and climate action, including the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, Southeast Sustainability Directors Network, and more. Michael’s professional career includes leading
Mike leads the Sustainability and Resilience Division for the Town of Plymouth, MA. In this role, he implements proactive adaptation measures to prepare his municipality for the adverse effects of climate change. Although climate change poses a grave threat to the Plymouth
James Ehrlich is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University School of Medicine. Additionally, James is appointed Faculty at Singularity University, Senior Fellow at NASA Ames Research Center, and a White House /
Aubin Vertueux Dzossa Bontse is a Physics major and Data Analytics minor at Furman University deeply committed to sustainability and climate resilience. As a Climate Resilience Fellow at the Shi Institute, he supports South Carolina municipalities in developing data-driven climate adaptation plans,
Chief Bigelow began his CAL FIRE career in 2004 as a Fire Fighter I at the Ahwahnee station in the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit (MMU), where he spent five seasons. In 2009, he promoted to a Fire Apparatus Engineer at the Coarsegold Station, also
Tara Tisopulos is the Deputy Director of Environmental Sustainability at OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR), in Orange County, California. She oversees and manages the County’s sustainability efforts, working closely with all 22 departments and the County Executive Office to develop and implement