Unprecedented Funding for Unprecedented Times: Demystifying Federal Funds for Climate Resilience
2022-03-04 10:00 - 12:30 (America/Halifax) | Virtual Event
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the American Rescue Plan Act are bringing unparalleled amounts of funding to state and local governments to address climate change and its various impacts. With seemingly unending project wish lists but a limited amount of time to spend their funds, professionals in the public and private sector alike will need to take an efficient and coordinated approach to make the most of this once-in-a-generation opportunity for public investments. The Forum will bring speakers from various levels of government and community organizations to help us understand ways to leverage these funds to make lasting changes that will boost our climate resilience.
Forum Co-Chairs
Nasser Brahim, Senior Climate Resiliency Specialist
Woods Hole Group

Carolyn Meklenburg, Greater Boston Regional Coordinator, Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Alex Papali, Political Director
Center for Economic Democracy

Forum Speakers

Mayor Gary Christenson, City of Malden
Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Kasia Hart, Government Affairs Policy Analyst
Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Krystal Laymon, Deputy Director for Climate Resilience
White House Council of Environmental Quality, Executive Office of the President

Samantha Medlock, CFM, Senior Counsel
Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, U.S. House of Representatives

Justin Schott, Project Manager, Energy Equity Project, Urban Energy Justice Lab
University of Michigan School for Environment & Sustainability

Brendan Sweeney, Assistant Director of Federal Funds
Executive Office of Administration and Finance, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director
UPROSE

Networking on the Trails: Mass Audubon’s Climate Initiatives
2022-05-11 15:30 - 17:00 | Mass Audubon’s Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot Street, Natick, MA, 01760, United States
Join the Climate Adaptation Forum community for a learning and networking opportunity at Mass Audubon’s Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick, MA! Mass Audubon will present on their important climate initiatives and be available for Q&A. The property will then be yours to explore!

Sweltering Heat Waves and Increasing Drought: Can the Northeast handle the heat?
2022-06-03 08:30 - 12:00 | UMass Club, 32nd Floor, 1 Beacon St, Boston, MA, 02108
In the Northeast, extreme heat and drought may seem inconsequential when it comes to our list of weather woes. However, increasingly hot summers and lower levels of groundwater are showing us that those issues are not limited to the Western US – infamous for forest fires and drought. The Forum will bring in a diverse panel of speakers who will explore what we can learn from practitioners across the country who are already feeling the heat, as well as what our region is doing to mitigate these critical threats to our public and environmental health.
Join the Climate Adaptation Forum for this first in-person event since 2020! Another first – this forum will also be organized in a hybrid format. Attendees will have the option of being in-person, networking at the UMass Club in Boston, MA, or tuning in virtually from their locations around New England, the country, or even internationally! More information on these two attendance options can be found below.
Forum Co-Chairs

Aaron Weieneth, Manager of Climate Change and Resilience
AECOM

Melanie Gárate, Climate Resilience Manager
Mystic River Watershed Association

Forum Speakers
Keynote Presenter

Brenda Burman, Executive Strategy Advisor
Central Arizona Project

Presenters

Zoe Davis, Climate Resilience Project Coordinator
City of Boston, MA

David Hondula, Director, Office of Heat Response and Mitigation (presenting virtually)
City of Phoenix, AZ

Viktoria Zoltay, Hydrologist, Office of Water Resources
Department of Conservation and Recreation, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Risks and Opportunity Markets: Climate Change and the Housing Crisis
2022-09-30 09:00 - 12:00 | Virtual Event
The Climate Adaptation Forum is a collaboration between the Environmental Business Council and the Sustainable Solutions Lab at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
The September Climate Adaptation Forum will focus on the impacts of climate change on the U.S. housing market– both negative consequences and potential opportunities—as well as the role and the need for affordable, climate-resilient housing in all markets across the country.
Forum Co-Chairs

Jason Hellendrung, Vice President, Planning & Design, Tetra Tech
LinkedIn

Deanna Moran, Director of Environmental Planning, Conservation Law Foundation Massachusetts
LinkedIn

Forum Speakers
Keynote Presenter

Daniel E. Coates, Deputy Director, Division of Research and Statistics
Federal Housing Finance Agency
LinkedIn

Jane Carbone, LEED AP, Director of Development
Homeowner’s Rehab Inc.
LinkedIn

David Downs, Vice President of Catholic Charities POP (Progress of Peoples) Development Corporation
LinkedIn

Lee Reiners, Policy Director, Duke Financial Economics Center
LinkedIn

Laurie Schoeman, Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital Enterprise Community Partners
LinkedIn

Nature-Based Adaptation: Getting to Scale
2022-12-09 09:00 - 12:00 | CDM Smith, 75 State Street, Boston, MA, 02109
Flooding risks, sea level rise, storm surges, and extreme heat are accelerating with a changing climate. Ecosystems are also at risk, along with the social, economic, and environmental benefits they provide. Nature-based climate adaptation approaches offer opportunities to bring people into greater harmony with ecology, secure and enhance ecosystem services for future generations, and cost-effectively reduce some flooding risks. Funders, regulators, adaptation professionals, and the public now view nature-based adaptation as no longer an aspiration, but a priority or requirement. Pilot projects are being scaled up to billions of oysters, miles of shoreline, and hectares of wetlands. But how feasible and effective are they? And how do we effectively regulate and build the capacity to plan and implement them at scales that match the urgency of risks, speed of climate changes, and our own expectations? Join us to learn about the opportunities and barriers to scaling up nature-based approaches to climate adaptation, from planning to permitting to implementation.
Forum Co-Chairs
Nasser Brahim, Senior Climate Resiliency Specialist, Woods Hole Group
LinkedIn

Mark Costa, Water Resources and Civil Engineer, VHB
LinkedIn

Melanie Gárate, Director of Climate Engagement, Stone Living Lab
LinkedIn

Forum Speakers
Alison Bowden, Director of Science & Strategy, The Nature Conservancy
LinkedIn

Pippa Brashear, Resilience Principal, SCAPE
LinkedIn

Jason Burtner, South Shore Regional Coordinator, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM)
LinkedIn

Leah Feldman, Coastal Policy Analyst, Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (RI CRMC)
LinkedIn

Heidi Nutters, Senior Program Manager, San Francisco Estuary Partnership
LinkedIn

Steve Rochette, Chief of Public Affairs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Philadelphia District
LinkedIn

Creating Pathways into Climate Adaptation and Resilience: Training Future Leaders
2023-04-14 09:00 - 12:00 | Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, Louis D. Brandeis Conference Center, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
The climate resilience field is rapidly growing. As climate disasters increase and climate risks become more and more obvious, the need for adaptation professionals continues to increase. Who is training the next generation of climate resilience leaders? How can we ensure that these jobs are going to a diverse group of people? And what are the skills necessary to be able to meet challenges we don’t yet know we will face? Join the Climate Adaptation Forum to hear about best practices nationally and local efforts to train climate adaptation professionals in a wide range of fields.
Forum Co-Chairs

Rebecca Herst, Director
Sustainable Solutions Lab, University of Massachusetts Boston

Gabriela Boscio Santos, Associate Director
Sustainable Solutions Lab, University of Massachusetts Boston

Keynote Speaker

Shalaya Morissette, Chief of Minority Business and Workforce Division
Office of Economic Impact & Diversity, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Forum Speakers

Kerry Bowie, Executive Director
Browning the Green Space, Inc

Matt Holzer, Head of School
Boston Green Academy

Rachel Jacobson, Acting Director
American Society of Adaptation Professionals virtual speaker

Davo Jefferson, Executive Director
PowerCorps Boston

Alan Wiig, PhD, Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Community Development
University of Massachusetts Boston

Emerging Governance Structures for Climate Resilience
2023-06-02 09:00 - 12:00 | Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, Louis D. Brandeis Conference Center, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
State and local governments across the country are grappling with turning climate adaptation plans into action. These plans often involve expensive and large scale capital projects on both public and private property. This undertaking requires innovative thinking on governance from creating new county and statewide resilience authorities to empowering existing local boards and commissions. Join the Climate Adaptation Forum to hear how communities across the country are approaching this challenge and emerging models for governance and implementation.
Forum Co-Chairs
Kathleen M. Brill, Partner
Foley Hoag LLP

Deanna Moran, Vice President for Healthy & Resilient Communities
Conservation Law Foundation

Keynote Speaker

Senator Sarah K. Elfreth
Maryland, District 30, Anne Arundel County

Forum Speakers

Louanne Cooley, Legal Research Fellow
Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA)

Devin Quirk, Deputy Chief for Development and Transformation
Boston Planning & Development Agency

Mark Rupp, Adaptation Program Director
Georgetown Climate Center (GCC)

Suzanne Smith, Executive Director
Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Agency

Forum Moderator

Joan Fitzgerald, Professor of Public Policy and Urban Affairs
Northeastern University

Lessons Learned: How We Adapt on the Road to Climate Adaptation
2023-10-12 09:00 - 12:00 | Virtual Event
Climate change adaptation is characterized by flexibility—our ability to adapt to an unprecedented crisis. Across geographies, scales, and focus areas, we’ve seen many successful examples of climate adaptation projects, many of which we’ve featured in our forums. But these successes would not have been possible without the ability to pivot in the face of obstacles. Learn from our expert panel as they reflect on the limitations and challenges they’ve encountered in a wide variety of climate change adaptation projects, and how those challenges can inform our next steps as a community of practice.
Forum Speakers
Robyn DeYoung
Lead of Green Infrastructure Program
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Mia G. Mansfield
Assistant Secretary of Climate Resilience
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Oleander Stone
Deputy Director of Climate Equity and Environmental Justice
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Scott Struck
Principal Scientist/Engineer
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Forum Co-Chairs
Indrani Ghosh, PhD
Resiliency Senior Technical Leader
Weston & Sampson

Carolyn Norkiewicz
Regional Coordinator for Greater Boston, Municipal Vulnerability Program
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Crisis as Catalyst: Meeting the Moment with Transformational Investments
2023-11-30 09:00 - 12:00 | Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, Louis D. Brandeis Conference Center, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
In the wake of a crisis, be it an extreme weather event, a pandemic, or something else, political dynamics shift that catalyze innovation and usher in possibilities previously deemed unimaginable. Join the Climate Adaptation Forum on November 30th to learn about these critical junctures in history when opportunities to do the impossible became reality.
We’ll explore these moments to glean lessons that will help us prepare for our current climate crisis. What conditions allowed these changes to take place? Did planning happen beforehand? What pitfalls should we watch out for? During this discussion, we’ll have the opportunity to learn from speakers exploring big infrastructure investments, safety innovations, and re-designing the urban landscape.
Forum Speakers
Hurricane Maria
C. Yulín Cruz
Former Mayor of San Juan
Puerto Rico

Quabbin Reservoir
Stephen Estes-Smargiassi
Director of Planning and Sustainability
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA)

Hurricane Katrina
Andreanecia Morris – presenting virtually
Executive Director
HousingNOLA

Boston Covid Response

Christopher Osgood
Senior Advisor, Infrastructure
City of Boston

Superstorm Sandy
Charles Viemeister – presenting virtually
Project Manager – Strategic Planning
Con Edison

Forum Co-Chairs

Nasser Brahim
Senior Climate Resiliency Specialist
Woods Hole Group

John Valinch
Senior Manager of Climate Resilience and Land Use
Groundwork USA

Julie Wormser
Senior Policy Advisor
Mystic River Watershed Association

Climate Adaptation at the Regional Scale: From Planning to Implementation
2024-03-15 09:30 - 12:30 | Foley Hoag, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
Flooding, sea level rise, storm surge, heat, and other climate change challenges cross-cut political boundaries. Facing a crisis without set boundaries, how can communities, agencies, and non-profit organizations plan for climate change at the regional scale? Join experts from across the country to learn about different regional approaches to building climate change resilience for people and nature. Speakers will explore the benefits and challenges of bringing communities together at the watershed, coastal, and other regional scales in order to move from planning through to action.
Forum Speakers
Climate Resilience: What do Political Boundaries Have to Do with It?

Violeta Duncan
Principal
Duncan Núñez Consulting, LLC

Oregon’s Approach to Watershed Restoration

Stephanie Page – Presenting Virtually
Acting Director
Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board

Preparing Streams and Communities for Climate Change: The Berkshire Clean, Cold and Connected Restoration Partnership
Kate Bednaz – Presenting Virtually
Restoration Coordinator
Berkshires Clean Cold Connected Partnership

Michael Jastremski – Presenting Virtually
Watershed Conservation Director
Housatonic Valley Association

Erik Reardon – Presenting Virtually
Berkshire Watershed Director
Housatonic Valley Association

Opportunities and Challenges: Climate Adaptation in an Indigenous Community

Jason Steiding
Director
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Natural Resources Department

ResilientCoasts Strategy – Managing Impacts of Sea Level Rise and Coastal Storms Across the Massachusetts Coast

Julia Knisel
Coastal Shoreline and Floodplain Manager
Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM)

Moderated Discussion
Forum Co-Chairs
Mark Costa
Senior Water Resources Engineer
VHB

Melanie Gárate
Senior Associate
Consensus Building Institute

Beth Lambert
Director, Division of Ecological Restoration
Department of Fish and Game, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Carolyn Norkiewicz
Regional Coordinator for Greater Boston, Municipal Vulnerability Program
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

“Inundation District” Film Screening & Panel Discussion – What Happens When a Vulnerable City Builds by the Sea?
2024-05-15 16:00 - 19:00 | Foley Hoag, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
Co-hosted by the Environmental Business Council of New England and the Climate Adaptation Forum
“In a time of rising seas and intensifying storms, one of the world’s wealthiest, most-educated cities made a fateful decision to spend billions of dollars erecting a new district along its coast — on landfill, at sea level.”
Join colleagues for a screening of the documentary film Inundation District right in the heart of the topic at hand: Boston’s Seaport. Released in 2023, the film interrogates the establishment and rapid development of the Seaport, or ‘Innovation’ district, during a time of accelerating impacts from climate change. A moderated panel discussion, including the film’s Director and Boston Globe climate change reporter David Abel alongside experts in the fields of resilience and climate adaption, will immediately follow the film screening.
Panelists:
David Abel
Director, “Inundation District”
Reporter, Boston Globe

Jamie Fay, AICP, CEP
President
Fort Point Associates, Inc., A Tetra Tech Company

Carly Foster
Vice President, Water Management Practice Director
Arcadis

Sanjay Seth
Chief of Staff & Senior Advisor for Climate and Equity
US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 1

Program Chair & Moderator:
Kathleen Brill, Member, EBC Board of Directors
Steering Committee Member, Climate Adaptation Forum
Partner, Foley Hoag LLP

Building Social Capital for Climate Resilient Communities
2024-06-06 09:30 - 12:30 | Foley Hoag, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
As the climate crisis unfolds, we are also facing an epidemic of loneliness. While most climate resilience public investment has been in physical infrastructure, research and experience tell us that it is people and relationships that matter when a crisis hits. Strong webs of trusting relationships, community control of local infrastructure, and spaces for communities to practice governance roles are essential ingredients for successful climate outcomes. That is why, increasingly, climate adaptation funding sources historically reserved for physical projects are opening up for investments in social resilience. But how do we know where these investments are most needed and what kinds of interventions can have the most impact?
This Forum will explore the connection between social capital and disaster response and recovery outcomes, how communities are putting social resilience at the forefront of their climate adaptation efforts, and specific strategies for building social resilience in priority communities.
Forum Speakers
Dr. Daniel Aldrich
Professor, Political Science and Public Policy
Director of the Resilience Studies Program
Co-Director of the Global Resilience Institute
Northeastern University
Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
Brigham Young University

Lydia Lowe
Executive Director
Chinatown Community Land Trust

Troy Philips
Enrolled member and Sub-Chief of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Tribe
Chairperson and Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs

Peyton Siler Jones
Founder and Principal
Siler Climate Consulting

Montanna Cassel
Sustainability Planner & Grant Coordinator
Town of Cohasset

Forum Co-Chairs

Nasser Brahim
Senior Climate Resiliency Specialist
Woods Hole Group

Alex Papali
Director of Regional Economies
Center for Economic Democracy

Community Engagement for Climate Resilience: What is it and how do you do it well?
2024-09-27 09:30 - 12:30 | Foley Hoag, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
New regulations and grant programs are increasingly requiring project teams to meaningfully engage with the people who will be most affected by their proposals, particularly when projects take place in environmental justice communities. What does meaningful community engagement look like, and how does it affect project outcomes?
This Climate Adaptation Forum will help new and long-term practitioners alike understand what skills and practices are involved and what benefits are possible when project teams and community members partner to identify both problems and viable solutions to climate challenges.
The program will also include an hour-long professionally facilitated exercise to engage participants (both in-person and virtual) in a challenging and fun interactive activity focused on community engagement in climate resilience projects. The exercise will be led by Carri Hulet of CH Consulting who previously taught at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.
Forum Speakers

Vicente S. Harrison
Health, Safety, and Emergency Manager
Vibrant Communities Support Services
Parks & Recreation, City of Portland, OR

Crystal Johnson
Assistant Secretary
Office of Environmental Justice and Equity
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Melissa Liu
Participatory Budgeting and Engagement Coordinator
City of Cambridge

Fidel Maltez
City Manager
City of Chelsea, MA

Bianca Navarro-Bowman
Climate Justice Manager
GreenRoots

Exercise Leader
Carri Hulet
Principal
CH Consulting

Forum Co-Chairs

Carolyn Norkiewicz
Regional Coordinator for Greater Boston
Municipal Vulnerability Program
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Commonwealth of Massachusetts

John Valinch
ESG Analyst
Boston Trust Walden

Julie Wormser
Senior Policy Advisor
Mystic River Watershed Association

Making Cents of it All: Financing for Climate Adaptation and Resilience
2024-12-06 09:30 - 12:30 | Foley Hoag, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
Without sustainable financing, climate adaptation and resilience projects can’t get off the ground. Given that funding is a fundamental component of most successful initiatives and given shifting funding landscape – how are practitioners and municipalities leveraging varied funding sources to initiate and maintain projects? What are the costs of not including resilience in projects, and how does that inform the equation? How can other creative funding mechanisms help? Join us to hear from experts and practitioners at various scales and explore the answers to these questions.
Forum Speakers
The Dollars and “Sense” of Resilience: The Economic Case for Adaptation Investments

Rachel Bouvier, PhD
Associate Professor of Economics
University of Southern Maine

MBTA Rethinking TOD
Scott Bosworth
Chief of Transit Oriented Development and Innovative Delivery
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)

Iram Farooq
Assistant City Manager for Community Development
City of Cambridge

Accelerating Climate Investment: A Capital Stack Approach
Shaun O’Rourke
Managing Director, Climate Finance
Quantified Ventures

Characteristics of Ready to Fund Resilience Projects
Joyce Coffee, LEED AP
President
Climate Resilience Consulting

Moderated Panel Discussion
Forum Co-Chairs

Indrani Ghosh
Practice Leader
Weston & Sampson

Kari Hewitt
Chief Regeneration Officer
Planning Communities, LLC

Insurance's Role at Climate's Frontlines: Crisis, Innovation, and Community
2025-03-07 09:00 - 12:30 | Foley Hoag, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
In this Climate Adaptation Forum we’ll explore the critical intersection of insurance and climate resilience. This event will bring together top experts who are leveraging insurance to mitigate climate risks, protect natural resources, and support communities in the face of increasing disasters. We’ll hear perspectives from policymakers, scientists, and the insurance industry. Discussions will cover cutting-edge catastrophe modeling, innovative insurance models, and the real-world impacts on homeowners and businesses.
Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with leaders shaping the future of climate risk and adaptation!
Forum Speakers
Setting the Stage: The Insurance Market in the Face of Climate Change – Recorded Remarks
U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
State of Rhode Island

Reimagining Insurance Markets That Work for Everybody

Charlie Sidoti
Executive Director
InnSure

Intersections of Insurance and Nature-Based Solutions

Michael Beck
Director
Center for Coastal Climate Resilience
University of California, Santa Cruz

Financial Risk Management Challenges and Strategies for the Public Sector

Benjamin McNeil
Senior Client Manager
Swiss Re

From Theory to Practice: The Flood Recovery Fund

Theodora Makris
Senior Program Manager
Center for NYC Neighborhoods

Moderated Panel Discussion
Forum Co-Chairs

Kathleen Brill
Partner
Foley Hoag LLP

Ellen Douglas
Senior Resiliency Project Manager
AECOM

Kyle Johnson
Climate Resiliency Practice Lead
Kleinfelder

Protecting Our Communities: A Whole-Society Approach to Resilience
2025-06-06 09:00 - 12:00
When disruptions arise, it is often our neighbors, families, and local networks who step up first. In this Forum, we explore how communities can strengthen the ties that hold them together before, during, and after climate-related events. Featuring voices from across sectors who are community leaders, planners, and practitioners, this discussion will examine how local collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility can help ensure no one is left behind when it matters most. We’ll also explore how to support and sustain our informal networks, “zero responders”, who often prevent challenges from becoming full-blown crises.
Forum Speakers
Valinda Chan
Director of Community Engagement
StarLuna Consulting

Jessica Dandridge-Smith
Executive Director
The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans

Peyton Siler Jones
Founder and Principal
Siler Climate Consulting

Meghan Kallman
Rhode Island State Senator, District 15
Associate Professor, School for Global Inclusion & Social Development, University of Massachusetts Boston

Marcie Roth
Executive Director and CEO
World Institute on Disability

Moderated Discussion
Forum Co-Chairs

Kari Hewitt
Lecturer, Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning
Tufts University

Julie Wormser
Chief Climate Officer
City of Cambridge

From Barriers to Blueprints: Evolving Environmental Regulations for a Resilient Future
2025-09-26 09:30 - 12:30 | Foley Hoag, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
As the climate crisis accelerates, state and local governments are rethinking outdated policies and building a regulatory foundation for climate resilience. This Forum will spotlight innovative approaches to updating regulations, many of which were originally written without climate change in mind, to support adaptation projects that address sea level rise, flooding, and extreme weather.
Through case studies from across the U.S., including New Jersey’s overhaul of land use policies, Cape Cod’s climate-focused regional plan, and the Vermont Flood Safety Act, we’ll explore how forward-looking jurisdictions are embedding climate adaptation into permitting, zoning, and design standards.
Speakers will discuss the process of developing enforceable frameworks, the importance of accommodating dynamic coastlines and shifting baselines, and the tools being used to navigate uncertainty.
Attendees will gain insight into how regulations are being reshaped as catalysts for resilient infrastructure, healthy ecosystems, and equitable community protection.
Click Here to View the Recording
Forum Speakers & Panelists
Shannon Hulst, CFM
Deputy Director, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
Floodplain & CRS Specialist, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension & Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant

Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette
Department of Environmental Protection
State of New Jersey

Heather McElroy
Natural Resources Program Manager
Cape Cod Commission

Lauren Oates
Director of External Affairs in Vermont
The Nature Conservancy

Moderated Panel Discussion
Forum Co-Chairs

Joseph Famely
Climate & Sustainability Team Lead
Woods Hole Group, Inc.

Kyle Johnson
Climate Resiliency Practice Lead (East Division)
Kleinfelder

Beth Lambert
Director, Division of Ecological Restoration
Department of Fish and Game, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

We Need to Talk: What if Staying is No Longer an Option?
2025-12-12 09:30 - 12:30 | Foley Hoag, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
As climate resilience practitioners, we are focused on preventing harm to vulnerable people and places. But we know that, for many communities, the decision may one day arrive at having to move out of harm’s way. What then? What needs to be in place to manage the huge financial, social, and cultural costs associated with climate disasters and involuntary, unsupported climate migration? What do we need to do to prevent an “everyone for themselves” reaction that worsens existing structural inequality?
This Forum will involve a combination of presentations, discussions, and interactive exercises. Participants will leave with a better understanding of what triggers people’s decisions to leave or stay, how we can better facilitate the difficult discussions and decision-making, and what policies, funding, and other support are needed in these difficult transitions.
Click Here to View the Final Agenda
Forum Speaker

Linda Shi
Associate Professor
Director, Master of Regional Planning Program
Cornell University

Exercise Facilitator

Kathryn Davies
Assistant Teaching Professor
Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning
Tufts University

Forum Co-Chairs
Van Du
Director, Environmental Planning
Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Kari Hewitt
Adjunct Instructor
Tufts University

Julie Wormser
Chief Climate Officer
City of Cambridge

Registration Information
Note: Venue capacity has been reached for in-person attendance. Registration for in-person attendance has been closed.
Virtual Registration
Virtual attendees will be able to see and hear the speakers, slideshow presentations, and questions from the audience. Virtual attendees will be able to ask questions through the chat function. For this particular program, all virtual attendees have the option to take part in the interactive exercise. Those participating in the exercise will be placed into breakout rooms for the duration of the exercise.
Online registration for virtual attendance will close at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, December 12, 2025.
Virtual Registration Rates
EBC Member: $35
EBC Membership is corporate – all staff from our member companies can register as an EBC Member. Not sure if you’re a member? Visit our online Member Directory.
Non-members: $45

Government/Nonprofit: $15
This rate is available for those employed by Government, Municipal, or Nonprofit organizations. Not available to those in a volunteer position (e.g. Board Member of a Nonprofit).
Job Seeker Rate: $15
For recent graduates or attendees who are currently unemployed.
Media: Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org
Deadline to Change Registration Format
No changes in registration format will be permitted after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5, 2025. Any requests to change from virtual to in-person attendance MUST be received before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5. Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org or 617-505-1818 to change your registration format or with any questions.
Click Here to View the Virtual Attendee List
Virtual Registration

In-Person Registration
Venue capacity has been reached for in-person attendance. Registration for in-person attendance has been closed.
In-Person Registration Rates
EBC Member: $35
EBC Membership is corporate – all staff from our member companies can register as an EBC Member. Not sure if you’re a member? Visit our online Member Directory.
Non-members: $45

Government/Nonprofit: $15
This rate is available for those employed by Government, Municipal, or Nonprofit organizations. Not available to those in a volunteer position (e.g. Board Member of a Nonprofit).
Job Seeker Rate: $15
For recent graduates or attendees who are currently unemployed.
Media: Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org
Deadline to Change Registration Format
No changes in registration format will be permitted after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5, 2025. Any requests to change from in-person to virtual attendance MUST be received before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5. Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org or 617-505-1818 to change your registration format or with any questions.
Click Here to View the In-Person Attendee List

Fine Print
The deadline for refunds is Friday, December 5, 2025 for all registrations.
No changes in registration format will be permitted after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5, 2025.

Climate Adaptation Communication – Decoding Data and Risk for All
2026-03-06 09:30 - 12:30 | Foley Hoag, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
Decisions about climate resilience are increasingly data-informed and increasingly complex.
For policymakers and practitioners, this means working beyond black-and-white solutions to design interventions that acknowledge uncertainty, mitigate risk, and strengthen community resilience.
This Forum brings together practitioners who will share how they have found success in breaking down complex data and communicating it in clear, contextualized ways. Through real-world examples, speakers will demonstrate how communities of all sizes can proactively address climate risk. Attendees will be presented with a range of approaches for communicating climate data, risk, and the importance of adaptation in ways that are accessible, credible, and most importantly, actionable.
View the Agenda
Forum Schedule
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Registration & Networking
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Forum
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Lunch (optional)
Forum Speakers
Keynote Speaker – Presenting Virtually
Katharine Hayhoe
Climate Scientist

Regional Perspective
Emma Gildesgame
Climate Adaptation Director, Massachusetts
The Nature Conservancy

Municipal Perspective
Anne Coglianese
Chief Resilience Officer
City of Jacksonville, Florida

Delaney Morris-Landry
Senior Climate & Coastal Resilience Infrastructure Delivery Project Manager, City of Boston Planning
Previous Resiliency Manager, City of Tacoma, WA

Small Business Perspective – Ready, Set, Rhody
Abbey Dahl
Principal Planner, Division of Statewide Planning
State of Rhode Island

Alex Maxwell, PhD, CCP
Senior Environmental Planner
Fuss & O’Neill

Silvana Mercado
Resiliency Manager
Rhode Island Commerce

Moderated Discussion

Forum Co-Chairs
Indrani Ghosh
Vice President, Resiliency Practice Leader
Weston & Sampson

Kyle Johnson
Climate Resiliency Practice Lead (East Division)
Kleinfelder

Registration Information
This forum will be organized in a hybrid format. Attendees have the option to attend in-person OR virtually.
In-Person Registration
Online registration for in-person attendance closed at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, 2026. Walk-in registration is available. Please email ebc@ebcne.org or call 617-505-1818 with questions.
In-Person Registration Rates
EBC Member: $35
EBC Membership is corporate – all staff from our member companies can register as an EBC Member. Not sure if you’re a member? Visit our online Member Directory.
Non-members: $45

Government/Nonprofit: $15
This rate is available for those employed by Government, Municipal, or Nonprofit organizations. Not available to those in a volunteer position (e.g. Board Member of a Nonprofit).
Job Seeker Rate: $15
For recent graduates or attendees who are currently unemployed.
Student Rate: Complimentary
Students are welcome to attend free of charge. Registration must be completed with an active .edu email address.

Media: Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org
Deadline to Change Registration Format Deadline to Change Registration Format
No changes in registration format will be permitted after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026. Any requests to change from in-person to virtual attendance MUST be received before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 27. Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org or 617-505-1818 to change your registration format or with any questions.
View the In-Person Attendee List

In-Person Registration

Virtual Registration
Virtual attendees will be able to see and hear the speakers, slideshow presentations, and questions from the audience.
Online registration for virtual attendance will close at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, March 6, 2026.
Virtual Registration Rates
EBC Member: $35
EBC Membership is corporate – all staff from our member companies can register as an EBC Member. Not sure if you’re a member? Visit our online Member Directory.
Non-members: $45

Government/Nonprofit: $15
This rate is available for those employed by Government, Municipal, or Nonprofit organizations. Not available to those in a volunteer position (e.g. Board Member of a Nonprofit).
Job Seeker Rate: $15
For recent graduates or attendees who are currently unemployed.
Media: Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org
Student Rate: Complimentary
Students are welcome to attend free of charge. Registration must be completed with an active .edu email address.
Deadline to Change Registration Format Deadline to Change Registration Format
No changes in registration format will be permitted after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026. Any requests to change from virtual to in-person attendance MUST be received before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 27. Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org or 617-505-1818 to change your registration format or with any questions.
View the Virtual Attendee List

Virtual Registration

Fine Print
The deadline for refunds is Friday, February 27, 2026 for all registrations.
No changes in registration format will be permitted after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026.

New Narratives for Action: Addressing Climate Misinformation and Disinformation
2026-06-05 09:30 - 12:30 | Foley Hoag, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
This Forum will explore the social science behind misinformation about climate change in the United States. Speakers will address the underlying role of economic systems, social media, politics, and how we can move forward with new narratives.
Click Here to View the Final Agenda
Forum Schedule
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Registration & Networking
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Forum
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Lunch (optional for in-person attendees)
Forum Speakers
Kate Cell – presenting virtually
Senior Climate Campaign Manager
Union of Concerned Scientists

Luis Lopez
Manager, Strategy, Insights, and Analytics
Potential Energy Coalition

Daniel Stockemer, Ph.D. – presenting virtually
Full Professor, School of Political Studies
University of Ottawa

Christopher Wells
Professor, Emerging Media Studies, College of Communication & Climate Disinformation Initiative
Boston University

Moderated Panel Discussion
Forum Co-Chairs

Ellen Douglas
Senior Resiliency Project Manager
AECOM

Carolyn Norkiewicz
Regional Coordinator for Greater Boston, Municipal Vulnerability Program
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

John Valinch
ESG Analyst

Registration Information
This forum will be organized in a hybrid format. As of June 3, 2026 in-person registration is no longer available. The event venue has reached capacity.
Please note: this Forum will NOT be recorded
Virtual Registration
Virtual attendees will be able to see and hear the speakers, slideshow presentations, and questions from the audience. Please note: this Forum will NOT be recorded.
Online registration for virtual attendance will close at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 5, 2026.
Virtual Registration Rates
EBC Member: $35
EBC Membership is corporate – all staff from our member companies can register as an EBC Member. Not sure if you’re a member? Visit our online Member Directory.
Non-members: $45

Government/Nonprofit: $15
This rate is available for those employed by Government, Municipal, or Nonprofit organizations. Not available to those in a volunteer position (e.g. Board Member of a Nonprofit).
Job Seeker Rate: $15
For recent graduates or attendees who are currently unemployed.
Media: Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org
Student Rate: Complimentary
Students are welcome to attend free of charge. Registration must be completed with an active .edu email address.
Deadline to Change Registration Format Deadline to Change Registration Format
No changes in registration format will be permitted after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2026. Any requests to change from virtual to in-person attendance MUST be received before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29. Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org or 617-505-1818 to change your registration format or with any questions.
Click Here to View the Virtual Attendee List

Virtual Registration

In-Person Registration – Sold Out!
Online registration for in-person attendance has closed. The event venue has reached capacity.
To be added to a waitlist, please email Jessamyn Cox at jcox@ebcne.org.
In-Person Registration Rates
EBC Member: $35
EBC Membership is corporate – all staff from our member companies can register as an EBC Member. Not sure if you’re a member? Visit our online Member Directory.
Non-members: $45

Government/Nonprofit: $15
This rate is available for those employed by Government, Municipal, or Nonprofit organizations. Not available to those in a volunteer position (e.g. Board Member of a Nonprofit).
Job Seeker Rate: $15
For recent graduates or attendees who are currently unemployed.
Student Rate: Complimentary
Students are welcome to attend free of charge. Registration must be completed with an active .edu email address.

Media: Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org
Deadline to Change Registration Format Deadline to Change Registration Format
No changes in registration format will be permitted after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2026. Any requests to change from in-person to virtual attendance MUST be received before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29. Please contact EBC at ebc@ebcne.org or 617-505-1818 to change your registration format or with any questions.
Click Here to View the In-Person Attendee List

Fine Print
This Forum will NOT be recorded.
The deadline for refunds was Friday, May 29, 2026 for all registrations.
No changes in registration format will be permitted after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2026.
