Vice-Mayor/Councilmember Davis, CA

Bapu was elected to the Davis City Council in November 2022. His priority issues are climate action, affordable housing, and expanding mental health services.

Bapu also works with Data2X, an initiative housed in the United Nations Foundation, on promoting gender equity through data-driven policymaking. He is especially interested in the linkages between gender equity, sustainable agriculture, and climate change. More broadly, his professional life is centered on the relationship between human and ecosystem health, focusing especially on structures of cooperation for social and environmental justice.

Bapu was born in India and grew up in California. He holds a B.A. in Nature and Culture and a M.S. in International Agricultural Development from tge University of California-Davis, as well as a Ph.D. in International Relations from Tufts University. He has received a Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellowship, a Fulbright Scholarship, and a postdoctoral fellowship from Harvard University. In the latter role, he analyzed the impact of climate change on oceanic ecosystems, marine-dependent economies, and ultimately on child malnutrition.

Bapu previously served on the City of Davis Social Services Commission and the board of directors of Cool Davis, a climate action non-profit, and Davis Opportunity Village.

Youth and Climate Commissioner
Los Angeles County, CA

Emmanuel is a community leader whose work is aimed at increasing awareness of what local elected officials can be doing to create more livable and sustainable cities. Growing up as a formerly undocumented immigrant in South Los Angeles, he knows firsthand the need for housing, climate justice, and economic investment to address issues of equity.

Emmanuel currently serves as a Commissioner for Los Angeles County’s commission on youth and climate which advises the Board of Supervisors on the County’s climate-related goals, plans, actions, policies and initiatives.

Emmanuel also serves on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Environmental Youth Advisory Council, which makes recommendations to EPA Administrator Michael Regan.

He has previously worked as the Policy Director for Dulce Vasquez for Los Angeles City Council District 9, Chelsea Byers for West Hollywood City Council, and Marco Santana for Los Angeles City Council District 6.

Councilmember, Council Vice President
Rochester, NY

Mary Lupien is passionate about preserving a livable climate through policy, increasing safe, stable and affordable housing and fighting poverty and institutional racism.

For many years, Mary was an organizer with Mothers Out Front, a group working to inspire bold climate action and mobilize the community to achieve a sustainable future for our children. She has also focused on community efforts to halt displacement and create access to quality, affordable housing and Mary has supported efforts to re-imagine how the city provides Public Safety to the community in a way that keeps all residents safe.

City Councilwoman Antioch, CA

Monica Wilson is currently serving her fourth term on the Antioch City Council. She is the first Black woman to serve on the council and the longest serving Black person on the council. She is on multiple boards such as Tri Delta Transit and Delta Diablo. Councilwoman Wilson is the Northern California Vice Chair for the California Democratic Party Women’s Caucus. She is a graduate of the Emerge california class of 2011. In 2014, Wilson started the East Contra Costa County Women’s Leadership Initiative. Ms. Wilson recently completed the Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL) Fellowship program.

In 2022 she brought an ordinance to ban oil and gas drilling in her city. In 2023 and beyond, Councilwoman Wilson plans to double down on efforts to eliminate fossil fuel use in Antioch.

Village Trustee Oak Park, IL

Susan is a village trustee in Oak Park, IL.

She’s also a physician working in environmental health, with an expertise in health problems caused by toxins and other pollutants.

Susan is a longtime climate champion and a cofounder of Oak Park Climate Action Network. During her time on the village board, Susan helped create and pass the village’s climate action plan, a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, and a ban on fossil fuel infrastructure in new buildings, and many other local climate policies. Recently re-elected to a second term, she’s eager to continue Oak Park’s climate progress.

City Councillor Cambridge, MA

Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler is serving his second term on the Cambridge City Council. Before starting on the Council, he worked with environmental programs at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge. He served his first term on the City Council in 2020-2021 and worked to create more affordable housing, safer streets, more open space, stronger tenant protections, and more transparent and responsive local government.

Since the end of his previous term on the Council, he has been the New England Progressive Governance Director for the Working Families Party, working with state & local elected officials to pass legislation on topics like affordable housing and childcare — issues that are important to him coming from a family headed by a single mom that depended on both.

City Councilmember Santa Clara, CA

Sudhanshu "Suds" Jain designed integrated circuits for 25 years. In 2008, he decided that the impending climate crisis was far more important than designing the next switch chip for computer networking and he “retired” from Broadcom Corporation to become a "professional volunteer". He coached a FIRST Lego League team for 5 years and has been coaching the high school FTC robotics team at Wilcox High School for the past 10 years.

He currently serves on the City of Santa Clara City Council where he's been a strong advocate for climate policies including decarbonization and divestment.

Since Sept. 2011, he's been teaching a "Climate Change Science" class to middle school students at Discovery Charter School.

He recently served 9 years on the Board of Acterra.org which is where he met Armand Neukermans in 2012. Armand invited him to visit his Marine Cloud Brightening lab and Suds joined the team right away as an unpaid researcher working on technique to cool the Earth via solar radiation management.

Suds holds BSEE and MSEE degrees from MIT.

City Council Member Minneapolis, MN

Katie Cashman was elected to the Minneapolis City Council in November of 2023 with the support of Run On Climate.

Katie has worked as a policy advocate, a nonprofit leader and a community organizer building solutions to improve people’s lives. She studied geography, architecture and urban planning at McGill University, Columbia University, and the Technical University of Berlin. She worked at the United Nations for three years, helping municipalities around the world build environmental and social infrastructure.

Katie founded a nonprofit which fundraised for and built a community center, and started a small business which is training teachers to bring climate change science into the classroom, including her ward’s elementary schools. Katie currently works at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, using the law and science to keep our air and water clean.

Katie lives in the Loring Heights neighborhood and can be found biking around Lake of the Isles or walking her rescue dog Hazel through the Sculpture Garden.

City Councilor Providence, RI

Sue AnderBois is the Councilor for Ward 3 on Providence City Council. Sue has spent her career as an advocate for climate resilience, clean energy, and sustainable food systems. She is currently the climate and energy program manager at The Nature Conservancy in Rhode Island, and also serves on the state’s energy efficiency council. She has previously served as Rhode Island’s first Director of Food Strategy, writing the state’s first plan to support the local food economy and systematically reduce food insecurity and food waste. Prior to this, she has also worked for the Northeast Clean Energy Council, as a contractor for the RI Office of Energy Resources, as a senior program associate for the Energy Foundation, among other roles. Sue has been an active member of her community – she is a founding board member of the Local Return, serves on the board of the Southside Community Land Trust, and has previously chaired the Providence Sustainability Commission for four years.

Sue has a undergraduate degree in environmental studies from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. She lives in Providence, RI with her husband Scott (a professor at Brown University), and their dog (Captain Ruggles) and two cats (Zeni & Wasabi). In her spare time, she likes to lift weights and eat/bake delicious vegan food.

Councilwoman Highland Park, IL

Kim Stone has served as a Councilmember at the City of Highland Park City Council since May 2013. Kim has over 20 years of environmental and management experience, having previously worked at the Midwest Pesticide Action Center, Great Lakes Protection Fund, and Environmental Law and Policy Center. She has served on the National Advisory Board of the Union of Concerned Scientists since 2005, and on the Board of Community Partners for Affordable Housing since 2014. Kim co-chairs Go Green Illinois, a local collaborative that works to encourage and support the establishment of citizen's environmental groups in Chicago’s northern suburbs, to share best practices among the groups and to collaborate on addressing environmental challenges that cross municipal boundaries. She also co-chairs the Task Force on Transit Electrification of Climate Reality Project: Chicago Metro Chapter and serves on the Highland Park Bike Walk Advisory Group.

Kim graduated from Middlebury College and earned Masters degrees in Population Planning and Public Policy from the University of Michigan.

City Councilmember Denver, CO

Sarah is a trusted advocate for economic justice and workers’ rights. Her drive to run for Denver City Council came from her belief that when we invest in each other, we all win. In Denver, this means making city-owned social housing a reality, moving public safety resources away from criminalizing poverty, funding housing first and harm reduction models, and transforming transit with equity, climate resilience, and accessibility in mind.

Sarah began her career at Colorado Legal Services, fighting to protect older Coloradoans, young families, and other vulnerable homeowners from foreclosure. She then cofounded a small public interest law firm focused on representing workers. She is a go-to resource for policymakers fighting for the constitutional, civil, and workplace rights of their constituents, and was a primary drafter of the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, which made Colorado a national leader in pay transparency.

Sarah’s advocacy has led to: a verdict believed to be the largest disability discrimination verdict in Colorado history, the return of hundreds of thousands of dollars of stolen wages to 200 drywall workers on a luxury condo project, a seven-figure settlement for a family injured in a mistaken police raid, and a change in nationwide policy by the Centers for Disease Control leading to coverage for mammograms for low-income trans women, among many other outcomes.

Aside from her legal work, Sarah participates in mutual aid groups, shows up on picket lines, and mentors a broad range of young people. She has two small kids.

Councilwoman Denver, CO

Shontel M. Lewis was born and raised in Denver. She’s the proud mother of two boys: a college student and two year old son. She’s a graduate of the University of Colorado Denver.

Her journey, one of redemption, second chances and transformation, has not been absent of mistakes, failures, personal growth and pain. It has been through this pain that she found precision in her pursuits to justice.

Shontel went from being a student in Denver Public Schools (DPS) to becoming a Director at DPS, leading family and community engagement initiatives. She knows what it takes to move from eviction to homeownership; she channeled that pain and perseverance into becoming a Vice President at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. She knows resilience required to endure three hour bus rides, while working multiple jobs. Being a young mother and a full-time student fueled her to become an elected Director at the Regional Transportation District (RTD).

During her time on the RTD Board she served as the inaugural Chair of the Performance Committee helping to facilitate the development of the agency's strategic priorities and strategic direction in partnership with the CEO. As an RTD Board member she was a fierce advocate for RTD frontline staff and including ensuring access to PPE, the implementation of rear-door boarding and social distancing for transit providers throughout Colorado.

Shontel is an unapologetic Black, Queer, Womxn grounded in her values of love and humanity. She’ll continue to fight for people over politics every day and infuse city government with policy expertise, a lens for justice, and ancestral wisdom.

Councilmember Evanston, IL

Jonathan Nieuwsma was elected to Evanston’s City Council in 2021 after more than decade of local environmental advocacy.

Jonathan was on the founding board and later served as president of Citizens’ Greener Evanston, where he led a successful campaign to bring low-cost renewable energy to all Evanston residents through Community Choice Aggregation. Under Jonathan’s leadership as president, CGE expanded its work in local food, natural habitat, sustainable transportation, and environmental justice, including the “Weatherization Works” campaign to promote energy efficiency in low-income communities.

Jonathan served two terms on the Evanston Utilities Commission, including two years as chair, leading the Commission’s work on Evanston’s Energy and Water Benchmarking ordinance.

Jonathan is a founding member of the Evanston Development Cooperative, a community-owned business that designs and builds affordable, sustainable housing by and for Evanston residents.

Jonathan holds an engineering degree from the University of Illinois and worked in the industrial sector for more than a decade before starting an international supply chain development business. Since 2010 Jonathan has been focused on renewable energy, working on solar and wind projects throughout the country as the principal partner at a renewable energy consulting firm.

Jonathan used to have interesting hobbies before he was elected; now he spends whatever free time he has with his family.

City Councilmember Boulder, CO

Ryan is the dad of two young girls who attend public school in Boulder. He brings a background and a passion for climate resilience, safe streets, and transportation and housing options.

He is especially excited about the potential to create a more multimodal, transit-rich transportation system that works for everyone in Boulder.

In his day job, Ryan is an advocate and advisor for climate action and transportation options. He runs the small consultancy, More Mobility.

Prior to being elected to City Council, Ryan served on Boulder’s Transportation Advisory Board (TAB). As a member of TAB, he helped to establish the Core Arterial Network which expands Boulder’s protected bikeway network, initiate a new program of e-bike incentives, and start to advance parking reform.

Originally from southern Oregon, Ryan has an undergraduate degree in finance from Oregon State University and an M.B.A. from Thunderbird. He served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kyrgyzstan.

Mayor Evanston, IL

Daniel Biss is mayor of Evanston, Illinois. He began his career as a mathematics professor at the University of Chicago before becoming an organizer and then elected official, serving as a member of the Illinois House and Senate for eight years.

Daniel’s public service has consistently featured innovative initiatives to advance environmental, social, racial, and economic justice and political reform. Under his leadership as mayor, Evanston has implemented a cutting-edge Climate Action and Resilience Plan, distributed the first municipal reparations to Black residents, established a guaranteed income pilot, and advanced political reforms like ranked choice voting. Under Daniel's leadership, the City has made significant progress on protecting and supporting Evanston's robust urban trees, improving sustainable transportation infrastructure, and reducing emissions from buildings and landscaping equipment.

Daniel lives with his wife Karin, who teaches humanities and social science at National Louis University, and their two children.

City Councilor Eugene, OR

Lyndsie Leech was appointed to the Eugene City Council in December 2022. Within the first 45 days of her tenure, she successfully helped pass Oregon’s first ordinance banning fossil fuel infrastructure in new residential construction. She is currently working on multiple climate action items on Council, including a Public Health Overlay Zone to limit polluting industry within city limits, banning new gas station construction, and Willamette River Greenway protections.

With a master’s degree in public administration and organizational sustainability, Lyndsie has primarily worked within the nonprofit behavioral health field for the past 13 years. She is now the Executive Director of WellMama, a peer support organization for new, expecting, and bereaved parents. She is passionate about ensuring quality of life for her children and future generations. As the council representative on the City’s Human Rights Commission, she believes that climate justice is social justice, and will be a part of a Revenue Committee that will be working to generate revenue for housing and supports for the unhoused population as well as carbon reduction efforts.

Former Commissioner Gainesville, FL

David Arreola was born in Gainesville, where he served as the youngest City Commissioner ever elected. His parents immigrated to the United States with scholarships to earn their advanced degrees and chose Gainesville as their home. David attended Buchholz High School and Santa Fe College, before transferring to Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida to earn his B.A. in Political Science. He later earned his Master’s in Business Administration from St. Leo’s University.

In 2018, David introduced a motion to commit Gainesville’s municipally owned utility, GRU, to 100% renewable energy. This later passed by unanimous resolution to be reached by 2045. Gainesville is now the statewide leader in renewable energy. David advocated for a strong urban forest master plan to protect trees and natural spaces. David advocated for environmental justice policies such as: Net Zero for All New Government Buildings, Electrification of Gainesville City Fleet, Gainesville Clean Energy Guarantee, Guaranteed Residential Weatherization, Guaranteed Sustainable Job Training Plan, Education of Conservation & Sustainability in Schools and the Community, Climate & Environmental Literacy Training for Government Staff, Creating a Circular Economy Plan

Whenever he can, David enjoys reading, being outside and spending time with family and friends.

Town Councilor Franklin, MA

Cobi Frongillo is a Town Councilor and third-generation resident of Franklin, Massachusetts. As Town Councilor, Cobi has advanced initiatives on sustainable development, local arts and culture, and housing affordability. He was recently appointed as Vice Chair of the town’s Master Plan Committee. Cobi has also used his platform to expand his climate advocacy, including a 2022 fellowship with Elected Officials to Protect America through which he met with US Department of Energy officials and participated in national press conferences.

Councilor Frongillo currently works as a policy researcher for the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy; where he drafts and review state climate legislation. He is also the President of the Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Committee and a Board Member of both the SAFE Coalition and Greater Attleboro Regional Transit Authority.

He received a Masters in Public Policy, alongside bachelors degrees in Political Science & Economics, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. During his graduate studies, he completed a research project on the sustainable economic development of downtown Franklin and a thesis on municipal energy aggregation programs. In 2022, Cobi received a Graduate Certificate in Public Leadership from the University of San Francisco.

City Council Member Olympia, WA

Lisa Parshley serves on Olympia City Council, position #5, and is currently a candidate for LD 22 Representative (position 2).  

Lisa has been a driving force in developing and passing the Thurston County Climate Mitigation Plan. Her unwavering commitment to the cause is evident in her authorship of a climate emergency declaration, which she successfully got passed in Olympia, Tumwater, and Thurston County. She has also championed several electrification resolutions, demonstrating the City of Olympia’s dedication to transitioning all city buildings and fleet vehicles to electric, and promoting residential and commercial building electrification and retrofits for energy efficiency and electrification. Her collaboration with local high school students resulted in the successful passage of a climate inheritance resolution, committing the city to a net zero future. Most recently, she has been part of the regional effort that by 2025 it will be a requirement for Thurston County residential properties to have an energy efficiency audit at the time of listing (for sale).

Currently, she serves as the Thurston Climate Collaborative Executive Committee chair. She previously served as the Olympia City Council representative during the development of the regional Sea-Rise level plan, and currently serves as the alternate to the Phase III Sea-Level Rise committee.

City Councillor Cambridge, MA

Patty Nolan is serving her second term on the Cambridge City Council, where she’s been a leader on climate related actions for the past three years. Her Council priorities are climate action, affordable housing including middle class families, fostering community throughout the city, and accountability in government.

As chair of the Climate Crisis Working Group, Patty gathered experts to change the culture in the city to one of accountability and action on climate to build on the work done over decades which laid the groundwork yet did not achieve stated goals.

Prior to serving on Council, Patty spent a decade on the School Committee, where she was an environmental champion and known for data-based policymaking and effective collaboration on educational excellence.

Nolan moved to Cambridge from Stamford, CT to attend Harvard College. After graduation, she did research in the field of American women’s history, was a policy researcher on work and family issues and a speechwriter for Brooklyn District Attorney Elizabeth Holtzman. She earned her Master's degree at Yale University's School of Management, where she founded a student newspaper.

Prior to elected office, her professional experience included work with McKinsey Consulting, LISC and the ICA Group. She served as CEO of an environmental company and a telecom sales and marketing company. Ms. Nolan has also been a consultant to many mission-based organizations.

Mayor Columbia, MO

Barbara Buffaloe is the Mayor of Columbia, MO. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Missouri Innovation Center, and as an ex-officio member on the Board of Directors for REDI and the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Buffaloe is Chair of the Environment Committee of the US Conference of Mayors and was part of a delegation representing US Mayors at COP28 in December 2023. Mayor Buffaloe is part of the 7th cohort of Mayors for the Bloomberg Harvard Civic Leadership.

Before being elected Mayor of Columbia, she served as Columbia’s first Sustainability Manager. Mayor Buffaloe coordinated the development of Columbia’s Climate Action & Adaptation Plan that lays out a vision and strategies to address risks posed by climate change and contributes to international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. She has presented on the topics of climate action at numerous conferences, including the US Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Summit, the Midwest Climate Collective’s Climate Summit, and the Advancing Renewables in the Midwest conference.

Mayor Buffaloe serves as advisor to the Board of Directors for the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) and is past Board Secretary. Mayor Buffaloe co-founded the Heartland Local Government Sustainability Network. She believes in the power of regional collaboration and knows that building and strengthening subnational relationships can make a difference in achieving global environmental goals.

City Councilor South Burlington, VT

Andrew Chalnick was elected to the South Burlington, VT City Council on March 8, 2023, garnering over 80% of the vote as a first-time candidate. Andrew is a long- time climate advocate and soon-to-be retired attorney.

Andrew is a husband and the father of four. He has decades of experience advocating for strong climate policy, including lobbying Congress with Citizens' Climate Lobby.

Andrew was instrumental in the passage of South Burlington’s 2021 Climate Change Resolution and adoption of its 2021 Climate Action Plan Task Force Charter. He was a driving force behind the City's recently adopted ordinance requiring renewable heating and hot water in new construction and the City's adoption of solar-ready requirements in 2021.

City Councilor Burlington, VT

Gene Bergman was first elected to the Burlington City Council in 1986 when Bernie Sanders was Burlington Mayor. Gene served 3 terms as a member of his Progressive Coalition and then went on to serve as Burlington's Asst. City Attorney for 11 years and Sr. Asst. City Attorney for 9 years. He was elected to the Council again in 2022 after retiring.

During his first three terms Gene sponsored major ecological legislation related to the preservation of the city's agricultural zone, the Intervale, the city's first recycling program, and the conservation of the city's central Waterfront for parkland and open spaces instead of commercial development.

As a city attorney Gene drafted numerous ordinances including those related to opening the city up to urban agriculture and establishing our storm water utility.

Since his 2022 re-election Gene has sponsored legislative zoning changes eliminating parking minimums and requiring transportation demand management, and he is currently working on cutting airline and military emission at the Burlington International Airport and biomass emissions at the City’s wood-fired 50MW electric power plant.

Mayor Pro Tem Boulder, CO

Originally from outside of Seattle, Lauren developed a love for architecture that harmonizes with the natural landscape, characterized by simple forms that elevate the beauty and poetry of the everyday. Her education at the University of Oregon, where she focused on sustainable design. In 2013 she was awarded a traveling fellowship allowing her to explore Europe's most sustainable cities and study how their architecture, urban design, and culture contribute to achieving aggressive sustainability targets while enhancing quality of life.

Currently working as project manager at HMH Architecture and Interiors, Lauren's design philosophy emphasizes the integration of systems within buildings to create beautiful and timeless solutions. Lauren's concern for community and environmental sustainability drove her to engage beyond the building industry, running for and being elected to Boulder City Council in 2021. As a council woman she has successfully advocated for zoning and occupancy changes, the first embodied carbon code in Colorado for all new construction, and enhancements to bike and pedestrian infrastructure, along with many other items.

Alder New Haven, CT

Caroline Tanbee Smith serves as the Alder for Ward 9 on the City of New Haven Board of Alders. Prior to being elected, Caroline was one of the Co-Founders of Collab — a community accelerator providing support and reducing barriers to entrepreneurship for New Haven residents.

Caroline is also the co-founder of local organizations including New Haven Bike Month — a volunteer-led initiative advocating for equitable transportation including for investments in multimodal infrastructure, access to bikes and helmets for youth, and organizing neighborhood leaders across the city.

For her work, she has received the Yale-Jefferson Award for Public Service and the City of New Haven Individual Innovator Award.

Ward 3 City Councilor
Burlington, VT

Joe has a background as an environmental activist — including involvement in the fossil fuel divestment movement, civil disobedience in opposition to Keystone XL, and a ‘Climate Ride’ for which he raised money for 350.org.

He believes one role of local government is to incentivize citizens to lead less energy-dependent lifestyles, for instance by building safe pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure and by ending parking subsidies. He hopes that Burlington VT finds the courage to show local leadership by going beyond shifting toward green energy supply, and actually reducing energy demand by changing the way we live.

Joe is grateful for the engaged activist community in Burlington that makes his council work easier, as well as to organizations like the LCPN that help synergize community-level efforts on climate.

Ward 5 City Councilor
Somerville, MA

Naima is a first-generation Algerian immigrant and a long-time Somerville educator. As a former educator and a union organizer, she was actively involved in organizing around climate change education and environmental justice. She helped push for more sustainable modes of transportation that allowed educators to have access to reduced MBTA fares and Blue Bike passes. She led the effort to make Somerville the first school district in Massachusetts to create a climate change curriculum committee tasked with creating and implementing a climate curriculum. She worked with the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association’s Climate Action Network on helping unions in Massachusetts advocate for climate change education and climate resilient schools. She worked with youth in MA and Somerville Sunrise Youth members to develop strategies to advocate around climate policy. In her first year as a City Councilor, she brought forward a resolution on municipal buildings decarbonization that passed unanimously.

City Councilor
South Burlington, VT

Laurie has had a lifelong love of nature and cares deeply about the environment. Since a young age, his joy and inspiration has been found in nature, in his ability to repair or build just about anything, and working with wood. Throughout his career, he’s collaborated with city councils, planning and zoning departments, development review boards, and the VT Act 250 Commission for commercial redevelopment, residential subdivision development, and individual residential projects.

Over the years he has participated in municipal government as a member of the Shelburne Development Review Board, Auditor for the South Burlington Fire District #1 (Queen City Park), and a member of the South Burlington Planning Commission.

City Councilor
Somerville, MA

Wilfred is a public policy professional with a robust background in environmental science, community leadership, and sustainable urban planning. He is a City Councilor in Somerville, MA, and recently graduated with a Master's in Public Administration at Harvard Kennedy School. Wilfred has extensive experience in climate action, community resilience, and equitable policy development. He has championed initiatives in clean transportation, food security, and decarbonization, demonstrating his commitment to advancing local climate solutions. In addition to his public service, Wilfred serves on the board of Moving Health, a nonprofit focused on climate and health solutions in Ghana, and actively engages in policy networks aimed at creating resilient and sustainable cities. Wilfred is dedicated to leveraging his expertise to support innovative climate policies that promote economic opportunity, environmental justice, and a sustainable future for all residents.

Vice Mayor, City Councilwoman
Phoenix, AZ

Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari is the youngest woman ever elected in Phoenix City Council history and the first Iranian-American elected to public office in the state of Arizona. She is an Arizona native, daughter of immigrants, and a graduate of Stanford and Cambridge universities. She's dedicated her career to finding solutions to critical issues such as climate change, air pollution and public health, most recently as a senior policy advisor at the United Nations. In 2020, her policy work received recognition when she was named to the Forbes '30 under 30' list in Law and Policy. Ansari is ready to take impactful action at home in the city she loves. Her priorities include: leading District 7 residents safely and stronger out of the pandemic, expanding affordable housing, keeping neighborhoods safe, bringing high-quality jobs to the area, and ensuring clean air and water are accessible to all. Phoenix is the fifth-largest and fastest-growing city in the United States. Ansari is determined to build sustainable, equitable communities that serve future generations.

Commissioner Travis County, TX

Brigid moved to Austin in 1988 to start the Texas chapter of Clean Water Action. Prior to that she had been an award-winning journalist at NPR stations in Minnesota and Philadelphia. In Austin, she was a leader in the Save Our Springs movement of 1992 which resulted in Austin’s historic SOS law to save Barton Springs.

Shea was elected to and served on the Austin city council from 1993 to 1996 where she championed consumer, electoral, and environmental reforms. She has been an advisor to the LCRA, Seton Hospital, and the City of Austin. Her carbon-reduction work won the TCEQ Environmental Excellence award in 2010. In 2014 she was elected to the Travis County Commissioners Court.

Currently, Shea is the USA Board Chair of ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability, the oldest UN recognized, non-governmental organization representing local governments; Chair of Air Quality subcommittee of the NACo EELU Committee. Shea served on the national board of Clean Water Action, is a member of the state board of Texas Campaign for the Environment, and is a former member of the Austin Chamber of Commerce Clean Energy Council. She was selected for the 2019 Women in Government Leadership Program of Governing magazine.

Shea was recently given a Lifetime Achievement award by the Texas Energy Summit.

Brigid is a native of North Dakota. She is married to John Umphress, a former Green Building specialist with Austin Energy and beekeeping entrepreneur, and together they have two sons.

Director of Sustainability
Ithaca, NY

Dr. Luis Aguirre-Torres is the Director of Financial Planning and Analysis and Financing Solutions at New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. He previously worked as the director of sustainability for the City of Ithaca, where he led the implementation of the Ithaca Green New Deal, including the City’s decarbonization and Climate Justice strategies. Prior to joining the City of Ithaca, he spent 12 years assisting Latin American countries develop innovation and climate change policies, sponsored by USAID and the US State Department, and providing technical assistance for the design, implementation and financing of long-term climate change and climate justice projects, sponsored by the UN Industrial Development Organization, the IFC-World Bank and the Breakthrough Energy Coalition.

Since 2010, he led an ambitious climate justice and economic development program in Latin America, for which he was recognized as Champion of Change by President Obama in 2012 and by the White House Office of Science and Technology in 2016.  

Dr. Luis Aguirre-Torres is the former Chairman of the Latin America and Caribbean Council on Renewable Energy (LAC-CORE), and  Chairman of the Energy Working Group at the Mexico -United States Entrepreneurship and Innovation Council (MUSEIC), sponsored by the US Commerce and State Departments. 

He holds a degree in Computer Engineering, a Master’s in Computer Science and a PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from University College London.

City Councilor
Rye, NY

Sara Goddard is a former elected member of the City Council in Rye, NY. For 15+ years, she has facilitated and led community engagement and advocacy initiatives for local and regional groups and organizations. As founder and former chair of the City of Rye Sustainability Committee, she was the chief architect of Rye’s first Sustainability Plan and spearheaded a community-focused plastic pollution campaign that produced the City’s plastic bag law — one of the first in the nation at the time and one that has since served as a municipal model.

In addition to consulting for environmental and climate advocacy groups, she is currently the publisher of Green That Life and serves as Board Chair of Sustainable Westchester. In her spare time, she enjoys all that Rye’s beautiful coastal environment offers with friends and her husband and three sons.