Program

9:30-10 AM Registration - Exhibitor Tabling - Networking

10 AM Opening Remarks & Keynote Speaker: Chuck Nice, Comedian & Climate Activist

10:30 AM Morning Session: Conservation Legislation
NEONICS
More Conservation Briefing Papers can be downloaded here.
Rodenticides
LAND CONSERVATION
ORGANIC WASTE
11:25 AM Media & Capitol Reporting Insights: Mark Pazniokas, CT Mirror

11:55 AM Breakout Sessions:
12:35 PM Lunch

1:35 PM Healthy Sustainable Communities Panel
SOLAR
Note: More energy related papers can be downloaded here. 
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
ENergy Landscape
2:40 PM Environmental Rights Amendment
ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT
Click here to download.
2:55 PM Affordable Housing and Environmental Protections Panel
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
​3:30 PM Closing Remarks
Send your questions to today's presenters. We will compile the responses and send them out in a follow-up email after the event. Text your questions to: (929)-548-1638

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Speaker Bios
Keynote Speaker: Chuck Nice
Chuck Nice is a twenty-year veteran of stand-up comedy with a rich history in entertainment. For years, Chuck has been busy making a name for himself across all mediums, including radio, television, podcasting, and the stage. Chuck appeared in “The Week Of” with Adam Sandler and Chris Rock and was delighted to deliver a TED talk regarding the unintended consequence of future tech and human interaction on the main stage during the Vancouver conference. Currently, he hosts Brain Games on the Road, Nat Geo, and Disney Plus, and is the co-host of StarTalk with Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. Chuck has also hosted How to Buy Like a Mega Millionaire and Home Strange Home on HGTV. He has been a regular contributor to the Today Show, a guest host on The View, and a frequent guest on MSNBC, CNN, and HLN. Other credits include hosting Is It True? On Discovery, Price This Place on HGTV, The Hot Ten on Centric, Cinematherapy on We TV, That’s So House Hunters, and the Red Carpet for the Independent Spirit Awards. He was also a cast member on VH-1‘s Best Week Ever, TRU TV’s World’s Dumbest, VH-1’s 40 Greatest, Black to the Future, and Undatable. Despite his busy schedule, Chuck still makes time to perform at NYC comedy clubs regularly.  ​
CONSERVATION LEGISLATION
Louise Washer
Louise Washer is a co-founder and board member of the Pollinator Pathway and serves as an organizer of Connecticut Pesticide Reform (CPR), a coalition of conservation organizations and individuals working to advocate for organic land management policy in Connecticut, including immediate restrictions on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. Louise is also president of the Norwalk River Watershed Association and serves on the steering committee of the Hudson to Housatonic Regional Conservation Partnership (H2H). 
Scott Sanderson
Scott Sanderson is the Director of the Conservation Law Foundation's Farm and Food Initiative, a program that advocates throughout New England for a sustainable, just, and resilient food system. An attorney, Scott's work focuses on agriculture and the environment, including the challenges posed by neonicotinoids. Scott also manages the Legal Food Hub, a unique service that connects income-eligible farmers, food professionals, and food nonprofits with free legal assistance.
Nicole Rivard
Nicole Rivard has been the Media & Government Relations Manager for the environmental nonprofit Friends of Animals since 2013. She helps direct FoA’s legislative outreach and brings 29 years of journalism experience to FoA’s Action Line magazine and the front lines—protesting and documenting atrocities against animals exploited by the carriage horse, fur, and hunting industries, as well as the Bureau of Land Management’s mismanagement of America’s wild horses. She can be reached at [email protected].
Amy Blaymore Paterson
Amy Paterson has served as the first Executive Director of the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) since 2010. Amy collaborates closely with the CLCC Board of Directors and dynamic staff to provide essential technical and financial assistance, networking and educational opportunities, and advocacy for Connecticut’s ~120 land trusts and the communities they serve, driving forward the mission of permanent land conservation across the state. Amy serves as Chair of the State of Connecticut Natural Heritage, Open Space, and Watershed Land Acquisition Review Board, a role she has held since 2018. She has participated in various other committees, including the Forest’s Subgroup of the Governor’s Council on Climate Change Working and Natural Lands Working Group, thePolicy on Resilient Forests for Connecticut’s Future (PRFCT Future) Working Group, the Connecticut Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Advisory Council, and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy’s Land Conservation Advisory Committee. She is a Steering Committee member for the Working Lands Alliance and serves on the boards of the Keney Park Sustainability Project and Creative Living Community of Connecticut.
Karen Saggese
Karen Saggese is passionate about reducing food insecurity, food waste, and climate change, and is a community builder and advocate for infusing justice, equity, and improvement into our food system. With a BA in Art History from the University of Pittsburgh and a JD and Global Law and Policy Certificate from the Syracuse University College of Law, Karen brings a breadth of knowledge to her work. Karen is the Co-Site Director for Food Rescue US Fairfield County, a food recovery organization that engages volunteers to transfer fresh food surpluses from local businesses to social service agencies serving the food insecure in our community. As Co-Director of the Greenwich Food Alliance, Karen works to advance Greenwich’s food security initiatives by strengthening and leveraging relationships, knowledge, and networks. As Co-Chair of both the CT Zero Waste Coalition Organics Subcommittee and the Greenwich Sustainability Committee Food Systems Sector, Karen works on building awareness and policy surrounding these issues. As a member of the CT Food Justice Network Steering Committee, Karen aims to build collective power for regenerative, democratic, interdependent food systems that celebrate Black, Brown, and Indigenous food sovereignty, as well as reciprocal relationships with food, land, waters, and each other. Additionally, Karen serves as a current board member for both the Greenwich Youth Conservation Program and the Greenwich Department of Human Services Foundation, as well as a volunteer server for New Covenant House in Stamford.
MEDIA SPEAKER: Mark Pazinokas
Mark Pazniokas
Mark Pazniokas is a founder of CT Mirror, a former staff writer for The Hartford Courant and Journal Inquirer, and a former contributing writer for The New York Times. In 40 years as a reporter, he has covered some of the most compelling political stories in the state, including the impeachment inquiry and resignation of Gov. John G. Rowland in 2004, the nationally watched Senate race won by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman as an independent in 2006, and Linda McMahon’s efforts to remake campaigning in Connecticut by spending $100 million on runs for U.S. Senate in 2010 and 2012. The Washington Post included Mark on its list of best state capitol reporters in the U.S. in 2014. Mark is a graduate of Boston University.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Environmental Justice Breakout Session
Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez grew up in West Hartford, CT, and studied History and Political Science at Central Connecticut State University. Today, he lives in Stamford, CT, and serves as an Environmental Justice Specialist for Save the Sound. Alex’s programmatic focuses include community engagement, policy advocacy, and storytelling. He is passionate about building an intergenerational, multi-racial, grassroots movement that protects the working class from environmental injustices. Through his time with Save the Sound, he has worked in coalition with youth leaders to move the Connecticut General Assembly’s passage of a cumulative impacts environmental justice law, mandatory climate change education, and a modernized bottle deposit rule. Alex currently serves as Air & Transportation Subcommittee Chair of the CT Equity and Environmental Justice Advisory Council and is a member of the Long Island Sound Study’s Environmental Justice Working Group.
Aundré Bumgardner
Aundré Bumgardner is serving his second non-consecutive term as the State Representative of the 41st House District, proudly representing the people of Groton and Stonington in the General Assembly. Rep. Bumgardner works as a Customer Experience Specialist for Balfour Beatty Communities, the privatized military housing partner at the U.S. Naval Submarine base in Groton. Rep. Bumgardner plans to use his political experience to help small businesses, tackle climate change, and cut taxes for working families. He is serving on the Finance, Revenue & Bonding, Planning & Development, and Environment Committees. He also serves as Assistant Majority Leader and as the secretary of the legislature's Black and Puerto Rican Caucus. Since 2018, he has served on the Groton Town Council and chaired the Personnel & Appointments Committee. He previously chaired the council’s Public Safety Committee and served on the Rules Committee as well as the Long-term Recovery Committee established during the pandemic. He also served as a director for the Southeastern Area Transit District and previously served on the Groton City Planning & Zoning Commission.
Communication Breakout Session
Christine Palm
Christine Palm is the founder of The Active Voice, a student leadership project that combines civics, journalism, and environmental activism. After three terms as a state representative in the Connecticut General Assembly, Palm decided not to run again to launch this initiative to empower the voices of young environmentalists seeking policy change. While in office, Palm served as Vice Chair of the Environment Committee. Her bill to require the teaching of climate change in all public schools made Connecticut the first state to do so. She also championed a bill to create the Office of Aquatic Invasive Species to combat such environmental problems as hydrilla. She has been named a Legislative Champion by the CT League of Conservation Voters and was given the Walter Cronkite Award for Climate Change Education. Before serving in elected office, Palm was a newspaper reporter, high school teacher, marketer of non-profit and cultural institutions, and once owned a bowling alley. She was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for essay writing.
​Advocacy Breakout Session
Robert Fields
Robert Fields is a Connecticut native and the Managing Partner at Zimmerman Fields and Associates. With a passion for politics, Robert has played a pivotal role in organizing and managing several high-level political campaigns across the United States and has advised foreign governments. Recognized for his exceptional talent and dedication, he was honored as one of the country's rising young stars in the 2014 Power 30 under 30 political edition. Not just confined to behind-the-scenes work, Robert's expertise has led him to make appearances on prestigious media platforms like CNN and NBC, where he engages in insightful discussions about current events. His contributions and insights have earned him a respected voice in the political landscape. With a dynamic background in political campaigns and media appearances, Robert Fields continues to make a significant impact, shaping the future of politics in the United States.
HEALTHY SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
John-Michael Parker
Representative John-Michael Parker was first elected in November 2020 to represent the 101st House District, which includes the towns of Madison and Durham. He currently serves as Chair of the Environment Committee and as a member of the Public Health and Education Committees. Ensuring that our state government takes care of all Connecticut’s residents, prepares them to succeed, and builds communities in which they can thrive are among Representative Parker's top priorities. John-Michael is a Madison native and is a graduate of Yale University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology.  John-Michael also brings his experience as an educator and artist to the General Assembly. He’s previously worked as an elementary and middle school science teacher and toured professionally as a musician. Outside the legislature, he serves as the Executive Director of Arts for Learning Connecticut. He lives in Madison with his wife, Joyce, and his son, Charlie.
Kirsten Ek
Dr. Kirsten Ek, MD is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and a hospitalist physician at UCONN Health. She completed her medical degree and residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Connecticut. She is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and holds a public health certificate on Climate Change & Health from Yale University. She is involved in both undergraduate and graduate medical education at UCONN and introduced climate and environmental determinants of health topics to the curriculum for the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine. She is a member of the steering committee for Connecticut Health Professionals for Climate Action - our state’s affiliate to the National Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health. She represents the American College of Physicians on the CCCA. She is the proud mother of four daughters (three of whom join us today). Dr. Ek will review some of the findings of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change with regard to the health consequences of overshoot on emissions and temperature targets. 
Mark Scully
Mark Scully has long been interested in clean energy, energy efficiency, and recycling. He has served as President of PACE since 2016. A native of Simsbury, Mark is active in his local Sustainability Committee. He sits on the Advisory Committee of the CT Coalition for Climate Action and speaks regularly on solar and other clean energy issues. He retired in 2017 from a thirty-five-year career as an actuary and from 2018 to 2020 oversaw the restoration of a local historic mansion into a mixed-use commercial property using modern, energy-efficient technology and practices. Mark received his B.A. in Mathematics and German from Washington and Lee University and his M.A. in International Economics and Foreign Policy at the Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University. He is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a Certified Passive House Consultant. Mark lives in West Simsbury, CT, dabbles with music, and is active in First Church of Christ Simsbury.
Terri Eickel
Terri Eickel is the Executive Director of the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network (IREJN).  She helped found IREJN when she was in college, initially organizing the religious community in CT around dirty fossil fuel plants, called the Sooty Six. A career in opera and classical singing took her around the country, but she remained involved in non-profit leadership roles, bringing vision and expertise as the Executive Director of the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation where she developed and implemented their Therapeutic Research in Accelerated Discovery (TRIAD) research program. As the Director of Development for the CT Cancer Foundation, Terri created and expanded several fundraisers to raise funds for CT cancer patients. She also worked with the Avalonia Land Conservancy in southeast CT as their Director of Development, creating award-winning outreach programs for people with disabilities and fundraising to save over 1,000 acres of open space during her time with the land trust.
Stephen Lewis
Stephen Lewis is the volunteer Chair of the Legislative and Political Committees of Sierra Club Connecticut.  He is a speaker and advocate for switching to renewable energy solutions and electrifying everything. Steve worked for thirteen years in the Connecticut General Assembly as Administrator of the Public Health Committee. He earned his B.A. in Political Science at Trinity College in Hartford and his M.B.A. From the University of Connecticut, and also received Executive business training at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Steve retired in 2023 after a successful career as a Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at UnitedHealthcare. He is currently a member of the South Windsor Energy Committee and founder of South Windsor's Pollinator Pathway.
Charles Rothenberger  
Charles Rothenberger is Save the Sound’s in-house climate and energy attorney, Charles focuses on climate policy and legislation to ensure clean air and a robust green economy for Connecticut. With two decades of experience working on climate, energy, and land issues, Charles is well-versed in lobbying before the CT General Assembly, state agencies, and municipal boards and commissions. He holds a JD from the UConn School of Law and an MA in public policy from Trinity College and has been admitted to the Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts bars.
ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT
Sydney Collins
Sydney Collins is the Sustainability Coordinator for Regional Campuses & Environmental Justice at UConn. She is a queer climate advocate based in New Haven, CT. She graduated from UConn in 2023 and gained experience in municipal government as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Buffalo, NY where she organized community engagement initiatives with green infrastructure and climate vulnerability planning. During her time at UConn, she served as Sustainability Coordinator and Student Services Director at the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) where she supported programming and university advocacy around student needs and climate action.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Denise Savageau
Denise Savageau joined the Board of CTLCV in 2021. She is an environmental planner and has worked in the environmental field in Connecticut for over 35 years including 20 years as Conservation Director for the Town of Greenwich, CT, and has extensive knowledge of land use policy and regulation. She is an active volunteer at the local, state, and national levels on soil and water conservation and is currently chair of the CT Council on Soil and Water Conservation and the CT River Coastal Conservation District. Her current focus is on soil health, watershed management, wetlands protection, drinking water supply protection, local food systems, nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and resiliency, and environmental justice.  She also serves on the EPA Long Island Sound Study Citizens Advisory Committee, the CT Water Planning Council Advisory Group, and the CT Equity and Environmental Justice Council's Water Subcommittee.   She lives in Old Lyme with her husband where she serves on the Old Lyme Zoning Commission.
Aziz Dehkan
Aziz Dehkan was born and raised in New York City. With a degree in Biological Sciences from Rutgers University, Aziz built an award-winning passive-solar house and started one of the first organic farms in New Jersey. In management and development roles, Aziz has worked for social and environmental justice organizations including The Coalition for the Homeless, STRIVE, The Fortune Society, and Mother Jones. As a community organizer and Director of the NYC Community Garden Coalition, in response to structural racism, he has led the fight for land tenure and food security. ​​As the current Executive Director of the CT Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, he advocates for a just transition to renewable energy through the lens of environment and social justice. 
Eleni Kavros DeGraw
State Representative Eleni Kavros DeGraw was elected in November 2020 to represent the 17th District in Avon and Canton. She is currently in her second term. She is Chairwoman of the Planning and Development Committee and serves as a member of the Public Health and Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committees. In her first term, she brought back nearly $2 million in bonding dollars to her district, passed the phase-out of the personal income tax on Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), passed a Workforce Disability Pipeline bill, and a Veterans Municipal Property Tax Credit bill. In her second term, she passed Connecticut’s first Student Loan Debt Relief bill and the Purple Alert System legislation to aid families with missing adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is a member of the Climate Caucus, the Bipartisan Women's Caucus, the Fire and Safety Caucus, and the Intellectual and Developmental Disability Caucus. Eleni is a graduate of James Madison University and The Campaign School at Yale (formerly the Women’s Campaign School at Yale) as well as Emerge Connecticut, the State Legislative Leadership Foundation Emerging Leaders program, and the Council of State Governments Eastern Leadership Academy. Throughout her career, she has served on many boards and currently is a member of the Board of Connecticut Foodshare’s Development Committee and the James Madison University College of Arts and Letters Board. 
Bryan Garcia
Bryan Garcia is the president and CEO of the Connecticut Green Bank – the nation’s first state-level green bank. The “green bank model” demonstrates how smarter use of public resources can attract more private investment in the green economy – reducing energy burden on families and businesses, creating jobs in local communities, increasing the deployment of clean and resilient energy, improving public health, and confronting climate change. With its message of “Inclusive Prosperity,” the Green Bank won the “Innovations in American Government Award” in 2017 from the Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. Through its design of retail accessible Green Liberty Bonds, modeled after the War Bonds of the 1940s, the Green Bank won the “Innovative Financing” category from TheBond Buyer in 2020. Before joining the Green Bank, Garcia was program director for the Yale Center for Business and the Environment. At Yale, Garcia led efforts to develop a leading global program responsible for preparing environmental leaders for business and society. Before Yale, he served as Connecticut’s Climate Change Coordinator where he supported the Governor’s Steering Committee on Climate Change. Early in his career, he was a U.S. PeaceCorps Volunteer specializing in NGO capacity building and environmental education in the Republic of Kazakhstan. In addition to his professional responsibilities, Bryan serves on the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board and the Yale School of the Environment Leadership Council. He is on the Board of Directors of the Energy Foundation, Coalition for Green Capital, and Center for Sustainable Energy.
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