The Climate Jobs Summit will bring together labor leaders, climate experts, philanthropists, and policymakers from across the country for a series of panels, keynotes, and discussions about how the U.S. can lead in building an equitable, pro-worker clean energy economy–one of the most pressing issues of our time. The event is hosted by the Climate Jobs National Resource Center and Cornell ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute.
Agenda
Plenary Panel
Toward An Equitable and Worker-Centered Climate Future
- Lara Skinner, Founding Executive Director, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University’s ILR School (Moderator)
- Aliya Haq, Vice President for U.S. Policy and Advocacy, Breakthrough Energy
- Rick Levy, President, Texas AFL-CIO
- Peter Maysmith, Senior Vice President of Campaigns, League of Conservation Voters (LCV)
- April Sims, President, Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Keynotes
Speakers will appear in one of two keynote sessions
- Liz Shuler, President, AFL-CIO
- Gary Smith, General Secretary, GMB Union (UK)
Breakout Sessions
Climate Jobs Cities: Local Strategies for Advancing Pro-Worker Climate Action
- Vincent Alvarez, President, New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO (Moderator)
- Leonard Aguilar, Secretary-Treasurer, Texas AFL-CIO
- Priscilla de la Cruz, Director of Sustainability, City of Providence
- Shaun Donovan, CEO and President, Enterprise Community Partners
- Justin Kelley, Business Representative, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 11 Local 195
The Future is Union: Growing an Inclusive Unionized Climate Workforce
- Melissa Shetler, Senior Training and Education Associate, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University’s ILR School (Moderator)
- Nicole Bertran, Executive Vice President, The Edward J. Malloy Initiative for Construction Skills
- Sameera Fazili, Senior Advisor, BuildUS
- Chynna Hampton, Equity Director, Climate Jobs Illinois
- Jon Holden, District President, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751 and President, Machinists Institute Board of Directors
The Path to Net-Zero: Overcoming Obstacles and Opposition to Site, Permit, and Build Clean Energy at Scale
- Amy Fuerstenau, Partner, AC Strategies (Moderator)
- Patrick Crowley, Secretary-Treasurer, Rhode Island AFL-CIO
- Patrick Devaney, Secretary-Treasurer, Illinois AFL-CIO
- Grant Provost, Business Agent, The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers, AFL-CIO
Breakout Sessions
Building Our Future: Working Together to Win a Generation of Good Union Climate Jobs
- Betony Jones, Director, Office of Energy Jobs, U.S. Department of Energy (Moderator)
- Chris Hannan, President, State Building & Construction Trades Council of California
- Gary LaBarbera, President, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and New York State Building and Construction Trades Council
- Michael F. Sabitoni, General Secretary-Treasurer, Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA)
Good Jobs & Clean Buildings: An Exploration of Thermal Energy Networks
- Zach Cunningham, Training and Education Associate, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University’s ILR School (Moderator)
- Lisa Dix, New York Director, Building Decarbonization Coalition
- Marc Poulos, Executive Director and Counsel, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting
- Jason Masters, Energy Planning Lead, Buro Happold
- Dustin Cupak, Superintendent, B-G Mechanical and member, United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA) Local 104
After the Inflation Reduction Act: Maximizing the Climate, Equity, and Jobs Benefits of Federal Climate Policy
- Peter Colavito, Executive Director, Invest in Our Future (Moderator)
- Laurel Blatchford, Chief Implementation Officer Inflation Reduction Act, U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Nikki Budzinski, United States Representative (IL-13), U.S. House of Representatives
- Alex Laskey, Co-Founder and Executive Chair, Rewiring America
- Diana Madson, Beyond Carbon Director, Bloomberg Philanthropies
- Kent Miller, President/Business Manager, Wisconsin Laborers' District Council
Plenary Panel
National Unions: Labor is Leading on Climate
- Mike Fishman, President and Executive Director, Climate Jobs National Resource Center (Moderator)
- James T. Slevin, President, Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), AFL-CIO
- James A. Williams Jr., General President, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)
The Climate Jobs Summit is a nonpartisan event.