SIEDC

Friday, February 9, 2024

This event is free and open to the public.

Known as “The Greenest Borough” of New York City for its 170+ vast parks and expansive square miles of waterfront, Staten Island is poised to undergo transformative projects in the sustainability realm to enhance the quality of life and promote economic growth for our community and its nearly 10,000 businesses.

Building on the success of last year’s first-ever Forum for a Sustainable Future and SIEDC's position as a trusted partner to public and private entities aiming to build a greener world, we are excited to host the second annual SIEDC Forum for a Sustainable Future on Friday, February 9, 2024, at Wagner College (631 Howard Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10301) from 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Proudly presented by National Grid and Pratt Industries, the borough's leading environmental forum will feature panel discussions and presentations among city agencies, developers, and industry leaders.

Keynote Breakfast

8:30 a.m. Panel Discussion Ticketed event for non-members The Power Behind Staten Island: Leaders Weigh In on the Borough’s Environmental Future

FREE for members of the SIEDC only. Members, reach out to lisa@siedc.org to RSVP.

Tickets for non-members are $50.00. Purchase your ticket here.

Panelists

Justin E. Driscoll is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Power Authority (NYPA), the nation's largest state-owned electric utility. NYPA is also the owner and operator of the New York State Canal System. Driscoll is responsible for developing and implementing the statewide utility's strategic vision and mission and for supervising its operations, legal and financial matters and relationships with external stakeholders.

Driscoll previously served as EVP and General Counsel of the Authority. He also supervised the activities of the Hydropower Licensing Group, the Regulatory/Energy Markets functions, Legislative and Community Affairs Group, Environmental Justice, the Corporate Secretary and the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer. He also served on the Enterprise Risk Management Committee and was management’s liaison to the Cyber and Physical Security Committee and Audit Committee to the Board of Trustees.

Before joining NYPA, Driscoll was engaged in the private practice of law and represented clients that included Fortune 500 companies, governmental entities, and energy companies.

Driscoll is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C. with a bachelor’s degree from the School of Public Affairs. He received his law degree from New York Law School and attended the New York University School of Law, L.L.M. Program in trade regulation.

Anthony J. Fiore was appointed Chief Program Officer for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on January 25, 2023. In this position, Fiore leads NYSERDA’s cross cutting programmatic strategy, leveraging program and market assessments to optimize sector specific interventions and economy wide strategies to meet the climate goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and execute on New York’s Climate Action Council Scoping Plan – the framework for how New York will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve net-zero emissions, increase renewable energy use, and ensure all communities equitably benefit in the clean energy transition.

Fiore has over 24 years of government experience across a broad range of disciplines including as Chief Decarbonization Officer and Director of Energy Regulatory Affairs for the City of New York.

Fiore holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences from Binghamton University, and a Master’s in Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University with a concentration in Environmental Health Sciences. Fiore has also conducted research in evolutionary ecology at Binghamton University and the University of Michigan.

Bryan Grimaldi is the Vice President of Corporate Affairs for National Grid in New York, where he oversees the company’s communications, government relations, economic development, community relations, and transmission connection services in the state. Prior to joining National Grid, he practiced law with the firm of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, counseling corporate clients, trade associations, destination marketing organizations, and public-private partnerships nationwide, which was a natural extension drawing from his nearly 15 years as Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel at NYC & Company, Inc, the destination marketing organization for New York City.

He previously served as General Counsel in the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs, where he provided legal counsel and support to city agencies and senior administration officials in dealings with the United Nations, foreign governments, diplomats, and federal agencies. Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office, Grimaldi practiced law in the private sector where he represented several large investment firms and corporate clients.

In addition to the Board of New Yorkers for Parks, he is a Trustee of the Destinations International Foundation; he previously served on the Destinations International Association Board sitting on the organization’s Executive Committee. Grimaldi is also an appointee to the National Advisory Committee on Travel & Tourism Infrastructure and has previously served on the Board of the Javits Convention Center Development Corporation. Grimaldi is a graduate of Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School and received his B.A. in Economics from NYU.

Jen Hensley is Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Con Edison, one of the nation’s largest investor-owned utilities, where she leads government and community relations, regulatory affairs, communications, and philanthropy. Prior to joining Con Edison, she was vice president of Government Relations at ride-services company Lyft, responsible throughout North America for government relations, policy, and strategy. There, she developed and negotiated innovative legislative initiatives throughout the country, generating new funding for vehicle and fleet electrification and infrastructure.

Prior to joining Lyft, Hensley was the president of Link, overseeing the global deployment of free wi-fi kiosks where she led a 400-person team. Prior to that, she served as the executive director of the Association for a Better New York (ABNY). At ABNY, she conceived of and executed the first-ever NYC Tech Ecosystem report, which served as a blueprint for the City’s tech workforce and economic development agenda. She also served as a Special Advisor to the Chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation where she advised on policy issues. And at the Alliance for Downtown New York, she helped the lower Manhattan recovery after 9/11. Hensley holds an MBA and a Master of Public and Non-Profit Management from NYU and a BA in Sociology from Barnard College.

Andrew Kimball is President & CEO of New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), where he leads NYCEDC’s work growing an innovative and inclusive economy for all New Yorkers. Prior to his appointment in 2022, Kimball served as the CEO of Industry City, where he directed the transformation of the long-underutilized industrial facility in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Under his leadership, Industry City invested over $450 million in infrastructure and place-making initiatives, and grew thousands of jobs and hundreds of businesses, ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Kimball previously served as President and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, overseeing the transformation of the 300-acre former Naval ship-building facility into a national model for the creation of innovation-economy jobs, sustainability, and community partnerships.

Up until his appointment to NYCEDC, Kimball sat on numerous boards, including the Coro New York Leadership Center, where he served as chair; Prospect Park Alliance; Gowanus Canal Conservancy; Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce; Citizens Budget Commission; and the NYS Regional Economic Development Council.

Felix Gilroy Green Genesis Award

10:15 a.m. Ceremony FREE Public service stalwart and environmental trailblazer Ed Burke will be recognized for his distinguished efforts to advance sustainability

Session 1

10:30 a.m. Panel/Presentation FREE Charting the Course for Clean Air

Air pollution is one of the greatest environmental threats to health and a leading cause of chronic diseases. This session brings together decision-makers, stakeholders and experts to discuss a wide range of topics from staying healthy in poor air quality, climate anxiety, and clean transportation, to offshore wind, and important regulatory efforts designed to address the challenges of clean air including Local Law 97.

Panelists include:

New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo
New York City Department of Buildings Director of Sustainability Policy and Legal Beth Golub
Community Offshore Wind Manager of Economic Development Lyle Sclair
Artemis Technologies Co-Founder and Commercial Director David Tyler
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Senior Program Manager of Port Sustainability & Resilience Tanja Grzeskowitz
New York State Health Director of the Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology Neil Muscatiello

Session 2

11:30 a.m. Panel/Presentation FREE Supercharging Staten Island: Building Battery Awareness

Batteries are powering our world more and more each day. Join this session to learn more about the impact of this battery revolution on our day to day living, on the environment and on our personal safety as you learn about lithium ion battery safety, large scale battery storage installations, battery recycling and the future of electric vehicles.