Aligning and Scaling Green Infrastructure Efforts
Green infrastructure can provide many benefits in the Chicago region. Achieving these benefits at a meaningful scale, however, will only be accomplished through greater alignment, innovation and collaboration. This webinar explores topics relevant to creating a coherent and collaborative "Green Infrastructure Agenda" for scaling local efforts. Among other topics, the session explores finance, maintenance, data and research, drawing upon examples that are successfully scaling impact in other areas.
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Guests
Sanjiv Sinha, Ph.D., P.E.,
Sanjiv has been instrumental in developing and implementing innovative green infrastructure in Milwaukee, Buffalo, Atlanta, and more. Dr. Sinha is a member of the board of directors, and serves as chief sustainability officer and a senior vice president, at ECT. A frequent presenter on topics related to economic instruments in the water infrastructure market, he aspires to make these ideas mainstream. Before ECT, he held a visiting faculty position at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He specializes in open channel flows, ecosystem restoration, and numerical modeling. Outside of ECT, Dr. Sinha serves on the board of Delta Institute, a Chicago nonprofit that builds a resilient environment and economy through sustainable solutions. He also serves as an advisor to the WaterWorks Fund, an equity crowdfunding platform focused on meeting water financing demand across the U.S.
Paula Conolly, AICP,
Paula coordinates a national network of municipal green infrastructure leaders–an effort that stemmed from Philadelphia's ambitious and holistic initiative to transform its vacant lots and stormwater system. Paula is committed to making green stormwater infrastructure work in communities across North America. She is the director of the Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange (Exchange), a peer learning network of municipalities, water utilities, and counties seeking to advance their green stormwater infrastructure programs. Prior to the Exchange, she led policy initiatives for Philadelphia’s renowned Green City, Clean Waters program, helping to change “business as usual” to implement over 30 acres of green stormwater infrastructure on vacant lands, parks, streets and private property. Paula also helped to spearhead a state-of-the art drinking water protection program for the city of Philadelphia, helping to raise over $3 million to improve and protect the Schuylkill River Watershed. Prior to that, she consulted on public health and environmental initiatives at Booz Allen Hamilton. Paula is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.
Local Spotlight
Mike Tomas
Mike is an executive director of Garfield Park Community Council, joins for a brief overview of the Council’s Eco-Orchard and its many community benefits. Mike is the founding executive director of the Garfield Park Community Council, which he joined in 2005 when it was created by the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance. He has more than 15 years of experience in both community organizing and community development work in Chicago’s West Side and on the southeast side of San Francisco, where he worked closely with residents, government agencies and community organizations to improve quality of life for those in economically distressed neighborhoods.
