Profit & Purpose '23 - WCA Sustainable Business Conference

Thursday,
June 1, 2023
Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
78 N Broadway
White Plains, NY 10603
Members: $60.00
Non-Members: $80.00

Paying attention to environmental, social, and governance issues is critical for all companies.  This year’s regional sustainability conference will feature a half-day of programming from experts in energy policy, business strategy, finance, law and compliance.  And new this year is a “boot camp” sustainability workshop.  Join us as we dive into this issues!

 

Event Details:
12:30pm – registration opens *remains open throughout the conference
1:15pm – Sustainability Boot Camp
2:15pm – break
2:45pm – Business & Policy Panel A Discussions
3:45pm – break
4:00pm – Business & Policy Panel B Discussions
5:00pm – break
5:15pm – Plenary Program
6:15pm – Networking Cocktail Reception

 

Sustainability Boot Camp
If you want to know how to implement sustainability into your business or enterprise, this educational session, presented by The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute, will introduce the nuts-and bolts, practical skills and competencies you need to support a successful sustainability program.
Speakers: Gillian Griffin & Kimberly Bawden of NYS Pollution Prevention Institute at RIT


Dual Track Panel Discussions

Business Track
Panel Discussion A: Sustainable Investing and Evaluating ESG Factors
ESG investing is one of the hottest trends in financial investing and fund management for organizations and individuals alike.   What is an ESG rating?  Do sustainability funds outperform more traditional investment vehicles?  This panel will explore this emerging industry – its promise and problems – and what it means for you.
Speakers: Michael N. Romita, WCA; Anna Snider; Bank of America; John Olerio, Webster Bank and Juan Lois, JP Morgan Chase.

Panel Discussion B:  Sustainability and the Built Environment – Implications for the Real Estate Sector
The built environment accounts for over 30 percent of carbon emissions in New York.  From building design and green construction, to retrofits and “healthy building” concepts, this panel will explore how the real estate and construction industries are implementing sustainable business practices into the built environment.
Speakers: Kristen Motel, Cuddy + Feder; Julia Gisewite, Turner Construction; Cameron Best, Brightcore; Myrrh Caplan, Skanska; Wyatt Roberts, Dandelion and Laziza Rakhimova, Con Edison 


Policy Track
Panel Discussion A: Mandatory Climate Risk and ESG Disclosure (CLE credits)
This panel will discuss the emerging rules that will require companies to provide an accounting of their GHG emissions, the environmental and social risks they face, and their ESG activities.
Speakers: Jason J. Czarnezki, Sustainable Business Law Hub at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University; Michael Arnold, Carvath, Swaine & Moore LLP; Marc L. Rinaldi, PKF O’Connor Davies; Harriette I. Resnick, New York State Department of Financial Services; and Tanya Southerland, Mastercard

Panel Discussion B: DEI of ESG 
While sustainability fundamentally addresses climate action, diversity and inclusion are also critical to any company’s sustainability efforts. This panel will explore the connection between sustainability and DEI and the benefits of a diverse workplace.
Speakers: Bridget Gibbons, Westchester County; Jacqueline Hattar, Wilson Elser; Natasha Fapohunda, Mastercard; Joan Chaya, Montefiore Einstein

Sustainability Boot Camp *1:15pm - 2:15pm

Gillian Griffin
Sustainable Supply Chain (SSC) Program Manager and a Senior P2 Engineer; NYS Pollution Prevention Institute at RIT
Gillian Griffin is the Sustainable Supply Chain (SSC) Program Manager and a Senior P2 Engineer at the NYS Pollution Prevention Institute at RIT, where she provides technical assistance to businesses. Areas of expertise include zero waste to landfill assessment and planning, organizational GHG...
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Kim Bawden
Green Technology Accelerator Center (GTAC) Program Manager and is a Senior Staff Engineer; NYS Pollution Prevention Institute at RIT
Kim Bawden is the Green Technology Accelerator Center (GTAC) Program Manager and is a Senior Staff Engineer at the NYS Pollution Prevention Institute at RIT, where her primary role is to provide technical assistance to industry.
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Business Track Panel Discussion A: Sustainable Investing and Evaluating ESG Factors *2:45pm - 3:45pm

Michael N. Romita
President and CEO; Westchester County Association
Michael N. Romita, a dynamic business leader with extensive public policy expertise, was named the President & CEO of the Westchester County Association on March 1, 2020. Romita was a former executive with Castle Oil, a partner at National Public Policy Firm, and a former U.S. Department of...
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Anna Snider
Managing Director and Head of Due Diligence for the CIO; Bank of America
Anna Snider is a Managing Director and Head of Due Diligence for the Chief Investment Office (CIO) within Bank of America Corporation. In this role, she leads the Due Diligence team and is responsible for manager research and implementation guidance across all asset classes supporting Bank of...
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Juan Lois
Executive Director; JP Morgan Chase
Juan Lois, Executive Director, is the Lead Strategist on the Sustainable Investing team responsible for implementing the firm's sustainable investment strategy, solutions and product innovation in the Americas. In partnership with our distribution and product teams, he leverages our extensive...
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John Olerio
Senior Managing Director, Head of Webster Investments; Webster Bank
With over 30 years of industry experience, John has focused his career as a Program Manager for Large Regional Banks with extensive experience with Third Party Marketing (TPM) Broker Dealers. He has been with Webster Investments since 1997 and has consistently implemented progressive plans and...
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Business Track Panel Discussion B: Sustainability and the Built Environment - Implications for the Real Estate Sector *4:00pm - 5:00pm

Kristen Motel
Partner; Cuddy + Feder
Kristen Motel is a Partner at Cuddy & Feder LLP in the firm’s Land Use, Environmental and Telecommunications practice groups and is Chair of the firm’s Cannabis Law group. Kristen has extensive experience with federal, state and local permitting and real estate development. She frequently...
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Cameron Best
Director, Business Development; Brightcore
With a background in environmental policy, Cameron joined the geothermal industry in 2019 and spent the last 4-years focused on the growth and development of district geothermal systems. During that time, he led multiple district geothermal studies and development efforts impacting hundreds of...
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Julia Gisewite
Chief Sustainability Officer; Turner Construction
Julia is Turner Construction Company’s Chief Sustainability Officer, responsible for setting and implementing sustainability policies, standards, and strategies across Turner’s national and international operations.
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Wyatt Roberts
Dandelion Energy
Wyatt Roberts is Head of Channel Development for Dandelion Energy. He is a builder and a building scientist, and is passionate about reducing the impact of our built world on the global environment. Dandelion Energy is committed to freeing homes from fossil fuels through the adoption of geothermal...
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Laziza Rakhimova
Energy Efficiency Business Development Manager; Con Edison
Laziza has been working in energy efficiency field since 2011. Prior to that she worked for United Nations and the International Committee of Red Cross. In her role at ConEdison, Laziza is working with building owners and developers to help meet New York’s decarbonization goals, transition...
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Myrrh Caplan
National VP for Sustainability; Skanska
For 24 years, Myrrh has worked in the construction and development industry—supporting, advising and managing the LEED® certification process for 208 projects across various building types and industries in North America and Europe. She has provided oversight and consulting on LEED, WELL,...
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Policy Track Panel Discussion A: Mandatory Climate Risk and ESG Disclosure *2:45pm - 3:45pm

Jason J. Czarnezki
Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law; Associate Dean of Environmental Law Programs and Strategic Initiatives; Faculty Director; Sustainable Business Law Hub at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
Professor Jason J. Czarnezki is the Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law, and Associate Dean of Environmental Law Programs and Strategic Initiatives, as well as the inaugural Faculty Director of the Sustainable Business Law Hub at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law...
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Harriette I. Resnick
Acting Executive Deputy Superintendent, Climate Division; New York State Department of Financial Services
Harriette Resnick is an Assistant Deputy Superintendent in the Climate Division of the New York State Department of Financial Services. Before joining the Department of Financial Services, Harriette had served as internal counsel to JPMorgan Chase & Co. As Managing Director and Associate General...
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Michael L. Arnold
Partner, Corporate; Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Michael L. Arnold is a member of the Corporate Governance and Board Advisory practice. Mr. Arnold counsels clients with respect to their most sensitive and highest risk matters, advising boards of directors and senior management on a broad range of corporate governance, public reporting,...
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Marc L. Rinaldi
Partner; PKF O'Connor Davies LLP
Marc Rinaldi is the Partner-in-Charge of the Firm’s Financial Services; Director of Family Office Investments; and CEO of O’Connor Davies Administration, LLC. He is also Senior Managing Director of PKF Funds and Family Office, which includes PKF member firms in London, Scotland and Dublin. He...
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Tanya Southerland
Vice President, Senior Managing Counsel for Strategic Growth; Mastercard
Tanya Southerland is Vice President, Senior Managing Counsel for Strategic Growth at Mastercard, where she serves as lead counsel for the Center for Inclusive Growth, Mastercard Impact Fund, Corporate Sustainability, Community Engagement, and Cause Enablement teams. 
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Policy Track Panel Discussion B: DEI of ESG *4:00pm - 5:00pm

Bridget Gibbons
Director of Economic Development; Westchester County
Jacqueline Hattar
Partner, Wilson Elser
Jackie Hattar is an experienced and accomplished litigator who focuses her practice on general tort liability matters and the defense of complex litigation. Jackie has defended many high-exposure personal injury and wrongful death actions involving premises and construction/Labor Law, trucking,...
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Natasha I Fapohunda
Senior Vice President & Assistant General Counsel, Strategic Growth; Mastercard
Natasha Fapohunda serves as Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Strategic Growth, responsible for leading a global legal team at Mastercard focused on growing strategic partnerships, scaling new business opportunities, and advancing the company’s efforts to partner with...
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Joan Chaya
Senior Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Montefiore Einstein
Joan Chaya, MA, (She/Her), is Senior Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Montefiore Einstein. She is responsible for the development and oversight of Montefiore Medical Center’s governance infrastructure for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
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Plenary Session

Christina E. Gunnell
Senior Manager | Sustainability & ESG Services; Deloitte & Touche LLP
Christina is a Senior Manager on Deloitte's Sustainability and ESG Services team. She serves as a subject matter advisor for financial service, private equity, private company, and pre-IPO companies.
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