OUR 2025 SPEAKERS

Carrie Woerner was elected to the New York State Assembly in November 2014 while serving as vice president and general manager of MeetMax Conference Software, a division of The Wall Street Transcript. She established the software division in Saratoga Springs in 2008, creating new, quality jobs in Saratoga County.

Woerner earned her undergraduate degree from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and her MBA from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. She began her successful 30-year career in software and technical writing working at firms such as Dell/Perot Systems and IBM.

In the Assembly, Woerner advocates for responsible spending and is focused on improving the business climate for small businesses and farms, strengthening public schools, and protecting the traditions, heritage and culture of Saratoga and Washington counties. Since her first legislative term in 2015, Woerner has passed 85 bills in the Assembly, 65 of which have been signed into law. As a result, she has become one of the most productive legislators in the New York State Assembly.

Dave Turk has served as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy from March 2021 to January 2025. As Deputy Secretary, Turk served as the number two official and Chief Operating Officer of a $50 billion per year organization focused on all things energy, basic science, and nuclear security. Turk has taken a leading role in implementing President Biden’s historic clean energy legislation, including coordinating with the White House, interagency partners, companies, investors, NGOs, and other key stakeholders. With Secretary Granholm, he has orchestrated a major reorganization of the Department to create and staff new offices to demonstrate and deploy clean energy technologies. Turk has also focused on early-stage innovation, including the launch of a series of Energy Earthshots. Turk led U.S. delegations to various G7, G20, IEA, IAEA, and climate conferences, and coordinated bilaterally with dozens of countries in the Western Hemisphere, Africa, Asia, Europe, and from around the world.

Gernot Wagner is a climate economist at Columbia Business School and faculty director of its Climate Knowledge Initiative. He has written six books, including Climate Shock and, most recently, Geoengineering: the Gamble. He focuses on climate risk and climate policies. Gernot writes a monthly, globally syndicated column and is a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Washington Post, and elsewhere. gwagner.com

Gernot Wagner is a climate economist at Columbia Business School and faculty director of its Climate Knowledge Initiative. He has written six books, including Climate Shock and, most recently, Geoengineering: the Gamble. He focuses on climate risk and climate policies. Gernot writes a monthly, globally syndicated column and is a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Washington Post, and elsewhere. gwagner.com

Dr. Mohammad Rafik M.S. Nagdee is the Executive Director of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), bringing extensive expertise in climate change diplomacy, strategic planning, resource mobilization, and project leadership. With over a decade of experience working with leading organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the BlueGreen Initiative, and other multilateral entities, Dr. Nagdee has championed initiatives that promote environmental sustainability, energy security, and climate resilience across the Caribbean.

Throughout his career, Dr. Nagdee has mobilized significant grant resources for the Caribbean region, driving impactful projects that underscore his commitment to regional cooperation and sustainable financing. As a former vertical funding focal (GEF & GCF) at the UNDP, he demonstrated an unparalleled ability to develop programs that harmonize human progress with preserving natural systems. His leadership emphasizes building regional technical expertise, fostering collaboration, and equipping Caribbean countries with the capacity to lead energy and environmental transitions toward a shared vision of a sustainable future.

A passionate advocate for inclusivity, Dr. Nagdee's tenure as an NGO leader showcased his dedication to community-driven development. His integrated approach to sustainable development ensures that no one is left behind, advancing a model of solidarity that strengthens collective resilience.

Dr. Nagdee holds a PhD in Natural Resource Management from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, a MSc in Coastal Engineering and Management, and a BSc in Geomatics from UWI, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad. He is also a licensed registered surveyor, specializing in spatial data collection and processing, combining his technical expertise with his strategic leadership roles. Additionally, Dr. Nagdee is a published author who continues shaping the next generation of environmental leaders as a part-time postgraduate lecturer at the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) at UWI, Cave Hill Campus.

Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard is the 30th Mayor of the City of Mount Vernon, New York. Her election in 2019 was historic as she was the first woman to be elected as Mayor. Her re-election in 2023 marked the first time that a sitting mayor has been re-elected in 20 years. Mayor Patterson Howard has quickly made her mark in the governing and political landscape. Leading through the competing crises of Covid-19, public safety/criminal justice reform, climate change, massive infrastructure, and financial challenges; Mayor Patterson Howard has stayed focused on developing systemic solutions that help marginalized groups and create partnerships that bring much needed resources to address legacy, current and emerging issues.

Mayor Patterson-Howard employs her straightforward and pragmatic style to advocate for and raise the profile of the state’s eighth largest city. As an innovator, Mayor Patterson-Howard relies on collaboration and partnership on every level to address everyday issues and major crises. Her aim is to set Mount Vernon on a path to growth, resilience, sustainability, and true governance.
 

During the past four years in office, she has worked with her talented and dedicated leadership team and committed electees to build public/private partnerships that have brought in over $350 million for multiple infrastructure projects and the redevelopment of Memorial Stadium. Historic investments have been made to upgrade the City’s fleet of Police, Fire and Public Works vehicles and equipment to ensure the reliable delivery of city services and kick off the “Paving It Forward” street repair initiative. Through innovative partnerships, the city has launched The Wellness Precinct, Youth Diversion and Emerging Adult Justice Courts, Mayor’s for Guaranteed Income, expanded youth employment and development, workforce development and secured funding for the renovation of the Doles Center and Armory.

In her inaugural term, Mayor Patterson-Howard has risen to the national and international stage for her unapologetic advocacy for environmental justice, climate change, public health, financial empowerment, and public safety. This has enabled the city to partner with Bloomberg, Harvard, The Gates Foundation, National League of Cities, and others to enhance staff development and grant opportunities.

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Mayor Patterson Howard is happily married to her husband of 36 years, Marvin Howard, and has one daughter, Nia.

As Managing Director for Climate and Sustainability, Shari co-leads the ECR group, focusing on environmental and social policies and trends affecting energy companies, industrial production, retail, supply chains, technology companies, agribusiness, and financial institutions. Shari and the team work across regions and sectors to help clients understand the evolving policies and how they will affect client’s business today and in the future.

Prior to joining Eurasia group, Shari worked in climate and sustainability for over 25 years. She began working for the U.S. government during the Kyoto negotiations and moved to venture capital, consulting and banking. Most recently Shari worked at IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, where she led corporate-wide climate strategy and managed a team of industry specialists focused on renewable energy, green buildings, battery storage, sustainable waste, electric vehicles, low-carbon cities, and emerging green technologies such as hydrogen and CCSU. Shari received a bachelor’s degree in political science and music from Tufts University, and a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University. She has received course training in finance and capital markets, as well as solar PV and wind installation and biodiesel production.

Sneha Dubey is an Advisor for Sustainable Development in the Office of the President of the 77th Session of United Nations General Assembly.

Prior to this, Ms. Dubey was at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York, leading on Economic and Social Committee issues. Her portfolio covered Sustainable Development, climate, energy, food security, science and technology and digital cooperation among oth-ers. She was the Mission’s lead on Group of 77 coordination, South-South cooperation and UN Development System reforms.

Ms. Dubey is a career diplomat seconded by India. She has been in the Indian Foreign Service for the last ten years. She has served at the Embassy of India to the Kingdom of Spain and the Principality of Andorra between 2014 and 2018. At the Indian Foreign Ministry, she was Deputy Secretary in the Office of the External Affairs Minister. Her previous roles include leading the Digital Diplomacy wing in the External Publicity and Public Diplomacy (Communication) Department of the Ministry and working on Latin America and Caribbean issues.

Ms. Dubey has a Masters in Philosophy (M.Phil) in International Rela-tions/Geopolitics and Masters in Geography/Regional Development from the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.

Roger Martella is Chief Corporate Officer, Head of Global Government Affairs and Policy, and Chief Sustainability Officer at GE Vernova. In this role, Roger engages the world’s top public and private sector leaders to solve the energy trilemma of affordability, reliability, and sustainability.

Prior to joining GE in 2017, Roger served as General Counsel of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during the George W. Bush Administration, where he was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate, and as Principal Counsel for Complex Litigation for the Department of Justice’s Natural Resources Section, where he won every case he litigated. Roger also co-led Sidley Austin LLP's global environmental and climate change practices and was recognized by his peers as the top lawyer in the field globally.

Roger is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the boards of the Atlantic Council, the ClearPath Foundation, and the American Conservation Coalition. Roger holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and a Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt Law School, where he was Editor in Chief of the Vanderbilt Law Review. Roger grew up in Norristown, PA, where he grew up working in his family’s corner Italian bakery.

Meave M. Tooher, Esq. is a seasoned attorney specializing in renewable energy siting, environmental law, and regulatory compliance. She currently serves as Managing Attorney for Siting at the New York State Department of Public Service, overseeing legal aspects of renewable energy and transmission projects. Previously, she was General Counsel for the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and a partner at Tooher & Barone, LLP, where she represented clients in environmental litigation and regulatory matters. With extensive experience in government ethics, land use, and administrative law, Meave has also lectured for the NYS Bar Association and the National Institutes of Health. She holds a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law and a B.S. in Psychology from Fordham University.

Zachary Hanson is a finance professional with experience in the public and private sectors. Zachary is currently a Vice President, Project Finance at Rabobank, one of the largest renewable energy financiers globally. Since joining Rabobank in 2020, he has closed $5.8 billion of financings across 20+ transactions spanning technologies, geographies, and product types but has been primarily focused on renewable energy assets in the United States. Prior to Rabobank, he worked at InfraRed Capital Partners focusing on renewable energy and infrastructure investing in the United States. Before joining the private sector in 2019, he served as a U.S. diplomat specializing in economic and energy issues. Zachary holds a master’s degree from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota.

John is a Managing Director at Igneo Infrastructure Partners and member of the Investment Committee for Igneo’s North American diversified infrastructure fund.  John has 22 years of relevant industry experience and focuses primarily on investments in the energy transition sector.  John currently sits on the boards of Igneo portfolio companies Terra-Gen and Soltage. 

Before joining the team in 2020, John held roles at CCA Capital, Terra-Gen Power, General Electric, and Citigroup where John led or advised on project finance, structured equity, and M&A transactions in the power and energy sectors. 

John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia Business School (’06). John is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Together with co-founder Corey Gross, Shaun Keegan started Solar Landscape in 2012 by installing solar panels on commercial rooftops. Today, Solar Landscape is a national company that provides solar energy at a discount to thousands of households. As CEO, Shaun leads Solar Landscape's growth and partnership strategies. Using his experience building Solar Landscape from a solar installer to owner and operator of more than 200 megawatts of solar energy, Shaun has connected America’s commercial real estate leaders with solutions that achieve ESG goals, promote community engagement and drive client customer revenue. He has a longstanding personal interest in social justice issues and co-founded the company to enable his employees to create meaningful careers and support their families for the long-term.

Diego Mesa Puyo is a global energy, sustainability, and extractive industries leader with over 15 years of experience in senior management and advisory roles in government, multilaterals, and the private sector. He is currently the Deputy Head of the Climate Policy Division at the International Monetary Fund. As former Colombia’s Minister of Energy and Mines, he led the design and implementation of the country’s energy transition and mining diversification policies between 2018 and 2022, including the first successful renewable energy auctions in the country in 2019 and 2021, the passage of the Energy Transition Law in 2021, and launching the roadmaps for low and zero emissions hydrogen and offshore wind power in 2021 and 2022. Before joining the Colombian government, Minister Mesa worked for several years at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where he led technical assistance missions to advise Asian, African, European, Latin American, and Middle Eastern countries on fiscal matters relating to their energy and extractive industries. Prior to the IMF, he worked as a Manager in the Consulting and Deals Practice of PriceWaterhouseCooper (PwC) in Canada focusing on energy and extractive industries. Minister Mesa has appeared multiple times on Bloomberg TV, BBC World, CNN, the World Economic Forum, the International Energy Agency and CERAWeek to discuss energy and economic policies. Minister Mesa holds an M.A. and B.A. in Economics from McGill and Concordia University, respectively, and has been a CFA® charterholder since 2012.

Riad Meddeb is the Director of the UNDP Sustainable Energy Hub, providing expertise and guidance on policy and decision-making processes related to energy access and a just energy transition across 170 countries. Over the years, Riad has served in UNDP as Senior Principal Advisor on SIDS and Interim Director the UNDP Global Centre for Technology, Innovation, and Sustainable Development in Singapore. Previously, he co-led the development of the Climate Investment Platform - a joint initiative with the IRENA, SE4ALL, and the Green Climate Fund. Riad holds degrees in Economics and Finance from the University of Paris I: Panthéon-Sorbonne. Prior to joining UNDP, he was an Economist at the UNCTAD, ILO, and in the private sector and lectured at the University of Paris V.

Suman has over 20 years of experience designing and executing global programs that generate inclusive economic development in Africa and Asia. She has developed strategies and managed implementation for a community-first portfolio valued at over $100M. She is currently a Managing Director at the Global Energy Alliance for People and the Planet where she leads work to ensure that renewable energy investments improve jobs and livelihoods for communities across the globe. Suman has a MPA from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs and a BA from the Johns Hopkins University. 

Luisa Palacios is the Deputy Director of Research (acting) and Managing Director of Energy Transition Finance at the Center on Global Energy Policy. She comes to the center after a multidisciplinary career in the intersection of energy, finance and policy. She was the Chairwoman of Citgo Petroleum Corporation during a critical period in its history, as it faced significant geopolitical, financial, operational, and legal challenges. As Citgo’s first-ever chairwoman, she shaped efforts to strengthen corporate governance, ethics & social responsibility.

Before, Palacios was a Senior Managing Director and member of management committee of Medley Global Advisors, a NY-based energy and macro policy research firm. She headed Medley’s Latin America’s economic and energy practice and later the firm’s emerging market research team. She previously worked at Barclays Capital as a Director in the emerging markets research department in New York and as an economist in the risk department at Société Générale in Paris. She also worked as Senior Economist at the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and as a Consultant in the Office of the Chief Economist for Latin America at the World Bank in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Palacios co-leads ESG/Energy Transition Finance working group and the Financing of the Energy Transition Initiative at CGEP. She is an adjunct faculty member at SIPA, an affiliated faculty member at the Institute for Latin American Studies at Columbia University, and a member of the faculty advisory committee of Columbia University’s Santiago Global Center in Chile. She is a member of the Editorial Board of the Americas Quarterly and a permanent member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She chairs the Financial Working Group of the Methane Abatement Financing Taskforce (MAFT) and was the Deputy Chair of the 2024 B20 Finance and Infrastructure Task Force during Brazil’s G20 Presidency. She Is also a member of the Board of Trustees of The Hudson School.

​​Dr. Mekala Krishnan is a partner at the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), McKinsey & Company’s business and economics research arm, based in Boston, MA.

Her research focuses on various topics related to sustainable and inclusive growth, including the economics of climate change, globalization, productivity growth, and gender economics. Her most recent research focuses on the net-zero transition, adaptation and physical climate risk across sectors and geographies, including its implications for companies and countries. Her latest McKinsey Global Institute publications include: The hard stuff: Navigating the physical realities of the energy transition; An affordable, reliable, competitive path to net-zero; The net-zero transition: What it would cost, what it would bring, From poverty to empowerment: Raising the bar for sustainable and inclusive growth, and Climate risk and response: Physical hazards and socioeconomic impacts.

Mekala is a frequent speaker on these topics at global conferences as well as with executives at Fortune 500 companies. She has authored numerous articles and her work has been cited in leading business publications, including The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and Harvard Business Review.

Mekala serves on a Bretton Woods Committee working group on climate finance and on advisory boards for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the Sibley School of Mechanical Engineering at Cornell University. She is also on the board of the Global Fund for Women, a leading public foundation dedicated to improving global gender equality. She was previously a member of a task force at the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at Brookings focused on improving productivity measurement.

Mekala received her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University in 2011. Prior to Cornell, she received a Bachelor of Technology degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2006 from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

Neil Suslak co-founded Braemar Energy Ventures in 2003, and has led Braemar’s investment activities in the mobility and infra-tech segments. He currently serves on the Boards of Getaround, Chargepoint, Enerkem, and Fractal Systems and is Chairman of the Board of Fulham. He is also responsible for Utility Associates.

Prior to co-founding Braemar, Neil was an investment banker at S.G. Warburg & Co. and Swiss Bank Corporation (now UBS). He worked in the corporate finance department and was Head of Equity Capital Markets for North America, where he led numerous financing and advisory engagements in the energy, automotive, and TMT sectors. Neil is on the board of directors of the New York Venture Capital Association and is a member of the New York City Investment Fund Cleantech Sector.

Chris is a Senior Partner at Breakthrough Energy Ventures (www.b-t.energy).  Chris has been with BEV since 2017 and has led investments in the manufacturing and buildings & infrastructure space for BEV. Chris sits on the board of directors at Aeroseal, Boston Metal, CarbonCure Technologies, enVerid, SOURCE Global and VEIR and is a board observer at Pallidus.

Over the 25 years prior to joining Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Chris started and/or led six technology-based companies that span industries that include medical device design and manufacturing, materials development and distribution, design automation software, and energy technology. Five of six of those companies were venture capital-backed, private equity-backed or both. Prior to joining BEV, Chris was the Chairman & CEO of CoalTek, Inc. a clean coal technology company. During his 12 year tenure at CoalTek, Chris led all strategy, operations and the company’s entry and execution in the China market. Chris continued to serve on the board of CoalTek and CoalTek’s China joint venture company in the PRC until late 2018.

Chris was a three-time appointee to the National Coal Council, a special advisory committee to the US Secretary of Energy, under both the G.W. Bush and Obama administrations. He is an investor in and member of the boards of directors/advisors to a number of traditional technology, energy tech/sustainability and materials companies.  Chris is also a member of the Strategic Advisory Board of the Partnership Fund for New York City (www.PFNYC.com), focusing on the decarbonization and sustainability initiatives for NYC and broader New York State.

Daniel Egan is a Managing Director and Head of Americas Real Estate Sustainability, based in New York. Mr. Egan executes the firm’s sustainability initiatives across Blackstone’s Americas real estate portfolio.

Prior to joining Blackstone in 2022, Mr. Egan was Senior Vice President, Sustainability & Utilities at Vornado Realty Trust. Mr. Egan serves on the board of the Building Energy Exchange in New York and spent more than four years as Vice Chair for the Real Estate Roundtable’s Sustainability Policy Advisory Committee.

Mr. Egan graduated with honors from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts in Metropolitan Studies and received his MBA from the honors program at Baruch College – Zicklin School of Business.

Climate Town is an exhaustively researched comedy YouTube channel focused on the climate crisis. The series attempts to demystify and explain the climate crisis without making you want to eat a cyanide pill. It was created by Rollie Williams, a Brooklyn-based comedian and Columbia graduate, and is co-written and directed by comedian and engineer Matt Nelsen. Climate Town has amassed 620,000 YouTube subscribers, several millions views, a handful of awards, and has spawned a delightfully engaged Discord community.