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Assessment Team

Assessment Team

NYSERDA sponsored the assessment, providing project vision and leadership, management and oversight, review of all assessment products, funding for all assessment activities, and coordination among contractors.

More than 250 people have contributed their voices and expertise to this assessment, including New Yorkers from every geographic region of the state; urban, suburban, rural, and Tribal communities; individuals from numerous economic sectors; and people from the full spectrum of New York State’s racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic communities.

NYSERDA’s Environmental Research Program aims to increase the understanding and awareness of the environmental and public health impacts of energy choices and emerging energy options. It provides a scientific foundation for creating effective and equitable energy-related environmental policies and resource management practices.

NYSERDA and its contractors coordinated these individuals and organized their participation in a Steering Committee, eight Technical Workgroups, two Advisory Groups, and two Project Advisory Committees to develop the assessment.

Steering Committee

The assessment has been guided by a Steering Committee of climate scientists, assessment experts, and representatives from nonprofit organizations and state and municipal government agencies. The Steering Committee includes:

  • Marci Bortman, The Nature Conservancy 
  • Riobart Breen, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 
  • Arthur DeGaetano, Cornell University 
  • Carolyn Fraioli, New York State Department of State
  • Alexandra Regan, New York State Association of Counties 
  • Rachel Licker, Union of Concerned Scientists
  • Mark Lowery, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 
  • Jeremy Magliaro, NYSERDA 
  • Carl Mas, NYSERDA
  • Richard Moss, Joint Global Change Research Institute/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
  • Adam Parris, New York City Mayor’s Office of Resiliency 
  • Neil Patterson, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Center for Native Peoples and the Environment, The State University of New York 
  • Cynthia Rosenzweig, Columbia University 
  • Mari da Silva, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 
  • William Solecki, Hunter College, City University of New York 

Technical Workgroups 

Organized by sector, TWGs conducted much of the day-to-day work of the assessment. Led by two co-chairs, each TWG was tasked with examining climate change impacts in one of the following eight sectors. They searched and reviewed the best available scientific literature; incorporated new projections; synthesized data; and developed the technical, sector-based chapters of the report. 

Diagram of the assessment team structure.
Agriculture

Sector Co-Chairs:

  • Deborah Aller, School of Integrative Plant Science—Soil and Crop Sciences Section, Cornell University
  • Allison M. Chatrchyan, School of Integrative Plant Science—Soil and Crop Sciences Section, Cornell University

Technical Workgroup Members:

  • Alejandro Calixto, New York State Integrated Pest Management, Cornell University
  • Jaime Cummings, Syngenta
  • Ariel Ortiz-Bobea, Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University
  • Gregory Peck, School of Integrative Plant Science—Horticulture Section, Cornell University
  • Junior Schouten, Big Apple Edibles
  • Ben Weikert, Animal Science, The State University of New York Cobleskill
  • Elizabeth Wolters, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
Buildings

Sector Co-Chairs:

  • Nicholas B. Rajkovich, School of Architecture and Planning, University at Buffalo
  • Carrie Brown, Resource Refocus, LLC

Workgroup Members:

  • Illya Azaroff, Department of Architecture Technology, New York City College of Technology and +Lab Architect
  • Erik Backus, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University
  • Shannon Clarke, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
  • Jared Enriquez, Department of Geography and Planning, University at Albany
  • Jamal Lewis, Rewiring America
  • Ozgem Ornektekin, Ko2 Consulting
  • Laurie Schoeman, Council on Environmental Quality, Executive Office of the President
Ecosystems

Sector Co-Chairs:

  • Sheila S. Hess, CC Environment and Planning
  • Douglas A. Burns, New York Water Science Center, United States Geological Survey

Technical Workgroup Members:

  • F. Garrett Boudinot, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University (now at Vycarb Inc. and Activate New York)
  • Carrie Brown-Lima, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University
  • Jason Corwin, Department of Indigenous Studies, University at Buffalo
  • John D. Foppert, Department of Forestry, Paul Smith’s College
  • George R. Robinson, Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Albany
  • Kevin C. Rose, Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Matthew D. Schlesinger, New York Natural Heritage Program, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
  • Rebecca L. Shuford, New York Sea Grant
Energy

Sector Co-Chairs:

  • Sandra Meier, Environmental Energy Alliance of New York
  • Peter J. Marcotullio, Department of Geography and Environmental Science, Hunter College

Technical Workgroup Members:

  • Peter Carney, New York Independent System Operator (Ret.)
  • Susanne DesRoches, NYSERDA
  • Jeff Freedman, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, University at Albany
  • Maureen Golan, New York Power Authority
  • Justin Gundlach, New York State Department of Public Service
  • Jordi Parisian, New York Power Authority
  • Peter Sheehan, New York State Department of Public Service
  • William V. Slade, Environment, Health and Safety, Consolidated Edison Company of New York
  • Lemir Teron, Department of Earth, Environment and Equity, Howard University
  • Ke Wei, NYSERDA
Human Health and Safety


Sector Co-Chairs:

  • Janice Barnes, Climate Adaptation Partners
  • Perry Sheffield, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Technical Workgroup Members:

  • Nathan Graber, Pediatrics, Albany Medical Center
  • Sonal Jessel, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
  • Kevin Lanza, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
  • Vijay S. Limaye, Natural Resources Defense Council
  • Faustenia Morrow, Monarch of Infinite Possibilities
  • Anjali Sauthoff, Westchester County Climate Crisis Task Force and Environmental Health Consultant
  • Michael Schmeltz, Department of Public Health, California State University at East Bay
  • Shavonne Smith, Environmental Department, Shinnecock Indian Nation
Society and Economy

Sector Co-Chairs:

  • Luis Aguirre-Torres, Financing Solutions, NYSERDA
  • Robin Leichenko, Department of Geography, Rutgers University

Technical Workgroup Members:

  • Mary Austerman, New York Sea Grant
  • Deborah Balk, The City University of New York Institute for Demographic Research and Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, Baruch College, The City University of New York
  • Hallie E. Bond, Independent Historian
  • Riobart E. Breen, Office of Climate Change, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • David Burgy, Independent consultant
  • Cassandra John, Sif Capital Advisors
  • Franchelle Parker, Open Buffalo
  • Kenneth Schlather, Independent consultant
Transportation

Sector Co-Chairs:

  • Amy Macdonald, Ripple Resilience
  • Joan McDonald, Westchester County

Technical Workgroup Members:

  • Hua Cai, Department of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University
  • Jennifer Ceponis, Capital District Transportation Committee
  • Cheila Cullen, Department of Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, City University of New York
  • Projjal Dutta, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority
  • Gary McVoy, McVoy Associates
  • Andrea Cristina Ruiz, Vanderbilt University
Water Resources

Sector Co-Chairs:

  • Kelsey Leonard, University of Waterloo
  • Stephen B. Shaw, Department of Environmental Resources Engineering, The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Technical Workgroup Members:

  • Abraham Francis, Department of Infrastructure, Housing, and Environment, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne
  • David Hermann, United States Department of State (Ret.)
  • Laureline Josset, Columbia Water Center, Columbia University
  • Christine L. May, Pathways Climate Institute
  • Benjamen Wright, Hazen and Sawyer
  • Kiyoko Yokota, Biology Department, State University of New York Oneonta

Advisory Groups 

Sector Advisors supported the TWGs. Advisors represent communities and constituencies that are affected by the impacts of climate change or are actively addressing these impacts. They helped ensure that the assessment captures the impacts that matter most, the process is driven by the needs of people who will use the information from the assessment, and the results are accessible and actionable.

Agriculture
  • Jeff Alicandro, Consultant
  • Jennifer Clifford, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
  • David Degolyer, Western New York Crop Management Association
  • Kevin Ellis, Cayuga Marketing
  • Sarah Ficken, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York
  • Ted Furber, Cherry Lawn Fruit Farms
  • Steve Gabriel, Cornell Small Farms Program and Wellspring Forest Farm
  • Willie Giroux, farmer
  • Yolanda Gonzalez, Cornell University Cooperative Extension and Harvest New York
  • Curt Gooch, Cornell Pro-Dairy
  • David Hollinger, United States Department of Agriculture Northeast Climate Hub
  • Suzanne Hunt, Hunt Country Wines
  • David Kay, Department of Global Development, Cornell University
  • Ife Kilimanjaro, Soul Fire Farm
  • David Lane, Farm Credit East
  • Will Lee, Sang Lee Farms
  • Shari Lighthall, Cornell University Agricultural Education and Future Farmers of America
  • Rodman Lott, New York Corn and Soy Growers Board
  • Dale-Ila Riggs, The Berry Patch
  • Aaron Ristow, American Farmland Trust
  • Dale Stein, New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee
  • Jason Turek, Turek Farms
  • Scott VanDeWalle, Farmer
  • Olga Vargas, United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service
  • Philson Warner, Cornell University Cooperative Extension of New York City
  • Chuck Westfall, Patch Island Oysters
  • Tim Winters, Western New York Energy
  • Bill Zalakar, Kurt Weiss Greenhouses
Buildings
  • John Addario, New York State Department of State
  • Claire Barnett, Healthy Schools Network
  • Michael Borges, Rural Housing Coalition of New York
  • Drew Canfield, Central Terminal Restoration Corporation
  • Rosa Maria Castillo-Kesper, Utility Project
  • Ifeoma Ebo, Creative Urban Alchemy
  • Tom Eisele, Eisele Architecture
  • Clarke Gocker, People United for Sustainable Housing Buffalo
  • Bomee Jung, Topsight Advisors, LLC
  • John Lee, NYSERDA
  • Stephanie Margolis, New York City Climate Action Alliance
  • Therese McAllister, National Institute of Standards and Technology
  • Tonga Pham, University at Buffalo Administrative Services
  • Tom Sahagian, energy efficiency consultant
  • Jodi Smits Anderson, 2bGreener, LLC
  • Josh Stack, Stack Resilience, LLC
  • Cole Tucker, Cornell University
  • Endong Wang, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, The State University of New York
Ecosystems
  • Barry Baldigo, United States Geological Survey
  • John Bartow, Empire State Forest Products Association
  • Colin Beier, The State University of New York Environmental Science and Forestry
  • Marci Bortman, The Nature Conservancy
  • David Cohn, Explore Forestry
  • Shannon Dougherty, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Bryan Ellis, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Willow Eyres, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Alexa Fournier, Division of Marine Resources, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Kerrie Gallo, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper
  • Michale Glennon, Adirondack Watershed Institute, Paul Smith’s College
  • Chris Gobler, Stony Brook University
  • Jennifer Graham, United States Geological Survey
  • Maggie Greenfield, Bronx River Alliance and New York City Parks
  • Peter Groffman, Advanced Science Research Center, The City University of New York
  • Molly Hassett, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Robert Malmsheimer, The State University of New York Environmental Science and Forestry
  • Alex Moore, University of British Columbia
  • Marissa Nolan, Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • Anne Saltman, ABS Environmental Consulting
  • Amy Sauer, Biodiversity Research Institute
  • Michael Schiavone, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Nancy Smith, Western New York Land Conservancy
  • J. Curt Stager, Paul Smith’s College
  • Mark Watson, NYSERDA (Ret.)
  • Peter Weppler, United States Army Corps of Engineers—NY District
  • Stephanie Wojtowicz, New York State Department of State
Energy
  • Richard Berkley, Public Utility Law Project
  • Chris Connolly, National Grid
  • Delavane Diaz, Electric Power Research Institute
  • Rahwa Ghirmatzion, PUSH Buffalo
  • Anthony Giacobbe, Seneca Nation
  • Annel Hernandez, New York City Council District 37
  • Keith Kinch, BlocPower
  • Schuyler Matteson, New York State Department of Public Service
  • Shay O’Reilly, Sierra Club
  • Luis Ortiz, George Mason University
  • Eleanor Peck, Hudson Valley Regional Council
  • Daphany Rose Sanchez, Kinetic Communities Consulting
  • Lara Skinner, Cornell University
  • Christine Sloan, National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium
  • Zachary Smith, New York Independent System Operator
  • Arif Ullah, South Bronx Unite
  • Katie Walsh, CDP
  • Neil Weisenfeld, ICF International
  • Chris Wentlent, Municipal Electricity Utilities Association
  • Laura Wheelock, Public Utility Law Project
  • Nelson Yip, Con Edison
Human Health and Safety
  • Lavonne Ansari, Community Health Center at Buffalo
  • Christian Braneon, Institute for Demographic Research, The City University of New York and Columbia Climate School
  • Kizzy Charles-Guzman, New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Columbia University
  • Kristie Ebi, Center for Health and the Global Environment, University of Washington
  • Angie Hacker, Prosper Sustainably
  • Diana Hernández, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
  • Tabassum Insaf, New York State Department of Health
  • Mychal Johnson, South Bronx Unite
  • Chuck Kaiser, Columbia County Department of Health
  • Patrick Kinney, School of Public Health, Boston University
  • Kim Knowlton, Natural Resources Defense Council and Columbia University
  • David Kvinge, Westchester County Department of Planning
  • Valerie Lou, Medical Center and Climate Solutions Accelerator of the Genesee–Finger Lakes Region, University of Rochester
  • Jaime Madrigano, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
  • Thomas Matte, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
  • Neil Muscatiello, New York State Department of Health
  • George Nicholas, African American Equity Task Force
  • Priya Penner, Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies
  • Lewis Ziska, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
Society and Economy
  • Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, Green Squash Consulting
  • Allen E. Austin IV, Bank of Greene County
  • Kate Boicourt, Environmental Defense Fund
  • Katherine Bunting-Howarth, New York Sea Grant
  • Nina Chen, New York State Department of Financial Services
  • Christina Das, United States Forest Service
  • Caroline Dodd, Clarkson University
  • Shameika Hanson, The Nature Conservancy
  • Kevin Lyons, Rutgers University
  • Katie Malinowski, Tug Hill Commission
  • Michael Martin, Native American Community Services of Erie and Niagara County
  • Dave McDowell, Village of Sodus Point
  • Adam Parris, ICF International
  • Anthony Rogers-Wright, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest
  • Linda Shi, Cornell University
  • Maritza Silva-Farrow, Ford Foundation
  • William Solecki, Hunter College, The City University of New York
  • Jennifer Sun, Asian Americans for Equality
  • Alexander Travis, Cornell University
  • Marilyn Waite, Hewlett Foundation
  • Jacqueline Willwerth, Industrial Economics, Inc.
  • Ingrid Zabel, Paleontological Research Institution
Transportation
  • Edward Carr, Energy and Environmental Research Associates LLC
  • John Chow, WSP USA
  • Juan Corcino, Manhattan Beer
  • Gabor Debreczeni, Steer
  • Joshua DeFlorio, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
  • Brenda Dix, ICF International Inc.
  • Michael Fesen, Norfolk Southern Corporation
  • Mark Fisher, Council of the Great Lakes Region
  • Darwin Keung, Tri-State Transportation Campaign
  • Josh LaFountain, The Nature Conservancy
  • Catherine Lawson, University at Albany, The State University of New York
  • Jack Mance, Adirondack–Glens Falls Transportation Council
  • Debra Nelson, New York State Department of Transportation
  • Clare O’Brien, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
  • Floyd Vergara, National Biodiesel Board
  • Courtney Williams, The Brown Bike Girl
  • Louise Yeung, New York City Comptroller’s Office
  • Robert Zerrillo, New York Public Transit Association
  • Jason Zimbler, CALSTART
Water Resources
  • Jayme Breschard, Barton and Loguidice
  • Carla Castillo, Hudson Valley Regional Council
  • Rosa Maria Castillo-Kesper, Public Utility Law Project
  • Clement Chung, Monroe County Department of Environmental Services
  • Alan Cohn, New York City Department of Environmental Services
  • Jennifer Epstein, Riverkeeper
  • Chana Friedenberg, University of Albany
  • Rakesh Gelda, New York City Department of Environmental Protection
  • Dereth Glance, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Gabrielle Gonzales, Clean and Healthy New York
  • Brian Gyory, New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation
  • Ashley Inserillo, New York State Department of Health
  • Monika King, New York State Department of Health
  • Amanda LaValle, Ulster County Department of Environment
  • Kevin Meindl, Chemung County Planning Department
  • Andy Peck, The Nature Conservancy
  • Brian Schneider, United States Geological Survey
  • Chris Schubert, United States Geological Survey
  • Dan Shapley, Riverkeeper
  • Lloyd Treinish, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center
  • Kelley Tucker, Ausable River Association
  • Paul Webster, Clean and Healthy New York
  • Laurie Wheelock, The Public Utility Law Project

An Assessment Design Advisory Group provided insights and advice on best practices for assessment development. It includes the following experts: 

  • Morgan Block, Climate Communication LLC 
  • Arthur DeGaetano, Cornell University 
  • Susan Joy Hassol, Climate Communication LLC 
  • Susanne Moser, Susanne Moser Research & Consulting 
  • Richard Moss, Joint Global Change Research Institute/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory 
  • William Solecki, Hunter College, City University of New York 
  • Gary Yohe, Wesleyan University 

Project Advisory Committees 

The assessment also benefited from the guidance of two project advisory committees:

Physical Climate Modeling Project Advisory Committee 

  • Arthur DeGaetano, Cornell University 
  • Keith Dixon, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
  • Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux, University of Vermont 
  • Ambarish Karmalkar, University of Massachusetts Amherst 
  • Anji Seth, University of Connecticut 
  • Cameron Wake, University of New Hampshire 

Economic Modeling Project Advisory Committee 

  • Rachel Cleetus, Union of Concerned Scientists 
  • Saptarshi Das, NYSERDA 
  • Anthony Dvarskas, formerly New York State Office of the Attorney General 
  • Chris Hall, NYSERDA
  • Jeremy Martinich, Environmental Protection Agency 
  • Carl Mas, NYSERDA 
  • Jason Pandich, formerly New York State Department of Environmental Conservation