she made her first of three Olympic Teams as a fifteen-year-old. Despite her huge success in the sport, Elizabeth struggled with doubts, failures, and injuries throughout her entire swimming career. In her book Silver Lining, Beisel gives a compelling look inside the pressures that come with being an Olympian, and how she mentally conquered the stress of competing at the highest level for over a decade. From a small-town girl with a dream to winning Olympic medals, Elizabeth gives you a glimpse inside her life as you’ve never seen it before. She is relatable, open, and honest, and her storytelling in Silver Lining will leave you feeling emotional and inspired to pursue your own dreams, no matter who you are.

and the International Museum of WWII. Currently, he represents Soldier On, the Massachusetts Forestry Alliance, and the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation. Beyond his consulting work, Dan serves as Chairman of MountainOne Bank and its holding company. He was formerly a visiting professor at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) and President of the North Adams SteepleCats (NECBL). Earlier in his career, Dan served 24 years as a State Representative from the First Berkshire District, holding key leadership roles including chairing three committees and serving on the conference committee on budgeting. He is recognized for authoring job creation bills and co-authoring groundbreaking legislation in life science and electricity restructuring. His federal appointments included the U.S. Trade Representative’s Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Council (IGPAC) and an intergovernmental advisory group for Homeland Security. He served as National Chair of the Council of State Governments (2003). A lifelong resident of North Adams, Massachusetts, Dan lives with his wife, Laura.

their business. Recently she launched a new white-labeled all in one AI powered marketing platform called OptimizePro, which is designed to help entrepreneurs, coaches and creatives to market and promote their business all from one place. Additionally, she is also the creator of the Small Business Boot Camp for Women, and annual 1-day marketing event for entrepreneurs. Toni’s motto for her business ventures is, “We EDUCATE to ELEVATE people in business. Toni has been featured in the NY Amsterdam News, the Network Journal Magazine, Our Time Newspaper, Black Enterprise Online, Working Woman Magazine and WPIX 11’s Working Woman Report.  She is the author, co-author and/or compiler of more than six books including “Quantum Leap: How to Make a Quantum Leap in Your Network Marketing Business”, “Network to Increase Your Net Worth,” “Delayed But Not Denied Anthology Series” and “Our Stories, Our Voices: Black Men Speak Their Truth.” Toni received a Bachelor’s of Business Administration (Finance) from Howard University and Masters of Arts in Creative Writing from the City College of New York and is a certified business coach with Wainwright Global. Toni is on a mission to fulfill her God-ordained purpose of positively impacting the lives of millions. Toni lives in Queens, New York with her husband and two daughters.

the Massachusetts Judicial Branch. Prior to that she worked in Washington DC for the U.S. House of Representatives House Budget Committee and then Massachusetts Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. While in college she interned for U.S. Senator John Kerry in his Washington DC office and for Massachusetts State Representative Kay Khan in the Massachusetts State House. She completed her master’s degree in Homeland Security from the Northeastern University College of Professional Studies with a custom concentration in Emergency Management and Strategic Intelligence & Analysis. She received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of New Hampshire graduating summa cum laude. Published research: “The Potential Role of the Department of Homeland Security in the Transportation of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel,” presented at the 19th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials, New Orleans, LA - August 5, 2019.

of Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs, and also serves on the Senate Government Operations Committee. In addition, Alison is a member of the Legislative Climate Solutions Caucus and the Women’s Caucus, and she serves on the State Workforce Development Board. Before moving to Vermont, Alison was a theater producer in New York for 15 years – where she produced plays on, off, and off-off Broadway. Alison is married to Oliver Goodenough, a professor at the Vermont Law School, and they are the proud parents of two sons, Ward and William.

well as the delivery of Historic Tax Credits (HTC) to preserve and restore historic properties across the country, and the secondary market execution of New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) to drive national economic development by building or rehabilitating community facilities and commercial real estate projects serving under-resourced communities. He manages a $4.9 billion equity portfolio. Maurice also serves as the Co-Chair of the Bank of America Black Professional Group (BPG), a global Employee Network consisting of 36 chapters and over 18,000 members. Prior to this role, Mr. Coleman served as the Boston Market Leader and Senior Relationship Manager, where he delivered debt, tax credit equity and pre-development and permanent financing for multi- family, affordable housing as well as mixed-use, mixed-income real estate projects throughout the Northeast. Mr. Coleman joined Bank of America’s predecessor bank, BankBoston in 1999, where he served as an Investment Officer with the BankBoston Development Company (BBDC) and later Fleet Development Ventures (FDV), a $250 million private equity and mezzanine finance boutique focused on investing direct equity in women and/or minority owned companies operating in emerging markets nationally. In 2004, Maurice became a Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Fleet National Bank’s Community Investment Group (CIG), where he managed a regional team focused on private equity, small business lending, retail banking and community development lending in New York City and northern New Jersey. For over a decade, Mr. Coleman served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of three national Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) -- the New York City - Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), TruFund Financial Services, and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ) – Business Resource and Investment Service Center (BRISC). He also served on the national Board of Directors for the Corporation of Supportive Housing (CSH) and was the co-founder/vice chairman of two charter schools, Capital Prep Harlem and Capital Prep the Bronx. He actively serves on the Board of Visitors at Columbia College for Columbia University.

director for special education outcomes at the Council of Chief State School Officers. He has also served in senior leadership roles at the Kentucky Department of Education, and as a high school special education teacher. From his role as a classroom teacher, to state special education director, to the United States’ highest-ranking official for special education and rehabilitative services, Collett has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to raising expectations and improving outcomes for people with disabilities. Added to that is his career-long commitment to meaningful and effective collaboration with diverse stakeholders - whether students, parents, educators, business leaders, disability advocates, Governors, state legislators, or members of Congress. Collett’s extensive portfolio of leadership experience, including implementation of state and Federal laws and policies and numerous systems change efforts, provide him with a unique perspective on matters related to improving the educational and employment outcomes of people with disabilities.

Committee; the Rhode Island Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Committee; the Aquidneck Land Trust; the Sakonnet Preservation Society; the United States Navy League; the Physics First Advisory Board; the St. Philomena School Board of Trustees; the Rhode Island Science and Engineering Fair; the Rhode Island Space Grant consortium; the UMASS Dartmouth Computer and Electrical/Computer Engineering Advisory Committee and serves as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister at St. Lucy's Church. A 1979 graduate Notre Dame Catholic High School, he went on to earn a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Bridgeport in 1983 and a Masters in Computer Science from Brown University in 1989. Senator DiPalma served on the Middletown Town Council from 2004-2008 before elected to the Rhode Island Senate. Lou is married to Margaret and they have two children, Kellie and Abigail. He is employed as a Technical Director for Raytheon.

public. He does this through state legislative oversight workshops for a national audience, short podcasts on a specific oversight topics called FAST Classes, and state-specific content including workshops at state capitols across the country. Ben helps equip legislators with the tools and best practices needed for bipartisan fact-finding and to empower legislators to see differences in perspective as an advantage when seeking facts together. Whether it is how to ask better questions in a hearing, how to leverage a department budget to secure a reporting requirement for a government program or service, or how to build an oversight plan when approaching a long-term investigation, Ben is always ready to assist legislators through the State Oversight Academy to help fulfill the legislature’s role as the “eyes and ears” of the people.

of life for all. In this capacity he administers a $3 billion annual budget and works alongside over 3,300 colleagues at CTDOT. In addition to his role as Commissioner, he was selected by his peers to serve as President of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), is a member of the Executive Committee of the Transportation Research Board, serves as co-chair of the Northeast Corridor Commission, and chairs the state’s Vision Zero Council. He also previously served as President for the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials (NASTO). Garrett previously served as Deputy Commissioner of CTDOT from January 2020 until January 2023. Before joining CTDOT, he was Transportation Program Director for the National Governors Association (NGA) in Washington, D.C. There he assisted the nation’s fifty-five governors in advancing their policy objectives in transportation. Before joining the NGA, Garrett was the Undersecretary for Comprehensive Planning and Intergovernmental Policy for the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management during the administration of Governor Dannel P. Malloy. In this position, he researched, evaluated, and developed transportation, environmental, and regional planning initiatives.

is a member of the Finance, Revenue & Bonding, Higher Education & Employment Advancement and Transportation Committees. Over the past two years, Representative Farrar spearheaded a coalition of lawmakers and advocates to pass historic legislation with sustainable investment to make childcare more affordable and accessible. Representative Farrar has more than 20 years of experience as a nonprofit advocate and active community volunteer. As Executive Director of the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF), she led passage of the state’s landmark Paid Family and Medical Leave Act in addition to advancing laws for pay equity. Before CWEALF, Representative Farrar expanded STEM education and leadership programs for girls and college women at AAUW in Washington, D.C. Currently, she serves as a Strategy Coordinator for Connecticut Foodshare. She is also a Board Member of the Aurora Foundation for Women and Girls and Betty Knox Foundation. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut and a master’s in public administration from Syracuse University. She is a graduate of the Council of State Governments Eastern Leadership Academy and Toll Fellowship.

Local Leaders Solving Global Problems; Modern Man: The Life of Le Corbusier, Architect of Tomorrow; Wrestling with Moses: How Jane Jacobs Took on New York’s Master Builder and Transformed the American City (winner of the Christopher Award); This Land: The Battle over Sprawl and the Future of America; and co-editor of Smart Growth Policies: An Evaluation of Programs and Outcomes. He was a policy advisor on smart growth for Massachusetts state government, a visiting scholar and Loeb Fellow at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, a practitioners fellow at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center, and the first visiting fellow at the American Library in Paris. He earned his B.A. from Middlebury College and an M.S. from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, and attended the University of St. Andrews, the Salzburg Seminar, and the Bread Loaf Writers Conference. In 2025, he was awarded the Boston Society of Architects Honorary Membership for his journalism about architecture, urban planning, and urban design.

in Rhode Island and served for several years as chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Education. She has been instrumental in numerous education initiatives, including landmark legislation establishing an equitable, predictable, and transparent formula for funding education in Rhode Island. She led the charge for funding of full-day kindergarten statewide, which was enacted in 2015, and has been a leading advocate for universal prekindergarten programming. She was also the Senate sponsor of a law making civics proficiency a requirement for Rhode Island public high school graduates. In addition, she has been instrumental in bills to cut government red tape to allow businesses to operate more efficiently, thereby enabling them to grow their workforces. She has been active in efforts to improve workforce development programs so all Rhode Islanders have access to quality, good-paying jobs. Sen. Gallo was appointed as the chair of the CSG East Education and Workforce Development Committee in 2023. She and her husband, Russell, have two daughters, Julie and Laura.

of Families, and is an active member of CSG East, representing Québec on the CSG East Canada-U.S. relations committee, and Executive Committee. Additionally, with 20 years' experience at the helm of the Châteauguay Dental Clinic, she was appointed President of the Greater Roussillon Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2020. A seasoned manager, Marie-Belle is committed to her region's vitality and her fellow citizens' quality of life.

caucus. His work has focused on solid waste management, especially landfill siting and management of out of state waste going into New Hampshire landfills, as well as diversion strategies targeting plastics and food waste.   Rep. Germana is also a professor of history at Keene State College.

Housing in December 2024 and to serve as Chair of the Rhode Island Board of Commissioners in March 2025.  Ms. Goddard consulted to the Rhode Island Department of Housing from August 2022 to December 2024.  Previously she served as Executive Vice President at the New York City Housing Authority from 2016 – 2019 where she oversaw a capital improvements portfolio valued at over $3 billion and managed a staff of 350 persons.  At MassHousing (MHFA), Ms. Goddard served as Managing Director for Policy and Program Development from 2014-2016.  In this role, Ms. Goddard crafted initiatives to incorporate best practices into MassHousing’s lending programs across range of subjects including sustainability, resident services and local planning capacity.  From 2007 – 2014, Ms. Goddard served as General Counsel for MA Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD).  DHCD administered a breadth of housing programs including, but not limited to, HOME, LIHTC, CDBG, Ch. 40B, and fair housing.  Prior experience includes positions with a Boston based community development corporation, the Boston Housing Authority, Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development; and the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, the affordable housing developer affiliated with the Archdiocese of Boston.  Ms. Goddard received her law degree from Boston College Law School and her undergraduate degree from Wheaton College in Massachusetts.

as high-quality affordable housing. Kim has extensive experience providing technical assistance to over 300 communities in 35 states, leading to remarkable improvements in state and local policies and practices. As a national expert in the equitable reuse of vacant properties, she helps communities responsibly employ powerful tools like delinquent property tax enforcement, housing and building code enforcement, and land banking. Before taking on a national role, Kim excelled in various leadership positions within local government, affordable housing, philanthropy, and social services. She currently resides in Birmingham, Alabama, and is the President of Indigo Collaborative, a national consulting practice focused on bridging the gap between local governments and the residents they serve.

NRC’s Region I office.  Since joining the NRC, he has held positions of increasing responsibility, including Resident Inspector and Senior Resident Inspector at Susquehanna Steam Electric Station and Regional State Liaison Officer.  In 2018, Mr. Greives was selected as a Branch Chief in the Division of Operating Reactor Safety, Region I.  Mr. Greives also served as the acting Deputy Director for the Futures Core Team in the Office of the Executive Director for Operations. Before joining the NRC, Mr. Greives served in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear-training submarine officer and also served as an instructor at the Navy’s nuclear power school and prototype training facilities. Mr. Greives received a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Bucknell University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Mr. Greives is a graduate of the NRC’s Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program.

finance expert, first with the Education Commission of the States and then as an independent contractor. Over the past 20 years, he has worked with policymakers in all 50 states to help them reshape and reform their school funding systems, always to improve student achievement and education equity. His research work has focused on the condition of state and district budgets, the adequacy and equity of state finance formulas, and promising practices in funding programs for high-need students.

and has more than 25 years of public service. He currently serves clients as a policy and political consultant. Earlier in his career, Peter was the first-ever visiting fellow at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Previously, he had been the director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Education during the first term of President Barack Obama. Peter served as the 47th president of the Colorado State Senate. He was the first African American in Colorado to ascend to the post and only the third African American in the nation’s history to hold the gavel as state Senate president. Peter served in the Colorado General Assembly for nearly 10 years and passed landmark education innovation, criminal justice, and health care legislation. Peter has a B.A. from the University of Redlands and a J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law.

PJM, Haque was the chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and is a past President of MACRUC. Haque began his career at a large general practice firm and went on to work as in-house counsel at a global auto manufacturer prior to his appointment to the PUCO. He also serves on the board of the Philadelphia Education Fund, which works to create equitable opportunities for all students to succeed in college and career. Haque holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and political science from Case Western Reserve University and a Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

family’s dairy farm and in 1996 started work as a corrections officer with the New York State Department of Corrections. He served as mayor of Chateaugay from 2009 to 2013 and as a Franklin County legislator starting in 2010, becoming chair in 2013. During his tenure, Billy successfully reformed ethics laws to make government more transparent. Assemblymember Jones is active with various organizations throughout the North Country, including the Chateaugay Rotary Club; he is also a board member of the United Way of the Adirondack Region. He was a member of the North Country Economic Development Council, where he supported numerous projects that help local businesses grow the region’s economy. Assemblymember Jones remains very engaged with issues facing the Canada-U.S. border and was named the honorary co-chair of the Quebec-New York Corridor Coalition, and serves as chair of The Council of State Governments Eastern Region’s Canada-U.S. Relations Committee. He chairs the Task Force on New York Canada Relations and the Subcommittee on Agriculture Economic Development and Farmland Protection. He is a member of the Committee on Agriculture; the Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry; the Committee on Small Business; the Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development; the Committee on Veterans' Affairs; and the Committee on Governmental Employees. In the Assembly, his legislative priorities are lowering taxes for middle-class families, improving the education system, rooting out government corruption, and creating good-paying jobs so North Country families can thrive for generations to come. Assemblyman Billy Jones is the proud father of a daughter, Ella Liberty Jones, born on July 4th.

PRN’s president, Tony leads a dedicated team and frequently presents at public meetings and conferences, including SXSW and YIMBYtown. He lives car-free in Portland, Oregon, with his family, enjoying multi-day bike trips and strategy board games when he’s not advocating for smarter parking policies.

East Village. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Housing, Construction, and Community Development, Brian has built on his decades of advocating for access to high quality, safe, affordable housing for all New Yorkers. In 2019, he led the Senate effort to pass the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (HSTPA), which gave New York the strongest tenant protections in the nation. Early into the COVID-19 pandemic, he enacted New York's Emergency Rental Assistance Program and Homeowner Assistance Fund. In 2024, New York State adopted Good Cause Eviction legislation, a priority of Brian's since 2019. He also authored the All-Electric Building Act, which became law in 2023, requiring the state energy construction code to halt the use of fossil fuels in new construction in the state. Before he was elected to the legislature, Brian served on the staff of City Councilmember Gale Brewer, in the administrations of Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins, as an attorney at the New York City law firms of Kaye Scholer and Schulte Roth & Zabel, and as a researcher and voting rights advocate at Dēmos.

as the internal institutional structures of local governments. Kazis’s work has been published in journals including the Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal, and Michigan Law Review. Before joining the Michigan Law faculty, he was a legal fellow at New York University’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy and an attorney for the City of New York.

state land use laws, federal and state grant programs with annual funding of approximately $100 million. For the past three years, she’s led the implementation of the award winning MBTA Communities law which requires 177 communities in eastern Massachusetts to establish as of right multi-family zoning. Prior to her work for the Commonwealth, she worked for the Town of Westford, MA as the Director of Land Use Management. She worked in Oregon for the first half of her 35+ year career, including co-founding a planning firm. In 2016, Chris was recognized for outstanding contributions to the field of planning as a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners. She has a BA in the Growth and Structure of Cities from Haverford College.

their downtowns and transit station areas. Previously, Mr. Kooris was President of Stamford Downtown, a business improvement district representing the major property owners, companies, residents of Connecticut’s premier mixed-use urban and transit-oriented center. He was also the volunteer Chair of the Board of the Connecticut Port Authority, the planning, marketing, and strategic coordination entity for the state’s ports and harbors. There, he negotiated and executed one of the largest public-private partnerships in state history to redevelop the State Pier in New London into the premier offshore wind staging hub on the eastern seaboard. Prior to January 2020, Mr. Kooris held multiple public sector positions including Deputy Commissioner at the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Director of Resilience at the Connecticut Department of Housing, and Director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development and Executive Director of the Redevelopment Agency for the City of Bridgeport. He began his career at Regional Plan Association where he held several positions culminating in his dual roles as Vice President and Connecticut Director. Since 2012, Mr. Kooris has been a lecturer at Yale University’s School of Environment, teaching graduate level urban planning courses and in Spring 2025 will transition to Yale’s School of Architecture.

Senate since 2019, introducing legislation on education, public health, protections for senior citizens, and the East Providence community. Sen. Lawson is a lifelong East Providence resident. She earned both a B.A. and M.A. from Rhode Island College. She taught in East Providence public schools for 32 years and is the former President of the East Providence Education Association. In 2023, she was elected President of the National Education Association Rhode Island.

teaches courses that focus on the intersection of urban design, policy, and real estate development. Love’s expertise ranges from innovative zoning approaches; to a comprehensive understanding of market-driven building types; to the strategic layout of streets, blocks, and parcels; to the design of Complete Streets and the larger public realm. He has also led research initiatives that are meant to unlock housing production, including a report that makes a case for single-stair building code reform and a proposal for a new model of form-based zoning geared towards municipalities with underutilized parcels within older residential neighborhoods. Love’s clients include municipalities, state authorities and agencies, and national developers. He is especially adept at exploring alternative development scenarios in collaboration with engineers, landscape architects, and real estate finance experts. Design alternatives are shaped by financial goals, the regulatory context, environmental considerations, a social agenda informed by community input, and a place-specific design vision. Rather than simply balance these factors, Love seeks a visually compelling synthesis that can inspire elected officials, potential development partners, and the full range of stakeholders. Love has a BS in Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Master in Architecture from the Harvard GSD, where he received the Henry Adams Medal. In addition to his academic position at Harvard, Love has taught at Northeastern University, Yale, the University of Toronto, and RISD. He was also the 2014 President of the Boston Society of Architects and currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Virginia School of Architecture.

and provincial policy, leading efforts to secure permanent and predictable transit funding, align transit and housing policy, and advance programs that support safety and security on transit systems. Jon’s career spans the environmental, healthcare, and infrastructure sectors, giving him a cross-sector perspective on public policy and communications. At CUTA, he works closely with municipal leaders, transit agencies, and industry partners to position public transit as a key solution to Canada’s economic, environmental, and social priorities.

Ian helps state legislators, their staff, and the public understand the important role of bipartisan, fact-based oversight in our system of government. A native of West Michigan, Ian earned his B.A. in political science and American studies from Kalamazoo College. Before joining the Levin Center, he worked for a member of the Michigan House of Representatives and conducted software implementations and training for state legislatures across the country. Ian enjoys state capitol tours and train travel. He is a third-generation election worker and licensed tour guide in New York City, where he lives.

and high-level radioactive waste. Prior to joining the Office of Nuclear Energy, Paul served as the chief technology officer and senior vice-president for Orano Federal Services from 2007 to 2023. Throughout his tenure, Paul actively engaged with the Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee, focusing on infrastructure enhancements and fostering a vision for the High Burn-up Demonstration Project at Dominion. He also collaborated closely with both domestic and international stakeholders, including U.S. utilities, international utilities, and local host communities, to facilitate the development and siting of new nuclear facilities. Paul's professional journey began with the UK Ministry of Defense, where he honed his expertise in the refit, commissioning, and design of propulsion systems and reactors for nuclear submarines. He later joined the United Kingdom Atomic Energy/AEA Technology, contributing to the design, construction, commissioning, and operation of reprocessing plants, advanced reactors, advanced fuels, and associated waste treatment facilities. Paul is a graduate of Liverpool University, where he earned an honors degree in mechanical engineering. Paul's profound commitment to advancing nuclear energy, coupled with his extensive experience and leadership, make him an invaluable asset to the Office of Nuclear Energy. His vision, strategic thinking, and dedication continue to shape the industry, fostering a future of safe, sustainable, and innovative nuclear energy solutions.

has led the organization to secure national funding from AmeriCorps and Accelerate, and state support from the Delaware Department of Education and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education in Washington, D.C. Today, Reading Assist’s 200+ tutors support struggling readers year-round in 50 elementary schools across Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. Before joining Reading Assist, Caroline helped Uncommon Schools open its first middle school in Camden, New Jersey. Prior to her work with Uncommon Schools, Caroline spent 15 years in international education. Following a Fulbright teaching assistantship in Austria, she spent 10 years working with EC English Language Centers. Caroline has served as a board member with the Pennsylvania Branch of the International Dyslexia Association, EnglishUSA, and Achieve Now, and is a member of the Vision Coalition of Delaware, which advises state leaders on public education strategy. Caroline is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She and her husband, Arturo, live in Springfield, PA, with their two children.

House Speakers and as legislative aide in the House Majority Office from 2019 to 2023.  He has a Master of Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and a Juris Doctor with a Pro bono publico Award with distinction from the University of Maine School of Law.

poor. Later she joined Eric Holder’s U.S. Attorney’s Office and prosecuted criminals, building cases by working closely with police officers, witnesses, and victims in the community. Her committee in the House deals with public health and she has made great strides to improve the healthcare system by making it more efficient and in line with the needs of everyday Marylanders. Her legislation to digitize medical records is improving health care delivery and lowering costs. She has also moved many bills into law dealing with women’s and children’s health, including bills on family planning, mammograms, childhood obesity and suicide prevention.

River Bays. Senator Pettyjohn speaks at the session titled Rural Broadband: Helping States Fund the Final Mile on Tuesday, August 16 at 8 a.m. Before his current seat in the Delaware State Senate, Senator Pettyjohn served as councilman of Georgetown from 2008-2010 and Mayor from 2010-2012. In the 2021-2022 Senate Term, Senator Brian Pettyjohn’s committee assignments include the Corrections and Public Safety, Executive, Health and Social Services, Housing, Judiciary, Legislative Council, Legislative Oversight, and Sunset, and Rules and Ethics committees.  He has also been named to several other boards and committees, including the Delaware Prosperity Partnership and Non-Acute Patient Medical Guardianship Task Force. Continuing in his commitment to his community, Senator Brian Pettyjohn has served on several organizations including the Greater Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, The Chad Spicer Foundation, and the Sussex County Sports Foundation. Outside of his legislative and community involvement, Senator Pettyjohn manages his family's farm south of Georgetown, and is a project manager and auditor with an information technology firm.

a master’s degree in School Psychology and a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. Milton and his seven siblings grew up in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and were raised with three basic tenets: Education is the Great Equalizer; Family is the Bedrock of any Community, and A Good Name is a Prized Possession that Should be Nurtured and Cherished. Despite struggling to make ends meet for their large family of 10, his parents, Cecil, a Port Authority firefighter and Margaret a salesclerk, made service a way of life – taking in and raising several disadvantaged youngsters who remain family to this day. The tireless work ethic of his parents and their unwavering commitment to serving others led to Milton’s lifelong commitment to public service culminating in his recent decision to run for a seat in the 34th Legislature. Early in his career, Milton served as a School Psychologist and Counselor at Florida State University in Tallahassee Florida. He also served as Project Counselor for the Upward Bound Program at the University of the Virgin Islands where he served as an advisor, counselor, and role model to high school youth. In the late 1990s, he made a career shift to the field of Human Resource Management and rose to the pinnacle of the HR field, heading significant Human Resources Divisions in the territory, to include HR Director for the Virgin Islands Port Authority and Director of Personnel for the Government of the Virgin Islands. He is a Senior Certified Professional with both the Society for Human Resources Management and the International Public Management Association. His calm and fair nature supports his success as a trained arbitrator & mediator. During his five-year tenure at the Virgin Islands Port Authority as Director of Human Resources, Milton was responsible for recruiting qualified candidates for employment and managing the Authority’s human capital. He was charged with interpreting and implementing all internal, local, and federal employment laws and policies. As part of the executive team, Milton represented the Port Authority in employee grievances, led a major local and national search to fill the Executive Director vacancy, and negotiated all five collective bargaining agreements, serving as the Authority’s Chief Negotiator. As Director of Personnel for the Government of the Virgin Islands, Milton managed a $43 million departmental budget, a staff of 42 direct reports, and 80 agency personnel officers disbursed throughout government. He oversaw the design, administration, and implementation of recruitment, classification and placement initiatives, personnel rules and regulations, local and federal labor laws, and employee development for a workforce of over 7,000 employees of the Virgin Islands Government and over 3,000 retirees covered on the Government’s Health Insurance Plan. He also oversaw the modernization of the recruitment process through the implementation of the NEOGOV applicant tracking system, which has been a game-changer in the manner in which government employees are recruited - reducing the GVI hiring time by an incredible 60% and allowing for online applications. Additionally, the CIGNA health insurance fund grew from $300,000 to $700,000 under his leadership, more than doubling the available funds for the Government’s wellness program, GVI Health. Dedicated to civic engagement, Milton volunteers as an elected member of the St. Thomas Federal Credit Union Board of Directors where he has served as past President and current Treasurer for this $70,000,000 home-grown financial institution. Under his stewardship, for the first time in the organization’s 68-year history, the St. Thomas Federal Credit Union was awarded the highly coveted Credit Union of the Year Award by the National Association of Credit Unions, in June 2019. He is a member of the WADADA I YA Cultural Fraternity, has served as a counselor for the Family Resource Center, where he taught conflict resolution skills to men who were charged with domestic violence infractions. As a part-time instructor in the School of Education at the University of the Virgin Islands, he taught a number of courses in the graduate Guidance and Counseling program.

Times in 2011, he was recruited to teach at Temple University's Richard J. Fox School of Business and Management where he was the Social Impact Fellow at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute and taught social entrepreneurship and organizational innovation. In his fourth year of teaching at Temple, Rep. Rabb helped to successfully unionize 1,500 fellow adjunct professors in a landslide victory for worker rights. He is currently a board member of Friends of the Wissahickon and Race Forward and has been on the faculty of the Institute for Strategic Leadership at Drexel University's Bennett S. LeBow College of Business. A former U.S. Senate legislative aide and writer, researcher and trainer at the White House Conference on Small Business in the Clinton administration, Rep. Rabb is a thought leader at the intersection of politics, media entrepreneurship and social identity. A graduate of Yale College and the University of Pennsylvania, Rep. Rabb is an avid family historian and genealogist. He lives in East Mt. Airy with his two sons.

the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was selected as one of the top ten prospective players in the state of Florida. In 1993 he moved to Bethune Cookman College with a sports scholarship and managed to obtain a bachelor's degree in political science and economics. During his time at Bethune Cookman College, he was selected to the "All Star" Team of Division I of the NCAA in the "Mid Eastern Athletic Conference" in the discipline of "Baseball." In 1995, he joined the Law School of the Pontifical Catholic University where he is part of the "Student Bar Association", was a founding member of the Delta Theta Phi Fraternity of Law and President of the Student Council. He obtained the degree of "Juris Doctor" in 1998. He began his professional career as a legal advisor to the Office of the Commissioner of Municipal Affairs and then litigation director of the State Insurance Fund Corporation. In 2001, he started his own law firm, specialized in Administrative, Civil and Criminal Law. In 1999, he aspires for the first time to a public seat as a candidate for the Municipal Legislature of Guaynabo, being elected as an alternate spokesperson for the parliamentary majority.

residents to develop healthy behaviors and shape policies to reduce institutional barriers to adopting healthier lifestyles. Rivera’s passion to improve health and healthcare led to his appointment as chair of the Senate’s Health Committee. As chair, Senator Rivera collaborates with colleagues, stakeholders, and constituents to improve health outcomes, increase access to coverage, and ensure a financially viable system for the 20 million New Yorkers he serves. As a member of the Senate Health Committee, he passed laws to ban smoking around schools, afterschools, and libraries. As ranking member of the Senate’s Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee, he championed legislation to allow charitable organizations to post bail bonds for individuals who cannot afford to do so and facilitated development of a comprehensive reentry center. Senator Rivera champions and empowers Latino communities across the state and nation in a variety of ways, including service as a board member of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and mentor for the Model State Senate program, “Somos El Futuro,” sponsored by CUNY, SUNY, the New York State Assembly, and the Puerto Rican Hispanic Task Force. Prior to becoming an elected representative, Senator Rivera worked as a community organizer for local, state, and national candidates. After graduating from the University of Puerto Rico, he moved to New York to pursue an advanced political science degree at the City University of New York.

faith institutions and community-based nonprofits to innovate place-based climate mitigation strategies and advocate for equitable climate policy at the city and metro-area level. Dr. Robinson also serves on the advisory board of American Public Health Association’s Center for Climate Health and Equity) which leads public health efforts to inspire action on climate and health equity, advance policy, and galvanize the field to address the climate crisis. Dr. Robinson also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board of the Oikos Institute for Social Impact which addresses the cultural and organizational challenges churches and community organizations face in bridging faith with the financial capital necessary to engage in meaningful social impact programs and services. Dr. Robinson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Management degree from Benedictine University, and a Master of Divinity, and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary where he serves on the Board of Trustees. Dr. Robinson has been married to the love of his life Michelle for 22 years and they reside in Northern Virginia.

Bellwether, Jenn spent ten years as a nonpartisan senior adviser to the Texas Legislature on the public education budget and school finance system. In that time, she worked on major legislation related to school finance, standards and accountability, educator compensation and benefits, and more. Previously, she worked in university relations for Vanderbilt and taught in the Nashville public schools for several years. Jenn holds a master’s in public policy from Duke and a master’s in education from Vanderbilt. She lives in Charlotte with her family, including two public school students.

came to Arnold Ventures with more than 25 years of experience in housing policy as a professor, economist, and author. She is a prolific writer on housing markets and authored the book, Fixer Upper: How to Repair America’s Broken Housing Systems. Prior to joining AV, she was a senior fellow at Brookings Metro and adjunct lecturer in the Urban and Regional Planning Program at Georgetown University. She previously worked as an economist for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as a professor at the University of Southern California and City College of New York, and as a senior research affiliate at New York University. She began her career at Abt Associates Inc. She received a Ph.D. in public policy from Harvard University, a master’s in city planning from M.I.T., and a bachelor’s in economics and political and social thought from the University of Virginia.

the Cooperative Extension, and then dean of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at Delaware Valley College. Judy Schwank was elected county commissioner for Berks County in 2002, and was first elected to the Pennsylvania Senate in 2011, where she has served as minority chair of the Agriculture Committee. Senator Schwank was appointed as co-chair of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee for CSG East in 2020.

elected in November 2012. As Speaker, Shekarchi has placed housing policy at the top of his agenda, shepherding 30 bills into law that are designed to tackle the state's housing crisis from multiple angles. Under his leadership, Rhode Island created its first-ever dedicated funding stream for affordable housing, banned housing discrimination against individuals who receive government assistance to pay their rent, created the first Department of Housing headed by a cabinet level secretary, and invested more than $350 million to address housing and homelessness in the past two budgets.

Rhode Island. She is a professor at Roger Williams University, where she teaches American politics, state and local government, and public policy. Representative Speakman holds a bachelor's degree in economics from University of Massachusetts, Amherst; a master's degree in economics from the New School for Social Research, and a Ph.D. in political science from City University of New York. Born in Boston, she, her two brothers, ​and her sister grew up in West Roxbury, MA. She graduated from Girls' Latin School in Dorchester, MA.

won election to her first full term in 2022. Toles was born in Prince George's County, Maryland and graduated from the University of Maryland, earning a B.S. degree in public health. She has also earned a J.D. degree from the University of Baltimore Law School. Toles has worked as a political and legislative consultant in various organizations, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) labor unions and for Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy. She has also operated her own policy consulting business, Paramount Policy Partners, since 2019. Toles entered politics in 2008, working as a regional field coordinator for the Democratic National Committee until 2010. She was elected to represent District 7 of the Prince George's County Council in 2010, a position she held until 2018.

for his masters in legislative affairs. He most recently served as a professional staff member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and before that was Legislative Director to former Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY-19) who is the incoming Federal Transit Administrator.

the Division of Housing and Community Resources. Before joining DCA, Colleen spent almost two decades working with Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) focusing on resource development; Federal homeless, health, and affordable housing technical assistance, and in the development of supportive housing. Colleen also worked in direct service as a case manager and was a healthcare and environmental advocate. Colleen holds master’s degrees in Social Work (MSW) and City and Regional Studies (MCRS) from Rutgers University. Colleen comes with vast knowledge of community development, affordable and supportive housing development, and cross-sector partnerships that create healthy, thriving communities.

also served as the first-ever Director of Communications for the Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services for four years; and Senior Legislative Aide in the Maine State Legislature for 6 years. Ms. Willette previously served in the Maine Army National Guard as a Battalion Communications Staff Officer.  She currently serves as a Captain in the Maine Air National Guard and is the Public Affairs Officer for the 101st Air Refueling Wing in Bangor, Maine.

Energy Plan. Mr. Williams oversees the Policy, Analysis and Research unit, providing economic analysis and scientific research to best inform policymakers in energy and environmental issues, as well as the Business Performance Management unit, which provides market characterization and evaluation, clean energy market insights and statistical analysis that all guide effective clean energy strategies. Mr. Williams serves as NYSERDA’s designee on the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment. Mr. Williams currently serves as Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Association of State Energy Officials. Mr. Williams’ previous work experience includes serving as Energy Counsel for the New York State Assembly; Staff Attorney for The Energy Project of the Pace University School of Law; and Financial Analyst for the Public Service Company of New Mexico, a combined electric and natural gas utility serving the largest markets in the state of New Mexico. Mr. Williams earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Columbia University, a Juris Doctor degree from the St. John’s University School of Law, and a Master of Laws degree in Environmental Law from the Pace University School of Law. He is a licensed attorney in the states of New York and New Jersey.

Chicago’s Department of Housing, and the Economic Opportunity Institute in Seattle. He holds an MA in economics from John Jay College at CUNY and a BA in mathematics from The Evergreen State College.

graduating high school. His first duty station was in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, which began his lifelong love affair with New England. Kasim is a Boston University graduate and a commissioned naval officer who was deployed in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf. After his assignments at sea, Kasim became an instructor at the Surface Warfare Officers School at Naval Station Newport. He earned a Master’s in National Strategic Studies at the U.S. Naval War College. Director Yarn was deployed with the Navy’s Sixth and Fifth Fleets and returned home to Rhode Island in July 2013 to become a faculty member at the Naval War College. Director Yarn is a key advisor to Governor Dan McKee and, as a member of the Governor’s cabinet, helped lead the State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He ensures Rhode Island Veterans, active duty, guard and reserve, and military families are safe, healthy, and able to reach their maximum potential.