and public safety policy while advancing transparency and economic opportunity. Beginning his public service career in 1993, he later served as attorney general, electoral commissioner and secretary general of the New Progressive Party before his election to the Senate in 2008. Since then, Rivera Schatz has continued to champion policies that promote well-being and social equity.

the 12th elected official to lead this legislative body in two separate terms.  Over the past two decades, he has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life on the Island, spearheading major changes in the areas of adoption, tax relief to the middle class and small business, as well as overseeing the nation’s largest energy reconstruction through the 2019 Energy Public Policy Act.

Thom is a nationally recognized leader in affordable housing and community development policy. Thom contributes to numerous community development organizations, non-profits and coalitions.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition (where he serves on the Executive Committee and leads the Insurance Working Group) and the Board of the Multifamily Impact Council.  In 2026 he was appointed as the inaugural committee chairman of the National Multi Housing Council’s Affordable Housing Committee. Additionally, he serves on the Advisory Board for the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at the University of California Berkeley. He also serves as the Executive Director of Fairview Housing Partners, a national non-profit dedicated to affordable housing development, preservation, resident services and advocacy. Prior to joining LAC, Thom served in a number of successive leadership roles at the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association (NH&RA), including most recently as its President.  Thom has been recognized for his industry leadership throughout his career including receiving NHP Foundation’s Affordable Housing Advocacy Award in 2018 and the National Affordable Housing Managers Association Industry Partner Award in 2025. Lincoln Avenue Communities is one of the nation’s fastest-growing developers, investors, and operators of affordable and workforce housing, providing high-quality, sustainable homes for lower- and moderate-income individuals, seniors, and families nationwide. LAC was been recognized as the nation's leading developer of affordable housing in 2024 and 2025 by Affordable Housing Finance. LAC is a mission-driven organization that serves residents across 33 states, with a portfolio of 200+ properties serving more 36,000 households.

Health Policy through Research. She specializes in health law and policy, and her research focuses on health care finance, consolidation, corporatization, competition, financialization, and private equity investment.  Professor Fuse Brown’s work has influenced health policy at the state and national levels. She has testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Federal Trade Commission, and state legislative committees, and she has consulted with the National Academy for State Health Policy, Milbank Memorial Fund, and federal and state policymakers on legal and policy strategies to protect health care consumers, control health care costs, and address health care consolidation. Prior to coming to Brown, she was the Catherine C. Henson Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Law, Health & Society at Georgia State University College of Law. She received a J.D. from Georgetown University, an M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a B.A. from Dartmouth College.

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.

focused on affordable housing, environmental sustainability, democracy and open government. As chair of the Seante Committee on Housing, Construction, and Community Development, Brian has led key housing initiatives, including the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA), passed in 2019; multi-billion dollar investments in housing services, construction, and renovation; COVID-related emergency housing assistance; and a 2022 law to facilitate conversion of under-used hotels to permanent affordable housing.

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.

governments identify and implement financing strategies to advance critical transportation investments. Peter has extensive experience with State Infrastructure Banks, federal financing programs, and alternative project delivery approaches. He also played a key leadership role in integrating FHWA's innovative finance and major project delivery functions to better support state transportation agencies.  

currently serving her fourth term in the New York State Senate.  Since taking office, Senator May has championed legislation to expand access to housing, reform election laws, advance New York's climate goals, and strengthen consumer protections. Her pro-housing legislative agenda has included streamlining the state’s environmental quality review system, advancing walkable, transit-friendly communities, providing tenants with redress against bad landlords, and enabling construction of a wider variety of small apartment buildings.    Before entering public service, Rachel spent much of her career in higher education. She taught Russian at Stony Brook University and Macalester College before moving to Syracuse in 2001, where she retrained in urban ecology and became Director of Sustainability Education at Syracuse University. She lives in Syracuse with her son and enjoys kayaking on the beautiful Finger Lakes and canals in her district. 

first woman and first African American to be elected as House Democratic Caucus Chair in 2018, the first woman elected House Democratic Leader in 2020, and the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House, in 2023. A lifelong resident of southwest Philadelphia and graduate of Grace Temple Christian Academy, she became active in her community while completing an internship with radio station WDAS. Later, she studied Political Science and Leadership in Global Understanding at La Salle University. After earning her degree, she enrolled at Villanova University School of Law, interning at Regional Housing Legal Services, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, and the Defender Association of Philadelphia. She was an assistant public defender for seven years and became assistant chief of the East Zone during her last year, helping attorneys with case preparation. In 2013, Speaker McClinton combined her passion for public service and law by becoming chief counsel to state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, where she worked behind the scenes to develop policy and legislation, organize expungement fairs and public policy forums, and assist constituents.

funding mechanisms, including distance-based road charging. Prior to joining CDM Smith, Andrew served for eight years as a legislator in the Maine House of Representatives, during which he was Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation for six years. There, he gained a national reputation as a leading transportation policy expert, working to build bipartisan support for revenue-generating initiatives for transportation projects and new and innovative ways to reform states’ transportation funding models. He also served as Chair of the Natural Resources and Infrastructure Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and as Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Public Policy Committee of the Council of State Governments (CSG). In these national leadership positions, he worked with some of the nation’s top lawmakers and industry stakeholders to develop creative funding mechanisms and new technologies to help build a modern and sustainable transportation system. Andrew lives in Portland, Maine, is a graduate of the University of Maine School of Law, and is a practicing attorney and former law clerk for the Maine Superior Court. He will speak on Monday, August 15 at 2:30 p.m. at the session titled Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act:  What it Means for the States.

of the Terwilliger Center’s recent report Missing Middle Housing: From Policy to Practice. The report examines why zoning reforms alone often fail to produce new homes, and what financing tools and public actions can close the gap. An urban planner with more than twenty-five years of experience, Myerson is also principal and founder of Myerson Consulting, LLC. In this capacity, she advises state and local governments, mission-driven organizations, and private-sector partners across the country on housing policy, program design, and land use. Previously, she served as executive director of South Central Indiana Housing Opportunities and was an adjunct professor at Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Myerson holds a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She is certified as a Rental Housing Development Finance Professional by the National Development Council and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

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.

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.

Rep. Roberts earned a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Virginia Union University in 2014 and a Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in Local and State Government from Fairfield University in 2018.

the Board for the Oikos Foundation for Social Impact.

the country to producer, consumer, extension, industry and legal groups on an array of topics.  Rusty graduated magna cum laude from Oklahoma State University in 2004 with a B.S. in AgriBusiness and in 2007 earned his juris doctor from the University of Oklahoma.  

last day of Ramadan a state holiday, recruit more transit drivers, and increase LIHEAP participation. Sanchez is a graduate of Rhode Island College, earning a degree in Public Relations in 2019, and currently works as a case manager helping undocumented young people.

national chair of The Council of State Governments in 2028. Ríos was born on May 21, 1973, in Santurce, Puerto Rico. He is the eldest son of Don Carmelo Ríos Nazario and Doña Lydia Santiago Estrella. He graduated from Florida Air Academy in Melbourne, Florida, where he earned the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was selected as one of the top ten prospective baseball players in the state of Florida. In 1993, he moved to Bethune Cookman College with a sports scholarship and earned a bachelor's degree in political science and economics. During his time at Bethune Cookman College, he was selected to the Division I "All Star" Team in the NCAA Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. In 1995, he joined the Law School of the Pontifical Catholic University where he was 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 earned his J.D. in 1998 and 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, specializing in Administrative, Civil and Criminal Law. In 1999, he was elected to his first public office in the Municipal Legislature of Guaynabo, being elected as alternate spokesperson for the parliamentary majority, before going on to win his first Senate seat in 2005.

is focused on critical response to Pennsylvania’s ongoing housing, mass incarceration, wage, and climate crises, while simultaneously pushing for deep structural change. In 2022, Saval led the creation and passage of Pennsylvania’s Whole-Home Repairs Program, which has helped repair nearly 4000 homes and has since been passed as a national law as part of Congress’s sweeping 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.      Saval has written extensively for The New York Times and The New Yorker and served as co-editor of literary journal n+1 (he remains on its board). He authored Cubed: A Secret History of the Workplace and Rage in Harlem: June Jordan and Architecture.    

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.

the 7th Legislative District. Senator Singleton was elected to the New Jersey State Senate in November 2017 and currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee and as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He also serves as the Senate Majority Whip. Senator Singleton is currently employed as a Senior Vice President for Anywhere Integrated. Along with his busy career, Senator Singleton has long included personal involvement in his community as an essential component of his life.

methods to study how the law entrenches inequalities—from the ways government processes frustrate individuals' entitlements to the ways municipal boundaries shield property wealth and exacerbate racial segregation. At the Furman Center, these interests have led him to evaluate state reforms to local land use regulations and NYC's subsidized housing programs. Before working at the Furman Center, Jacob advised on antitrust and consumer protection matters at the Federal Trade Commission, analyzed evidence of racial gerrymandering for the ACLU of Colorado, assisted with statutory interpretation claims for the ACLU in Bostock v. Clayton County, and advised the cities of San Francisco and East Palo Alto on equitable planning and ADU policy.

of Representatives from 1983 to 2009, serving on various committees including as Chair of Appropriations and Chair of Transportation. He also served for four years as the Assistant Republican Leader and four years as the Republican Leader. Additionally, he served as Tax Commissioner from 2009-2010. Currently Westman is employed at Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) and oversees the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan, a 529 College Saving Program. He has been a member of various nonprofit boards, including the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, Vermont Center for the Book, the University of Vermont Board of Trustees, the Board of Copley Hospital and Vermont Electric Cooperative. Westman also presently serves on the Board of Lamoille Health Partners.

and Broadstreet Impact Services. In her role, Valerie develops and implements plans to achieve capital growth and investment through innovative financing structures aimed at increasing access to capital for affordable housing development to brings a cohesive suite of products to local markets across the country. Valerie also spearheads the expansion of the One LISC pipeline to enhance housing unit production through collaborative strategies and execution within LISC and its affiliates. She designs strategies to extend the reach of proven programs throughout LISC’s geography. Valerie establishes LISC's position as a national leader and expert voice on affordable housing and grows partnerships among key national stakeholders. With over 30 years of experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, Valerie joined LISC NY in April 2020 after serving as the Executive Vice President at Empire State Development (ESD) and as the Executive Director of the New York State Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development. Prior to that, she held the position of Vice President at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation and spent over 17 years at Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) as Managing Director, where she led the municipal finance structure securities and housing finance analytics division. In addition to her extensive professional background, Valerie is actively engaged in civic and community service. In December 2024, she was appointed to the New York City 2025 Charter Revision Commission, focusing on housing. Additionally, she serves the New York State Department of Financial Services Financial Innovation Advisory Board. Valerie is also an inaugural board member of Embrace Partners (a wholesale insurance firm), an advisory board member for the Fordham Urban Law Center, and a Fordham Law Alumni Association director. Valerie holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Law Degree from Fordham University, as well as a Master of Science and a Certificate in Organization Development from The New School.