Fourth Annual Climate & Conflict with The Peace Department

The Peace Department & Foundation House present its fourth annual Climate and Conflict Convening, an event series focused on operationalizing sustainable development solutions to address climate-driven security challenges. This year, the convening will explore how rising nationalism and related climate policy reversals in the United States impact national, economic, and climate security. It will also examine how diverse sectors can come together to continue to strategically advance climate and sustainability goals amidst this shifting political landscape.

Setting the Stage: Climate Backsliding & American Security

• The relationship between nationalism and climate backsliding

• An overview of recent climate-related rollbacks 

• The economic, national and climate security implications of climate-averse policies

  
  

The Current Administration's Climate Rollbacks: Impact on the Ground

• The ramifications of climate policy shifts across sectors

• Threats to green infrastructure and transition initiatives

• The consequences of dismantling community uplift programs

  
  

Subnational Solutions: Localizing Climate Action

• Leadership of subnational governments and coalitions amid federal setbacks

• Place-based organizing frameworks for robust cross-sectoral collaboration

• Movement-building strategies

  
  

[Workshop] Climate Communication: From Message to Action

• Reviving climate action in the face of current challenges

• Shifting messaging to meet the moment

• Unifying communication across sectors

*Program subject to change.

Speakers & Participating Organizations

• Alexis R. Posey, J.D., Chief Campaigns Officer, Center for Cultural Power

• Alex Cornell du Houx, Co-founder & President, Elected Officials to Protect America

• Alys Campaigne, Climate Initiative Leader, Southern Environmental Law Center

• Elizabeth Lien, Senior Director, Federal Climate Policy, WWF

• Itana Benites, Managing Director, Climate Justice Alliance

• Jessica LeClair, Executive Director, Sustainable CT

• Julia Wilkinson, Managing Partner & Chief Investment Officer, LEBEC

• Krystle Edwards, Director of Campaigns & Engagement, Center for Cultural Power

• Matt Scott, Director, Storytelling & Engagement, Project Drawdown

• Susan Kraham, Northeast Managing Attorney, Earthjustice

• Tom Ellison, Deputy Director, The Center for Climate and Security

*Speakers subject to update.

Guests coming from New York City may join The Peace Department on a shuttle bus departing around 7:30am on September 26 from Port Authority to Greenwich, CT. Further transportation details to be shared with registered guests in the lead up to the event. Note: Shuttle is currently full.

Who's in the Room

*The RSVP list will be updated on an ongoing basis. If you prefer to keep your name private, contact Jaclyn at jaclynl@foundationhousect.org

• Abeer Almoqati, Public Investment Fund

• Adam Salzman, African Tech Futures Lab

• Alex Cornell du Houx, Elected Officials to Protect America

• Alexis R. Posey, J.D., Center for Cultural Power

• Alison Gregory, AreaHub

• Alys Campaigne, Southern Environmental Law Center

• Analee Josselyn, Yale School of the Environment

• Anasa Troutman, The BIG We

• Andrew Greeley, Triangle Digital

• Ann Strimov Durbin, The Peace Department

• Annie Halsey, University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine

• Audinga Besuspare, InSoil

• Basile Chartier, Chart Room

• Benjamin DeAngelo, Operation Future, LLC

• Berat Senyerli, Bankable Zero

• Caroline Gleason, Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (NE CASC)

• Cassidy Gasteiger, ClimateWorks Foundation

• Chadwick Schroeder, City of Bridgeport-Sustainability Office

• Clark Marchese, Pine Forest Media

• Dan Farrell, Privos Capital

• Darren Wolfberg, Triangle Digital

• David Tswamuno, Fairbridge

• Dennis Levine, Water Garden Farms

• Dharahas B, OpenComAI

• Dominic Frongillo, Elected Officials to Protect America

• Elizabeth Lien, World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

• Emma Mares, University of Chicago / Corioli Institute / World Wildlife Fund

• George Cummings, MesoAm SDG17 Coalition Program/Reef Life Foundation

• Grace Baldauf, University of Oxford

• Grace Whittaker, Foundation House

• Gwen Boyault, SLB

• Hamid Tenywa, Net Impact Uganda

• Hana Freymiller, Denali Capital Consulting

• Idowu Salawu, Macpresse West Africa Limited

• Itana Benites, Climate Justice Alliance

• Jaclyn Lee, The Peace Department

• James Sternlicht, The Peace Department

• Jennifer Wang, Nanonuclear

• Jeronimo Pareja, Columbia University

• Jessica LeClair, Sustainable CT

• Jillian Pasco, Ernst & Young, LLP (EY)

• Julia Wilkinson, LEBEC

• Kelly Accardi, Southern Environmental Law Center

• Krystle Edwards, Center for Cultural Power

• Lingqin Liu, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

• Luana Genot, IDBR

• Margit Pearson, TCIA

• Marius Kretzschmar, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

• Mary Hogue, Sustainable Fairfield

• Matt Scott, Project Drawdown

• Matthew Ghiorse, Sustainable Dobbs

• Michael Forstl, Exos Financial

• Michael Scanlon, SLP Sustainablity Practice Group

• Mike Towle, Western Connecticut Council of Governments

• Mohini Tadikonda, The Center for Cultural Power

• Natalia Alvarez de Jesus, The Peace Department

• Nathaniel Jowitt, Axle

• Nelson Del Rio, Prosperity of the Commons International

• Nicolas Noffke, Capgemini Invent

• Paola Pozo Garcia, Último Recurso

• Peter Ptashko, Cambio Consultancy

• Pranali Bansod, Advanced Energy Group

• Priya Sampath, Earthjustice

• Renu Mittal, Walton Family Foundation

• Richard Zimmerman, Foundation House

• Rodney Brown, Earthworks

• Sabina Shelby, Anonymous

• Sally Swinnen, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

• Salwa El Moussaoui, Clean Rivers

• Sarah Caldwell, Southern Environmental Law Center

• Sarah Coccaro, Town of Greenwich

• Scott Moore, University of Pennsylvania

• Seth Forman, Socialsuite

• Sasha Shunko, Claremont McKenna College

• Sharon Jones, Good Friday National Holiday Campaign

• Sherwood Doge, Private Equity

• Shubha Samalia, NatWes Group

• Siena Cicarelli, The Center for Climate and Security

• Simon Plazolles-Hayes, WePlanet

• Soraya Hosni, Clever Harvest

• Stephen Kane, Cross River Infrastructure Partners

• Susan Kraham, Earthjustice

• Susanna Choe, Bioregional Embassy

• Tami Kesselman, ReThink Packaging Alliance

• Tanuja Patel, Nithyananda Meditation Academy Slovakia

• Taylor Black, Antea Group USA

• Taylor Hosking, Center for Cultural Power

• Tea Törmänen, WePlanet

• Tom Ellison, The Center for Climate and Security

• Travis Brubaker, E3G

• Ty Akkoyun, White & Case LLP

• Usman Muhammad, Centre for Renewable Energy and Action on Climate Change

• Vera Jemiller, GIZ

• William McIvor, Southport Partners

• Wuillam Urvina, Choose Clean Water Coalition

• Yassine Fathalli, Jssor Youth Organisation

• Yunling Ko, Taiwan Climate Action Network

About The Peace Department

Founded in 2021 by James Sternlicht, The Peace Department was created to bridge the gap between intention and action in sustainable development. Designed as a dot-connector and orchestrator, our mission is to unite cutting-edge solutions and diverse sectors in hyper-coordinated efforts that build a more resilient, equitable, and peaceful future.

About Foundation House: A Center for Positive Impact

Foundation House is a creative and philanthropic community located on a peaceful, biodiverse estate in Greenwich, CT. As a Center for Impact, we are committed to driving systemic change across environmental, social, and mental health initiatives. Through robust convenings, residencies, lectures, and events, we unite a diverse community of philanthropists, impact investors, entrepreneurs, artists, activists, and thought leaders to explore and address some of the most pressing issues of our time — including climate change, social justice, mental wellness, and gender issues. These gatherings often spark new collaborations and strengthen a growing network of aligned partners.