Speakers

Tracy Brown Barusevicius
Executive Director
Delaware County Transportation Management Association

Presentation: Panel Discussion 3: Sustainable Organization Leaders that are walking the walk

Tracy Brown Barusevicius is a Delaware County native and graduate of Springfield High School and Bloomsburg University. A seasoned marketing communications professional, Tracy spent 12 years in local and national print advertising sales before moving to a 20+ year career as a national medical device representative. In a 2020 ‘career pivot’, Tracy put years of knowledge as a seasoned traveling professional to use as a marketing coordinator for the DCTMA. That work inspired passion for the cause and a desire to truly make our county a better place to live environmentally, socially and economically through the future visions of transportation. Tracy has served as Executive Director for the past 3 years and under her leadership the DCTMA has received over $650,000 in grant funding from PennDOT and the DVRPC for transportation related projects in Delaware County.

Dr. Loyd Bastin
Associate Dean and Professor
Widener University

Presentation: Green Chemistry for a Sustainable Future

Dr. Loyd Bastin is currently a Distinguish University Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Associate Dean of Science, and Coordinator of Undergraduate Research at Widener University where he has taught Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Sustainability since 2004. His current area of research is the development of greener methods for synthesizing pharmaceuticals and the development of new laboratory experiments for the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. Since 2000, he has been interested in the development of green chemistry and sustainability materials for the undergraduate chemistry curricula. He has several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters discussing the incorporation of sustainability, environmental justice, political advocacy and green chemistry into the curriculum. He has co-edited the book "Integration of Green and Sustainability Chemistry Principles into Education" and two special issues on "Advances in Green Chemistry Education" in Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews.

Gina Burritt
Delaware County Planning Director

Presentation: Panel Discussion 1: Creating Sustainable Communities through Partnerships and Resources

Gina Burritt is the Director of the Delaware County Planning Department. Gina joined the planning Department in November 2022 after over two decades in the private sector, where she worked on numerous environmental and transportation planning projects involving water resources, historic preservation, climate resiliency, National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), Environmental Justice and community engagement. She has worked with all levels of government from the Federal level to local municipal level.

Gina is originally from New Jersey and has called Delaware County home for the past 14 years. Gina received her undergraduate degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and her Masters in Community and Regional Planning from Temple University.

Dr. Peter DeCarlo
Associate Professor of Environmental Health and Engineering
Johns Hopkins University

Presentation: Air Monitoring Research: Science to Inform Policy

Dr. Peter DeCarlo is an Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering in the Whiting School of Engineering. Dr. DeCarlo has a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science, and a BS in Biochemistry. He uses state-of-the-art instrumentation to measure the chemical composition of particulates and gases in in the air we breathe to better understand the intersection between energy, air quality, health, and climate impacts of human emissions. He has made air quality and climate related measurements from planes, trucks, and stationary sites all over the world to better understand direct emissions, sources, and subsequent chemical reactions of pollutants in the atmosphere.

Justin Dula
Director, Office of Environmental Justice
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Presentation: Panel Discussion 2: Air Monitoring Research: Science to Inform Policy

Justin Dula currently serves as the Director for the Office of Environmental Justice at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, focusing on outreach to communities facing disproportionate environmental impacts. Justin started with the Office in 2018 as the Eastern Regional Coordinator, which allowed him to work with a variety of communities ranging from historic towns in anthracite coal country to suburban communities near Philadelphia.

Justin formerly served as the manager of community and regional planning at the Delaware County Planning Department. He has continued to work on built environmental issues and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and is a Climate Change Professional (CC-P).

Fabrice Figliolini
VP Finance, IT, HR and Supply Chain
Boiron Inc.

Presentation: Panel Discussion 3: Sustainable Organization Leaders that are walking the walk

Fabrice is currently the Vice President of Finance, Information Technology, Supply Chain and Human Resources at Boiron Inc. in Newtown Square, Pa. Boiron Inc, is the world leader in homeopathic medicines with presence in more than 50 countries.

His responsibilities include overseeing most of the operations aspects of the company in the U.S., helping the company to be financially responsible, streamlining its IT systems and moving products throughout the company and the world. He enjoys working with a team driven to change our healthcare system by helping people view their health in a more holistic way.

Boiron shares its passion for homeopathy with a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to medicine. We are dedicated to delivering high quality medicines that respect both human health and the environment. Globally we practice sustainable harvesting of both wild or organically farmed plants to improve their quality and ensure survival for future generations. Other eco-friendly initiatives like recycling and limiting waste and pollution permeate Boiron’s production sites and subsidiaries. We champion environmental efforts in our community here and around the world because respect for nature is at the core of everything we do. We have made it our goal to reduce our carbon imprint and to partner with like-minded non-profits and companies that share these values. Going green also has its economic benefits. It reduces waste and therefore saves money on operation costs while also creating a healthier workplace for employees and attracting new talent. It also drives revenue as more and more consumers are looking to purchase products and services from companies that are transparent about their environmental practices.

Justin Harris
Principal Senior Advisor
Climate Equity Collaborative, National Wildlife Federation

Presentation: Keynote Speaker, Public-private-partnership as a Climate Equity Solution

Justin J Harris serves as the principal senior advisor to the Climate Equity Collaborative (CEC). He also serves as CEC’s principal senior advisor to the National Wildlife Federation, the most trusted conservation organization in the United States. Prior to joining the CEC, Mr. Harris was a Senior Program Manager with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of International Affairs. At EPA, he established the agency’s second largest international program with direct oversight of programs addressing children’s health, climate change, marine litter, e-waste management, enforcement/governance, and environmental education. Mr. Harris also established one of the agency’s earliest initiatives fusing equity, education, and international opportunities for young people from tribal communities and other underserved groups.

Before entering the environmental space, Mr. Harris worked internationally in the Asia-Pacific in the education and human resources field. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and graduated with an M.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Justin also completed his executive education at the Harvard Business Analytics Program in 2022.

Caroline Hawkins
Strategic Advisor
Cogo

Presentation: Panel Discussion 3: Sustainable Organization Leaders that are walking the walk

Caroline is a seasoned Executive and senior advisor with extensive sustainability, general management, business development and digital experience across premier climate fintech, SAAS, financial and technology platforms. Her leadership inspiring and scaling teams across early stage opportunities as well as large global operating groups has built a 20+ year track record of successful business transformation and growth.  In the past 10 years, Caroline has turned her focus on sustainability and ESG initiatives, helping early stage companies incorporate impactful plans with measured results around climate resiliency, carbon reduction, zero waste, preservation of open space and plastic reduction to name a few.

She is continuously evolving to drive sustainability initiatives forward and helping to innovate and connect at both local and global levels, positioning companies to succeed in a changing global economy.  After a year abroad studying sustainability and climate related practices in New Zealand, she intends to incorporate these best practices into her work in the United States, helping companies achieve their climate goals.

Paul K. Johnson
Assistant Professor
Montgomery County Community College

Presentation: Panel Discussion 1: Creating Sustainable Communities through Partnerships and Resources

Paul K. Johnson is an Assistant Professor of Marketing and Management at Montgomery County Community College. He also teaches Entrepreneurship and Sports Marketing. Johnson earned a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and a Masters in Business Administration from Drexel University where he serves as an emeritus member of the Drexel Alumni Board of Governors. He serves in numerous capacities throughout the region including as chair of the Delaware County Interactive Gaming Revenue Authority, president of Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania, member of Delaware County Authority, and several more. Johnson enjoys coaching youth baseball for over 30 years and volunteering in the community.

Senator Tim Kearney
26th Senatorial District of PA

Presentation: Welcome and Introductions

Tim is a longtime community leader in southeastern Pennsylvania, where he and his wife Claudia raised their family and started a small business providing architecture and design services to clients small and large in Delco and beyond.

Tim has introduced legislation to improve public safety, including providing resources and funding to first responders. From pandemics to climate change disasters, he knows that our frontline responders need the support and tools to keep our communities safe.

Tim secured funding for Delaware County’s first health department, and brought state and county stakeholders together to get public health infrastructure up and running in the midst of the pandemic.

Francine Locke
Chief Sustainability Officer
Delaware County Office of Sustainability

Presentation: Delaware County's First Ever Sustainability Plan

Francine came to Delaware County in January 2021 to lead the sustainability efforts of the County.

Francine comes from the School District of Philadelphia where she served as the Director of Sustainability and Green Schools, and prior to that, Environmental Director. During her 16-year tenure with the District, her leadership in the development and implementation of GreenFutures, the District’s sustainability plan, received multiple awards including the US Department of Education Green Ribbon Award, the Pennsylvania Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award, and a Project Green Schools Award.

Francine earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Science in Environmental Health, both from Temple University. She is presently a Doctor of Health Science student at Drexel University where she is focusing her research on environmental exposures to vulnerable populations.

Ariella Maron
Executive Director
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

Presentation: Panel Discussion 1: Creating Sustainable Communities through Partnerships and Resources

Ariella Maron is the Executive Director of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the bi-state, nine-county Greater Philadelphia region. Ms. Maron joined DVRPC in 2023 after two decades in the private and public sectors, where she led the development and implementation of far-reaching solutions to a broad set of urban challenges across the disciplines of urban planning, local government policy, infrastructure, climate action, economic development, and environmental justice. Ms. Maron is originally from Central Jersey and has called Philadelphia home for the past nine years.

Eve Miari, Ed.M
Delaware County Programs Director
Clean Air Council

Presentation: Panel Discussion 2: Air Monitoring Research: Science to Inform Policy

Eve Miari is the Delaware County Director of Programs for the Clean Air Council. She holds an Ed.M in human development and psychology, a BA in sociology and education, and a certificate in Environmental Leadership. Eve leads the Council’s programs in Delaware County addressing air quality, watershed protections, environmental health, climate resilience, and environmental justice. She brings over two decades of experience in education, non-profit, community organizing, and program management. Eve is a resident of Delaware County who previously served on the board of Transition Town Media, as well as on the Delaware County Council Transition Team on Public Health and Delaware County's Office of Sustainability subcommittee on health and wellness.

Dr. Kristin Ball Motley
Founder & Executive Director
Health Educated, Inc.

Presentation: Panel Discussion 2: Air Monitoring Research: Science to Inform Policy

Dr. Kristin Ball Motley is walking in her purpose and with passion on a mission to educate and empower the community. Dr. Motley has built a reputation for herself as a committed pharmacist who has a vested interest in the health of the community.

Born and raised in Chester, PA, she graduated with honors from Florida A&M University with a Doctor of Pharmacy and from the University of the Sciences with an MBA in pharmaceutical and healthcare business.

Dr. Motley is the founder and Executive Director of Health Educated, Inc, a non-profit organization that works with healthcare providers and community members to address health inequities, eliminate health disparities, and promote health literacy, particularly in underserved communities. She is also the Compliance Coordinator & Field Supervisor for the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy at St. Joseph’s University.

Melissa Muroff
Program Coordinator, Chester Partnership for Safe Neighborhoods

Presentation: Chester Partnership for Safe Neighborhoods: Building partnerships to mitigate gun violence and illegal dumping in Chester City

Melissa is an Assistant District Attorney serving as both the Chief of Environmental Crimes and the Program Coordinator for the Chester Partnership for Safe Neighborhoods (CPSN), a $2 million grant-funded gun violence intervention initiative of the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office. The CPSN works to keep those at risk for gun violence alive, unhurt, and out of jail by collaborating with community partners to provide critical and timely support and services. Additionally, CPSN’s Illegal Dumping Deterrence Program is contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable Chester.

Prior to joining the DA’s Office, Melissa managed Roofmeadow (now, Studio Sustena), a sustainable green infrastructure design firm for nearly 20 years, serving as President and CEO during the last two years of her tenure. At that time, she also served as Board Chair of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

Melissa is a member of the League of Women Voters and the International Society of Sustainability Professionals. She earned her law degree at the Illinois Institute of Technology – Chicago, Kent College of Law; her M.S. in Medical Genetics at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and her B.A. in Psychology and Biology at the University of Notre Dame. Melissa lives in Marple Township with her husband, Dan.

 

Gwenn Nolan
Founder and CEO
Mother Compost

Presentation: Composting: The Intersection of Waste + Wonder - Discussion of food waste, composting, and how this simple change can have a huge impact

Gwenn Nolan is the founder of Mother Compost, a composting service that began operation on the Main Line of Philadelphia in 2018. Their mission is to simplify composting, making it easier for individuals and businesses to transition to composting at home or work.

Through service and education, Gwenn and her team empower members of the community to make sustainable choices. Mother Compost now serves over 1,300 households and a dozen businesses in the area.

When not driving the truck or operating the business, Gwenn can be found speaking to local schools & businesses to help people understand both how to compost and why it helps.

Prior to embarking on her entrepreneurial adventure, Gwenn served as the Advisory Services Director at the Creative Financial Group in Newtown Square. Throughout her 10 years there, she held a variety of roles. As the Advisory Services Director, she was responsible for managing several departments such as Wealth Advisory & Client Services and helped develop programs to streamline processes, promote internal resources and standardize customer service best practices. Prior to her tenure at Creative, she worked in financial public relations and recruiting in New York.

Gwenn graduated from Penn State with a BA in Public Relations and a Minor in Spanish. She grew up on the Main Line and currently resides in Wynnewood with her husband and three children.

Elaine Paul Schaefer
Delaware County Council Vice Chair

Presentation: Welcome and Introductions and Closing Remarks

Elaine was elected to Delaware County Council in November of 2019 and sworn in on January 6, 2020 to serve a four-year term. She is an attorney with a background in non-profit management and environmental advocacy. Elaine received her undergraduate degree from Boston College and her law degree from William and Mary.

Frances M. Sheehan
President
The Foundation for Delaware County

Presentation: Panel Discussion 1: Creating Sustainable Communities through Partnerships and Resources

Frances M. Sheehan is the first President of Delaware County’s largest philanthropy, The Foundation for Delaware County, an independent public foundation formed on July 1, 2016. She came to the Foundation six months later, after serving as the founding President and CEO of the Brandywine Health Foundation in Coatesville, Chester County for 15 years. With 70+ staff operating in four offices in Delaware County, The Foundation for Delaware County provides philanthropic services to donors who wish to invest in Delaware County, makes grants to launch new initiatives and supports non-profits improving Delaware County, and runs high quality, evidence-based public health programs such as Nurse-Family Partnership, Healthy Start and WIC. The Foundation has been fully accredited by the Council on Foundation’s “National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations.”

Prior to her work at the Brandywine Health Foundation, Ms. Sheehan ran Planned Parenthood of Chester County, and has served on a variety of boards of directors including the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry and as president of the Philanthropy Network of Greater Philadelphia. She currently serves as Vice President of the Delaware County Estate Planning Council, Vice Chair of the Delaware County Interactive Gaming Revenue Authority, Treasurer of Children First (formerly PCCY), and on the board of directors of the Riverfront Alliance of Delaware County.

With an MBA from Temple University and a BA with honors from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, she also holds Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) certifications and has won several awards over the years including the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award, the Main Line Chamber’s Gold Leaf Award, March of Dimes Woman of Achievement in the Field of Health, and the Chester County Chamber of Commerce’s Robert J. Thompson Citizen of the Year Award. Ms. Sheehan has been a resident of Swarthmore for over 30 years and is the previous President of Congregation Ohev Shalom in Wallingford. She is married to Dr. Ricardo Gelman, a retired emergency physician from Penn Medicine – Chester County Hospital and has two grown children and two new granddaughters.

Gamal Sherif
Mayor
Rutledge, PA

Presentation: Panel Discussion 3: Sustainable Organization Leaders that are walking the walk

Gamal, LEED Green Associate, is an advocate for climate education and environmental justice. Gamal has worked with schools across the U.S. to advance climate stability through energy and water conservation and internships. As Mayor, he has advocated for equitable weatherization and electrification of residential buildings. Gamal is a member of Rewiring America's Local Leaders for Electrification.

Stephanie Shirk
Client Relationship Manager
Penn State, College of Agricultural Sciences

Presentations: Panel Discussion 1: Creating Sustainable Communities through Partnerships and Resources and Panel Discussion 3: Sustainable Organization Leaders that are walking the walk

Stephanie Shirk joined Penn State Extension in 2017 as the Client Relationship Manager (CRM) for six counties in southeast Pennsylvania, including Delaware County. She is energized when integrating, connecting, generating ideas, and collaborating across diverse rural and urban counties, industries and communities in regard to sustainable agricultural and environmental efforts to align programming opportunities. Penn State Extension, through Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, is at the forefront of translating groundbreaking research into practical education to help steward the environment, serve communities, grow businesses, and raise healthy families with goals to improve food security, safeguard the environment, and sustain agricultural production to feed a growing global population.

A Recent PA RULE (Rural-Urban Leadership) program scholar with RULE XVIII's class, Stephanie holds a graduate certificate in Diversity and Inclusion as Strategy and will complete her Strategic Management and Executive Leadership Master's Degree with a focus in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Penn State's SMEAL College of Business this summer. Stephanie’s 20+ years of experience in agriculture, communications, stakeholder and public relations, and organizational management provides a solid foundation for leading Penn State Extension’s collaborative efforts in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Richard (Rich) Sikora
Senior Executive Director of Strategy
Boeing's Defense, Space & Security Business Unit

Presentation: Panel Discussion 3: Sustainable Organization Leaders that are walking the walk

Richard (Rich) Sikora is senior executive director of Strategy in Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security business unit. His responsibilities include leading Boeing’s Defense Sustainability strategy and Vertical Lift rotorcraft portfolio strategy. Sikora previously served as general manager, Defense Programs, on the Embraer Partnership & Group Operations team, where he led the business case development and strategic pre-launch planning for a Boeing-Embraer global joint venture.

In his 28-year Boeing career, Sikora has held a series of significant strategy, sales engineering, and production operations roles across Boeing. His more prominent executive assignments include senior director, Defense Business Intelligence, where he oversaw market and competitive assessments and external benchmarking; senior director, Strategy, Global Services & Support, where he designed and implemented the business strategy for Boeing Global Services’ worldwide business at a time of rapid market change; and senior director, Strategy and Business Capture, where he led Blue Teams, developed campaign and proposal strategies and provided functional skill oversight of the entire BDS sales process.

Sikora holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Iowa and a master’s of business administration from Pepperdine University. He has served as a director at both Boeing Defense UK Limited and the World Affairs Council of St. Louis.

Dr. Adelina Voutchkova-Kostal
Director of Sustainable Development
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Presentation: Green Chemistry for a Sustainable Future

Dr. Voutchkova-Kostal is the Director of Sustainable Development at the American Chemical Society. She joined ACS in 2022 from a robust career at the George Washington University as Associate Professor in the Chemistry, with a research focus on developing greener catalytic processes. She holds a PhD in organometallic chemistry from Yale University and a BA from Middlebury College.

Lora Werner
Deputy Director
Delaware County Health Department

Presentation: Panel Discussion 2: Air Monitoring Research: Science to Inform Policy

Lora Siegmann Werner, MPH joined Delaware County, PA in April 2022 as the deputy director for the newly formed Delaware County Health Department. Prior to serving the county, she worked at the federal level as Regional Director for the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and with the Preparedness Division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Region 3 in Philadelphia, PA.

She has over 20 years of experience directing responses to chemical exposure and public health concerns and building partnerships across Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Rebecca Yurkovich
Sustainability and Resilience Manager
Delaware County Office of Sustainability

Presentation: Delaware County's First Ever Sustainability Plan

Becca Yurkovich joined the Delaware County Office of Sustainability, in June 2022, serving as the Sustainability and Resilience Manager. Becca brings passion and experience to this role, previously serving as an Environmental and Community and Regional Planner in the Delaware County Planning Department, followed by three years as the Assistant Manager of Bethel Township, Delaware County, PA.

Prior to accepting the role in the Office of Sustainability, Becca was actively involved with the Delaware County Sustainability Commission serving as a municipal representative for 2.5 years. Becca holds bachelor’s degrees in Environmental, Geographical, and Geological Sciences and Communication Studies from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.