Agenda - Day 2 (Copy)
Thursday, December 8, 2022 | Agenda
Click here for Speaker Bios.
8:00-8:30 am
registration, breakfast, & networking
8:30-8:45 am
Opening Remarks
Camille Manning-Broome, President & CEO, Center for Planning Excellence
POETRY READING BY: Chancelier “Xero” Skidmore, Freelance Poet, Actor, Musician, Teacher
Camille Manning-Broome, CPEX’s President & CEO, will kick off day two with a brief reflection on the big ideas and key takeaways from day one and an overview of what to expect for day two. Poet Chancelier “Xero” Skidmore will share a poetic performance focused on a vision for Louisiana’s future.
8:45-10:00 am
securing louisiana’s energy future: planning for efficiency, resiliency, and Affordability
Logan Burke, Executive Director, Alliance for Affordable Energy
Andreanecia Morris, Executive Director, HousingNOLA
Rob Verchick, Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans
Liz Russell, Louisiana State Director, Environmental Defense Fund [Moderator]
This session will focus on the current state of Louisiana’s energy infrastructure and opportunities for upgrades and innovations as well as policy tools that will build resiliency at all scales, from individual households to statewide. Panelists will discuss how the state’s grid is managed, challenges that will be amplified by climate change impacts, options for diversifying our energy sources, and actions we can take to ensure that Louisiana residents, businesses, and agencies have access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy.
10:15-11:30 am
Concurrent Sessions
Shining a light on solar energy: opportunities at all scales
Broderick Bagert, Lead Organizer, Together Louisiana
Lindsay Cooper, Manager for the Louisiana Climate Initiative, Office of the Governor
Pierre Moses, President, 127 Energy
David Whitley, Planning & Urban Design Manager, Center for Planning Excellence
Tanner A. Johnson, Policy Counsel, Van Ness Feldman [Moderator]
Join our panelists for a discussion dedicated to debunking misconceptions about solar energy and laying out actionable strategies for integrating solar into our energy production portfolio in Louisiana and the Gulf South. Panelists will discuss the benefits of solar energy, including the ways in which it can help communities build resiliency, create jobs and revenue, and help Louisiana make progress toward the goals of our state’s Climate Action Plan. CPEX will highlight its Model Solar Toolkit and ordinance and panelists will also provide information on community benefits agreements and other ways that communities can position themselves to optimize the benefits of solar energy to meet their specific needs and aspirations.
The Road to Equitable Investment in the Capital Region
The Honorable Chauna Banks, Council Member, City of Baton Rouge|Parish of East Baton Rouge
Lyneisha Jackson, AICP, Project Manager/Community Planner, Center for Planning Excellence
Gretchen Siemers, Vice President of Policy and Planning, Build Baton Rouge
Ebony Starks, Vice President, Place-Based Initiatives, Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation
Preston Castille, CEO, Helix Community Schools; Board Chair, Center for Planning Excellence [Moderator]
Historic planning, policies, and practices of redlining, zoning, and investment have contributed to deep disparities and inequitable development that has caused great harm to the health, economic stability, and overall well-being of impacted communities. Panelists in this session will take on the question of how we can work together to change the current course of investment in the Capital Region to be more equitable. Representing different sectors, panelists will offer strategies for transformative actions and partnerships that support the potential of every community.
12:00-12:45 pm
lunch plenary: Transportation opportunities for communities
Christopher Coes, Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation
USDOT’s Assistant Secretary Christopher Coes will offer insight on how Louisiana can leverage unprecedented federal opportunities to invest in the infrastructure we need to build the climate-resilient, equitable, and prosperous future we want.
1:00-2:00 pm
Concurrent Sessions
From Vision to Implementation: Making Complete Streets Work
Joni Hammons, Design & Implementation Manager, Center for Planning Excellence
Brian Nunes, Transportation Alternatives Program Manager, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
April Renard, P.E., PTOE, RSP21, Principal & Owner, Grey Engineering, LLC
Jennifer Ruley, Mobility and Safety Division Manager, City of New Orleans Department of Public Works
Eric Dexter, Director of Business Development, Civil Solutions Consulting Group, Inc. [Moderator]
Many communities are learning that creating a safe bike- and ped-friendly network requires coordination, leveraged funding, and strategic partnerships. In this session, panelists will explore keys to successful Complete Streets implementation, highlighting tools and strategies that have been effective in realizing on-the-ground results. Speakers will discuss policy considerations, various planning tools, and new funding opportunities to build out effective Complete Streets networks.
Stormwater Management, Nature-Based Solutions, and Collaboration Across Borders
Paired with the Water You Gonna Do? Watershed Management Game at the 2:15 pm session.
Kelia Bingham, Watershed Coordinator, Acadiana Planning Commission
Jessica Dandridge, Executive Director, The Water Collaborative
Jeannette Dubinin, Director of Resilience & Adaptation, Center for Planning Excellence
Stormwater and flood risk can be managed in many ways, but there is often a lack of understanding of the full breadth of options available and the financial, environmental, and community implications and tradeoffs associated with each. Decision-making around water management is further complicated by the fact that water does not follow jurisdictional boundaries. Our panelists will share strategies, innovative approaches, and needed next steps to successfully manage water at the urban, suburban, and rural scales. This session will provide an introduction to the interactive session centered around the game “Water You Gonna Do?”.
2:15-3:15 pm
Concurrent Sessions
Energizing Community Through Placemaking
Jamie Bennett, Thought Leader, Lord Cultural Resources
John Gray, Musician and Educator, Continuum Music
George Marks, Executive Director, NUNU Art and Culture Collective
Renee Chatelain, President & CEO, Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge [Moderator]
Art and community identity are integral to how people experience the places they live and visit, and provide cultural touchstones in times of joy as well as hardship. Panelists will explore the connections between placemaking, public health, arts, and community development, and the benefits of celebrating and enhancing existing assets to engage and lift up communities.
Water You Gonna Do? Water Management Game
Justin Kozak, Ph.D., Consultant [Presenter]
Kelia Bingham, Watershed Coordinator, Acadiana Planning Commission
Jessica Dandridge, Executive Director, The Water Collaborative
Jeannette Dubinin, Director of Resilience & Adaptation, Center for Planning Excellence
Developed by CPEX and played across the U.S., Water You Gonna Do? is an educational game designed to engage players in learning about managing stormwater and community flood risk. Through facilitated play, Water You Gonna Do? introduces players to many of the tools available for managing stormwater, asks them to consider the consequences of decisions, and engages them in simulated collaborations across jurisdictions to better manage water, stormwater, and flood risk. Max sign up is 50 players. Reserve your spot by putting your name on the sign up sheet outside of the Hartley/Vey Workshop Theatre!
3:30-4:15 pm
making it happen: Closing plenary on tactical urbanisM
Mike Lydon, Principal/Co-Founder, Street Plans
Mike Lydon, internationally-recognized planner and one of Planetizen’s top 100 most influential urbanists of all time, will share his experiences and expertise transforming streets and public spaces into safe, attractive places that work to catalyze community revitalization and economic development. Mike is the creator of The Open Streets Project and the globallyacclaimed Tactical Urbanism: Short-Term Action, Long-Term Change. Mike is a joint recipient of the 2017 Seaside Prize and co-author of Tactical Urbanism, named by Planetizen as one of the top planning books of the past decade.