Risk and Resilience Symposium 2024
The Knowledge Exchange for Resilience is thrilled to invite you to our Celebration for Resilience 2024 Symposium and Gala. Join us on September 19th at the Omni Hotel ASU Tempe for a day of enlightening discussions and celebrations.
The Symposium will run from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm and feature an exhibit hall, the KER Resilience Fellows, and talks from an array of scientists, interdisciplinary researchers, and thought leaders. Engage with these change-makers as they share their insights on the theme of "Risk and Resilience."
1:00 - 1:30 pm | Welcome
Welcome by Libby Wentz, Vice Provost, Dean, Graduate College; KER Director, ASU
Introductions by Monica Villalobos, President and CEO AZ Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and member of ASU’s Council of Resilience Leaders
Introductory remarks by Nicholas A. Shufro, Assistant Administrator (a), Risk Analysis, Planning & Information Directorate, Resilience, FEMA
Nicholas A. Shufro is currently acting as Assistant Administrator for the Risk Management Directorate (RMD) in the Federal Insurance & Mitigation Administration (FIMA). In his capacity as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for RMD, Mr. Shufro was responsible for supporting RMD’s aspiration to “build a world class organization by focusing on customer satisfaction and empowering people to drive action together.” Nicholas Shufro has more than 35 years of energy, financial, adaptation, resilience, environmental health and safety management, and performance reporting experience, working and consulting for industry, government, utilities, trade associations, and non-governmental agencies in the U.S., Latin America, Europe, and Asia.
1:30 - 2:00pm | Flash Talks
Risk and Resilience: Connecting Science and Society through the Global Futures Laboratory
This flash talk session will provide an overview of ASU's Global Futures Laboratory's commitment to advancing "risk and resilience" as a critical area of focus. Flash talks will explore innovative approaches to understanding and managing risk, particularly in the context of global environmental changes and sustainability efforts. Such approaches underscore the importance of incorporating social science insights into decision-making processes, ensuring that policies and strategies are informed by a deep understanding of human behavior, social dynamics, and the equitable distribution of resources and opportunities.
Speakers
David Guston, Associate Vice Provost for Discovery, Engagement and Outcomes and Professor, Global Futures Laboratory
School for the Future of Innovation in Society at ASU
Nicholas Weller, Research Assistant Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, ASU
Kathryn Lambrecht, Assistant Professor, School of Applied Professional Studies, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, ASU
Moderated by Margaret Hinrichs, Assistant Research Professor, School of Complex Adaptive Systems, ASU
2:00 - 2:30pm | Panel Discussion
Envisioning Resilience: Accelerating policy solutions to address extreme heat’s growing risks
Extreme heat is the leading weather-related killer, yet scalable solutions to address extreme heat’s risks are still nascent and in need of rapid development. Through FAS’ Extreme Heat Policy Sprint, 33 experts came together to scope and brainstorm ideas for extreme heat policy, drafting 18 policy memos to address the nation’s hottest challenge. This panel will feature their backgrounds, research, policy ideas, and ongoing work to implement these solutions.
Panelists
Nate Matthews-Trigg, Associate Director for Climate and Disaster Resilience, Americares
Margaret Morrissey-Basler, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences, Providence College
Julie Robinson, Program Officer, Climate & Environmental Health Justice, Pima County Health Department
Arnab Ghosh, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cornell University
Moderated by Grace Wickerson, Health Equity Policy Manager, Federation of American Scientists
2:30 - 3:00 pm | Refreshment Break
Sponsored by FAS
3:00 - 3:30 pm | Panel Discussion
From Risk to Resilience
Natural hazards and risks from environmental degradation, pollution, etc. have cascading and compounding effects that make it more and more challenging to break the disaster cycle. The increasing complexities of disasters, exacerbated by global climate change, require improvement in doctrine and operational approaches to managing hazards and disasters more comprehensively. This panel considers the current state of emergency management in the U.S. and its stance toward community resilience, including barriers to effective practice and performance improvement and those factors that serve to integrate resilience capacity building with more traditional efforts aimed at response and disaster recovery.
Panelists
Brian Gerber, Associate Professor and Co-Director, Center for Emergency Management and Homeland Security, ASU
Joshua Uebelherr, Climate Program Manager, Office of Environment, City of Phoenix
Brian Lee, Director of Emergency Management, City of Phoenix
Melanie Gall, Assistant Professor and Co-Director for CEMHS, School of Public Affairs
Moderated by Kylie Wilson, Postdoctoral Research Scholar, Knowledge Exchange for Resilience, ASU
3:30 - 4:00 pm | Panel Discussion
Bridging the Gap: Leadership for Risk Reduction and Resilience Building
As disasters grow in complexity—driven by factors such as interdependencies, multidimensional vulnerabilities, and the changing risk environment—so do the demands placed on leadership. This panel will focus on how the twin goals of risk reduction and resilience building can be approached by fostering partnerships at the state and tribal levels that bridge the often-wide gap between local realities and national objectives.
Panelists
Ericka Huston, Assistant Director of Preparedness, Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (AZDEMA)
Jason Steinmetz, Director, Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Bureau of Indian Affairs
Jonna Papaefthimiou, Chief Resilience Officer, Office of the Governor, Oregon
Braden Kay, Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Manager, Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, State of California
Moderated by Sarah Bassett, Professor of Practice, School of Public Affairs, Emergency Management & Homeland Security, ASU
4:00 - 4:30 pm | Panel Discussion
Community Resilience Innovations
Communities, especially environmental justice frontline communities, are receiving a lot of attention from government, funders, and nonprofits to reverse a legacy of living with inequalities. This panel discussion will focus on community innovations that increase resilience and reduce risk. We will have an expert discussion on successful community resilience innovations and promising future innovation areas.
Panelists
Ryan Winkle, Executive Director, Arizona Fair Housing Center; Member of the Council of Resilience Leaders at ASU
David Hondula, Director, Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, City of Phoenix
Rebecca Sunenshine, Chief Medical Officer, Maricopa County Department of Public Health
Moderated by Melissa Guardaro, Assistant Research Professor, Associate Director of Resilience Hubs; ASU
4:30 - 5:00 pm | Panel Discussion
Economic Dimensions of Risk and Resilience
Join leading experts from the public, nonprofit, and academic sectors as they explore the multifaceted economic aspects of risk and resilience. This panel will delve into critical questions, including: What are the immediate and long-term economic consequences of ignoring climate risk? What are the true costs of inaction? Which resilient solutions should be prioritized to mitigate climate risks and safeguard society? How can we effectively engage diverse economic stakeholders in risk mitigation efforts to foster overall community resilience? This session aims to provide a thought-provoking conversation around systemic components of economic risk and consider actionable strategies for building a resilient future in the face of ever-increasing climate threats.
Panelists
Jowan Thornton, Bureau Chief, Housing, Homelessness and Interpersonal Violence, Division of Community Assistance and Development, Department of Economic Security, State of Arizona; Member of the Council of Resilience Leaders, ASU
Mikayla Cutlip Qian, Healthy Cities Program Director (Interim), The Nature Conservancy in Arizona
Edward Chu, Special Advisor to the President, Environment and Climate Solutions, ASU; Affiliate Global Futures Scholar, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory; former Deputy Regional Administrator, EPA Region 7
Moderated by Patricia Solís, Executive Director, Knowledge Exchange for Resilience, Arizona State University
Closing Remarks
Maren Mahoney, Director Office of Resiliency, Office of Governor Katie Hobbs; Member of the Council of Resilience Leaders at ASU
Many Thanks to the Symposium Organizing Committee: Sarah Bassett (co-chair), Patricia Solís (co-chair), Margaret Hinrichs, Melanie Gall, Melissa Guardaro, Kylie Wilson, Grace Wickerson, Maryam Shafiee Shakib, Susy Bustillos, Wendy Loera, and Kevin Bushaw.
5:30 - 7:30 pm | Gala
Celebration for Resilience
Join us in the evening from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm for our Gala, where we will award the annual Resilience Prize and enjoy a keynote address by Heather McGhee. A New York Times bestselling author and policy advocate, Heather will discuss themes from her book "The Sum of Us."