Speakers

Dr. Joanna Wozniak-Brown has nearly two decades of experience in environmental management and planning in Connecticut. Currently, she serves as the Climate & Infrastructure Policy Development Coordinator at the Connecticut Office of Policy & Management. In that role, she leads the development and implementation of Connecticut’s climate and sustainability strategies for the Office of Policy and Management; facilitates inter-agency collaboration on climate and sustainability issues, including incorporation of climate resilience and adaptation planning in state plans and operations; advises on state-supported investment in climate resilience projects; and represents the Secretary of the Office of Policy & Management on various boards or commissions, including but not limited to the Governor’s Council on Climate Change, among other activities.  Prior to this role, she was the Assistant Director of Resilience Planning at UConn CIRCA. She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from Antioch University New England, an M.Sc. from Johns Hopkins University in Environmental Planning, and a B.A. from Drew University in Political Science and Environmental Studies. Dr. Wozniak-Brown has been certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) since 2021.

Gareth Lifton is a Managing Director and the KPMG lead for Decarbonization and Resilience for statenand local government organizations. He has significant and wide-ranging experience in decarbonizationnand climate resilience, and over 35 years of sustainability-related experience working and developing best practices for government clients throughout North America and internationally, at the state and local government level. He has worked across organizations to create innovative programs and has been highly effective at leading large-scale projects and transformations. He has worked across all aspects of sustainability including the development and implementation of policies, strategies, business plans, business case evaluations, capital program development and delivery.