is the Assistant City Manager and Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Riverside. As the City’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, he has led efforts to recruit CARB’s So Cal Headquarters to Riverside, designate the City as a Blue Zone (kicked off in 2024), achieve LEED Sustainable City designation (anticipated in 2026), launch the City’s 2nd Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (kicked off in 2024), complete a Zero Emission Vehicle Transition Plan (in 2024), build the nation’s first solar green house and agrivoltaic project – Northside Ag Innovation Center - and introduce the region’s first Extreme Heat Summit. He is proud of the great work achieved by City including a power portfolio projected to reach 69% renewable, non-green house gas sourced energy by 2027 citywide, planting 250,000 trees planted through the Tree Power Program, building Riverside Green Tech Hub ecosystem and much more. Rafael graduated from the Harvard-Bloomberg City Leadership Initiative in 2022, has an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Irvine and a Masters of Environmental Science from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry.

has served as the City of Riverside’s Sustainability Manager since 2024. Fortino has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Riverside. Fortino brings his experience from UC Riverside where he served as the Sustainability Officer for 6 years. He previously served as the founding staff director of R’Garden, a seven-acre campus garden and experiential learning space for students and the surrounding community.

is the Deputy Public Health Officer for Riverside County and serves as Chair of Family Medicine and Medical Director of Quality at Riverside University Health System. She holds a master’s in public health from Boston University, a medical degree from St. George’s University, and completed her Family Medicine training at Riverside University Health System. Passionate about partnering with communities to improve health and wellness, Dr. Tsang enjoys traveling, exploring new foods and cultures, and discovering new places with her husband and two children.

is the Executive Director of Blue Zones Project Riverside, bringing nearly two decades of experience in policy, philanthropy, and nonprofit leadership. A former Riverside City Councilmember and two-term Mayor Pro Tempore, she led initiatives such as Riverside’s 6-pillar Homelessness Action Plan, the Nonprofit Resilience Fund, and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Erin has also served with The Equality Fund, United Way, and AmeriCorps, and holds degrees in French and English from Augustana College and a master’s in International Development from the University of Wisconsin. She lives in Riverside with her partner, Liz, and their two children.

is the Disaster Program Manager for the American Red Cross in Riverside County, where she oversees disaster response operations and volunteer engagement. She holds a Master of Science in Global Affairs from New York University, with a focus on human rights and international law.

is a Project Manager with the Smart Surfaces Coalition (SSC), where she supports policymakers and program developers in adopting cost-effective urban resilience strategies through the development of educational resources, model policy and codes, and peer learning programs. Iona oversees SSC’s Peer Learning Network and the Cool Roadways Partnership, the leading forum for reflective pavement performance research and adoption insights. She is an active member of the Cool Roof Rating Council’s Education Committee and Pavement Ratings Steering Committee.

is dedicated to environmental work that protects both nature and public health. She currently leads the grant program for the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience initiative, overseeing a portfolio of 45 grantees. She holds a Master of Public Health in Environment and Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. 

is a veteran and Riverside native with over eight years of experience in emergency management. She currently serves as Homeland Security Planner for the City of Riverside Fire Department’s Office of Emergency Management, specializing in preparedness, coordination, and resilience planning to protect and support the community.

is an Associate Professor of Climate Change & Sustainability at the University of California, Riverside. Francesca studies the effects of human activities on the global carbon cycle from an interdisciplinary earth system science perspective, with particular interest in greenhouse gas emissions in urban and agricultural environments. She holds a Ph.D. in Earth System Science from the University of California, Irvine.

is the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action and Sustainability (LARC). Housed at UCLA, LARC is a network of local governments, regional agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses, utilities, and academics working together to advance climate mitigation and adaptation efforts in the LA region. Erin is focused on convening local and regional climate leaders to help them to maximize limited resources and determine the best courses of action for the region. 

is the Senior Resource Advisor for The Janet Goeske Center. She and her team help to match seniors with resources and supports for a variety of life issues. Dee has lived in Riverside and Woodcrest for over 40 years and is a retired middle school Math/English Teacher. 

has served as rector of All Saints Episcopal Church since 2019 and has over 25 years of ordained ministry at local, diocesan, and national levels. Holding a graduate degree in Religion from Claremont School of Theology, she has led All Saints in making Care of Creation a mission priority, focusing on energy conservation, community farming, emergency resilience, and environmental stewardship in partnership with local organizations.

is a Lead Meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in San Diego. Casey has been working at the San Diego office for the past 7 years, but grew up in Phoenix, AZ so she is no stranger to the heat. One of her favorite parts of her job is to attend events like these to help communities better prepare for hazardous weather of all kinds!

is the Legislative Director at Climate Resolve, where he guides the organization’s policy initiatives across local, regional, and state governments. Over the past five years, he has successfully built strategic coalitions to pass state laws that focus on public health in the face of extreme heat. His work is driven by a passion for creating equitable and sustainable communities for all Californians.

is the Education Programs Manager at US Green Building Council California. She holds a degree in Environmental Studies from Temple University and has worked with organizations including the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education and Longwood Gardens, gaining experience in land restoration, native planting, and public garden management. In California, she served as Program Manager for Eco Urban Gardens, where she developed Farm to Table and Farm to School programs. Elizabeth combines her passion for regenerative landscapes and urban design with a focus on community health and environmental justice. She is also a certified Docent Naturalist and has volunteered with the LA County Arboretum and California Native Plant Society.

is a Deputy Director for the City of Phoenix Office of Emergency Management. Rudy oversees the Operations Section and focuses on the development and maintenance of the City of Phoenix’s Continuity of Operations program, all-hazard emergency operation training and exercise program, and the City’s comprehensive Emergency Operation Planning. Rudy has been with the City of Phoenix since October 2022. Rudy holds a master’s degree in Homeland Security & Emergency Management from Arizona State University and is a Certified Emergency Manager by the International Association of Emergency Managers.

is the Director of Heat Response and Mitigation for the City of Phoenix, Arizona. In that role, he helps to coordinate and implement programs to protect people from dangerous summer heat and to improve quality of life. Hondula also holds a faculty appointment at Arizona State University’s School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning.

(he/him) was raised at the intersection of borders and language, shaping a career focused on climate displacement and environmental justice. As Sustainability Policy Adviser at the LA County Chief Sustainability Office, Andres works to ensure climate solutions are driven by the communities they impact, and that technical information can be communicable and accessible across stakeholder groups. Andres is currently supporting the development of the LA County Heat Action Plan, part of which has been informed by the 1st LA Extreme Heat Tabletop Exercise, a collaboration between the CSO, the City of LA’s Climate Emergency Mobilization Office, and the LEAP LA coalition of community partners including, Physician’s for Social Responsibility LA, Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education, Sacred Places Institute, Pacoima Beautiful, Communities for a Better Environment, and Esperanza Community Housing.

has been with the Riverside Fire Department for 19 years and currently serves as the Emergency Services Coordinator. For the past 8 years, he has been part of the Office of Emergency Management, while also serving as a canine handler with the Urban Search and Rescue team throughout his career. He further serves the community as a Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) instructor and as a Logistics Section Chief (trainee) on the county’s incident management team. At the national level, Peter contributes his expertise as a canine instructor, canine evaluator, and technical search instructor.

is an ISA Certified Arborist and Certified Tree Climber Specialist with 16 years of experience in urban forestry. He has been with the City of Riverside for a little over year and a half, working under the direction of Robert Filiar, the City Urban Forester Manager. During this time, he has worked with the Urban Forestry and Landscape team to enhance services provided to the communities, with a focus on maintaining a safe public right of away while preserving the many benefits trees offer. Alongside the Urban Forestry and Landscape team, Luis continues to develop a new selection of street trees and plants that are appropriate for the site's size and height, as well as adaptable to future climate conditions.