Featured Speakers

Alison Alessi is a Registered Architect with over 20 years of experience with sustainable design on the Cape. She has been a LEED accredited professional since 2007, and Certified Passive House Consultant since 2011. A licensed architect for over 20 years, Alison has designed a number of net-energy zero residences, commercial and municipal projects in towns across the Cape. She has collaborated with a number of local environmentally-responsible professionals to refine and improve design elements of specific projects and has experience presenting projects to various local regulatory boards. She received her Masters of Architecture from MIT in 2001 and has an AB in architecture from Princeton University.

Michael’s expertise lies in ocean policy and science. Over the past two years, he has designed and led an accelerated course in Coastal and Marine Planning, building on his background in project management at the Battelle Memorial Institute. With a strong technical foundation in GIS, he is now expanding his work to include the use of UAVs to support conservation and environmental monitoring.

For eight years, Michael has led teams and projects in conservation by cultivating relationships, communicating possibilities, and guiding initiatives from concept to completion. His employers and partners have included National Geographic, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the U.S. Navy, World Wildlife Fund, and Duke University.

He has been honored with invitations to speak around the world on marine policy, economics, and marine resource management, work that stems from his academic background in environmental policy and political science—particularly in translating science into actionable policy.

Peter Burke is the Executive Director of the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce, a role he began in April 2022. He previously spent 14 years with Cisco Brewers, most recently as an operating partner in their Portsmouth, NH operations. Originally from New Hampshire, Peter returned to Nantucket to lead the Chamber, bringing with him strong connections and extensive experience on the island. Under his leadership, the Chamber has focused on expanding membership, listening to member businesses, and addressing key challenges such as housing and staffing that impact Nantucket’s economy.

Delia Castro is a senior at Nauset Regional High School as well as the Co-Vice President of Nauset’s Green Club. A dedicated volunteer, she manages Nauset Green Threads and enjoys involving her peers in composting and recycling initiatives. In her free time, Delia is passionate about ballroom dancing and playing pickleball with her family. 

Julia Fox serves as the Grid Modernization Program Coordinator in the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources’ (DOER) Policy, Planning, and Analysis Division. In this role, she focuses on electric distribution system policy to advance the Commonwealth’s clean, affordable, resilient, and equitable energy goals. Julia also facilitates the operations of the Grid Modernization Advisory Council (GMAC), a statutorily mandated body charged with reviewing the electric utilities’ Electric-Sector Modernization Plans. She holds a Master of Public Policy degree and dual bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Science and Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Heather Goldstone is an experienced climate communicator who works to blend data and narrative in ways that inspire and motivate. She currently serves as Chief Communications Officer at Woodwell Climate Research Center, a non-profit research organization working with partners around the globe, conducting science for solutions at the nexus of climate, people, and nature. Prior to joining Woodwell, she worked at WCAI and WGBH, where she wrote a blog about climate change, reported on science and environmental issues, and eventually founded and hosted a weekly science-focused radio show, Living Lab Radio. She is passionate about Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative’s focus on convening and collaboration as pathways to climate solutions.

Shannon Hulst is Floodplain Specialist for Barnstable County, MA with Cape Cod Cooperative Extension and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant. She is a Certified Floodplain Manager with a master’s degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island. She provides technical assistance on all things related to flooding, flood insurance, and floodplain regulations to municipalities, residents, and businesses on Cape Cod. She also manages a regional Community Rating System program, making these communities safer from flooding and sea level rise and saving residents in nine towns $600,000 on flood insurance premiums annually, for a total savings of $4.4 million since the program began in 2015. Shannon has received two national awards for her work in regional floodplain management; the CRS Award for Excellence from FEMA and the James Lee Witt Local Award for Excellence in Floodplain
Management from the Association of State Floodplain Managers.

Shannon Hulst is Floodplain Specialist for Barnstable County, MA with Cape Cod Cooperative Extension and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant. She is a Certified Floodplain Manager with a master’s degree in coastal hazard management from the University of Rhode Island. She provides technical assistance on all things related to flooding, floodplain regulations, and coastal resilience to municipalities, residents, and businesses on Cape Cod and southeastern MA. She has worked with towns and design professionals on issues relating to historic structures and flood risk since 2017. Shannon has received two national awards for her work in regional floodplain management; the Community Rating System (CRS) Award for Excellence from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the James Lee Witt Local Award for Excellence in Floodplain Management from the Association of State Floodplain Managers.

Shannon Hulst is Floodplain Specialist for Barnstable County with Cape Cod Cooperative Extension and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant. She provides technical assistance on all things related to flooding, flood insurance, and floodplain regulations to municipalities, residents, and businesses on Cape Cod. Shannon has received awards for her work in regional floodplain management from FEMA and the Association of State Floodplain Managers.

Michael is presently the President and CEO of the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce; he holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Bryant University and is a graduate of both Rhode Island College and Rhode Island School of Design.  He earned a Certificate in Nonprofit Organization Management from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management in 2015 at Villanova University where he served as co-President of his class.  In 2016 he was awarded the Certified Association Executive (CAE) Designation by the American Society of Association Executives.

Michael is a Certified Antique Appraiser specializing in American Furniture and enjoys American History, Architecture, Hiking, and spending time outdoors with his family.

Juan Martinez is a seasoned professional in the field of electrical engineering, currently serving as a Director at Eversource Energy since September 2019. Prior to this role, Juan held various positions at Con Edison, including Engineering Manager, Engineering Supervisor, and Electrical Engineer from October 2004 to September 2019. Juan obtained a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Manhattan University between 2014 and 2016, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from The City College of New York from 2005 to 2009.

Paul Niedzwiecki assumed the role of chief executive officer of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce on July 1, 2021.

Niedzwiecki, of West Barnstable, is a public policy professional and attorney with more than two decades of experience in public administration and crafting environmental and economic policy on Cape Cod.

As former executive director of the Cape Cod Commission, Niedzwiecki worked to reorganize the region’s planning and regulatory agency to reduce red tape and assist communities to balance protection of the natural environment and fuel economic growth, while increasing transparency and community engagement.

Niedzwiecki has also held senior positions with Southfield Redevelopment Authority and Cape Cod Healthcare. In addition, he served as the assistant town manager in Barnstable, the Cape’s largest town, where he established the Cape’s first Growth Incentive Zone to bolster downtown Hyannis small business and was the first chairman of the Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative.

Niedzwiecki holds a bachelor of science degree in public administration from Suffolk University and a juris doctor from Suffolk University Law School.

Nathan Raike is the Manager of State and Local Affairs at RENEW Northeast, where he leads advocacy and policy engagement to advance clean energy development across the region. He works closely with state and local policymakers, regulatory agencies, and industry stakeholders to support legislative and regulatory initiatives that promote renewable energy, grid modernization, and environmental sustainability. Mr. Raike holds a B.A. in History from the University of Vermont.

Previously, Mr. Raike was an Associate State Policy Analyst at ISO New England, where he tracked and analyzed state legislation and regulatory proceedings affecting the region’s energy markets and electrification efforts. In this role, he provided insights on policy trends, engaged with stakeholders, and contributed to reports assessing the potential impacts of policy changes on the regional grid. Before that, he worked as a Consultant at FiscalNote, advising clients on legislative and regulatory developments. He gained his footing in public policy while working two terms in the Vermont State House, where he supported a legislative committee and the then-Vice Chair of the House Committee focused on energy issues through policy research and hearing coordination.

Outside of work, Mr. Raike enjoys diving into history, whether through books or exploring historic sites. He spends much of his free time hiking and fishing, often in northern New England, but also enjoys exploring Boston’s neighborhoods and waterfront.

Chris Rodstrom is Founder and Principal Consultant at CBR Energy Solutions, a Massachusetts-based firm specializing in siting, permitting, and regulatory strategy for clean energy infrastructure. His work focuses on advancing grid modernization, battery storage, and clean energy generation projects that accelerate the transition to a reliable, decarbonized energy system. Prior to founding CBR Energy Solutions, Chris worked at Epsilon Associates, Vineyard Wind/Vineyard Offshore, and for Eversource, in a variety of roles, and currently supports developers and utilities across New England and New York.

Anne-Marie Runfola is the Executive Director of the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) in Provincetown, MA. A veteran of marine conservation, management, and education, Runfola worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the past 15 years, serving in several roles including Deputy Superintendent of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and, most recently, as Senior Advisor to the Directors of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Before joining NOAA, Runfola was Deputy Director of the Bronx River Alliance, a nonprofit public-private partnership with the City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation focused on river restoration and community development.

A resident of Falmouth, MA, Runfola serves on the Board of The 300 Committee Land Trust. She is a graduate of Ithaca College and received a master’s degree from Columbia University Teachers College.

Dan has been with the Compact for seven years and currently serves as the Customer Service and Outreach Manager. He has had various responsibilities over the years including implementation of the Compact’s commercial and residential HVAC, appliances, lighting and demand response programs. In his current role, he manages the Compact’s customer service and marketing team, as well as some of the Compact’s grant funded programs such as the Energy Saver Home Loan and the Cape and Vineyard Solar Loan. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from UMASS  – Dartmouth and is a proud AmeriCorps Cape Cod alum.

Charlie Sidoti’s 35+ years in insurance includes underwriting, engineering and risk management-related leadership roles with P&C insurance carriers and experience leading risk assessment focused insurtech startups. Charlie is currently founder and chief executive of InnSure a mission-driven nonprofit focused on Making Insurance Work for Everyone in the Face of Climate Change.

Megan Brott Sullivan serves on the Operations Team and Board of Directors of MassEnergize, where she leads the rollout of digital tools such as Social Media Magic. She is the founder and co-leader of Sustainable Medfield and an active leader in local government and community sustainability initiatives. With a background in accounting and an MBA from Babson College, Megan brings both professional expertise and more than 15 years of experience advancing environmental action at the local level.

As Deputy Director at the Cape Cod Commission, Steven Tupper oversees a multi-disciplinary team working on initiates in the areas of transportation, climate change, and infrastructure development. Steven has a  Bachelor and Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering is a registered professional engineer.

Dan Wolf founded Cape Air in 1989 and served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer from its founding through 2021. Dan continues to serve the company as the Chairman of the Board of Directors and stays current with his Air Transport Pilot license. Dan was elected in November 2010, 2012, and 2014, respectively, to represent Cape Cod and the Islands in the Massachusetts State Senate, where he served from 2011 through 2016. Each term, Dan was appointed as the Senate Chair of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, focusing on legislation around labor, workplace safety, and workplace development. As a business and community leader, Dan continues to serve on many of the region’s most important non-profit and civic organizations, including as the President of the Climate Collaborative.