Faculty & Staff

On Monday, October 20, join Pace University and invited guests for a an informative and thought-provoking discussion. For too long, even when history, science or security analysis reveal significant vulnerabilities, the societal and political response has been to discount the need to design both structures and policies with the worst in mind. Because there is also a tendency to forget lessons learned after the worst has happened, a kind of disaster amnesia sets in.

In an intensive half-day session, leaders from key industries, divisions of government, and research institutions will engage in a series of conversations focused on successes and failures in the wake of this historic storm and surge. Pace University President Stephen J. Friedman will sit down with featured speaker and Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Patrick Foye for a discussion about the way we handled Superstorm Sandy and its aftermath.

Following this Q&A session, there will be two main panels which examine different facets of disaster and recovery efforts. Details are as follows:

Private and Public Sector Panel—Risk Management Perspectives

Discussion on physical restoration, general insurance claims for loss of records, interruption of business, and what worked well during Superstorm Sandy.

Moderator: Rose Littlejohn, managing director, Business Services and LETS, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Panelists include:

• David Kaufman, director of policy and program analysis, FEMA
• Vincent Barrella, mayor, Point Pleasant, New Jersey
• Jill Dalton, managing director, Global Risk Consulting, AON
• Gary Lawrence, vice president, chief sustainability officer, AECOM

Utilities and Experts on Distributed Power Panel Perspectives

Discussion on distributed power to identify policy shifts that could lead to better results next time. 

Moderator: Andrew Revkin, “Dot Earth” blogger, The New York Times; senior fellow, Pace Academy for Applied Environmental Studies.

Panelists include:

• Tom Bourgeois, deputy director, Pace Energy and Climate Center; director, U.S. Department of Energy’s Northeast CHP Technical Assistance Partnership
• Bob Schimmenti, vice president, Engineering and Planning, Con Edison
• Daniel Zarrilli, director of recovery and resiliency, Mayor's Office NYC
• Chris Levendos, vice president for national operations, Verizon Wireless