All are welcome to join Climate Action RI for our August 24, 2023 Community Meeting

What is the State of Rhode Island doing about climate justice?

How does this essential topic fit into other policies and priorities? What are the main issues and opportunities?

About our speakers:

Chris Gaynor has over 6 years' experience as a community organizer building resilience to climate change. Prior to joining the Department of Environmental Management (DEM), Chris served in the Peace Corps in Tanzania and served in AmeriCorps in Vermont, alongside being the Northeast Regional Organizer with the Climate Reality Project (CRP). As an AmeriCorps member serving with the Windham Regional Commission (WRC) in cooperation with the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC), Chris was responsible for identifying and screening nutrient contamination using geospatial analysis. Providing support for volunteers and facilitating a means for the community-volunteers to understand their natural environment in sharing relevant field data volunteers collected, felt to Chris, to be an amazing way to engage and inform communities. Acting as the Northeast Regional Organizer, Chris oversaw eleven states (including D.C) and the five thousand volunteer leaders in that region, coordinating with volunteers to address underlying conditions that have disenfranchised their communities, stewarding leaders toward continued local investment. After living in communities both abroad and domestically, Chris has been dedicated to serve and thoughtfully participate in implementing effective, positive change within his communities.

Greg Ohadoma, Energy Justice Manager, comes to the Office of Energy Resources (OER) with experience in energy policy and advocacy/outreach. With a bachelor's degree in Environmental Natural Resource Economics (ENRE) from the University of Rhode and multiple certificates, including one in Renewable Energy and Green Building Entrepreneurship, Greg is set to provide an equity and justice lens for all current & future policies and programs in the office. Before joining OER, Greg worked with the Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECEC) as a Policy Associate advocating and lobbying for just clean energy policy across New England and New York. He also advocated for Green Community Choice Aggregation and managed the Rhode Island heating oil bank while with Green Energy Consumers Alliance. Greg has also spent time at Rise Engineering as an Administrative Assistant and has interned with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and the Office of Energy Resources.

This event will be in-person in Providence at Plant City as well as virtual on Zoom. Please come in person if you can, but note that you'll need to descend several stairs. Registrants will receive instructions for both in-person and Zoom attendance.

Complete the form on this page to register to attend.
All are welcome to attend!