International Climate Webinar Series Hybrid Workshop
US Clean Mobility by 2035

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During this discussion, we will cover and exchange ideas on two important topics related to sustainable transportation and clean mobility in the United States.

Panel One: Access to clean mobility options in urban and suburban areas in the United States.

Recent statistics reveal a steady rise in the adoption of eco-friendly transportation in the United States. In 2019, electric vehicle sales broke records with over 330,000 units sold, a notable increase from the 17,000 units sold in 2011. Furthermore, the number of public electric vehicle charging stations in the US has grown from a few thousand in 2011 to over 78,000 in 2020. These figures indicate a clear shift towards sustainable and environmentally-conscious transportation options in the country. However, it's important to note that implementing strategies for densely populated and low-density areas requires different approaches. It would be beneficial to assess how local authorities and industries navigate these unique situations by examining the timeline of accomplishments and exploring feasible social inclusion approaches for a more comprehensive outlook.

Panel Two: The private-public partnership Role in the Electrification of the United States.

Promoting cleaner transportation is a top priority for the government, and they are actively working on it through multiple projects, social initiatives, and financing. The focus is on electrification, and several initiatives are already underway, such as the ChargeX Consortium led by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation and the EPA's efforts to introduce cleaner school buses. To achieve the goal of cleaner transportation by 2035, it is crucial to consider the current situation and the potential benefits of public-private partnerships in implementing these initiatives. Additionally, last year, the Department of Energy announced plans to award up to $7 billion this fall for the nation's first six to ten "hubs," which will demonstrate low-carbon hydrogen production, storage, transport, and consumption.

Keynote Speaker

Antoine Maurice Thompson is a native of Buffalo, New York. He graduated from Buffalo Public Schools #61, #60, and Bennett High School. A graduate of SUNY Brockport with a dual bachelors’ degree in History and African and Afro-American Studies, Thompson also studied at the University of Ghana in Ghana, West Africa. Antoine is the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Medaille College. He is a graduate of the 2001 Class of Leadership Buffalo. Antoine M. Thompson is a nationally recognized leader for environmental justice, green business, housing, diversity, and urban policy. Antoine is the Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition (GWRCC), a public-private partnership that promotes the use of clean, American transportation fuels for homeland security, improved air quality, environment justice, diversity, and inclusion. He is the former Executive Director of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) the oldest organization of African American real estate professionals in the United States. Antoine led efforts to increase advocacy on Capitol Hill on closing the racial wealth gap through increasing the rate of Black homeownership. He had a significant public service career in his hometown of Buffalo, New York. His positions have included election to Buffalo Common Council where he authored the Buffalo’s Fair Housing Law, the Minority and Women Business Enterprise Inclusion Law and secured over $75 million for community development projects. He was elected to the New York State Senate in 2006 and 2008 and served as the Senate Deputy Majority Whip and the first African American to Chair the Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation and Co-Chair of the Senate Minority and Woman Business Enterprise Task Force. He authored the NYS MWBE Mentor/Protégé Law. He was key architect of the Green Jobs/Green New York law.

Antoine M. Thompson

Executive Director of Great Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Featured Speakers

Alain Steven is an internationally recognized expert in the Electric Power industry with over 54 years of experience. He has held various C-level executive positions, including CEO and CTO, with multinational companies and utilities. Alain's expertise lies in real-time mission-critical systems for demand side management, energy markets, grid management, microgrids, nuclear and fossil power plant simulators, and plant computers. He is also the primary author and inventor of 7 patents in the field of advanced demand response in electricity markets. At Energy One, the startup he founded he led as CEO, they have developed innovative technologies and financial solutions to support the decarbonization of power grids, transportation, and Buildings.

Alain P. Steven

Former SG of GO15 Power Grid Operators & Founder / CEO of Energy OSI

Matthew W. Daus, Esq. currently serves as Transportation Technology Chair at the City University of New York’s (CUNY) Transportation Research Center of The City College of New York, where he conducts research and continues to be extensively published as an expert on ground transportation regulation and technology. As a CUNY Distinguished Lecturer from 2010-2018, he taught courses on transportation history, policy, sustainability, for-hire regulation, and technology. Mr. Daus also continues to serve, since 2009, as President of the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR), a non-profit educational peer group of government transportation regulators from around the world promoting best regulatory and innovative practices. Mr. Daus is the longest-serving Commissioner/Chair/CEO of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), where he served from 2001-2010. Before his tenure as Commissioner, Mr. Daus served in many other executive and counsel positions in the NYC government for almost 20 years, including: General Counsel to TLC and NYC Community Development Agency; Special Counsel to TLC and NYC Trade Waste Commission; NYC Human Rights Prosecutor; and Commissioner of NYC Civil Service Commission. Mr. Daus is a partner at Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP, where he founded/chairs the Transportation Practice Group in 2010.

Matthew W. Daus

President of International Association of Transportation Regulators

Robert Reichenbach, President, Bird Bus Sales & Factory Direct Bus Sales. Robert grew up in the school bus sales and transportation business. Robert is considered the school bus and electric bus specialist within New York State and surrounding regions. Robert was named 2018 School Transportation News Raising Star and the most extended tenured New York State Bus Distributor Association President from 2018 until Summer 2023. He owns the largest market share of Electric Bus sales in New York State and is implementing 50 Electric School Buses in New York City through Round 1 of the EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program. Robert recently opened a new school bus dealership in Westchester, NY, that will sell and service electric vehicles. While many companies are trying to offer a “Turn-Key Solution,” Robert focuses on a “Single Purchase Order Delivery Approach,” which is transparent to the end-user operator. A graduate of The Jack Welch School of Business at Sacred Heart University and Touro Law Center, Robert worked for a boutique law firm specializing in school bus activities and white-collar schemes within New York City before joining his father, Rick, at Bird Bus Sales. Bird Bus is now a 9-time Best In Bus dealer for Blue Bird & Micro Bird, and Factory Direct Bus Sales is now a 2-Time Dealer of the Year for Collins Bus.

Robert Reichenbach

President of Bird Bus Sales Group

Jane is a clean energy and climate change expert who is currently the Western Regional Manager of Market Development at Highland Electric Fleets where she supports school districts to understand how best to electrify their fleet. This includes community organizing, mass market education, policy advocacy, and major account political support as well as engaging with utilities, regulators, and legislators around existing and potential future programs designed to support electric school buses. Prior to working at Highland, Jane was a Senior Consultant at ERM (formerly M.J. Bradley and Associates) where she managed a utility coalition focused on developing transportation electrification programming and worked with a number of NGOs, utilities, federal, state and local governments to develop and implement effective transportation electrification strategies within the light-duty and medium-and heavy-duty sectors. Jane holds a Master’s in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment and BA in both Environmental Studies and International Affairs, Summa Cum Laude, from the University of Colorado.

Jane Israel

Western Regional Manager, Market Development at Highland Electric Fleets

Richard Ezike

Program Communication Specialist at the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation

Salima H. Steven holds an agronomy and crop science diploma and is a trilingual event producer, marketer, and communicator with twenty years of experience. Over 50 global events focusing on energy, environment, water, smart cities, and climate change have been organized and produced from small to large in North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Additionally, Salima has over seven years of experience managing communication for a non-profit association of very large power grid operators (GO15).

Salima Hebbache Steven

EventOne Founder & ICWS Commissioner

A US women-owned company, EventOne offers Marketing and Events services to professionals and organizations devoted to social, technological, and economic advancement.

International Climate Webinar Series Hybrid WorkshopUS Clean Mobility by 2035