TODAY’S SPEAKERS

Ben Furnas | Director, NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability
During his time in city government, Ben Furnas has been pivotal in bringing major climate and transportation initiatives to life. He played instrumental roles in Vision Zero, OneNYC, the 80x50 Action Plan, the city’s sweeping measures to improve building energy efficiency culminating with the Climate Mobilization Act, the electrification of the city fleet, and the expansion of the city’s bus lanes and bike network. Furnas began his tenure in the Mayor’s Office in 2014, working for First Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris as a Special Advisor for Sustainability and Infrastructure, and then serving as Deputy Director of the Office of Policy and Planning. Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office, Furnas served as a senior policy associate for then-Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, focusing on budget, land use, street safety, transportation, health care, immigration, and labor issues. He began his career in Washington, DC at the Center for American Progress. 

Moderator: John Mandyck | CEO, Urban Green Council
John Mandyck joined Urban Green Council in 2018 as its first-ever CEO. He capped a 25-year career as Chief Sustainability Officer for United Technologies Corporation, a Fortune 45 global leader in the building, aerospace and food refrigeration industries. He also serves as a Visiting Scientist at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Business. John is the founding chair of the Corporate Advisory Board for the World Green Building Council, a former board chair of Urban Green and co-author of the book Food Foolish.