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Oregon Infrastructure Summit
If you are having trouble logging into today’s event, email us at info@nebc.org
September 13-14, 2021
An NEBC Virtual Event
The Oregon Infrastructure Summit brings together those working to demonstrate the interconnectedness of basic infrastructure with community and economic development and long-term sustainability and resilience.
Presented jointly by Business Oregon and the Northwest Environmental Business Council, this unique educational event connects property owners, developers, community leaders, regulators, financiers and service providers to share the latest knowledge and best practices, develop business, and foster partnerships.
2021 Agenda Highlights
Building Infrastructure on Main Street that Supports Local Businesses
Advancing Equity through Infrastructure
Strategic Action Plan. How can we invest in our infrastructure strategically?
Leveraging Infrastructure to Fuel Economic Growth
Building Broadband Access – Partners & Funds
Broadband Fundamentals
Keynote Speaker
Josh Bruce
Associate Director for Applied Research
Institute for Policy Research and Engagement, University of Oregon
“Obtaining Critical Mass – Achieving Infrastructure Resilience in Oregon”
This session will present 14 months’ worth of research and engagement with leaders across the state about what infrastructure resilience might look like and how we can get there from here. From “hunting as a pack” to “fixing the funding cycle” the Institute for Policy Research and Engagement team at the University of Oregon has documented a list of tangible actions that property owners, developers, community leaders, regulators, financiers, and service providers in Oregon should start doing. Today! With a growing list of disaster events and multiple state and federal funding streams being funneled toward infrastructure projects, we have both the urgency and capacity to act. What could we do? What should we do? What will we do, together, to achieve infrastructure resilience in Oregon?
Josh Bruce received his master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon in 2002 and holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of California, Davis (1996). He maintains professional certification with the American Institute of Certified Planners and has achieved professional accreditation in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design from the United States Green Building Council. Bruce serves as the Associate Director for Applied Research in the Institute for Policy Research and Engagement the University of Oregon. In that capacity, he is responsible for overseeing IPRE’s on- and off-campus applied-research, experiential-learning, community capacity building programs.
Mr. Bruce has professional experience in land-use permit review, zoning administration, land entitlements, site design, housing development, green building, and sustainable business practices. For the past 12-years, he has assisted communities throughout Oregon with a variety of natural‐hazard mitigation, disaster recovery, and community resilience related planning projects. His research interests include the identification, development and use of integrated, multi-objective approaches to achieve community resilience.
Keynote Sessions
Our Reliable Water—Willamette Water Supply System Innovations Driving New Water System to Success
Learn about the Willamette Water Supply System—the $1.3 billion drinking-water supply system under construction for the Tualatin Valley Water District, City of Hillsboro, and City of Beaverton. When complete in 2026, the WWSS will be one of Oregon’s most seismically-resilient water systems built to better withstand natural disasters, protect public health, and speed regional economic recovery through restoring critical services more quickly. Attendees will also get insight into some of the innovative approaches staff are utilizing to enhance seismic resiliency and realize cost savings while also hearing how work on the system is a driver for the local economy.
Speaker
- David Marciniak, Public & Business Outreach Specialist, Willamette Water Supply Program
As the Smoke Clears: Perspectives on Wildfire Recovery and Response
What does it take to recover from one of the most destructive wildfires in Oregon’s history? In 2020, a series of wildfires burned 1.2 million acres, destroying two communities and 4000 structures. For the last year, an interdisciplinary public-private team has been managing the environmental impacts of the disaster, including assessing and remediating contamination, ensuring regulatory compliance, and communicating with local governments and the public. Featuring speakers from the State of Oregon and several consulting firms, this panel will discuss how Oregon is balancing short-term needs with long-term vision for a more fire-resilient future. Topics will include facilitating inclusive and equitable communication in a post-disaster environment; innovations in data management for site assessment and cleanup; and the challenges of balancing responsiveness and agility with a complex and often hazardous work environment. Speakers will address how zoning codes, infrastructure design, and individual site design, impact fire resilience, and will discuss what the fire recovery experience reveals about managing built and natural environments in a time of climate change.
Speakers
- McGregor “Mac” Lynde, Deputy Administrator, Delivery & Operations Division, Oregon Dept. of Transportation
- Erin VanDehey, Principal, Mason, Bruce & Girard
- Reggie Fay, Principal, Mason, Bruce & Girard
- Merideth D’Andrea, RG, Principal Geologist, Maul Foster & Alongi
- Matt Piccone, Associate, SERA
The Story Behind Washington Maritime Blue’s Cluster Development
How a big, hairy, audacious goal become a new collaboration model for accelerating Blue Economy innovation to support economic growth, ecosystem health, and equitable communities.
Jennifer States brings 20 years of renewable energy and clean tech experience in industry, non-profit, government and research environments. She is Vice President, Projects and Strategy for Washington Maritime Blue, a cluster organization for maritime innovation and sustainability. She leads collaborative efforts and Joint Innovation Projects as part of implementing the Blue Economy strategy for Washington State. Her focus areas include port and maritime innovation and decarbonization projects; such as electrification and alternative fuels for vessels, as well as shoreside renewable energy, storage and microgrids. Jennifer is working to create cross-sector and cross-organization collaboration opportunities to advance the Blue Economy. In 2020, she was asked to testify in Congress on new structures to support cross-cutting Energy and Maritime commercialization activities. She helped to lead the UN Sustainable Ocean Business Action Platform sprints on Harnessing Ocean Energy and Shipping Decarbonization.
Speaker
- Jennifer States, Vice President, Projects and Strategy, Washington Maritime Blue
Plenary Session: Mind-blowing Opportunities – Broadband’s Big Picture
Carrie Rackey, CHMM
Senior Associate, Environmental Services
Stantec
Carrie has over 20 years of environmental industry experience in both regulatory and consulting roles, including experience in multiple states and the United Kingdom. She specializes in full-spectrum brownfield redevelopment including EPA brownfield grant writing and project management, designing and conducting assessments and cleanups, and redevelopment project planning and funding. She has written successful EPA brownfield grant applications for communities throughout Oregon and the western US to support projects as diverse as rural rails to trails and downtown core revitalization.
Kurtis Danka
Chief Technology Officer
Enterprise Information Services, State of Oregon
Kurtis Danka is the Chief Technology Officer within Oregon’s State Chief Information Office. His focus is to help the state of Oregon align technology with the strategic business direction—leading strategy, architecture, and planning. Kurtis has more than 20 years of public sector experience within the state of Oregon focused on Information Technology. His experience includes: serving as the Chief Information Officer at the Oregon Department of Transportation, IT operations and administration as the Deputy Administrator the State Data Center, strategic planning, process and policy development, and program development.
Kurtis holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with an emphasis on fiber optics from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. He and his family love Oregon and enjoy the many hiking, biking, boating, camping, and fishing opportunities this great State has to offer!
Bryant Campbell
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager
Business Oregon
Bryant Campbell is a native Oregonian who has served in Oregon state government for twenty-one years. Bryant’s state service includes workforce development and Juvenile Justice with the Oregon Youth Authority, managing in the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations, leading statewide equity and inclusion staff focused to create policies, build and analyze data sets and sustainable operational practices that support the juvenile justice system in providing culturally responsive care to adjudicated youth. In addition to state service, Bryant is a board member for the Association of Departments of Family Medicine and an independent consultant speaking to and teaching healthcare organizations on the inclusionary value of collaboration with diverse patient communities in utilizing diverse experiences in transforming traditional healthcare systems.
Bryant is currently the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager for Business Oregon, leading the department’s DEI work focusing on internal education, policy reform and building external awareness of the department and business partnerships with historically underserved, underrepresented and communities of color.
Bryant believes that equity centers and connects us at the core of our humanity and our ability to challenge systems, policies, rules, everyday assumptions and our own biases will advance us into a future where the human spirit will prevail over our differences.
