Our first Inspire Speakers Series of the decade will engage local leaders and changemakers to tell their inspiring stories of the Intersections of Climate, Equity, and Health. Our amazing storytellers will recount their experiences throughout each topic, showing the symbiotic harmony between climate, equity, and health.
Speakers:
James Harris, was born in Camden, NJ. He joined the Army after graduating High School and served as a Military Policeman for 6 years. After an honorable discharge, he graduated from Seton Hall University with a degree in Behavioral Science and an MBA in Business Management and Economics from Rosemont College. Harris began his career in corporate work but decided to make the switch to public service soon thereafter. Harris joined the New England area supporting school turnaround efforts, then became the School Superintendent for the Daniel Boone Area School District. He is currently the Superintendent of the Woodland Hills School District.
Njaimeh Njie is a photographer, filmmaker, and multimedia producer. Her practice centers everyday people, narratives, and landscapes, with a focus on how Black people perceive themselves and their experiences in the places they call home. Njie has been recognized as the 2019 Pittsburgh City Paper Visual Artist of the Year, the 2019 Duquesne University/August Wilson House Fellow, and the 2018 Pittsburgh Center of the Arts Emerging Artist of the Year. Njie is the Founder/Lead Producer of the nonfiction storytelling company Eleven Stanley Productions, and she earned her B.A. in Film and Media Studies from Washington University in St. Louis.
Isabela-Cajiao Angelelli, MD attended medical school in Colombia and moved to the US to become a Pediatrician at UPMC Children’s Hospital where she is currently Director of Clinical Operations for the Pediatric Sedation Service and of the Hospital’s Green/Sustainability Team. She brought the international One Tree Per Child program to Pittsburgh, the program is a joyful journey where children, trees, environment, and health are intertwined. Several organizations in Pittsburgh have joined this effort which is now run in partnership with Tree Pittsburgh, where Isabela became a member of the Board of Directors in early 2019. Hundreds of children have planted hundreds of trees in our city, which has lost a large percentage of its tree canopy to disease and human action and has high levels or air pollution affecting the health of its citizens.
Alicia Volcy graduated from Florida A&M University. She spent over two years working in life insurance before enrolling in the UDREAM Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University in 2011. Alicia’s career path has provided unique opportunities to learn the in’s and out’s of the construction industry and the complexities of the Design-Build delivery method. The experiences were invaluable, but her love of Architecture led her back to design in 2015. Alicia currently works independently as a Design & Real estate development consultant and she serves as President for the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects.
Leda Perdriel Arons is a senior at Fox Chapel Area High School and is thrilled to be a speaker at the Inspire Speakers Series. Leda is heavily involved in the choir and musical programs at her school and is co-captain of the Fox Chapel Girls Crew Team. She is also a participant in the Green Building Alliance’s Environmental Youth Program and plans to major in environmental studies next year in college. Leda would like to thank her mom, dad, sister Avalon, and dog Coco for all their love and support.
Illah R. Nourbakhsh is K&L Gates Professor of Ethics and Computational Technologies at Carnegie Mellon University and director of the Community Robotics, Education and Technology Empowerment Lab. He obtained his PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University. Illah is currently serving as CEO of Airviz Inc., which is dedicated to global empowerment regarding air quality. He is a member of the June Harless West Virginia Hall of Fame. He is a World Economic Forum Global Steward and a senior advisor to The Future Society, Harvard Kennedy School, as well as RoboGlobal.
Dr. Chuck Herring (emcee) is a nationally acclaimed educator, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, Dr. Charles Herring draws from a wellspring of experience to engage audiences with humor and nuance. Currently, Chuck is the Kindergarten – 5th Grade Enrichment Teacher in the South Fayette School District. He also serves as a Board Member of PAEYC (The Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children). Through the hectic pace of his life, he also finds time to be Christine’s husband and Vanessa, Ashley and Imani’s dad.
Agenda:
4:30-5:30 – Food, Drinks, and Networking
5:30-7:00 – Presentations by our Storytellers
7:00 – Q&A Session, Networking with Storytellers
*If you are having trouble registering, or are receiving an error message upon registering, please contact Leslie Montgomery and Kara Magoolaghan