The Connecticut Wind Collaborative will play a big role at the international Sustainability Delivery Summit June 9-11 in Chicago, the U.S. edition of an event that will also take place in London in September.

The Collaborative is a finalist for ‘Energy Project of the Year,’ and Executive Director Kristin Urbach has been asked to chair one panel and serve as a featured speaker on another.

Kristin will chair and serve as moderator for the panel entitled “Plotting the Transition Roadmap to a Resilient Future Energy Mix,” which will examine how utilities are planning for progression in the development of renewable energy sources. The discussion will include a look at funding mechanisms for large-scale energy projects and how to mitigate costs and risks to ensure continuous development.

Urbach will also participate in the “Developing a Future-Ready Workforce” panel where she will contribute her expertise in workforce development, having created the nation’s first offshore wind career pathway training system for youth and adults.

The panel will discuss the evolving role and skill requirements of delivering sustainability in both industry and consulting, and the impact of AI on these roles and requirements. Additional focus areas include developing comprehensive workforce training programs, “re-skilling”  and “up-skilling” strategies to meet transition needs, exploring how educational institutions are responding to these changes, and assessing how organizations can best position themselves to attract the talent needed to reach sustainability goals.

This annual conference attracts leaders working to “harness disruption to deliver resilient infrastructure, and connects the entire infrastructure ecosystem to drive forward resilient, future-proofed projects and positive environmental outcomes,” according to the summit description. The Chicago and London summits are production of Environment Analyst.

“Kristin’s expertise and global relationships in the offshore wind industry have made her an excellent brand ambassador for the Connecticut Wind Collaborative specifically and Connecticut’s leadership in the industry in general,” said Paul Lavoie, CWC Board Chairman and Connecticut’s Chief Manufacturing Officer. “Kristin has been invited to speak at several international conferences in just her first year with us, which speaks volumes about Connecticut’s role in the industry.”