The 2025 New Horizons in Conservation Convening

Group photo of all attendees at the 2024 New Horizons in Conservation Convening, held in D.C.

The 2025 New Horizons in Conservation Convening

Honoring Our Legacy & Building Our Future

Cultivating Environmental Leadership Among Students and Professionals

Register now

May 8-10, 2025 

The 2025 New Horizons in Conservation Convening invites professionals, practitioners, students, recruiters, and vendors to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut to explore urgent issues in the environmental field. The convening will focus on different perspectives in environmental institutions, environmental justice, food insecurity and sovereignty, climate and energy justice, outdoor experiences, future leadership in the environmental movement, and more. It will bring together students, academics, researchers, and professionals from diverse backgrounds to give talks, participate in workshops, meet local leaders, and network with each other.  

The convening will be held on campus in the Yale School of the Environment, the newly renovated Yale Peabody Museum, and at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale. Renowned environmental justice professionals and activists, academicians, leaders from the food sovereignty movement, authors, leaders of local and national environmental organizations, and government policymakers will be in attendance. Participants and alumni of diversity pathway programs such as the Yale Conservation Scholars - Early Leadership Initiative and Environmental Fellows Program will also be there. 

Early bird discount!

Use promo code EARLYBIRD to get 10% off your ticket! Offer ends February 14th at 5pm.

Convening Registration 

Free – Yale University student, faculty or staff

$160 – Students and workers of grassroots community organizations. This also applies to alumni of the University of Michigan’s or Yale’s Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program (DDCSP), the Yale Conservation Scholars - Early Leadership Initiative (YCS-ELI), and the Environmental Fellows Program (EFP). 

$265 – Early career 

$375 – Mid to senior career 

The registration fee covers the cost of attendance for conference sessions, receptions, and meals. 

There is a separate cost for field trips. Find more information below. 

Thematic areas

The convening features plenaries, talks, and workshops around different themes around the environmental world including (but not limited to) energy, food sovereignty, wildlife conservation, media and art, policy, and many more. Check below for more detailed plans.

1. Historical and Contemporary Food Production and Sovereignty in Communities of Color 

Leah Penniman.          Co-founder and Co-director. Soul Fire Farm. 
Dr. Teona Williams.  Assistant Professor. Department of Geography, Rutgers University.

2. Environmental Justice Movement

Charles Lee.                                         Former Senior Policy Advisor, Environmental Protection Agency.
Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome.  Former Federal Chief Environmental Officer. The White House Council on Environmental Quality

3. Energy Policy and Practices - Current and Future Directions

Dr. Tony Reames.       Tishman Professor of Environmental Justice. School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan.
Dr. Shalanda Baker.   Vice Provost for Sustainability and Climate Action. University of Michigan.
Dr. Narasimha Rao.    Professor of Energy Systems. Yale School of the Environment.

4. Media and the Environment

Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant.  Fellow, National Geographic Society. Research Faculty, The Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California at Santa Barbara.
Samata Pattinson.        Chief Executive Officer. Black Pearl.
Jena Brooker.                   Reporter. BridgeDetroit

  1. Cities and Community Organizing

    Maisie Hughs. Co-Founder and Board Treasurer. Urban Studio

    Cate Mingoya-LaFortunes. Chief Officer of Climate Resilience and Land Use. Groundwork USA

    Dr. Penn Loh. Distinguished Senior Lecturer. Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning. Tufts University

  2. Nonprofit Leadership - Navigating Power Dynamics 

    Amali Tower. Founder and Executive Director. Climate Refugees

    Marcelo Bonta. Founder of Center for Diversity and the Environment

    Marilynn Marsh-Robinson. Director. Partnership and Outreach. Vehicles and Freight. Environmental Defense Fund

    LaTresse Snead. Founder and CEO. Bonsai Leadership Group

  3. Public Health Challenges and Opportunities in the U.S. and Canada

    Dr. Cheryl Teelucksingh. Professor and Department Chair. Toronto Metropolitan University

    Dr. Michelle Bell. Mary E. Pinchot Professor of Environmental Health. Yale School of the Environment

    Dr. Ami Zota. Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences. Columbia Mailman School of Public Health

  4. Broadening Participation in Outdoor Recreation Activities

    Jose Gonzalez. Founder. Latino Outdoors

    Dr. Mel Lewis. Lead Coach and Consultant. The Art of Change Agency

    Nadah Feteih. Founder. Ma’wa Collective

    Esaac Mazengia. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program and University of California Cota-Robles Fellow. University of California, Santa Cruz

  5. Expanding Historic Preservation

    Tony Richardson. Director. Urban Conservation Initiatives. The Conservation Fund

    Dr. Jonathan Howard. Assistant Professor of English and African American Studies. Yale University

    Alan Spears. Senior Director of Cultural Resources. National Parks Conservation Association

  6. Food Security and Sustainability

    Laila ElHaddad. Journalist and Author

    Dolores Perales. Co-Executive Director, Cadillac Urban Gardens. City Planner, City of Detroit

    Dr. Ashley Bell. Associate Research Scientist. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Sustainability Initiative. Yale School of the Environment

  7. Strengthening Conservation

    Suzanne Pierre. Founder and Lead Investigator of the Critical Ecology Lab. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

    Dr. Maimie Parker. Former Head of Fisheries. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    Amy Paterson. Executive Director. Connecticut Land Conservation Council

  8. Environmental Policy and Advocacy

    Mark Magana. Founding President and CEO. Green Latinos

    Jose Almanzar. Environmental Attorney. Holland & Knight LLP

    Vanessa Garcia Polanco. Government Relations Director. National Young Farmers Coalition

  9. Technology and Data for Building a Better Environmental Future

    Dr. Weslynne Ashton. Professor of Environmental Management and Sustainability. Illinois Institute of Technology

    Dr. Jennifer Marlon. Senior Research Scientist, Lecturer, and Director of Data Science. Yale School of the Environment

    Dr. Yuan Yao. Associate Professor of Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Systems. Yale School of the Environment

  10. Leveraging Stakeholder Engagement in Environmental Organizations

    LA Caldwell. Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Training and Education Specialist. The Nature Conservancy

    Rebecca Villegas. National Director, Environmental Justice Strategy. National Wildlife Federation

  1. Environmental Writing

    Iris Crawford. Outgoing Communications Advisor for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  2. Digital Quilt Making

    Daniel Pizarro. Art Director of Daniel Pizarro Studio

  3. Knowing When to Quit

    Jena Thompson. Founder and CEO. Ocelot Company

  4. Starting Your Own Business or Consulting

    Karen DeGannes. Founder. DeGannes Consulting Group

  5. Policy Memorandum (“memo”) Writing

    Robert Klee. Senior Lecturer. Yale School of the Environment

  6. Etuaptmumk: Two-Eyed Seeing in Our Daily Lives

    Irene Norman. Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction. The Institute for American Indian Studies

  7. Grant Writing

    Lisa Bassani. Senior Associate Director of Development and Alumni Services. Yale School of the Environment

  8. Painting Workshop

    Dr. Semente. Curator of Education and Public Programs. Davis Museum, Wellesley College

    Meg Daupan. Program Manager. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Sustainability Initiative. Yale School of the Environment

  9. Salary Negotiations

    Kevin Doyle. Executive Director. Office of Career and Professional Development. Yale School of the Environment

Flash talks will be presented by selected attendees of the convening. Themes for the talks are:

  • Community Organizing and Urban Greening 
  • Environmental Racism and Racial Capitalism 
  • Sustainable Community Building 
  • Public Health, Energy Policy, and Tradeoffs 
  • Environmental Perceptions and Programs 

Check below for more details and registration for flash talks.

Speakers

  • Dr. Dorceta Taylor

    Wangari Maathai Professor of Environmental Justice

    Yale School of the Environment

  • Dr. Tony Reames

    Tishman Professor of Environmental Justice 

    Associate Professor, University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability

  • Amali Tower

    Refugee & Migration Expert

    Founder & Executive Director, Climate Refugees

  • José G. González

    Founder, Latino Outdoors

    Equity Officer, East Bay Regional Park District

  • Samata Pattinson

    Cultural Sustainability Pioneer

    CEO & Founder, BLACK PEARL

    Sustainable Fashion Expert

  • Mark Magaña

    Founding President & CEO, GreenLatinos

  • Mel Lewis

    Lead Coach and Consultant, The Art of Change Agency

  • LaTresse Snead

    CEO and founder, Bonsai Leadership Group

  • Dr. Cheryl Teelucksingh

    Professor & Department Chair, Toronto Metropolitan University

  • Dr. Suzanne Pierre

    Founder, Critical Ecology Lab

    Ecosystems ecologist and Biogeochemist

  • LA Caldwell

    Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Training and Education Specialist

    Computer Science Educator

  • Lisa Bassani

    Senior Associate Director of Development and Alumni Services, Yale School of the Environment

  • Amy Blaymore Paterson

    Executive Director,  Connecticut Land Conservation Council

  • Leah Penniman

    Co-founder and co-director, Soul Fire Farm

  • Dr. Yuan Yao

    Associate Professor of Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Systems, the Yale School of the Environment

  • Dr. Michelle L. Bell

    Mary E. Pinchot Professor of Environmental Health, Yale School of the Environment

  • Dr. Brandy Brown

    Founder, Sadberry Singer

    Former Chief Innovation Officer, Walker-Miller Energy service

  • Jose Almanzar

    Senior Counsel, Holland & Knight, LLP

  • Dr. Penn Loh

    Senior Lecturer and Director of Community Practice, Tufts University Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning

  • Marcelo Bonta

    President, Marcelo Bonta Consulting, LLC

Be a sponsor for the 2025 New Horizons Convening!

We are now accepting sponsorships for the convening. Please find details in the link below and register using the sponsorship option on our website.

View sponsorship proposal

Flash Talks

The New Horizons in Conservation convening invites attendees to showcase their work in our Flash Talk Sessions where each speaker will present their most exciting new findings in a fast-paced, three-minute format. The flash talks will follow five main themes: 

  1. Community Organizing and Urban Greening 
  2. Environmental Racism and Racial Capitalism 
  3. Sustainable Community Building 
  4. Public Health, Energy Policy, and Tradeoffs 
  5. Environmental Perceptions and Programs 

Talks will be presented along with slides that are coherent, concise, and to the point followed by a short question answer session. To apply for a spot, please submit your details and a short description of your talk by 5pm on March 24, 2025. You will be notified of your acceptance in early April. 

Apply for a flash talk here

Scholarships 

Scholarships are available to discount the cost of registration, and recipients will be expected to volunteer during the conference. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Students and early career professionals will be prioritized, but anyone who demonstrates financial need may apply for consideration. Please note that scholarships discount registration ticket prices only and are not available for travel and lodging expenses.

Apply for a scholarship here.

Lodging 

We have reserved a block of rooms at the Omni New Haven Hotel. Please check back soon for the reservation link. 

If you are a current (2025) YCS-ELI or EFP participant, invited host-site supervisor or mentor, or invited speaker, please check with the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Sustainability Initiative (JEDSI) staff about lodging. 

Travel 

Nearby Airports 

Tweed New Haven Airport (4.5 miles from hotel): Smaller airport with good flight options including but not limited to Chicago, DC, and multiple cities of Florida. 

Bradley International Airport, Hartford CT (54 miles from hotel): International airport with multiple flight options.
 

Transportation from airports and train station 

From Bradley International Airport  

  • Pre-scheduled shuttles will pick up conference attendees from Bradley International Airport in Hartford on May 8th, with return trips on May 10th and May 11th. Shuttle times will be determined at a later date. There will be no shuttles from the New York airports.  
  • Please see the Bradley International Airport website for more options.  

From New Haven Union Station  

  • CTtransit free shuttle Union Station and the New Haven Green 
  • Visit Website for more information and bus times. https://www.cttransit.com/services/union-station-shuttle-new-haven  
  • The Chapel St & Church St stop is a 2-minute walk from the Omni entrance  
  • The Temple St & Crown St stop is a 1-minute walk from the Omni  
  • 20 minute walk (0.8 miles)  

For airport shuttle information from other airports, please visit Yale’s website.  

Ground transportation beyond the included Bradley shuttle will not be covered by the conference.  

Out of state airports with public transport options 

John F. Kennedy Airport, New York (78 miles) 

LaGuardia Airport, New York (73 miles) 

Newark International Airport, New Jersey (95 miles) 
 

Train stations

New Haven Union Station (less than a mile from hotel): Services multiple train lines including the Metro North Commuter rail (which has multiple trains coming in each day from Grand Central Terminal in New York) and Amtrak.  

State Street Station (half a mile from hotel): Smaller train line with commuter rails to Hartford and Massachusetts, with some trains coming in from Grand Central Terminal.  

It feels amazing to be around other people who think like you, who look like you, who understand the same issues and causes that you work for, who are in this battle with you in environmental justice. So, it really brightens my heart and passion to be around people who really understand the issues and who want to keep talking about what can we do to alleviate the issues of disadvantaged communities.

Tevin Hamilton, YSE 21, Environmental Justice Communities Against Plastics

New Horizons is one of the places where experts of the future are going to come from. So when I sit in the room it gives me chills because I think in another year or two or five, those are the people who are going to be shaping our future.

Karen DeGannes, Senior Manager at Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Convening locations map

Convening Locations 

Yale School of the Environment
195 Prospect St, New Haven, CT 06511 

Yale Peabody Museum
170 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT 06511 

Omni Hew Haven Hotel at Yale
155 Temple St, New Haven, CT 06510