Climate Risks & Resilience at Local & State Levels (The Costs of Living with Climate Change #5)

Climate Risks & Resilience at Local & State Levels

The speakers will provide data-driven information about the effects of climate change in Northwest Illinois and what federal, state, and community leaders and organizations are doing to address or prepare for climate change in our country, state, and region. They will also provide attendees with information on what they can do to mitigate the effects of climate change in their own lives. [sponsoring organizations: Environmental Study Group, Northwest Illinois Trails Foundation.]

Dr. Jessica Rudnick, Climate Resilience Specialist

Jessica Rudnick, PhD, is an environmental social scientist with 10 years of experience in applied research, extension and community outreach around community resilience, environmental decision-making and governance, and participatory and equitable models for climate adaptation and land use planning. She has worked on topics including agriculture, water quality, water supply management, ecosystem restoration, and pollution cleanup. Rudnick uses participatory approaches and develops deep partnerships with community leaders and stakeholders to work on collaborative solutions to complex problems. 

Previously, Rudnick worked as a Research Social Scientist for the U.S. Forest Service in Chicago, where she focused on community-led stewardship and participatory governance around the Great Lakes, and as a Social Science Extension Specialist for NOAA California Sea Grant, incorporating human well-being into social-ecological system management.