External Advisory Board
SSL’s direction and work is guided by several committees and groups both within and outside of UMB—one of which is our Board of Directors, composed of external advisers.
Program Officer of Climate Resilience at the Barr Foundation
Kalila joined Barr as the Climate Resilience Program Officer in 2018. Kalila has over a decade of experience in community organizing around affordable housing, land development, and environmental justice. She served as the Executive Director at Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE) for eight years. Before joining ACE in 2009, she worked as a Senior Organizer at Community Labor United. Kalila has a Bachelor's degree from Bates College, where she studied American Studies and Spanish, and a Master of Public Policy from the Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning School at Tufts University. Kalila currently lives in Roslindale and enjoys walking in the Arboretum, listening to podcasts, and cooking for friends.
Principal architect, ARCH CIRA, and Project Lead for The Emerald Tutu
Gabriel Cira is a licensed architect based in Massachusetts. As project lead for The Emerald Tutu—visionary nature-based floating infrastructure for urban-scale coastal flood protection—he has brought it from the initial idea through multiple awards and grants to its present National Science Foundation-funded R&D activities and strong community links. Gabriel is active in local politics and advocacy in the Boston area, including the discourse on city-wide adaptation to climate change. He teaches the longstanding Architecture of Boston course at MassArt, which connects cooperative infrastructure history with the future of climate resilience. Growing up on Cape Cod, Gabriel has been a sailor since he was 5 years old. Other current ARCH CIRA projects include building a geothermal greenhouse for an urban farm, restoring a historic 1886 Black church, and working with The Architecture Lobby’s Coop Network group.
Massachusetts Director of Climate Policy at Health Care Without Harm
Tim leads Health Care Without Harm’s work in Massachusetts, focusing on advancing local solutions at the intersection of healthcare, community equity, decarbonization, and climate resilience. In this role, he facilitates the Health Care Working Group of the Boston Green Ribbon Commission (GRC). Tim has also worked at Climate XChange Education & Research (CXC) and the Climate Action Business Association (CABA). In 2019, he was the MetroCommon scenario planning co-chair for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), where he helped support MAPC's 2050 Greater Boston region plan. Tim has a Bachelor's degree in economics and public policy from Stonehill College. He is a candidate for a Master of Public Administration from the McCormack Graduate School at UMass Boston.
Emergency Medicine Faculty, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center / Harvard Medical School
Caleb Dresser is the Assistant Director of the Fellowship in Climate Change and Human Health based at BIDMC, the Harvard FXB Center, and Harvard C-CHANGE. He is a practicing Emergency Medicine physician on faculty at BIDMC and Harvard Medical School and a research scientist with the disaster planning and response organization CrisisReady. His research focuses on understanding the public health and healthcare implications of climate-related disasters and extreme weather events. He is actively involved in efforts to educate healthcare workers, policymakers, and the general public about the value of action to protect human health in the context of the ongoing climate crisis.
Climate Resilience Practice Leader, HNTB
Julie Eaton Ernst is a licensed professional civil engineer devoted to transforming our built, natural, and social environments to be resilient, sustainable, healthy, and equitable. She specializes in resilient design practices and navigating the intersection of policy and engineered solutions. She has led several award-winning projects that have set the standard for integrating climate projections in the A/E/C industry. As the Climate Resilience Practice Leader at HNTB, Julie actively supports local and national public sector clients and communities with adapting to their changing environments. She serves as chair of the Climate Change and Air Committee for the Environmental Business Council (EBC) of New England. She has bachelor’s degrees in Political Science (University of Rochester) and Civil Engineering (UMass Lowell) and a master’s degree in Civil Engineering (UMass Lowell). Julie has been recognized for her contributions to the industry as the recipient of the 2018 Ascending Leader Award from EBC, the 2022 Young Professional of the Year Award from ACEC Massachusetts, and the 2022 Young Professional of the Year Award from ACEC Nationals. She is a contributing author of “Climate Change and the Built Environment,” published by ACEC in 2022.
Assistant Director of Climate, Energy, & Resilience, A Better City
In her role representing A Better City’s 130 member business organizations, Isabella works to move equitable climate and clean energy policy agendas forward at the city and state levels in Massachusetts. Isabella also leads A Better City’s extreme heat work with a focus on community resilience and participates in a variety of policy coalitions. She helps staff the Commercial Real Estate Working Group of the Green Ribbon Commission (GRC) and serves on the Community Advisory Board for Boston’s 20-Year Urban Forest Plan, the Advisory Group for the GRC’s Climate Justice Initiative, and the Steering Committee for a MA/Boston Climate Bank. Prior to joining A Better City, she worked as a Policy Officer for the United Nations’ Biodiversity Law and Governance Initiative and on domestic and international conservation networks with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. In addition to the Sustainable Solutions Lab Board, Isabella is honored to serve on the Board of Visitors and Young Leaders Council of Fenway Health. Isabella holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in environmental studies from Wellesley College and a Masters in Conservation Leadership from the University of Cambridge.
Amy Korté
President at Arrowstreet
As President, Amy leads the design of much of Arrowstreet’s residential work and has played a key role in orchestrating the firm’s large-scale mixed-use and commercial projects in Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, and Revere. Her multi-disciplinary background in environmental design, retail design, and development allows her to deliver creative project solutions that bridge multiple disciplines. Amy leads much of the research thinking at Arrowstreet, and launched the firm’s Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality Studio. She is the recipient of Banker and Tradesman’s award for Women in Real Estate, which recognizes Massachusetts women who demonstrate talent, ambition, innovation, and philanthropy.
CEO and Founder, ISeeChange
Julia Kumari Drapkin is the CEO of ISeeChange, a climate data and engagement platform to help cities combat climate change. Drapkin founded ISeeChange after reporting natural disasters and climate change for 12 years across the globe and in her own backyard on the Gulf Coast. Under her leadership, ISeeChange has received national awards and recognition from the White House Climate Data Initiative, NASA, MIT Solve, Echoing Green, Grist, AGU, the AAAS, Verizon, Exelon, and Morgan Stanley. Prior to journalism, Julia did anthropology research for 7 years in Central America, where she geeked out on Mayan farmers' almanacs.
Jen Stevenson Zepeda
Commercial Solar Consultant, ReVision Energy
Jen Stevenson Zepeda (she/her) is a Commercial Solar Consultant for ReVision, an employee-owned B Corp that installs solar, battery storage, and other clean technologies across northern New England. In her role, Jen uses an educational approach to help nonprofits and businesses understand their decision to go solar. Prior to joining ReVision, Jen was involved in clean community microgrid projects in Massachusetts and Puerto Rico, making these complex energy systems accessible for environmental justice communities. Originally from Maine, she enjoys being out on the water and spending time with family, friends, and her dog. She is also passionate about music, equity, and low-impact development. Jen has a BA in Anthropology/Sociology and Spanish from Middlebury College and a Master's in Sustainable Design from the Boston Architectural College.