FAS Center for Regulatory Ingenuity and ICLEI USA Launch Local Advisory Council to Build More Connected National Climate Policy

Pam Adams has 18 years of experience in local government, specializing in regional planning, climate action, and collaborative implementation. She has led community-wide climate planning, regional energy initiatives, and the integration of land use, transportation, housing, and sustainability through the Centre Region Comprehensive Plan. She holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Penn State University.

Ryan Freed serves as the Climate Action Officer for the City of Alexandria, Virginia, leading municipal efforts to advance sustainability, reduce emissions, and implement local environmental policies. Prior to joining the city, he served as the Senior Director for Policy and Programs at the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), where he focused on building decarbonization and energy efficiency solutions. In his role with Alexandria’s Office of Climate Action, Freed oversees the implementation of the city’s Environmental Action Plan and Energy & Climate Change Action Plan while advocating for residents in regional utility rate interventions and sustainability initiatives.

Amanda Graor has been with MARC for over 18 years with work areas over time including air quality, workforce transportation, energy policy and climate strategy. Amanda also spent time as an Economic Mobility Policy Fellow with the Center for Applied Public Research at Johns Hopkins University and is an advisor to the Evidence for Policy fellows through Stanford Impact Labs. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Earth System Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas and a certificate in infographics and data visualization from Parsons School of Design.

A former Arctic climate ecologist with international experiences in communications and behavioral science, Charlotte Lin is currently overseeing the implementation of Eagle County’s Climate Action Plan in Avon, Colorado. She’s also completing a Doctorate of Business Administration at the University of Michigan, Flint, on regulatory policies and infrastructure investment in the electricity sector.

In her role with the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, which serves the 22 cities and six counties of the Sacramento region, Kacey Lizon oversees integration of SACOG’s planning, funding, and technical assistance programs. During her 20+ year tenure at SACOG, Kacey has played an instrumental role in innovations in bottom-up regional planning, which has taken her deep into topics of land use, housing, transportation, transit-oriented development, public engagement, environmental and rural planning.

Wilfred N. Mbah is an environmental advocate, public servant, and progressive leader based in Massachusetts. Originally from Cameroon, he earned a master’s degree in Sweden before immigrating to the U.S., where he serves as a City Councilor At-Large and Vice President of the Somerville City Council. Focusing his work on affordable housing, climate action, and social equity, Mbah has also served as a Democratic candidate for State Representative in the 34th Middlesex District and works as a Non-Resident Tutor in Humanities and Social Studies at Harvard University’s Quincy House.

Patrick McGuire serves as the Director of Civic Innovation for the City of South Bend, Indiana, leading citywide initiatives to integrate technology, data, and research into municipal operations. Drawing on his experience as an enFocus Fellow advancing local digital equity, Patrick now oversees smart city developments, including AI-assisted 311 services and private LTE networks for local schools, while partnering with academic institutions and community leaders to drive equitable civic engagement.

Emmett Pepper serves as an at-large member of the Charleston City Council in West Virginia, a position he has held since his appointment in November 2021. Raised in Charleston, Pepper graduated from George Washington High School before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Virginia Tech in 2000 and a Juris Doctor from American University Washington College of Law in 2012. Outside of his public service, he is a practicing attorney specializing in consumer law and bankruptcy at the law firm Pepper & Nason. He also works extensively with Energy Efficient West Virginia, helping promote policy solutions for affordable utility rates and local sustainability.

Ryan Schuchard serves as a member of the Boulder City Council, having been elected to office to champion climate action, sustainable transportation, and affordable housing. Drawing on over two decades of professional experience in climate strategy, supply chain sustainability, and clean mobility, Schuchard leads initiatives designed to accelerate local environmental solutions and build resilient community infrastructure. Prior to joining the council, he worked extensively with sustainability-focused organizations and corporate advisories, specializing in decarbonization strategies, zero-emission transportation programs, and local policy frameworks aimed at reducing emissions and improving quality of life across Boulder.

Councilmember Micki Varney is a 33-year salmon research biologist who built a reputation for solving hard problems by devising new tools and methods to collect and analyze data to increase Pacific Salmon survival and recruitment into fisheries. She served as Oregon’s representative on a standing committee of the US/Canada Pacific Salmon Commission, and her commitment to environmental stewardship dates back to the first Earth Day in 1970, when, at the age of 10, she organized a group of classmates to go pick up litter along the road each week. She chairs Salem’s Climate Action Plan Committee and serves on the League of Oregon Cities’ Energy & Environment Policy Committee, bringing a scientist’s insistence on data and independent verification to municipal climate, housing, and transportation policy.