Keynote

Our keynote speakers will set the stage for Greater & Greener 2024 with a focus on the equity aspects of two timely topics: the roles of parks in advancing environmental justice, and the promise and challenges of technology to support more equitable use and management of parks and public spaces.

Environmental justice means that everyone—regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, income or physical ability—has the right to the same environmental protections and benefits, as well as meaningful involvement in the policies that shape them. But that has rarely been the reality for people of color and those with low incomes.

Our first keynote, Dr. Jalonne L. White-Newsome, was appointed to the White House Council on Environmental Quality in June 2022 and is serving as the first Federal Chief Environmental Justice Officer. Under her leadership, the Office of Environmental Justice is working to deliver on President Biden’s ambitious environmental justice agenda.

Dr. White-Newsome has tackled environmental challenges from a wide range of positions and perspectives, including in the grassroots environmental justice movement, environmental philanthropy, state government, private industry, and academia. Her remarks will help parks leaders understand what they need to know and what they can do to advance environmental justice in their communities.

Our second keynote, Jacqueline Lu, has more than 20 years of experience implementing data and technology to help improve public spaces while working at the Mozilla Foundation, Sidewalk Labs, and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. She now leads the social impact enterprise Helpful Places, which aims to increase transparency and civic dialogue on the use of digital technologies in the built environment.

Jackie will be sharing how technology can be used responsibly to help park practitioners better understand park usage and needs while also fostering public trust in digital systems. She will also preview other conference sessions on the theme of using technology to support data-driven decision-making for more equitable parks and public spaces.