New Horizons in Conservation Convening

The New Horizons Convening is an opportunity to explore drivers of progress and ongoing challenges within the conservation field.

The 2026 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 encompass multiple 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 a wide array of backgrounds and professional environments to give talks, participate in workshops, meet local leaders, and network with each other.

The convening will be held on campus at Yale School of the Environment. 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 of JEDSI’s pathway programs, such as the Yale Conservation Scholars - Early Leadership Initiative (YCS-ELI) and Environmental Fellows Program (EFP), will also be there.

Use of photographic and video images and audio recordings: Photographs may be taken, and video or audiotapes made by the Photographer who is hired by the Yale staff or other members of the School of Environment during the New Horizons in Conservation Conference. By attending and/or participating in the conference, you agree to the University’s use and distribution of your image and/or voice in photographs, video or audio capture, or electronic reproductions. These images may be included, for example, on the Yale School of Environment website, other Yale University publications, on the School's social media channels, and otherwise used to support the University’s mission.

Agenda items subject to change.

Info: Arrive and check into the Omni Hotel, 155 Temple Street, New Haven.

Info: Shuttle leaves Omni Hotel and drops off attendees at Sage Hall (205 Prospect Street) for lunch. Alternatively, walk from the Omni Hotel to Sage Hall - on average, takes about 20 minutes.

Info: Headshots and group photo

Info: Lunch. Bowers Auditorium, Sage Hall, 205 Prospect Street. Mentors and interns sit together and share initial introductions.

Info: Opening Plenary. Burke Auditorium, Kroon Hall, 195 Prospect Street. Conservation and Sustainability in Contemporary Context. Dr. Dorceta E. Taylor. Wangari Maathai Professor. Yale School of the Environment.

Info: Break

Info: Panel 1: Mentor Summer Information Session. Room 321, Kroon Hall. Nisreen Abo-Sido.
Panel 2: EFP & YCS Summer Information Session. Room G01, Kroon Hall. Te’Yah Wright.
Panel 3: Food Insecurity and Inequalities. Burke Auditorium, Kroon Hall. Dr. Ashley Bell, Dr. Rob Javonillo, Molly Blondell, and Francis Crable.
Panel 4: Natural Resources, Conservation, and Community Participation. Room 319, Kroon Hall. Kiera Hale, Isabella St. John, Mia Litzenberg, Marie Caiola, and Cristina Mancilla.

Info: Panel 5: Making the Most of Professional Work Experiences. Burke Auditorium, Kroon Hall. Ashley Richardson and Dr. Maya Sanyal.
Panel 6: Extreme Weather, Hazards, and Community Vulnerabilities. Room G01, Kroon Hall. Fransha Dace, Ambria McDonald, Genesis Ibrahim-Balogun, and Faith Taylor.
Panel 7: The Changing Work Environment, Trade, and Globalization. Room 319, Kroon Hall. Maysi Marvin, Simón 'Fime' de la Fuente, Oro Negro, Sofia Jordan, and Dunya Diyadawagamage.
Panel 8: Environmental Perceptions, Attitudes, and Behaviors. Room 321, Kroon Hall. Seungyun Lee, Diana Anda, Natalie Castro, and Dr. Sarah Nahar.

Info: Break

Info: Group photo

Info: Plenary 2: Artificial Intelligence, Data Centers, and Emerging Inequalities. Burke Auditorium, Kroon Hall. Dr. Urooj Raja, Dr. Bilal Butt, and Dr. Ember McCoy.

Info: Dinner. Bowers Auditorium. Sage Hall.

Info: Shuttle departs from Sage Hall for the Omni Hotel

Info: Breakfast. Third Floor, Kroon Hall.

Info: Plenary Session 3. Environment, Energy, and Inequalities. Burke Auditorium, Kroon Hall. Dr. Diana Hernandez and Dr. Tony Reames.

Info: Break

Info: Plenary 4: Climate, Hazards, and Vulnerable Communities. Burke Auditorium, Kroon Hall. Dr. Christopher Boone, Dr. Steven Brechin, Dr. Patrick Greiner, and Dr. Carolina Prado.

Info: Lunch. Bowers Auditorium, Sage Hall.

Info: Plenary 5: Pollution, Toxic Exposure, and Vulnerable Populations
Burke Auditorium, Kroon Hall. Dr. Kerry Ard, Dr. Yolanda McDonald, Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome, and Dr. Megan Mullin.

Info: Break

Info: Planning Session 1: Mentor and Interns Summer Planning. 3rd Floor, Kroon Hall. Panel 9. Environmental Resources, Inequalities, and Vulnerabilities. Burke Auditorium, Kroon Hall. Minoli Fernando, Brandon Lewis, Jason Marte, Lupe Franco, and Alycia Ellington.
Panel 10. Rights, Nature, Conservation, and Vulnerabilities. Room G01, Kroon Hall. Muhammed Ceesay, Raffaele Sindoni, Chun-Ching Tu, Joseph Rodriguez, and Frederick Traylor. Panel 11. Resources, Emergencies, Governance, and Rising Inequalities. Room 321, Kroon Hall. Josh Heupel, Bibi Macias, Ariza Nanji, Sabal Dangi, and Amy Podraza.

Info: Break

Info: Plenary 7. Community-based Research, Organizing, and Action. Dr. Jovan Lewis, Dolores Perales, and Yesica Chavez.

Info: Dinner. Bowers Auditorium, Sage Hall.

Info: Shuttle departs from Sage Hall for the Omni Hotel

Info: Shuttle departs from the Omni Hotel for Kroon Hall.

Info: Breakfast. Third Floor, Kroon Hall.

Info: Plenary 8: Navigating the Foundation Funding Landscape. Burke Auditorium, Kroon Hall. Pamela Kohlberg, Andrea Bogomonli, and Rachel Leon.

Info: Break

Info: Plenary 9. Youth and New People Entering the Environmental Grantmaking Space: Opportunities and Challenges. Burke Auditorium, Kroon Hall. Kiara Ott, Calla Sneller, Demi Espinosa, and
Dr. Marisol Becerra.

Info: Break

Info: Plenary 10. Closing Plenary. Dr. Sparkle Malone and Dr. Dorceta Taylor.

Info: Lunch. Third Floor, Kroon Hall.

Info: Depart for Airport or Train Station

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