Posts by Kyla Bloyer
A Message From ASAP’s Executive Director – Strengthening Climate Adaptation Amid Uncertainty
Dear ASAP, Over the past few weeks, we have all been trying to process how the new administration will impact the futures of our families, livelihoods and communities. Non-profit societies like ASAP are formed and informed by their members, individuals and collectives, who see the importance of advocating shared work and responsibility through relationships. In…
Read MoreIntroducing Maya Buchanan, ASAP’s New Board President
To start the year, we are excited to share recent changes to ASAP’s Board of Directors! Effective this January 2024, Maya Buchanan became the newly elected President of ASAP’s Board of Directors. Join us in celebrating the hope and opportunity that a wave of new leadership brings. 2023 represented a significant transition year for ASAP,…
Read MoreA Year-End Message From ASAP’s Executive Director
Warmest greetings to the entire ASAP Network during this holiday season. As the Executive Director of the American Society of Adaptation Professionals, I would like to thank each of you, my staff, and the Board of Directors for a prosperous and successful 2023. From April to December of this year and to 2024 and beyond,…
Read MoreA Year in Review: Climate Policy and the White House Summit on Climate Resilient Communities
The Biden Administration has undoubtedly made more progress on climate change adaptation and climate resilience than any other U.S. Presidential administration in history. One high point was last month’s White House Summit on Building Climate Resilient Communities. The Summit was hailed as the first high-level event explicitly focused on climate resilience in the federal government,…
Read MoreNew Community of Practice for Coastal Inundation
The American Society of Adaptation Professionals has partnered with NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management (“OCM”) and the National Sea Grant Office (“NSGO”) to bring together the people and ideas needed to build resilience to coastal inundation. As climate change impacts worsen, so does coastal inundation (i.e., water on normally dry ground as a result of…
Read MoreClimate-Resilient Water Infrastructure in the Great Lakes
ASAP is Excited to Support Delta Institute as an EPA Region 5 Environmental Finance Center (EFC) for Water Infrastructure We are excited to announce that ASAP Is teaming up with Delta Institute as a partner in an Environmental Finance Center (EFC) for EPA’s Region 5 alongside the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) and Current Water…
Read MoreHighlights from the Midwest Climate Resilience Conference
ASAP’s Training Specialist Mia Dozier traveled to the Midwest Climate Resilience Conference in Duluth, Minnesota, held October 25-27, 2023. Dive into highlights of Mia’s experience at the conference, including a special equitable community engagement training, recruitment for water infrastructure from the environmental finance center for EPA’s Region 5, and an update on the Ready-to-Fund Resilience…
Read MoreStatement of Support for the National Coordination on Adaptation and Resilience for Security Act from the American Society of Adaptation Professionals
Short Statement of Support Members of the American Society of Adaptation Professionals (“ASAP”) applaud the introduction of the National Coordination on Adaptation and Resilience for Security Act (“NCARS”). Should Congress enact this legislation, the U.S. will move from reliance on executive action directed toward individual agency interventions to a stable, long-term, coherent national strategy that…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Searching for Resources in the Field of Adaptation
This week’s Mentorship Program Spotlight highlights a mentee and mentor duo focused on helping an early retiree find a purpose in climate change adaptation. Meet Mentee Carol Anway and Mentor Jamesine Rogers Gibson! Mentee Carol Anway took early retirement from Boeing to pursue climate change resilience strategic work. She is a decorated physicist with a…
Read MoreASAP Is Here To Support Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion In Adaptation Practice
ASAP’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Fund (“JEDI”) is now in its third year. The fund is one of many ways that ASAP can prioritize accessibility and inclusion throughout its network for individuals and communities who identify as Native American or Indigenous, African American and African descended, Hispanic American, Asian American, and Oceanic/Pacific Islander. ASAP…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Traversing Funding Hurdles for Community Adaptation
This week’s Mentorship Program Spotlight highlights two mentees and a mentor focused on overcoming funding hurdles. Meet Mentee Tanvi Sule + Areli Ariana Balderrama and Mentor Sushila Pandit! Mentor Sushila Pandit is a climate & resilience professional with over 14 years of experience in climate change, disaster risk management, and building resilience. Her core area…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Creating a Path Towards Long-Term Fulfillment
This Mentorship Program Spotlight highlights a mentee and mentor duo focused on long-term career visioning. Meet Mentee Carey Schafer and Mentor Brian Ambrette! MENTEE Carey Schafer is a Project Coordinator with EcoAdapt where she manages knowledge exchange programming, including the National Adaptation Forum and the Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange (CAKEx). Prior to joining the EcoAdapt…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Finding Common Ground in Varying Geographies
This Mentorship Program Spotlight highlights a mentee and mentor duo focused on professional development and navigating opportunities for growth in the resilience field. Meet Mentee Erin Minnigan and Mentor Tom Eisele! Mentee Erin Minnigan is the Director of Preservation and planning for the Preservation Society of Charleston, the nation’s oldest grassroots preservation organization (est. 1920).…
Read MoreMeet the Speakers for the 2023 Climate Service Providers Academy
Are you still waiting to register for the 2023 Climate Service Providers Academy? Register today to learn how to use the very best regional climate data and information in your services and programs. The lineup of presenters and panelists is now live for all sessions of the academy! The Opening Session kicks off on October…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Embracing Adaptation, A Journey of Career Development and Resilience
This Mentorship Program Spotlight highlights a mentee and mentor duo focused on a journey to navigate the adaptation field. Meet Mentee Dolly Na-Yemeh and Mentor Amanda Farris. MENTEE Dolly Na-Yemeh is a Climate Adaptation Specialist with the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center at the University of Oklahoma. She collaborates with researchers, resource managers, and…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Your Values and Pivoting to an Adaptation Career
This Mentorship Program Spotlight highlights a mentee and mentor duo focused on values and making successful transitions to a career in adaptation. Meet Mentee James Holman and Mentor Dana Brechwald! Mentee James Holman is a professional Civil Engineer with 14 years of experience in engineering project management and design. Throughout his career, the projects he…
Read MoreLet’s Get Educated! Creating a Path to Improving USDA Forest Service’s Climate Literacy
The USDA Forest Service is investing in climate education through a partnership with the American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP). The collaborative project, Addressing Gaps in Workforce Climate Literacy, aims to increase the Forest Service’s capacity to respond to climate change by establishing standardized, agency-wide training on climate change and environmental justice. The project just…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Learning to Adapt to New Situations
This week’s Mentorship Program Spotlight highlights a mentee and mentor duo overcoming new situations in adaptation. Meet Mentee Marcella Bondie Keenan and Mentor Anna Marandi! Mentee Marcella Bondie Keenan is an environmental scientist, urban planning, and policy professional based in the Chicago area focused on environmental justice, climate mitigation and adaptation, and nature-based solutions. They are passionate about…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Navigating the Interdisciplinary Field of Climate Resilience
This week’s Mentorship Program Spotlight highlights a mentee and mentor duo overcoming the unexpected. Meet Mentee John McClure and Mentor Amy Bailey! Mentee John McClure is a 25-year-old recent graduate from the University of Michigan, receiving his MS in Environmental Justice, Policy, and Planning, graduating in Spring 2023. He received his BA in Environmental Studies…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Learning to Expect the Unexpected
This week’s Mentorship Program Spotlight highlights a mentee and mentor duo overcoming the unexpected. Meet Mentee Kate Leftin and Mentor Jenna Jorns! Mentee Kate Leftin (she/her) is based in the DC area and is an associate consultant that works remotely for Kimball Sustainable Healthcare in San Francisco. This is a second career for her. The…
Read MoreClimate Change Adaptation as Means for Economic Development: Strategies for Building Rural Climate Resilience and Workforce Capacity
Join us on Tuesday, September 19, from 12-3:30 PM ET to explore strategies for building climate resilience and economic opportunity in rural communities. Don’t miss this free virtual event. The American Society of Adaptation Professionals (“ASAP”) is planning a national AmeriCorps program to address climate impacts and workforce needs in rural communities. We seek to…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Navigating Adaptation Efforts Across Federal Government Agencies
This week’s Mentorship Program Spotlight highlights a mentee and mentor duo focused on Federal Level Adaptation. Meet Mentee Tanja Crk and Mentor Jonathan Cook! Mentee Tanja Crk has worked for fifteen years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in regulatory and voluntary programs. Currently, she works as a product manager for the ENERGY STAR® program…
Read MoreASAP and HARC Bring Houston Community Leaders and Climate Adaptation Professionals Together for LEAP Kick-Off Event
On June 22, teams from the American Society of Adaptation Professionals (“ASAP”) and the Houston Advanced Research Center (“HARC”) met in Houston to officially kick-off the Leading with Equity in Adaptation Practice (LEAP) Program. ASAP’s Rachel Jacobson, Maria (Mia) Dozier, and Eliza Garcia participated in the kickoff event along with Dr. Erin Kinney and Dr.…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Pursuing a Career in Resilience
This week’s Mentorship Program Spotlight focuses on a trio of participants! Meet Mentee’s Josephine Justin and Damaris Borden as well as Mentor Julia Chase. About the Mentees and Mentor Mentee: Josephine Justin Josephine recently graduated from UNC Chapel Hill’s Master of City and Regional Planning program. Previously, she has worked with the Southeast and Caribbean…
Read MoreThe American Society of Adaptation Professionals Joins the NAF Team
The American Society of Adaptation Professionals and EcoAdapt are joining forces to bring you the National Adaptation Forum! The American Society of Adaptation Professionals and EcoAdapt are joining forces to bring you the 2024 National Adaptation Forum! Since 2013, EcoAdapt has been responsible for the planning and execution of the Forum, along with the help…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Finding Alignment Through Shared Passions and Lived Experience
Meet Mentee Samantha Nuno and Mentor Chantal Madray in this week’s Mentorship Spotlight! About the Mentee and Mentor Mentee Samantha Nuno – As a first-generation and low-income Mexican American woman, born and raised in the Northeast San Fernando Valley, she has personally seen how wildfires and extreme heat affect communities of color, many of which…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: The Complexity of Local Climate Planning
Mentor Clare Fogelsong is currently developing and managing climate adaptation and resiliency programs in the Bellingham Washington Office of Climate. With decades of experience in the management of environmental resources and additional years developing and implementing climate action plans, Clare is participating in the ASAP Mentorship Program to provide mentees access to the lessons learned…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT – Meandering Paths Toward Adaptation
Mentee Camilla Lizundia: Camilla Lizundia is an urban planner and artist based in Philadelphia, PA. They are the founder of Moving People Studio, a blog, and marketplace honoring the art of movement and contemplating the built environment. Camilla is particularly passionate about neighborhood-level responses to climate change, such as expanding transit networks, urban gardening, and…
Read MoreASAP and USDA Forest Service Partner to Address Gaps in Workforce Climate Literacy
In 2018, ASAP Members began a series of discussions on professional education needs for the climate change adaptation community. It quickly became clear that the group’s most valuable output would be a knowledge and competencies framework for our field. After several months, the resulting working group ultimately created ASAP’s Knowledge and Competencies Framework for Climate…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Sisters of Adaptation
Welcome to the first Mentorship Spotlight of the 2023 Mentorship Program Cohort! Mentees Alexis Monti and Olivia Poon dive into their experience under the leadership of Mentor Megan Holcomb. Meet the Mentorship Program Participants Mentee Alexis Monti: Alexis Monti graduated from Umass Amherst in 2022 with degrees in Environmental Science and Natural Resources Conservation. She…
Read MoreThe American Society of Adaptation Professionals Names New Executive Director
YPSILANTI, Mi. (April 27, 2023)—The American Society of Adaptation Professionals (“ASAP”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Debra M. Butler as Executive Director, beginning April 24, 2023. Debra M. Butler is a native of the U.S. Gulf Coast, growing up in Mobile, Alabama. Dr. Butler will bring her transdisciplinary leadership, knowledge, and experience…
Read MoreASAP Welcomes the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact as JEDI Fund Partner
ASAP is thrilled to announce that the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact (AmFam Institute) is providing the ASAP JEDI Fund with a $10,000 sponsorship to catalyze the Fund’s third year. This generous gift provides financial stability for the Fund, enabling us to grow its impact as we pursue a more just,…
Read MoreWelcome Dr. Debra Butler as ASAP’s New Executive Director
Dear ASAP Network, We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Debra M. Butler as ASAP’s next Executive Director! Dr. Butler joined ASAP as a member in 2017 and worked part-time for ASAP in 2019 while completing her Ph.D. dissertation in Environmental Studies from the University of Massachusetts-Boston. As a survivor of Hurricane Katrina…
Read MoreASAP Receives National AmeriCorps Planning Grant
ASAP has received a year-long grant of $150,000 from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, to plan a national service program to catalyze adaptation work in rural communities. Rural communities have some of the lowest capacities in the United States to adapt to worsening climate impacts. ASAP’s AmeriCorps program concept seeks to…
Read MoreCheck Out Cohort Profiles for the 2023 Mentorship Program
Mentor and Mentee Profiles are now live for the 2023 Mentorship Program! Below you will find details and information on the participants this year: Mentors Brian Ambrette: Brian Ambrette is the Senior Climate Resilience Coordinator with the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future in Maine. Brian supports the implementation of Maine’s four-year climate…
Read MoreA Message from ASAP’s Incoming Board President Julia Kim
Dear ASAP Members and Partners, Happy New Year! I hope your 2023 is off to a great start after a restorative winter break. I am honored to serve as ASAP’s Board President this year and want to first express my deepest gratitude to ASAP’s staff and board for their ongoing leadership and commitment to supporting…
Read MoreExplore ASAP’s Peer Learning Groups in 2023
Last week ASAP announced this year’s Peer Learning Groups! Keep reading to explore the groups and sign up to receive vital monthly updates and calendar invites. If you have questions or need help finding the right group for you, join one of our ASAP 101 Orientation sessions or connect with ASAP’s Program Manager, Breana Nehls.…
Read MoreASAP Joins Technical Assistance Team for NCRF Grantees
ASAP is thrilled to join the Field Liaison Team for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF). Throwe Environmental, LLC leads the Team, which also includes Native American Fish and Wildlife Society (NAFWS). As Field Liaisons, Throwe, ASAP, and NAFW will support NCRF applicants across the U.S. throughout 2023. The Team…
Read MoreMentorship Spotlight: Professional Growth in the Field of Adaptation
Mentee Revathi Veriah is an Urban Planner and Policy Analyst for AECOM in their Urbanism and Planning Practice in Dallas, Texas. She is passionate about sustainable development, resilience, planning for climate change and equitable community development. Revathi brings her expertise to support public sector clients in various projects, including climate action plans, sustainability studies, economic…
Read MoreAction Plan for 2022 Policy Priority #3
As part of the 2022 goals for the Policy Practice Member-Led Interest Group (“PPG”) a series of meetings are planned to address each of the American Society of Adaptation Professionals’ (“ASAP”) policy priorities and develop actionable plans to be more proactive in advocating for climate-related policies. This is the action plan for policy priority #3…
Read MoreAction Plan for 2022 Policy Priority #2
As part of the 2022 goals for the Policy Practice Member-Led Interest Group (“PPG”) a series of meetings are planned to address each of the American Society of Adaptation Professionals’ (“ASAP”) policy priorities and develop actionable plans to be more proactive in advocating for climate-related policies. This is the action plan for policy priority #2…
Read MoreA Giving Tuesday Message From Beth Gibbons
At ASAP our core values are trust, reciprocity, member leadership, and something for everyone (but not everything for everyone). But what is trust? Trust is a gift given between people or institutions. It extends beyond common interests and shared goals to being mutually vulnerable to one another. Trust is a deep and powerful bond. It…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Incorporating Climate Adaptation Policy- A Localized Approach
Mentee Jayla Lundstrom is an Economic Development Coordinator with Salt Lake County where she works on EPA Brownfields programs to assess and remediate environmental contamination in underserved neighborhoods. Prior, she worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium where she supported Alaska Native communities in securing grants to understand climate impacts…
Read MoreSeptember 2022 Peer Learning Round-Up
Peer Learning is at the heart of the ASAP Network! Welcome to the monthly Peer Learning Round-Up! Let’s recap the last opportunities for peer learning at ASAP: Policy Practice Group Our September Policy Practice Group meeting hosted a peer learning session on our third policy priority, “Require all physical and social infrastructure decisions to consider…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Climate Resilience and Adaptation Conversations Between the Public and Private Sector
Mentee Sidney Chen is an associate consultant at WSP USA with an educational background in development practice with a focus on sustainability and climate change. Sidney supports clients by providing strategic and analytical support. Specifically, he helps clients assess business risks and opportunities associated with the physical impacts of climate change and the transition to…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Be present. Be active. Be engaged.
Mentee Chris Bobryk is a Planner at the Clinton River Watershed Council in Rochester Hills, Michigan. He leads a variety of programs that help communities plan stormwater management designs and establish long-term community connections to natural resources. Mentor Anna Marandi is a Program Officer at PEW Charitable Trusts working on state-level flood resilience planning and…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Planning for Life’s Personal and Professional Transitions
Katie Lund is a Master’s of Environmental Management (MEM) candidate at the Yale School of the Environment. At the beginning of the ASAP Mentorship Program, Katie was working as a Community Resilience Specialist with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC). For four years, she supported Alaska Native communities in planning, developing, and implementing community-driven…
Read MoreA Message From President Emily Wasley on the Importance of ASAP in the Adaptation Community
Join ASAP’s first-ever giving campaign and hear from ASAP members on how the Network inspires them and has been a driving force in advancing their career. The campaign ends September 18, make your contribution today! This week hear from ASAP’s President Emily Wasley on what makes ASAP a place we all love. How did you find ASAP?…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Understanding What Makes a Climate Adaptation Professional
Mentee Alec Rodriguez is a Water Resources Engineer at Atkins in Denver, Colorado, where he works on water resources and climate resilience projects. He also has experience with H&H modeling, emergency management planning, and water utility risk and resilience assessments. In addition to his day job, he is the Co-Founder and Operations Chair of the…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Exploring Climate Adaptation in the Private Sector
Mentee Danielle Curri is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a degree in Civil Engineering. During her time in school, she spent three years serving as the lead researcher on a project developing an optimization model to assist with sustainable industrial development. This project helped spark her passion for sustainable infrastructure. Over the…
Read MoreWhat Inspires You? ASAP’s President-Elect Julia Kim Shares Her Insights
Join ASAP’s first-ever giving campaign and hear from ASAP members on how the Network inspires them and has been a driving force in advancing their career. The campaign ends September 18, make your contribution today! Meet ASAP’s President-Elect Julia Kim and understand how she came to love ASAP: How did you find ASAP? I was…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: A Values-Based Foundation for a Career in Climate Adaptation
Mentee Alli Wenman is an Outreach Specialist at the UW-Madison Arboretum, where she manages a project aimed to develop the skills of local advocates involved in healthy stormwater action through outreach, general education and formal training, and small grant awards. Alli holds her B.S. (’16) in botany and her M.S. (’21) in environmental conservation, both…
Read MoreAmerican Society of Adaptation Professionals’ Policy Priority #1 Action Plan
Priority #1 is to Establish Standards for Climate Data and Require use of Future Climate Projections. As part of the 2022 goals for the Policy Practice Member-Led Interest Group (“PPG”) a series of meetings are planned to address each of the American Society of Adaptation Professionals’ (“ASAP”) policy priorities and develop actionable plans to be…
Read MoreASAP’s 2022 Policy Priorities
Introduction American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP) is the professional home for close to 1,000 individuals and over 45 organizations – collectively employing over 100,000 workers – across North America. ASAP members represent all sectors of society and dozens of industries. In the past year, ASAP members have seen increased awareness of climate impacts and…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Between Two Sectors – Finding Common Ground in Environmental Justice and Climate Adaptation Work
Mentee Jomar Rodriguez Ventura currently works as an Environmental Justice (EJ) Educator/Climate-Resilience Coordinator with Mycelium Youth Network (MYN). Through this role, he facilitates learning experiences in EJ curricula such as “Climate Justice 101,” “Clean Air is a Right,” and “Water is Life” for youth in the San Francisco Bay Area. He also serves as a…
Read MoreThe JEDI Fund Has Turned One!
ASAP’s Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Fund has turned one! The fund which was seeded by a contribution from ASAP staff members in 2021, has been a success in providing funding to several individuals identifying as Black People, Indigenous people, and people of color and also individuals demonstrating financial need. Following a review of the…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Examining Social Inequities in Climate Adaptation
About the Mentees and Mentor MENTEE Cailin Notch is a Community Resilience Planner at WRA Environmental Consultants in the San Francisco Bay Area with an extensive background in land use planning and community engagement. Her areas of expertise include development and design review, environmental review, meeting facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and project management. Previously, Cailin built…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Pivoting from Polymer Physics Ph.D. to Policy
About the Mentee and Mentor Mentee Sophia Chan is graduating with a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University, where she was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow developing polymeric materials for gas separations like carbon capture. While at Columbia, she taught ESL high schoolers about renewable energy topics, co-founded her department’s Diversity, Equity,…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Resiliency Co-Learning, Virtually!
Written from the perspective of Erin Bryan, a Mentee in the ASAP Mentorship Program and Madeleine Charney, a Mentor. Was it by chance or design that we live in Central and Western Massachusetts respectively? Either way, we’re glad! Connected by proximate bioregions (Connecticut River Valley and Worcester Plateau) means we are immersed in overlapping culture,…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Trio of Success in Climate Adaptation
Meet Mentee Bethany N. Bella (she/her), a passionate sustainability and climate-action advocate based in Columbus, Ohio, Mentee Emily Schoerning, Ph.D., the founder of American Resiliency https://www.americanresiliency.org/, a nonprofit bringing information and adaptation services to agricultural and working-class communities, and Mentor Jessica Cahail is a Technical Product Manager with Cervest, a UK-based B Corp that aims…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Navigating Professional Conferences
Julia Nassar, a Mentee in the ASAP Mentorship Program is employed as a Senior Analyst at the Cadmus Group where she specializes in climate adaptation and resilience. Julia supports local and state governments, such as Boston, the District of Columbia, Fairfax County, and the State of New York to enhance their resiliency through strategic climate…
Read MoreASAP and HARC Launch Program Committed to Growing Community Leadership in Climate Adaptation Projects
Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), in partnership with the American Society for Adaptation Professionals (ASAP), has announced a new program to enhance climate adaptation in the Upper Texas Gulf Coast. Leading with Equity in Adaptation Practice (LEAP) aims to strengthen community-led climate change adaptation initiatives through partnerships, collaboration, and capacity-building. Alongside partners, ASAP and HARC…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Making Impact As You Can!
Mentee Yilin Lai Giltinan is a community-adaptation-planner with a focus on transferring climate data and a community’s adapting capacity into an integrated Urban-Heat-Island adaptation strategy and urban design. Yilin has a background in landscape architecture and received a MS.c in Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design from the University of Stuttgart, Germany. During this time she…
Read MoreClimate Change and the Built Environment – Acting as a Collective Whole
This is a featured blog by ASAP Member Lisa Churchill. “Many of us can point to a time in our lives that influenced what we might do when we grew up. For me, it began with a box of 430-million-year-old fossils that my parents collected when they lived in Wisconsin. I was around five years old when…
Read MoreMENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Making Space for Long-Term Career Visioning
Mentee Cameron (Cami) Ramey has a background in climate adaptation, community resilience, and climate change communications. Cami has supported a number of nonprofits with policy analysis and research at the nexus of adaptation, urban planning, and environmental justice. Cami is currently Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Environment Review, where she manages a 12-student writing team that…
Read MoreUncovering Our Assumptions With American Resiliency
This is a featured blog from ASAP Member Emily Schoerning, Founder of non-profit American Resiliency. What are Your Knowledge Assumptions? My name is Emily Schoerning. As a researcher in science education, I’ve spent years studying how we acquire knowledge, and what unexpected barriers make it harder for us to learn new things. One of the…
Read MoreHow You Strengthened the ASAP Nework in 2021
As a social impact network, ASAP relies on our members as leaders, partners, and collaborators in everything we do. Your participation in the member survey cultivates and affirms the essential elements of network culture that we strive to nurture –reciprocity, open access, something for every member, and, most importantly, trust– while also helping us shape ASAP’s…
Read MorePreparing the Great Lakes for Climate Migration
Two ASAP Projects Lay the Foundation for Socially Just and Environmentally Responsible Growth By Susan S. Ekoh, Adaptation Fellow, American Society of Adaptation Professionals Over the past two years, ASAP facilitated two projects to advance climate migration practice and research, focused on the Great Lakes Region. One project brought together climatologists, demographers, and housing researchers…
Read MoreASAP and CRC Launch Ready-to-Fund Resilience Toolkit
The Ready-to-Fund Resilience Toolkit is Here! Are you struggling to attract investment for your climate resilience projects? Do you want to use innovative finance tools but worry they may carry extra risks or costs? Are you looking to learn how and why to center social equity in your climate resilience projects? As climate impacts intensify…
Read MoreA Look at the Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act and Climate Resilience Financing – March 2022
By: Camilla Gardner, Urban Sustainability Directors Network and T. Jonathan Lee, Climate Resilience Consulting The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a US law that went into effect on November 15, 2021, serves as a pivotal moment in local government resilience finance. Because of IIJA, it is no longer true in all cases that “there…
Read MoreASAP Needs Your Help Encouraging Members of Congress to Sponsor NCARS!
On January 20, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), along with a bipartisan group of seven colleagues, introduced the National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy Act (H.R.6461/S.3531). How Can you Help ASAP? You can learn more about the bill and why ASAP is excited about it in our statement of support. If…
Read MoreJoin ASAP in Thanking Members of Congress for Introducing the National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy Act (NCARS)!
On January 20, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) along with a bipartisan group of seven colleagues introduced the National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy Act (H.R.6461/S.3531). You can learn more about the bill and why ASAP is excited about it in our statement of support. ASAP is encouraging members to reach…
Read MoreJoin ASAP at the 5th National Climate Assessment Engagement Meetings
The 5th National Climate Assessment Chapters Engagement Meetings are now scheduled and open to the public! Public engagement sessions will take place between January and February 2022. All ASAP members are encouraged to attend at least one NCA Chapter Meeting to provide their input and expertise on this important national resource. Space is limited at…
Read MoreStatement of Support for National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy Act from American Society of Adaptation Professionals
Members of the American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP) applaud the introduction of the National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy Act (NCARS). This is a highly functional piece of legislation that would end the ad hoc nature of climate adaptation planning at the national level and form a dependable and consistent basis for us to…
Read MoreThe Color of ASAP: Race & Ethnicity in our Network
ASAP is an anti-racist organization. That means we are finding and rooting out racism in our network and the adaptation field. And it means we are prioritizing accessibility and inclusion in ASAP for people who identify as Black, Indigenous, or other person of color (BIPOC). We are asking for your support by completing a short…
Read MoreMentorship Spotlight: Can Regenerative Food and Farming Enhance Community Resilience?
Mentee Laura Lengnick is an award-winning soil scientist with 30 years of experience putting sustainable values into action in food and farming. She contributed to the 3rd National Climate Assessment as the lead author of the USDA report, Climate Change and Agriculture in the United States: Effects and Adaptation. In 2015, Laura founded Cultivating Resilience,…
Read MoreJEDI and MLK Day 2022
At ASAP, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a time for us to put more than just words behind our racial justice goals: it is a day to ACT. MLK’s Dream remains a powerful vision of the just and equitable world we want to live in. Take action with us to build that world. We…
Read MoreNCA5 Adaptation Chapter Public Engagement Workshop
February 7, 2022 | 11:00am – 3:30pm ET Please join the authors of the Fifth National Climate Assessment for a virtual workshop to share your thoughts on the climate change-related issues most important to include in the Adaptation chapter. We really need your input! The workshop is free and open to the public. The information gathered will help…
Read More2022 ASAP Member-Led Interest Groups
Get involved in ASAP Member Led Interest Groups in 2022.The votes are in and we are excited to announce the 2022 ASAP Member Led Interest Groups! Policy Practice Group Private Sector Adaptation Professionals Professional Opportunities in Adaptation Convening Climate Collaborators (webpage coming soon!) A big THANK YOU to everyone who submitted one of this year’s…
Read MoreNew Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Fund Supports Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
Inspired by members driven to create a tangible change, ASAP launched our Justice, Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion Fund in April 2021. The Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Fund provides financial support for ASAP members to engage in professional development and capacity-building activities as well as compensate people for their time as they contribute their…
Read MoreLocal and Regional Hubs Microgrant Accomplishments
As part of a pilot program, ASAP supported three microgrant projects to catalyze members’ collaborative, place-based climate change adaptation work and stimulate grassroots involvement in the ASAP network. The three project teams, from Asheville, NC; Los Angeles, CA; and the U.S. Southwest, have been hard at work since launching their projects this fall. Read on…
Read MoreLA Microgrant Project Making Progress
Community Resilience and Access Planning for CA Parklands Questions or want to learn more? Reach out to Gabriel Varela With the assistance of an ASAP microgrant, Climate Resolve is currently working on a Community Resilience and Access plan for the Baldwin Hills Conservancy Parklands in Los Angeles, California. Climate Resolve’s work is one of ASAP’s…
Read MoreMicrogrant Project SPANning the Southwest
Photo credit: Ari Sahagún/Southwest Practitioners Adaptation Network The Southwest Practitioners Adaptation Network (SPAN) is a network of networks that builds capacity for actionable climate adaptation solutions and SPANs the boundaries between science and decision-making. By connecting and leveraging existing networks, SPAN links climate adaptation and assessment practitioners with resources, support, and knowledge to build stronger…
Read MoreASAP Policy Round Up | Jan-April 2021
The Policy Practice Group is excited to launch our first quarterly policy digest! Each quarter, the Policy Practice Group will send out a policy round up including updates shared by members during monthly Policy Practice Group meetings. These policy updates are also collected live during meetings and can be found on the groups’ Policy Tracker.…
Read MoreLocal and Regional Hubs Microgrant Projects Making Progress
ASAP is supporting three microgrant projects to catalyze members’ collaborative, place-based climate change adaptation work and stimulate grassroots involvement in the ASAP network. The three project teams have been hard at work since launching their projects this fall. Read on to see where they are now and how you can get involved! One of the…
Read MoreJoin us for a conversation with David Hayes, Special Assistant to President Biden for Climate Policy
Communities, Climate Action and New U.S. Leadership Webinar | April 2, 1:00 p.m. ET | Free | Register hereYou are invited to a unique online discussion with David Hayes, Special Assistant to President Biden for Climate Policy. This webinar is co-hosted by the American Society of Adaptation Professionals, the Tribal Climate Health Project, and the…
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