Exploring pathways to a low-carbon future, this session will examine how port cities are driving the energy transition. Case studies will highlight renewable energy projects, decarbonization strategies, and collaborations between ports, cities, and industry.
Sandra Kilroy serves as Senior Director Environment and Sustainability for both the maritime and airport operations of the Port of Seattle. Within this role, she leads the Port’s initiative to decarbonize the maritime and aviation industries, advancing sustainable transportation fuels, and planning for a just transition to a clean fuel economy. Sandra also champions the Port role in habitat restoration, land stewardship, and resiliency. Prior to the Port, Sandra served as the Assistant Director of a large wastewater utility supporting operations, policy, strategic business planning, and capital delivery. During her 30-year career she has directed natural resource programs in holistic watershed restoration, threatened species recovery, river and flood management, and water quality. Sandra demonstrates how global and national environmental priorities are implemented on-the-ground at the local level. She currently serves as President of the Board for the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure, with past Board roles for the National Association of Clean Water Agencies and the Coalition for Clean Water. She has a Masters of Marine Affairs and Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Forest Biology.
Christophe Castaner has a dual degree in international business law and criminology from Aix Marseille University.
He was the patron of the 2018/2019 class of the Aix en Provence Business Law Institute.
He began his career in the legal department of France's leading bank. He continued his career in the general management of the city of Avignon. He was also a member of Lionel Jospin's cabinet for 5 years. Elected mayor of Forcalquier (04) 3 times, vice-president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, he was responsible for regional planning and then employment and the economy during his 2 terms in office.
Elected Member of Parliament in 2012, he was spokesman for Edouard Philippe's government, Minister for Relations with Parliament and Minister of the Interior. He was then Chairman of the majority group in the National Assembly.
He is currently Chairman of SA Autoroute et Tunnel du Mont-Blanc and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille.
Rachel Bramwell is a Director in Hatch’s Environment, People, and Place group. She has 14 years of experience in urban and land use planning, economic analysis, and master planning. Rachel uses quantitative analysis to inform planning, infrastructure, economic, and land use strategies for industrial clients, ports, cities, and transit agencies. She works on a range of industrial, mixed-use, and commercial planning and redevelopment projects. Prior to Hatch, she worked in Deloitte’s Real Estate group in London and at AECOM making the social and economic case for infrastructure investment. She has lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, and currently New York City.
Having worked for more than ten years with local authorities, businesses and institutions on their sustainable development projects (in industrial and regional ecology, energy/climate, etc.), Nicolas Mat also completed a doctoral thesis in 2015 at the Ecole des Mines d'Alès, focusing on industrial ecology and the circular economy as applied to port areas.
This research work enabled him to continue and deepen his reflections, networks and applications around these themes, which stemmed from numerous previous projects and assignments carried out as an independent expert or in partnership at national and international level (North America, Europe, Africa, Asia).
In line with this work and these reflections, but with a stronger operational focus, on 1 April 2016 he took up the position of Secretary General and Project Manager of the PIICTO association (Caban-Tonkin Industrial and Innovation Platform) in Fos-sur-Mer near Marseille.
