Hammered by unprecedented natural disasters, parts of the United States have coped with raging wildfires, catastrophic hurricanes, dangerous heat levels, blizzards and floods. In addition, climate change has introduced new risks and exacerbated existing problems, according to the National Climate Assessment. This Forum event, co-hosted by Chan HSPH and Reuters, will convene a dynamic panel of former governors, who will share their unique insights into the challenges of leadership and natural disasters. What does it take to prepare, respond and rebuild? What roles do the public, local and state officials and emergency responders play? What is the intersection between economies and disasters? And what climate change considerations need to be understood?
Panelists include:
- Steven L. Beshear, 61st Governor of Kentucky
- Christine Gregoire, 22nd Governor of Washington
- Jay Nixon, Governor of Missouri (2009-2017)
- Peter Shumlin, 81st Governor of Vermont and Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- Moderated by Tim McLaughlin, Reuters Correspondent