Mekala Krishnan is a senior fellow at the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), McKinsey’s business and economics research arm, where her research focuses on various topics related to inclusive growth and economic development, including climate risk, globalization, productivity growth in advanced economies, and women’s role in labor markets. Dr. Krishnan’s most recent research focuses on the near-term impact of physical climate risk across sectors and geographies, including its implications for companies and countries.  She received her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University in 2011 and her Bachelor of Technology degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in 2006.

Philip Duffy ’78 is President & Executive Director of the Woodwell Climate Research Center (formerly the Woods Hole Research Center).  With an AB in Astronomy & Astrophysics from Harvard and a PhD in Applied Physics from Stanford, Dr. Duffy has devoted nearly 30 years to the societal challenge of climate change. Prior to joining Woodwell Climate Research Center, Dr. Duffy served as a Senior Policy Analyst in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and as a Senior Advisor on the White House National Science and Technology Council. He has helped shape US global change research and been involved in international climate negotiations. Dr. Duffy often engages policy—and decision-makers, from local officials to federal legislators and delegates at the United Nations climate conferences. He is particularly interested in working across traditional boundaries to address climate change, building partnerships with faith leaders, business leaders, and thought leaders across the political spectrum.

John Berman ’95 is currently the co-anchor of “New Day” on CNN, which he joined in 2012.  He started in journalism as the head writer for “World News Tonight with Peter Jennings” and then worked as a regular on-air contributor on ABC’s core broadcasts.  Across his career, John was an embedded reporter during the invasion of Iraq, covered the Indian Ocean tsunami from Banda Aceh, Indonesia and has covered various political campaigns.  In his career, he has interviewed newsmakers ranging from Barack Obama, to Lionel Richie and the Prime Minister of Iraq.  John and his family reside in Westchester.

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