Speakers

Laura Popa serves as the Deputy Commissioner of Sustainability for the New York City Department of Buildings where she spearheads all sustainability initiatives. She leads DOB’s team of sustainability specialists to push forward Department actions that will help New York City achieve its climate goals and continue to serve as a model for energy efficiency and emissions reductions. Laura joins the Department after more than 2 decades of public service. She was a legal and policy advisor at the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission and New York City Council where she oversaw the development of legislation and policy at the City Council and directed the Council’s efforts to enact landmark legislation that supports citywide greenhouse gas emissions limits, the institutionalization of long-term sustainability and resiliency planning, and the expansion of clean and renewable energy. Laura also served on numerous advisory boards and task forces related to sustainability and was a member of the Mayor’s Commission on Gender Equity. She taught at Fordham Law School, and she is currently a lecturer at Columbia University. A long-time resident of Brooklyn, Laura earned her B.A. from New York University and her J.D. from Fordham Law School.