The Climate Jobs Advisory Council is charged with providing input to the Illinois Climate Jobs Institute regarding research priorities, work processes, and timeline for implementation. They will support the Institute’s core research priorities:
- Evaluate how workforce opportunities in the clean-energy industry can provide just transitions for displaced energy workers in the State.
- Identify opportunities to maximize job creation and workforce development in the State’s clean-energy industry, being particularly mindful of job creation and workforce development in historically underrepresented populations and environmental justice communities
- Recommend policies that will create high-quality family and community-sustaining jobs in the clean-energy economy.
- Develop strategies to address current and future supply chain vulnerabilities and challenges in the clean-energy manufacturing industry.
- Identify how to expand access to high-quality clean-energy jobs for environmental justice communities and other frontline communities that have faced historical inequities.
- Assess the types of support that local governments will need to develop their own community energy, climate, and jobs plans.
- Evaluate initiatives, including the Public Schools Carbon-Free Assessment program.
Upcoming Meetings
Save the date
The Climate Jobs Council’s first meeting will be March 31, 2025, from 1pm to 3:30pm in the School of Labor and Employment Relations, 504 E Armory Ave, Champaign, IL 61820. More information coming soon.
Questions? Please contact Richard Benton, rab@illinois.edu.
Council Members
Members appointed to the Council serve 2-year terms and may be reappointed.
School of Labor and Employment Relations
- Richard Benton, Professor and Executive Director of the Climate Jobs Institute (Council Chair)
- Robert Bruno, Professor and Director of the Labor Education Program
- Eliza Forsythe, Professor
Government
- Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, 3rd District
- Rep. Marcus Evans Jr., 33rd District, Assistant Majority Leader
- Rep. Robyn Gabel, 18th District, Majority Leader
- Sen. Celina Villanueva, 11th District
Labor
- Joseph Duffy, Climate Jobs Illinois Executive Director
- Robert Hattier, IBEW Renewable Energy Fund Executive Director
- Clint Drury, West Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council, Executive Director
- Charles Totsie Bailey, Jr., Southwestern Illinois Building & Construction Trades Council
- Yiran Zhang, Service Employees International Union, Strategic Researcher
Industry
- Mark Denzler, Illinois Manufacturers Association, President and CEO
- Senyo Ador, Sesenergi Eco Solutions Enterprise LLC Co-Founder
- Jessica Collingsworth, Nexamp Central Policy Director
- Darnell Johnson, Urban Efficiency Group President
- Jeffrey Ferry, Vistra, Senior Director of Government Affairs
Environmental Advocacy
- Stephanie Taylor, Community Development Sustainable Solutions, Founder and CEO
- Adedolapo Wasiu Adesope, Blacks in Green, Sustainable Engineering Associate
- Samira Hanessian, Illinois Environmental Council, Energy Policy Director
