Opening Ceremony
Climate Week Delaware 2026
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 | 9:30 am - 11:30 am
Chase Center on the Riverfront
9:30 am
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Opening Ceremony Host
Tynetta T. Brown
Principal Consultant
Thumbprint Strategies
Mayor John Carney
Wilmington, Delaware
Land Acknowledgement
Iz Balleto
Cultural Program Manager
Delaware Art Museum
9:40 am
Featured Speakers
Youth Leadership
Subiksha Srinivasan Vidya
Co-Chair
YES!
Carter Lunsford
Co-Chair
YES!
Business Engagement and Climate Solutions
Yvonne V. Deadwyler
President & CEO
New Castle County
Chamber of Commerce
9:50 am
Delaware’s Path to Net-Zero
Delaware’s journey to net-zero is already underway and it’s driven by coordinated action across government, utilities, and the private sector. This panel brings together leaders from industry, local government, and county-level programs to explore how Delaware is translating climate ambition into measurable progress.
Panelists will discuss how data, infrastructure investment, regulatory alignment, and community-based programs are shaping the state’s emissions reduction pathway. From corporate digital sustainability strategies to municipal environmental compliance and countywide climate initiatives, this conversation will highlight the practical steps and partnerships required to achieve a resilient, low-carbon future for Delaware.
Jen Adkins
Executive Director
Delaware Nature Society
Moderator
Jutta Pils, Ph.D., MBA
Global IT – Digital Sustainability & Product Continuity
Dupont Information Technology
Alison Quimby
Manager of Sustainability and Environmental Compliance
City of Wilmington
Larry Alston
Director Business and Customer Support
Delmarva Power
Michael Harris
Stormwater & Environmental Program Manager
New Castle County
10:30 am
Delaware's Climate Action Plan:
Industry Reflection and Strategic Alignment
The Delaware 2025 Climate Action Plan was released in November 2025 and notes goals, strategies, and actions the State can take to support emissions reductions, adaptation, and resiliency. The plan promotes an increase in sustainable practices including a public private partnership pilot program for proof-of-concept solutions to achieve goals established in the plan. This session will bring together Sustainability Leaders representing some of Delaware’s major industries – including agriculture, science and technology, and manufacturing – to reflect on shared climate action goals and how private industry and public planning can work together towards mitigating the effects of climate change.
Christopher Lee
My Green Lab Ambassador, Principal of Sustainable Design
JacobsWyper Architects
Moderator
Robin Jenkins
Global Climate Strategy Program Leader
Corteva Agriscience
Sydney Juda
Senior Engineeering Specialist
Merck
Jacob Sneeden
Director of Regulatory Initiatives
Delmarva Power
11:15 am
Innovation Lives Here: Building the Next
Energy Economy in Delaware
Andrew Cottone, Ph.D.
Founder & CEO
Aternium
11:20 am
Closing Remarks
Marcus Henry
County Executive
New Castle County
PARTNERS