We are 20 cities and towns that have come together for common benefit.
Photo credit: MyRWA
Why We’re Here
Massachusetts lacks the formal regional government structures needed to plan, finance, and implement regional climate resilience measures.
The Resilient Mystic Collaborative came out of a sense of urgency and commitment among senior municipal staff to work across political boundaries to address challenges that were beyond their control.
Photo credit: Leo March
RMC Communities
Click on a community to view its climate plan.
Community Participants
Photo credit: Chris McIntosh
Municipal Members
Arlington
David Morgan, Environmental Planner & Conservation Agent // dmorgan@town.arlington.ma.us
Talia Fox, Sustainability Manager // tfox@town.arlington.ma.us
Belmont
Glenn Clancy, Director of Community Development // gclancy@belmont-ma.gov
Boston
Chris Busch, Assistant Deputy Director for Climate and Environmental Planning at Boston Planning and Development Agency // chris.busch@boston.gov
Zoe Davis, Climate Resilience Project Manager // zoe.davis@boston.gov
Charlie Jewell, Director of Planning, Boston Water and Sewer Department // jewellc@bwsc.org
Catherine McCandless, Climate Change & Environmental Planning Project Manager // catherine.mccandless2@boston.gov
Burlington
John Keeley, Conservation Administrator // jkeeley@burlington.org
Cambridge
Leila Mekias, Climate Resilience Project Planner // lmekias@cambridgema.gov
Kathy Watkins, Assistant Commissioner of Engineering // kwatkins@cambridgema.gov
Catherine Woodbury, Senior Project Manager // cwoodbury@cambridgema.gov
Chelsea
Hilary Dimino, Sr. Project Manager // hdimino@chelseama.gov
Alex Train, Assistant Director Planning and Development // atrain@chelseama.gov
Everett
Kate Jenkins-Sullivan, Sustainability Planner // Katherine.Jenkins-Sullivan@ci.everett.ma.us
Tom Philbin, Conservation Agent // tom.philbin@ci.everett.ma.us
Erik Swanson, Executive Director of Engineering // eric.swanson@ci.everett.ma.us
Lexington
Marissa Liggliero, Senior Civil Engineer // mliggiero@lexingtonma.gov
John Livsey, Town Engineer // jlivsey@lexingtonma.gov
Malden
Maria Luise, Special Assistant to the Mayor // mluise@cityofmalden.org
Emily Granoff, Grants Manager // egranoff@cityofmalden.org
Evan Spetrini, Senior Planner & Policy Manager // espetrini@cityofmalden.org
Medford
Alicia Hunt, Director of Planning, Development, and Sustainability // ahunt@medford-ma.gov
Tim McGivern, Commissioner of Public Works // tmcgivern@medford-ma.gov
Mary Ann O'Connor, Director of Public Health // moconnor@medford-ma.gov
Viktor Schrader, Director of Economic Development // vschrader@medford-ma.gov
Owen Wartella, City Engineer // owartella@medford-ma.gov
Melrose
Jay Coy, Deputy City Engineer // jcoy@cityofmelrose.org
Elena Proakis Ellis, Director of Public Works // eproakis@cityofmelrose.org
Vonnie Reis, City Engineer // vreis@cityofmelrose.org
North Suffolk Office of Resilience and Sustainability
Ibrahim Lopez-Hernandez, Sustainability Manager // ilopez@chelseama.gov
Darya Mattes, Resilience Manager // dmattes@chelseama.gov
Reading
Alex Rozycki, Senior Civil Engineer // arozycki@ci.reading.ma.us
Ryan Percival, Town Engineer // rpercival@ci.reading.ma.us
Revere
Elle Baker, Open Space and Environmental Planner // ebaker@revere.org
Somerville
Christine Blais, Director, Office of Sustainability and Environment, City of Somerville // candrews@somervillema.gov
Lucica Hiller, Stormwater Program Manager, Engineering Department, City of Somerville // lhiller@somervillema.gov
Emily Sullivan, Climate Change Program Manager, Office of Sustainability and Environment, City of Somerville // esullivan@somervillema.gov
Stoneham
Brett Gonsalves, Director of Public Works // BGonsalves@stoneham-ma.gov
Wakefield
Bill Renault, Town Engineer // wrenault@wakefield.ma.us
Watertown
Laurel Schwab, Senior Environmental Planner & Conservation Agent // lschwab@watertown-ma.gov
Greg St. Louis, Superintendent of Public Works // gstlouis@watertown-ma.gov
Katherine Swan, Environmental Planner & Conservation Agent // kswan@watertown-ma.gov
Winchester
Bryan Manter, Assistant Town Engineer // bmanter@winchester.us
Ken Pruitt, Sustainability Director // kpruitt@winchester.us
Beth Rudolph, Town Engineer // brudolph@winchester.us
Winthrop
Rachel Kelly, Director of Planning and Development // rkelly@town.winthrop.ma.us
Woburn
Jay Corey, City Engineer // jaycorey@cityofwoburn.com
Matt Barrett, GIS Coordinator, Engineering Department // mbarrett@cityofwoburn.com
Non-Municipal Partners
A Better City
Yve Torrie, Director of Climate, Energy & Resilience // ytorrie@abettercity.org
ACBC Consulting
Andréanne Chu Breton-Carbonneau, Founder and Principal // andreanne@acbcconsulting.com
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Caleb Dresser, Assistant Director, Fellowship in Climate & Human Health // calebdresser@gmail.com
Charles River Watershed Association
Julie Wood, Deputy Director // jwood@crwa.org
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs MVP Program
Carolyn Meklenburg, MVP Regional Program Coordinator // carolyn.meklenburg@mass.gov
GreenRoots
John Walkey, Watershed Initiative Coordinator // johnw@greenrootschelsea.org
Bianca Bowman, Climate Justice Organizer // biancab@greenrootschelsea.org
Harborkeepers
Elsa Flores, Coastal Resiliency Volunteer // floreselsa2@gmail.com
Magdalena La Battaglia, Executive Director // malenalabattaglia@gmail.com
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
Sarah White, Director of Climate Resilience // sarah.j.white@state.ma.us
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
Hillary Monahan, Senior Manager, Master Planning // Hillary.Monahan@mwra.com
Michael O’Keefe, Senior Manager, Master Planning // Michael.OKeefe@mwra.com
Stephen Estes-Smargiassi, Director of Planning and Sustainability // Stephen.Estes-Smargiassi@mwra.com
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
Julie Curti, Clean Energy and Climate Strategy Manager // jcurti@mapc.org
Leah Robins, Senior Government Affairs Specialist // lrobins@mapc.org
Sasha Shyduroff, Clean Energy and Climate Planner // sshyduroff@mapc.org
Mystic River Watershed Association
Mariangelí Echevarría-Ramos, Climate Resilience Manager // mariangeli.echevarria-ramos@mysticriver.org
Patrick Herron, Executive Director // patrick.herron@mysticriver.org
Catherine Pedemonti, Ecological Resilience Project Manager // catherine.pedemonti@mysticriver.org
Julie Wormser, Senior Policy Advisor // julie.wormser@mysticriver.org
Noble, Wickersham & Heart
Barbara Landau, Attorney // bl@noblewickersham.com
Partners HealthCare
David Burson, Senior Project Manager // dburson@partners.org
Facilitators
Mystic River Watershed Association
Julie Wormser, Senior Policy Advisor // julie.wormser@mysticriver.org
CH Consulting
Carri Hulet, Principal // carri@carrihulet.com
The RMC was launched in 2018 by 10 Greater Boston communities concerned about climate preparedness.
Within 12 months, the RMC grew to 18 communities, or 85 percent of the Mystic River Watershed.
The seeds of our collective vision were planted in our first meeting.
We wanted to manage chronic flooding.
We wanted to storm-proof critical regional infrastructure.
We wanted to protect our most vulnerable residents and workers.
In our first four years we have attracted over $51 million in grants and bonds for climate resilience projects—despite COVID having sent us on-line.
Photo credit: Resilient Mystic Collaborative