SPEAKERS
Bo-sin Tang
Bio Prof. Bo-sin TANG Prof. Tang is currently Professor at the Department of Urban Planning and Design of the University of Hong Kong. Before joining this University, he was Professor and Associate Head at the Department of Building and Real Estate of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Prof. Tang received his PhD in urban and regional planning from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is a Registered Professional Planner (Hong Kong) and holds professional memberships with the Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP), the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS). He is also a Fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences.
Kevin Polk
Polk is an urban eco-strategist and host of the Edenicity podcast about building car-free cities. He grew up riding TheBus or walking to public schools in Honolulu before earning an A.B. in Astrophysics from Princeton University, an M.S. in Astronomy from the University of Washington, and two Permaculture Design Certificates. He partnered with NASA on 2 Mars missions, wrote the award-winning 2sky mobile app, and was named Bloomington, Indiana Neighbor of the year for co-founding the Green Acres ecovillage. He also has run a market garden, built tiny off-grid houses, and commuted by bicycle in five states. Today he works as a solar energy consultant in Columbus, Ohio, and is recruiting a land development team to compete for the $50M Carbon Removal X Prize.
Hillel Schocken
Hillel Schocken, (AA Diple. BSc.Eng.) is a retired Associate Professor of Architecture at the Azrieli School of Architecture at the Tel Aviv University Schocken is the author of an original urban theory that suggests common characteristics to all efficient urban environments and provides measurable indicators that can serve as a practical tool for the planning and design of successful urban environments. The theory was the subject of the Israeli exhibit, “Intimate Anonymity”, he curated at the 2000 Venice Architecture Biennale. He has been Principal at Schocken Architects since its establishment in 1978 and is among the founders of MIU – Movement for Israeli Urbanism and its Mayor’s Institute.
Alfred Twu
Alfred has worked on housing issues in California at the state and local level, with organizations such as the California Democratic Renters Council, East Bay for Everyone, and others. Recently they have been appointed to the Berkeley Planning Commission. Alfred works as an architect and artist, and has worked on various issues and campaigns including zoning reform, rent control, tenants rights, and social housing.
Choon James
Choon James is originally from Singapore. She’s been a real estate broker in Oahu for over 30 years. She's been involved with land-use planning and good governance issues at Honolulu Hale. Choon is a long-time activist with “Keep The Country Country” to preserve rural resources, farmlands and open spaces for a thriving, diversified, and sustainable Oahu.
Robert Ellickson
Robert C. Ellickson is Walter E. Meyer Professor of Property and Urban Law, Emeritus, at Yale Law School. Professor Ellickson’s books include Land Use Controls: Cases and Materials (5th ed. 2021), with Vicki Been, Roderick Hills, and Christopher Serkin). He has published numerous articles in legal and public policy journals on topics such as land use and housing policy, land tenure systems, homelessness, and the organization of cities, households, and community associations.
Susan Kirsch
Susan Kirsch, Director, Catalysts for Local Control with a mission to educate, engage, and empower citizens to preserve a strong middle class of home owners and democracy itself Roles as a Community Advocate: Founder, Livable California; Chair, 2020 Nix-the-Nine Campaign; 2016 Candidate for the Marin County Board of Supervisors, Founder, Citizen Marin
Now semi-retired, and living in Vancouver, Canada, Dr Wendy Sarkissian is a planner, advocate and author. She is expert in housing, community engagement, social planning and professional ethics. She seeks spirited ways to nurture an empowered and engaged citizenry. Wendy is the award-winning co-author of several books on community engagement and housing. She holds a doctorate in environmental ethics and a Masters of Town Planning. She is a Life Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia. Wendy was formerly Adjunct Professor in the School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
Dr. Wendy Sarkissian
Ron Iwami
President of Friends of Kewalos, a non profit organization dedicated to Protect, Preserve, and Malama Kewalo Basin Park and the surrounding shoreline to ensure the recreational user will continue to have access and the ability to enjoy the area for future generations to come.
We recently were successful in part in stopping OHA from building 400 foot high rises on their land in Kaka’ako Makai. We recognize the major implications of this action to our mission and feel the land should be open space and low density versus high density housing. It is imperative to keep whatever shoreline land we have left in Hawaii for the enjoyment of the People for future generations to come.
Khelsilem is a Sḵwx̱wú7mesh-Kwakwa̱ka’wa̱kw community leader from the Squamish Nation where he holds the title of spokesperson and councillor. Khelsilem is also a board director with numerous non-profits based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
He has spent the past three years influencing policy change within his First Nation, and broadly, policy change ad a Regional, Provincial, and National level. He’s written columns for the Tyee, Vancouver Sun, and National Observer. He is frequently a commentator in the media on major policy issues from an Indigenous perspective. He also speaks at conferences, seminars, and classes on policy, housing, climate, and justice.