Jamil Bey, Ph.D. is the founder and president of the UrbanKind Institute, a think-and-do consultancy committed to providing direction to improve policies, programs, and practices that are kind to urban people and environments; the root of sustainability. Under Dr. Bey’s leadership and direction, the UrbanKind Institute has become one of the Pittsburgh region’s premier public policy consultancies. Prized for our ability to do the complicated tasks of bringing people from all sectors and with often competing interests together to create actionable solutions. Jamil is a human geographer with 8 years of post-doctoral research and analysis of policy and practices that improve efficiency and outcomes in human experiences. As a researcher, analyst, and consultant he specializes in challenging common assumptions about ordinary concerns while bringing alternative perspectives for consideration. Trained as both a professional geographer and as an educator, Dr. Bey excels in spatial analysis and synthesis, pedagogy, and instruction. His primary focus is on spatial, and location analysis. His integrated-systems view of the world provides highly contextualized conclusions, and recommendations that consider the inter-connectivity of economics, politics, history, culture, health, social movements, and the environment in his analyses.

Glenn Grayson Jr. is the Lead Organizer for One Pennsylvania. One Pa fights for racial, social, environmental, and economic issues. “Follow the Money, Confront the Power, and Make the Change” has been the model of the organization. Glenn joined One Pa in 2010, and has been with the organization since inception. Glenn leads the Environmental Justice Campaign, Western Pa Political work, and the Regional Organizer across the Common Wealth of Pa. Glenn is the board chair of the Jeron X Grayson Foundation, a proud husband and father of two, and very active in his community

Will Pickering is The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority’s (PWSA) Senior Manager of Public Affairs where he manages the Authority’s media relations, public outreach, social media and government relations programs. Prior to joining PWSA in fall 2016, Mr. Pickering was Manager of Communications and Government Relations at the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water). In that role, he managed the communications program and spearheaded DC Water’s interactions with the federal, District and neighboring local governments. Mr. Pickering joined DC Water after serving as a project manager for the President's Management Advisory Board of the Executive Office of the President. He also held several policy advisor roles. Prior to contributing to the Obama Administration, Mr. Pickering was Senior Policy Analyst for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs for the District Department of Transportation. He also served as a policy analyst for District of Columbia Mayor Adrian M. Fenty. Mr. Pickering has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Santa Clara University and received his Certificate in Public Management from George Washington University.

Aly Shaw, environmental justice organizer, has worked at Pittsburgh United as a coalition organizer for three years, managing the coalition that makes up the Our Water, Our Rivers Campaign. In that time she has built a local movement for water justice and ensured families have access to clean, affordable drinking water delivered by a system run by the people, for the people. She has also worked in watersheds all over the region to build momentum for green infrastructure as a tool for stopping combined sewer overflows, reducing flooding, and making Pittsburgh a more resilient City in the face of climate change. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2014 with a degree in Political Science and is currently a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Public Policy and Management with a 3.82 GPA, expected to graduate in May 2019. Prior to joining Pittsburgh United she was a Coro Fellow in Leadership and Public Affairs.