Theodora Pinou, Western Connecticut State University, Professor of Biological and Environmental Sciences,  MS in Integrative Biological Diversity Program Director and Coordinator. 

Pinou is Department Chair and Professor of Biology Sciences at WCSU. She is also a Curatorial Affiliate in Vertebrate Zoology at the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University. She received her BA, MA, and Ph.D at New York University in Biology, with a focus in vertebrate evolution and ecology.

Tom Di Liberto is a climate scientist and public affairs specialist in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Communications, and the star and creator of NOAA’s first ever cartoon series “Teek and Tom explore planet Earth”, a five-part series coming out in October. He works on strategic communications, especially related to climate science, and is a well-regarded public speaker on weather and climate. His scientific area of expertise is on El Niño and La Niña. He previously served as the climate scientist for NOAA’s Climate.gov.

In addition to his work at NOAA, Tom will serve as the lead for the Department of State’s U.S. Center at the upcoming United Nations climate change conference COP29. He previously served as emcee of the U.S. Center at COP21—where the Paris Agreement was forged—COP22, COP26, COP27, and COP28. As lead and emcee, he helps organize and runs the U.S. government’s public outreach space during the negotiations.