Moderator

Jessica Castro

Senior Program Manager - Homeowner Hub

The Center for NYC Neighborhoods

Jessica Castro represents the Center’s core values through her depth of experience, commitment to equity, and dedication to community. Since joining the Center in 2017, she has been instrumental in building out the Homeowner Hub, the first point of contact where clients engage with the Center’s work. Beyond her Hub leadership, Jessica is deeply committed to addressing the intersection of the climate and housing crises, and has worked directly with Christie Peale on the Rainproof NYC climate resiliency cohort.

A lifelong New Yorker, Jessica has devoted her career to investing in her own community and advancing affordable homeownership. She has mentored colleagues who have gone on to careers in housing policy, program development, and community engagement, creating supportive environments where early-career professionals feel empowered to lead and take ownership. Through her work at the Hub, Jessica has built trust with community members often overlooked in housing systems, approaching each interaction with empathy, advocacy, and consistent follow-through.

Rooted in a commitment to housing and climate justice, Jessica connects daily program work to broader organizational goals, exemplifying a macro-level perspective that strengthens teams and outcomes alike. Her leadership has created ripple effects across the Center, amplifying community voices, strengthening systems, and shaping a more equitable future for New York City.

Panelist

Aaron Sturm

Deputy Director of Resilience

The Center for NYC Neighborhoods

Aaron Sturm is currently the Deputy Director of Resiliency at the Center for NYC Neighborhoods. He has extensive leadership experience in housing counseling, disaster relief, and resiliency program management. He worked on the development and implementation of the New York State Homeowner Assistance Fund (NYSHAF), a federally funded program aimed at assisting homeowners affected by COVID-19 to prevent foreclosure and displacement. Previously, he managed the Build It Back Counseling Program for New York City homeowners recovering from Superstorm Sandy, overseeing a network of advocates and creating training materials on flood insurance and resiliency. He has been with the Center for more than 10 years.

Panelist

Rachel Wieder

Deputy Commissioner, NYS Office of Resilient Homes and Communities

New York State Homes & Community Renewal

Rachel Wieder has over fifteen years of professional experience in affordable housing and community development. Her work is always done in a spirit of commitment to equity and environmental sustainability.

As Deputy Commissioner of the NYS Office of Resilient Homes and Communities she provides executive oversight of climate adaptation and disaster recovery programming. Previously she served as Chief of Staff for Homeownership and Community Development at NYS Homes and Community Renewal.

Notable career achievements include the administration of housing recovery programs during the years following Superstorm Sandy and pandemic relief programs for homeowners at risk of foreclosure. For the NYS Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, she served as a facilitator for the Energy Efficiency in Buildings Council, engaging industry stakeholders to develop policy recommendations for buildings to decarbonize by mid-century.

Rachel has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies from San Francisco State University and a master’s degree in Urban Planning from New York University.

Panelist

Talley Burley

Senior Manager, Climate Risk & Insurance

Environmental Defense Fund

Talley Burley is the Manager, Climate Risk & Insurance at Environmental Defense Fund. Through her experience at the intersection of disaster, housing, and financial resilience policy she leads initiatives and supports research around insurance and insurability to drive more sustainable and resilient outcomes in a changing climate. Prior to joining she worked for NYC government working for the Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) and the Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations (HRO) leading housing resilience and financial resilience policy and program development, including efforts to drive retrofits and investments for small residential housing stock and programs to access and awareness of flood insurance. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from American University and a Master’s in Urban Planning from New York University.

Panelist

Paul Lozito

Deputy Executive Director

Mayor’s Office Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ)

Paul Onyx Lozito is a Deputy Executive Director for the Mayor’s Office Climate and Environmental Justice where he focused on climate infrastructure and environmental justice. Prior to MOCEJ, Paul spent 10 years at the New York State Governor's Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR), where he served as Chief Strategy and Program Officer. At GOSR, Paul oversaw the Housing, Buyout, and Acquisition Programs, as well as the Rebuild by Design and National Disaster Resiliency grants. His work included the supervision of the construction of the Living Breakwaters, development of a sewage conduit from the barrier island to the mainland in Nassau County, and implementation of resiliency improvements to protect several large housing authorities from future flooding events.

He is currently the president of the American Planning Association - New York Metropolitan Chapter, which represents the planning community from the New York City reservoirs in the Catskills to Montauk Point and across the five boroughs of New York City. Paul has previously served on Bronx Community Board IV as the parks committee chairperson and president of the board of his housing cooperative. A former AmeriCorps member, Paul is a dedicated volunteer who has served on historic preservation boards and general good government groups. Paul is a Bronx-based urban planner with a B.A. from Rutgers’ Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and a M.U.P. from Hunter College Urban Policy and Planning Program with extensive experience in disaster recovery, resiliency, and housing.