David Bloomgarden is a public-private partnership (PPP) expert with over 30 years of global experience in policy, management, leading design teams for technical assistance, and leveraging over $2 billion dollars in investment for PPP infrastructure projects with a focus on sustainable development. At the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), he was the Chief of the Inclusive City Unit where he managed a $44.5 million project in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region developing 40 projects in collaboration with the private sector for investment in sustainable business models for urban services delivery in low-income neighborhoods. For IADB, as the Lead Private Sector Specialist for PPPs, Mr. Bloomgarden led the capacity building efforts for PPPs in the LAC region. He was the IADB’s primary resource and liaison for providing technical assistance to governments to improve policy, project implementation, and training for PPPs in infrastructure, basic services, and climate resiliency. As Senior Advisor to the U.S. Chairs of the Boards of the IADB, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the International Fund for Agriculture, he developed policies for greater private-sector engagement in infrastructure and basic services. The capacity building projects Mr. Bloomgarden led are linked to an investment of $2 billion in PPP projects. He has also been on the Editorial Board to produce the World Bank’s PPP Reference Guide; has developed a PPP Readiness Index entitled “Infrascope” published by the Economist Intelligence Unit to measure PPP institutional capacity in LAC; and reviewed and edited the 2015 PPP certification course and book released by the World Bank, IADB, and other major multilateral banks. His understanding of diverse client needs and specific challenges in different countries and regions, market idiosyncrasies, and the drivers of change and innovation in public policy has enabled him to advise governments and donor organizations in their efforts to promote private sector development and effective partnerships with private-sector stakeholders.

Rodrigo Rosa is currently Visiting Scholar for Columbia University, after eight years working as Special Advisor of the Mayor’s Office of the City of Rio de Janeiro under the administration of former Mayor Eduardo Paes. As part of that administration, Rosa was involved with major transformative projects including the Port Renovation (a large expansion of health care, education, and transportation) and the Rio Resilient City plan. He took part in high level coordination of major international events, such as the World Cup in 2014, the Summer Olympic Games in 2016, the United Nations Conference Rio+20, TED Global, among others.

As Special Advisor of Chairman Eduardo Paes during the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Rosa executed strategies to largely expand the network, connecting to cities in China and in the developing world. Rosa was intensely engaged in international city diplomacy, advocating the voice of cities on the global stage. Previously, he worked in the public sector as a legislative consultant to the Brazilian Federal Senate, where he worked crafting legislation in Brazilian Congress before joining Rio City Hall. Rodrigo holds a Masters Degree in Economics and environmental management and is a PhD candidate at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro on energy and sustainable planning.

Jeff S. Merritt is an expert in the area of smart cities, social entrepreneurship, and government innovation with two decades of on-the-ground leadership in the US and abroad. He currently serves as Director of Innovation for the City of New York as part of the Mayor’s Office of Tech and Innovation. Jeff began his career working with U.S. State Department-sponsored programs in Croatia, Macedonia, Albania, Serbia and Montenegro. In 2003, Jeff was named Executive Director for the Center for Civic Responsibility, where he led efforts resulting in the adoption of new pay-to-play reform legislation and the development of a statewide civics education curriculum for high school students and adults. In 2005, Jeff founded Grassroots Initiative, a New York-based startup dedicated to ensuring that government and public service are accessible regardless of race, creed or economic status. As President of Grassroots Initiative, Jeff oversaw the launch of the nation’s first non-profit election consulting firm and helped organize the first entirely online public election in U.S. history as part of a 2009 contract with the New York City Department of Education. In 2010, Jeff joined the office of New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and in 2012 was named one of City & State’s “New York City Rising Stars: 40 Under 40” for his work there. At the Public Advocate’s office, Jeff helped develop New York City’s Worst Landlord Watchlist, a first-of-its-kind tool to allow tenants to look up a current or potential landlord to see code violations in that landlord’s buildings. Jeff also led the Public Advocate’s open government and technology initiatives and national coalitions on issues of corporate political spending and gun divestment. In 2014, Jeff helped establish the Mayor’s Office of Technology and Innovation.  As part of the Mayor’s Office, Jeff led a range of technology efforts including the launch of the .nyc top-level domain and announcement of LinkNYC, New York City’s plan to build the largest and fastest municipal Wi-Fi network in the world. As Director of Innovation, he focuses on new and emerging technologies and directs New York’s smart city efforts aimed at leveraging ubiquitous connectivity and the Internet of Things (IoT) to build a more smart and equitable city. Jeff holds a Master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan. He lives in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn with his partner, Kristyn, and two daughters, Polly and Maisy.

Maria del Carmen Landa is an urban planner specializing in international development. She is an Associate with the City and Practice Management team supporting 100RC’s cities in Latin America and the Caribbean in building resilience.

Before joining 100RC, she worked with the public policy programs team at the Americas Society/Council of the Americas in New York, a not-for-profit organization that promotes better understanding and dialogue in the Western Hemisphere, where she designed and implemented a series on challenges faced by urban growth and innovation in cities. During her studies, she worked for the press secretary at the headquarters of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Mexico Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. supporting communications efforts to improve understanding and cooperation between the U.S and Mexico.

An architect by training, she has worked in the educational infrastructure and renewable energy sectors with the state government and a private developer in Mexico. She also participated in the development of a transportation management plan for Lavasa, a privately planned and operated hill city in the state of Maharashtra in India.

Marcela Tovar-Restrepo is Adjunct Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University. She the holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the New School for Social Research (NY) and a MSc on Urban Development Planning from the University College of London. She has served as an international consultant mainstreaming cultural and gender rights into planning and policy-making in United Nations agencies such as the Commission of Sustainable Development (CSD), UNDEF, IPU and the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues. Dr. Tovar-Restrepo has also served as advisor for international cooperation agencies (GTZ, AECID), governments, social movements and NGOs in areas such as gender, ethnic diversity, sustainable development and human rights. She conducts research in Latin America and has taught in Colombia, Chile and other universities in New York including CUNY and the New School for Social Research.