A deadly heat wave passed through Texas this summer during the same month that Earth marked its hottest day on record. Thousands of Texans were rushed to emergency departments with heat-related illnesses, and at least nine people in South Texas died from the heat. And scientific consensus predicts these heat waves, and the record-breaking temperatures they bring, are becoming more common and severe due to climate change.Â
What are local governments, nonprofits, and everyday people doing to better prepare for rising temperatures? How can our communities — with infrastructure built for a narrow range of temperatures — prevent the most dangerous effects of extreme heat?
 Join us for a conversation with public health experts, local government officials and community advocates as we explore the ways communities can adapt to a hotter Texas.
The moderator for this event will be Texas Tribune climate reporter Erin Douglas.
This conversation, featuring panelists from around the state, will be prerecorded and screened online and in-person at 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at the Tribune’s Studio 919. The in-person screening will be followed by live Q&A for studio attendees with Dave Harmon, the Tribune’s Environment, Energy and Immigration Editor.
Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. at the Tribune’s Studio 919, located at 919 Congress Ave., Sixth Floor, in Austin. The hourlong conversation will begin at 9 a.m. Parking will not be provided. Street and garage parking as well as ride-sharing are recommended.
This in-person event will be livestreamed for virtual attendees and will be available to watch on demand afterward at texastribune.org/events.
Nicole Alderete-Ferrini holds degrees in both interior design and architecture from Texas Tech University. She has leveraged her background in design and systems thinking to launch a career building better, stronger, more prosperous communities. In 2014, she became the first Latina in the world to serve as chief resilience officer (CRO) for municipal governments. Following six years at the helm of the Department of Community and Human Development, Alderete-Ferrini is also serving as the Climate and Sustainability Officer for the City of El Paso.
Dr. Iván Meléndez is a hospital-based physician practicing emergency medicine, and serves as the health authority for Hidalgo County. He is trained as a family physician and has served the Rio Grande regional area for the last 20 years. He has a Bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Austin and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Texas Pan American. Meléndez graduated with his MD from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine.
Stefania Tomaskovic serves as coalition director for the Houston-based Coalition for Environment, Equity and Resilience (CEER). She believes that a strong, resilient Texas is possible — one where every person can access safe, affordable housing; where every neighborhood has healthy air, water and soil; and where our economy is strengthened by meaningful work opportunities that support healthy livelihoods without doing harm to each other or the environment. Prior to joining CEER, Tomaskovic worked with Public Citizen, a national nonprofit group dedicated to representing the people’s voice in the halls of power.
Erin Douglas is the climate reporter for The Texas Tribune based in Austin where she covers the impacts of climate change, including extreme heat, drought and hurricanes. Since joining the Tribune in 2020, she has reported on the toll flooding takes on mental health, investigated a chemical fire at an industrial facility, and covered the collapse of Texas’ power grid that led to widespread blackouts across the state. Her coverage of the Texas blackouts in 2021 was recognized by the Investigative Reporters and Editors and the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. Erin was previously a business and economy reporter at the Houston Chronicle where she covered labor, energy and the environment. She studied journalism and economics at Colorado State University, and her first newsroom job was interning at The Denver Post, her hometown newspaper.
The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism.
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Email us at events@texastribune.org
Sab Pell is senior director of product marketing at Openform, where her goal is to help people unlock the power of in-person events. Prior to Openform, she led global product marketing teams. Sab Pell is senior director of product marketing at Openform, where her goal is to help people unlock the power of in-person events. Prior to Openform, she led global product marketing teams.
