Archives: Profiles
Basics
The Union of Concerned Scientists
The Union of Concerned Scientists is a foundational sponsor of the Crossroads Convening.
January 13, 2026
Larisa Ortiz
Larisa Ortiz is a former New York City Planning Commissioner and expert focused on retail, commercial corridors, and downtowns. She is a managing director at Streetsense and a member of the Regional Plan Association’s New York Committee.
January 7, 2026
Jarah Jacquay
Jarah Jacquay is a husband, father of seven, and civic leader in Pensacola, Florida, working at the intersection of health, infrastructure, public stewardship, and the common good. He is the Co-Founder and President-Emeritus of Bluffline Inc. and the Founder and Managing Principle of Virtuous Cycle LLC.
December 23, 2025
Bob Mittelstaedt
Longtime resident of Marin County and (mostly) retired trial attorney in San Francisco, with decades of jogging, hiking and biking on Mt. Tam. Found a second life with eMTB and eRoad bikes. Member of the MMWD Community Advisory Committee on E-Bikes. Member of Marin County Coalition Against Human Trafficking; Discovery Master and Settlement Judge … Continued
December 23, 2025
Tal Kreisler
Tal Kreisler is CEO and Cofounder of NoTraffic, developer of the leading AI-powered mobility platform for real-time traffic management solutions that track and optimize all road users, from vehicles to pedestrians. He leads a multidisciplinary team of experts in AI, machine vision, cybersecurity, and engineering to deliver the most advanced traffic management platform on the … Continued
December 22, 2025
Austin C. Jefferson
Before becoming Albany Bureau Chief in late 2025, Austin C. Jefferson was a state politics reporter for City & State NY, covering state government, elections and major legislative debates. His reporting has also appeared in the Daily Freeman, Chronogram Magazine and The Legislative Gazette. Having grown up in the Hudson Valley, he’s always happy to … Continued
December 16, 2025
Ethan Andersen
Ethan Andersen lives in Brooklyn, New York and is a Master’s of Urban Planning student at the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
December 8, 2025
Jonathan Lethem
Jonathan Lethem is one of the greatest writers working today. He writes essays, novels and short fiction. Check out his website at jonathanlethem.com.
November 18, 2025
Frank Morano
Frank Morano was a longtime radio show host on WABC, sometimes partnering with frequent mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, before being elected to the City Council from Staten Island in a special election to succeed Joe Borelli in 2025.
November 14, 2025
