DATE CHANGED TO WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH

The Press Club of Cleveland presents a discussion on “Lake Erie and Climate Change: What can we expect?”

Register now! Seating is Limited!

Please join us for a special event at WKYC TV 3, on Wednesday SEPTEMBER 6 at 6 p.m. as these panelists tackle the topic of what role Lake Erie may play in the future of Cleveland’s climate. Seating is limited to 70, so please RSVP as soon as able.

Cost is $14 for Press Club members and $18 for non-members. The program will include appetizers and beverages. Registration Link

“Lake Erie and Climate Change: What can we expect?” is sponsored by Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District

Panelists:

Betsy Kling

Betsy Kling has won Emmy awards as both Chief Meteorologist and Anchor at WKYC. 



Born and raised right here in Northeast Ohio, Betsy's hometown, Copley, is in Summit County just to the west of Akron. After graduating from Copley High School she went to Bowling Green State University where she earned her journalism degree and a minor in meteorology. She finished her remaining meteorology coursework through Mississippi State University. Betsy worked in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Jacksonville, Florida, before coming home in 2003. In 2008 she became Cleveland's first female Chief Meteorologist. Betsy is also the co-anchor of the 11 p.m. news with Russ Mitchell.

Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells

Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells is the Chief Executive Officer of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, a regional entity providing sanitary and stormwater management services to Cleveland and 62 suburban communities in Northeast Ohio.

As CEO, Ms. Dreyfuss-Wells oversees the operation of one of the largest clean-water agencies in Ohio, a district that treats 90 billion gallons of water every year thanks to the work of more than 750 employees. She works closely with seven Trustees and senior leadership to ensure efficient management of hundreds of miles of sewer and stream networks, a multi-billion-dollar 25-year Project Clean Lake program, and a regional wet-weather strategy for the health of Lake Erie and more than one million residents.

Crystal M.C. Davis 

Crystal M.C. Davis is a respected professional with a career in government affairs that bloomed in Columbus, Ohio and Washington D.C. Crystal is currently with the Alliance for the Great Lakes as its Vice President of Policy & Strategic Engagement, leading the organization’s efforts related to Lake Erie, drinking water policy advocacy and relationship building across the region. To return to Greater Cleveland, Crystal left a position in D.C. as the Federal Relations Director for Kent State University, where she established KSU’s federal office and policy agenda on Capitol Hill. Her previous experience includes stints with the Ohio House of Representatives, the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Crystal is a graduate of Kent State University, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., an Ohio Lake Erie Commissioner, Environmental Commissioner and member of the J.E.D.I. Committee for the City of Twinsburg, Ohio, 2018 Crain’s Cleveland Business 40 under 40 Honoree and 2021 Great Lakes Protection Fund Trailblazer Honoree. She is an Akron, Ohio native and now lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband and their two young children

Bryan Stubbs 

Stubbs is a recognized leader in implementing sustainable economic development strategies and building resilient communities. He has over twenty years of experience leading technologically and environmentally focused projects in Chicago, Silicon Valley, and Ohio. As President and Executive Director of Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA), he oversees the development of one of the most effective water innovation clusters in North America.



Stubbs has grown the organization’s reach and impact around the hypothesis that improving water quality through innovative technology and strengthening a regional economy are not mutually exclusive. CWA recently mobilized $5 million of investments from federal, state, and municipal supporters into its world-class Water Accelerator Testbeds and has catalyzed explosive water economy job creation that is outpacing that of the advanced manufacturing, biohealth, and additive manufacturing industries.

Stubbs earned his BA from the University of Kansas, his MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and his Executive MBA from the Presidio School of Sustainable Management.

Moderator: Zaria Johnson 

Zaria Johnson is a reporter/producer at Ideastream Public Media covering the environment. She is a Cleveland native and 2022 graduate of Kent State University. Previously, she interned with The Columbus Dispatch, The Land and Akron Life Magazine. Prior to graduation she worked as editor-in-chief of Kent State's student publications The Kent Stater/KentWired and UHURU Magazine. She is passionate about community engagement and community-based reporting, especially on topics relating to the environment and marginalized communities.