Please join us for a critical discussion on the role of energy in the Russian-Ukrainian War, and impacts to North America.
100% of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the International Rescue Committee, a non-profit that provides food, medical care and emergency supplies to refugee families, including families in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen. Our hearts are with those affected by war.
Please join YPE NYC for a virtual panel on the impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to domestic and international energy markets.
Discussions regarding international conflict, US foreign policy, and trade are incomplete without an understanding of the global energy landscape; we’ve brought together a panel of experts in an effort to understand how energy informs political decision-making (and vice versa.). Beginning with an introductory presentation by Dr. Margarita Balmaceda, we will be joined by a panel of experts for a 45-min moderated conversation to discuss recent geopolitical escalation, the impact of international sanctions, and how the invasion of Ukraine informs the conversation around US energy independence.
Questions are encouraged to be submitted during registration.
Speakers:
Introductory Presentation: Dr. Margarita Balmaceda, Professor of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University, and Associate of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University
Panelist: Rebecca Abou-Chedid, Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright
Panelist: Shrutih Tewarie, Partner at Foley Hoag
Moderator: Anjali Berdia, Sustainability Analyst at SDCL
Agenda:
6:00 - 6:05 pm - Gathering
6:05 - 6:20 pm - Introductory Presentation
6:20 - 6:50 pm - Panel
6:50 - 7:00 PM - Wrap-Up
Speaker Bios
Dr. Margarita Balmaceda
Dr. Balmaceda, Professor of Diplomacy and International Relations, joined the School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University in 1999, where she received tenure in 2003 and was promoted to Professor in 2010. She teaches courses on the Politics of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity, on Post-Soviet and East European Politics and Foreign Policies, as well on Master's Research Project.
Currently she is an Associate of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies and of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University. A specialist on the comparative energy politics of the post-Soviet states, since 2000 she has been “following the pipeline” – i.e. following the complex web of interconnections that accompany the energy relationship between Russian oil and gas producers, post-Soviet transit states, and European consumers. This research agenda has taken her on multiple field research stays in Eastern Europe and the former USSR, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Hungary and Moldova. Support from three Fulbright Awards, as well as funding from the Ford Foundation, the, Humboldt Foundation, the DAAD and many other foundations, has made possible such ambitious research agenda. Fluent in Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, German, near-fluent in Hungarian and with a good working knowledge of Belarusian, Dr. Balmaceda feels very much at home almost everywhere in Eastern Europe. And with the strong international presence at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, she is happy to use her language skills in many one-to one discussions with her students.
Rebecca Abou-Chedid
Rebecca Abou-Chedid is a Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright. Her practice focuses on the representation of public and private entities in domestic and international project finance and energy projects. Ms. Abou-Chedid represents project sponsors, commercial banks, and multilateral agencies on the acquisition and financing of domestic and international infrastructure and energy projects. Abou-Chedid served as Vice-Chair of NRF’s Minority Lawyers Network, is a member of the board of directors of the Foundation for Middle East Peace and SEED for Change and is a fellow with the US/Middle East Project.
Shrutih Tewarie
Shrutih Tewarie is a partner in Foley Hoag’s Litigation and White Collar departments, and serves as the Co-Chair of the firm’s Trade Sanctions and Export Controls practice.
Shrutih represents national and international entities, and their officers, directors and others in a variety of criminal and regulatory investigations, including grand jury investigations, in matters involving allegations of government contracting and health care fraud, bribery, violations of the False Claims Act, and in anti-corruption, trade sanctions, export controls and anti-money laundering matters. She is skilled at helping clients navigate and defend against investigations and formal and informal inquiries by a wide range of governmental authorities, including the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the U.S. Departments of Treasury and Commerce, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Host / Moderator: Anjali Berdia
Anjali Berdia is the Sustainability Analyst for Sustainable Development Capital LLP (SDCL), an investment management firm that funds energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions in Europe, North America, and Asia. In her role, Anjali supports both the ESG Team and Sustainable Cities Team, specifically focusing on monitoring environmental policy developments, establishing the firm’s decarbonization strategy, publishing the ESG report, and helping to facilitate public-private collaboration.
Previous to her current role, Anjali worked for SDCL as a Sustainable Cities and Communications Intern after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 2021. Anjali majored in English and minored in Environmental Humanities, supplementing her coursework with multiple long-term, multidisciplinary research projects involving climate skepticism, regional carbon trading programs, and subnational environmental legislation. Anjali also held climate and journalism-related internships throughout college, notably at the Clean Air Council, UNFCCC, Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press, and NoCamels.com.