Coastal Resilience: Adaption for an Uncertain Future  

Ellen Watts, FAIA, LEED AP is co-founder of Architerra, a Boston firm dedicated to climate action through design excellence. Architerra took top honors in the international Boston Living with Water Competition and has won more than 30 national and regional design awards for its innovative sustainable designs, including AIA/COTE Top 10 Green Buildings and zero net energy exemplars. More than a decade ago, Watts co-chaired the Massachusetts Governor’s Zero Net Energy Building Task Force. More recently, she helped launch Boston Climate Bridge learning exchanges with Germany and Denmark. Watts holds degrees from Smith, Harvard, and MIT, in government, architecture, and real estate development respectively.

Scott McCready, ALSA is a principal at SWA with more than 20 years of both regional and international experience. Through his work, McCready seeks to find innovative solutions to complex sites, synthesizing place-making and infrastructure needs to create environments that enrich, educate, and endure. He has engaged in a number of projects along Houston’s waterways, including Buffalo Bayou Park, Bagby to Sabine Promenade, Rosemont Bridge, and Brays Bayou. McCready’s work seeks to enhance the social and ecological infrastructure of the urban environment while broadening access and connectivity to open space within the city.

David Tepper, AIA is a principal at Ennead Architects and leads the firm’s healthcare practice. Tepper focuses on strategic planning, campus design, infrastructure, and implementation for complex healthcare environments, working with stakeholders to define priorities and build consensus. He has a special expertise in resilience for essential facilities and works with institutions to plan for continued climate change, retrofit existing buildings, and establish standards for mission-critical facilities. Tepper received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University and a Master of Architecture from Harvard University. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Society for Campus and University Planning.