Speakers
Frank Rizzo, Partner, Environmental Resources Management
Frank Rizzo is a Partner at Environmental Resources Management (ERM), the largest sustainability consultancy and the leading global provider of environmental, health, safety, risk, and social consulting services. Frank is part of ERM's Strategic Communications & Stakeholder Engagement team. He leads client work on community affairs, stakeholder engagement, government relations, environmental justice issues, and mitigating opposition to capital projects and land development.
Frank has over 20 years of experience developing and managing stakeholder engagement and community outreach programs for controversial land development projects for various industries across the county. He has led comprehensive social due diligence programs for data center siting projects in four states for some of the largest technology companies in the world. In addition to his work on data centers, Frank has worked on renewable energy projects, power transmission lines, traditional energy infrastructure, and computer chip manufacturing plants.
Frank has won six Pollie Awards from the American Association of Political Consulting for his stakeholder and grassroots engagement work on land use projects and political campaigns. He is frequently featured as a speaker on stakeholder engagement, community outreach, and grassroots mobilization at conferences and corporate trainings. And in 2022, the Public Affairs Council recognized Frank's work as Campaign Manager on a national advocacy program with their top "Lobbying Innovation" award.
His experience with stakeholder engagement and community relations programs includes projects involving the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and many other state and local environmental regulations around the United States. In addition to his extensive experience with projects in the United States, Frank has managed global teams and worked on community affairs and stakeholder programs in Europe, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
Previously, Frank served as a policy advisor to over 20 gubernatorial campaigns, including Governor Bill Richardson, Governor Janet Napolitano, Governor Kathleen Sebelius, and former Attorney General Janet Reno's campaign for governor. He was also part of the communications team for former Senator Bill Bradley's presidential campaign. In addition, he advised over 30 top-tier house races while working at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Frank also worked at the White House Office of Management and Budget, and as a Communications Manager for the Service Employees International Union, the country's largest union. He also worked at some of the country's leading political consulting firms, producing television, radio, and direct mail advertisements.
He earned a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Albany in New York and a Bachelor of Science in History and Politics from Drexel University in Pennsylvania. Frank also attended the MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program "Dealing with an Angry Public" and the Harvard Business School's "Leading Professional Services Firms" program.