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          Series
          2026 Government Affairs Forum | Governor Maura Healey

          Come hear from Governor Maura Healey as she addresses Chamber members as the 73rd Governor of the Commonwealth.

          02/24/2026

          9:45am - 11:00am

          The Westin Boston Seaport

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • EXPLORE OUR PROGRAMMING:

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          • Economic Inclusion
          • Small Business & Entrepreneurship
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          Read More
          Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
          Massachusetts Apprentice Network

          The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.

          Read More
          Women’s Leadership Program

          Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.

          Read More
          Partnership with Boston Public Schools 

          The Chamber Foundation invites the business community to engage with Boston Public Schools leaders and their students to help build the future workforce.

          Read More
          Strategic Communication for Better Collaboration

          Level up your leadership and communication in this Boston Chamber workshop for professionals—gain essential skills in team alignment.

          Read More
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City Awake logo

Words of Wisdom | Vivien Li

April 16, 2025 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

Event Details

  • Gain valuable insights from climate expert Vivien Li’s journey and experience in environmental advocacy and public access, all while enjoying an intimate dinner with other young professionals.
  • Discover pivotal moments in Vivien Li’s career and learn how her initiatives have transformed Boston’s shoreline to preserve public access.
  • Get the details on Vivien’s waterfront revitalization efforts, including the creation of the HarborWalk trail and cleaner beaches.

Tickets

  • Individual Ticket: $35 (Member & Non-member)
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  • Overview
  • Speakers
  • Agenda
  • FAQs
  • Funders

Get Inspired. Be Empowered.

Nationally recognized environmental and climate expert, Vivien Li, has been instrumental in transforming the Boston Harbor waterfront into a vibrant community space. Her notable achievements include championing the creation of the 43-mile HarborWalk trail and spearheading efforts that have resulted in cleaner beaches. Her advocacy has significantly contributed to preserving public access and revitalizing the city’s shoreline. Li’s visionary initiatives have fundamentally changed how residents engage with and perceive Boston’s waterfront.

Join us for an engaging conversation with Vivien Li as she delves into the pivotal moments of her career as a climate expert. Discover how her transformative work continues to inspire the ways we interact with and appreciate the city of Boston.

City Awake’s Words of Wisdom series brings a senior leader to a small group of young professionals for a conversation about the incredible milestones they have observed in their career. It is a space for young professionals to ask questions about the leader’s experience and learn from their journey.

ABOUT CITY AWAKE

City Awake is the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s premier young professional platform that awakens and empowers the city’s next generation of thought leaders and change makers who are navigating Boston’s business, civic, and cultural communities.

Questions? Contact Us.

Jessica Sanon
Jessica Sanon

Senior Program Manager

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

Email Jessica

Speakers

Vivien Li headshot
Vivien Li

Commission Member, Boston Municipal Lobbying Compliance Commission

Vivien Li is a nationally recognized environmental and climate expert, having been President and CEO of Riverlife, where she worked with Pittsburgh’s riverfront…Read more
Vivien Li is a nationally recognized environmental and climate expert, having been President and CEO of Riverlife, where she worked with Pittsburgh’s riverfront property owners to ensure public access and open spaces, and public amenities such as public rest rooms and electric charging stations.

Previously, Vivien headed The Boston Harbor Association for more than two decades, where her advocacy resulted in a cleaner Boston Harbor, enhanced Boston Harbor Beaches for urban residents, an active Working Port, and a 43-mile HarborWalk public access system with amenities for the public to enjoy. Years before Super Storm Sandy in 2012, Vivien convened the first-ever Boston Harbor Sea Level Rise Forum to create awareness and action on climate change.

Vivien’s activism started in high school during the first Earth Day in 1970, and has been documented in an oral history recently released by UC Berkeley’s Bancroft Library. She has an honorary doctorate from Allegheny College in PA, and degrees from Barnard College, Columbia University, and Princeton University.

Vivien serves as a trustee of Barnard College, a member of Princeton School of Public and International Affairs’ Advisory Council, a member of the national Sierra Club’s Investment Advisory Committee, and on the Boston Municipal Lobbying Compliance Commission. A long-time Boston resident, Vivien volunteers weekly at local soup kitchens and food pantries to help address food insecurity as a result of climate change.

See on LinkedInarrow-go
JulieEatonErnst
Julie Eaton Ernst

Climate Resilience Practice Leader, HNTB Corporation

Julie Eaton Ernst is HNTB’s Climate Resilience Practice Leader based out of Boston, MA. She is a licensed professional civil engineer (MA #54968), and her background…Read more
Julie Eaton Ernst is HNTB’s Climate Resilience Practice Leader based out of Boston, MA. She is a licensed professional civil engineer (MA #54968), and her background in geotechnical and dam safety engineering and more than 10 years of experience in industry underpins her specialized ability to navigate the uncertainty associated with climate change and complex systems to identify cost-effective and equitable solutions that can adapt over time.

Julie actively supports public sector clients across the United States with implementing resilience programs and policies and delivering resilient solutions. Julie has led multiple award-winning projects that have set standards for resilient transportation planning and design, including the ResilientMass Action Team (RMAT) Statewide Climate Resilience Design Standards Tool and Boston’s Climate Resilience Design Guidelines for protecting rights-of-way.

Julie is a published subject matter expert, including writing “Case Study 3 – From Molasses to Sea Level Rise: Boston’s North End” in Climate Change and the Built Environment, published by ACEC in 2022. She has been nationally recognized for her contributions to the industry, including being a recipient of the 2022 Young Professional of the Year Award from ACEC and the 2018 Ascending Leader Award from EBC. Her unique education, with bachelors degrees in both Political Science (University of Rochester) and Civil and Environmental Engineering (UMass Lowell), and a masters degree in Civil Engineering (UMass Lowell), helps her effectively navigate the intersection of policy and engineered solutions.

Julie resides in Lowell with her husband, daughter, and two kitties, and loves attending musicals and plays.

See on LinkedInarrow-go

Agenda

  • 5:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. | Registration

    At this time, all attendees will be checked in by Chamber staff.

  • 5:20 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Networking & Dinner

    Feel free to grab a plate and dig in. Food will be served throughout the event! Spend this time mingling with others; making endless connections.

  • 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | Conversation with Vivien Li

    Sit back, listen, and enjoy Vivien’s story. If time allows it, we will take a few questions from the audience.

FAQs

  • What is included in my registration?

    Access to a welcoming community of professionals over a great conversation and dinner!

  • What should I bring?

    An interest in learning and networking with other professionals. Oh, and don’t forget business cards.

  • What should I wear?

    Please come dressed for your day!

  • Is the location accessible by public transit or is there parking available?

    The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce office is conveniently accessible via public transportation, with limited metered street parking available nearby. Attendees can reach the office by taking the Orange Line to State Street or the Red Line/Silver Line to South Station, followed by a 7-10 minute walk.

  • Is this location handicap accessible?

    Yes, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce is handicap accessible. If you need any accommodations, please contact our team at [email protected].

  • COVID Policy

    The Department of Health and Human Services lifted the Presidential Declaration of a National Public Health Emergency arising from the COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, 2023. Therefore, COVID-19 will no longer be considered a national health emergency. The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce will continue to monitor trends and act accordingly based on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance.

    Your health and safety remain our top priority while attending programs, events, and meetings. COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are strongly recommended. The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce still follows exposure guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.

    If you fell ill or learn of an exposure before an event or meeting, whether with COVID-19 symptoms or others, please stay home and contact your healthcare provider.

    *Please note -If the venue or host of the program has additional policies or protocols, we will adhere to them and notify attendees in advance.

Funders

Barr Foundation logo
New England Aquarium logo

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

265 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110

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All cancellations must be received at least three (3) business days prior to the event to avoid being charged or to receive a refund.

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce encourages persons with disabilities to participate, and engage fully, in its programs and events.

If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation, including but not limited to, listening devices, closed captioning, large print, wheelchair access, allergies and environmental sensitivities, or if you have any questions about the venue, event format, or virtual platform, please contact us.

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