John Steponick

My background, expertise, prior education, and interests lie at the intersection of climate change, disasters, environment, and society. After completing my master’s degree, I ventured west to California initially to work in the realm of disaster recovery, assisting local governments around the state in their recovery efforts. This valuable experience eventually led me to Ascent, where I now work to help communities become more resilient to natural hazards exacerbated by climate change, such as extreme heat, flooding, wildfire, and drought. As part of Ascent’s Climate Action and Adaptation Planning (CAAP) practice, I primarily focus on the climate change adaptation and community engagement components of climate action plan preparation. In addition, I have a strong foundational knowledge of climate science, disaster management, and best practices in risk communication.

Away from work, I am a lifelong ice hockey player and currently play in a local Sacramento-area league. I also enjoy doing landscape and cityscape photography, visiting local coffee shops, playing strategic board games, and watching my favorite Cleveland/Ohio sports teams. And I am an avid karaoke enthusiast!