About Dominic

Dominic Frongillo is the youngest elected Council member in the Town of Caroline, New York.

A lifelong citizen of Caroline, Dominic Frongillo made history when he was elected to Caroline's Town Council at age 22. Now 26, he serves as his county's youngest-ever Deputy Town Supervisor.

Dominic participated in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen in 2009 and Bali in 2007 as a member of the U.S. Youth Delegation. He helps lead Energy Independent Caroline, a team dedicated to local energy independence, which delivered one energy-saving light bulb to all 1,400 households in Caroline on April 2008.

A graduate from Cornell University's College of Human Ecology in 2005, Dominic earned an independent degree with honors in Sustainable Community Development. A Cornell Urban Scholar, Dominic worked for the Association of Communities Organized for Reform Now (ACORN) in Brooklyn, NY, the Tompkins County Planning Department in Ithaca, NY, and on a World Bank project for the Program of International Nutrition at Cornell.

Dominic now works as Energy Smart Communities Coordinator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County.

Dominic speaks with Nobel Laureate Al Gore about launching a clean energy economy in the United States

Local Leadership

Dominic is active in leadership in Caroline and Tompkins County.

Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative, Steering Committee

Tompkins County Greenhouse Gas Plan, Steering Committee

Town of Caroline, Deputy Supervisor

Caroline Website Advisory Committee, Chairperson

Energy Independent Caroline, Liaison and Secretary

Caroline Planning Board, Liaison

Tompkins County Council of Governments, Liaison

Inter-municipal Recreation Partnership of Tompkins County, Former Chairperson

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, Former Board of Directors

Curriculum Vitae

Dominic has a diverse set of experiences in community organizing, education, policy, planning, and research. Some major work and academic experiences are listed below.

ENERGY POLICY

Energy Independent Caroline | 2005 - Present
Co-founder and acting chair, Caroline, NY

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County | 2009 - 2010

Energy Smart Communities Coordinator

New York State 2050 Climate Action Plan | 2010

Integration Advisory Panel and Residential-Industrial working group

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change | 2009 and 2007
SustainUS Delegate, Copenhagen, Denmark and Bali, Indonesia

DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Caroline Town Council and Deputy Supervisor | January 2006 - Present
Councilmember, Caroline, NY

Program in International Nutrition | March 2006 - June 2008
Research Assistant, Cornell University

Tompkins County Planning Department | Fall 2005 - Fall 2006
Planning Project Assistant, Ithaca, NY

HUMAN ECOLOGY RESEARCH

College of Human Ecology | August 2004 - May 2005
Senior Honors Thesis, Cornell University

Department of Design & Environmental Analysis | Spring 2003 - Fall 2004
Research Assistant, Cornell University

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

Association of Communities Organized for Reform Now | May - July 2003
Assistant Organizer, Brooklyn, NY

Institute for Central American Development Studies | May - August 2004
Development Intern, San Carlos, Costa Rica

TEACHING

Department of Design & Environmental Analysis | February 2007 - July 2007
Teaching Assistant, Ecological Literacy and Design

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Member, SustainUS National Youth Network for Sustainability 2005 - 2010
Member, Young Elected Officials National Network 2008 - 2010
Featured Guest, Democratic Socialists of America Television, Ithaca NY 2008 - 2010
Acting chair, Energy Independent Caroline Town Action Committee 2006 - 2009
Board of Directors, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County 2008 - 2009
Keynote Speaker, Youth Energy and Environment Expo, Canton NY 2010
Delegate, United Nations Convention on Climate Change, Copenhagen, Denmark 2009
Speaker, Adirondack Youth Climate Summit, Tupper Lake NY 2009
Coordinator, Central New York Delegation to Power Shift 2009
Panelist, Economic Crisis Forum, Ithaca NY 2009
Chairperson, Recreation Partnership of Tompkins County 2007 - 2008
Delegate Alternate, New York State Association of Towns Conference 2007 - 2008
Presenter, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Ed. 2008
Keynote Speaker, Little Live Earth, Greenville NY 2008
Keynote Speaker, Low-Income Forum on Energy, Albany NY 2008
Speaker, State of the Planet course, Cornell University 2008
Delegate, United Nations Convention on Climate Change, Bali, Indonesia 2007
Plenary Speaker, Community Forum on Energy, Ithaca College 2007
Participant, Powershift: national youth climate change summit 2007
Participant, Pathways to a Sustainable World Conference, Rochester NY 2007
Participant, Oikos Convergence on Sustainable Enterprise, Cornell University 2007
Delegate, United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development 2006
Participant, Ithaca Car Share Summit, Ithaca NY 2006
Secretary, Farmworker Advocacy Coalition, Cornell University 2004 - 2005
Activist, Save Redbud Woods Working Group, Cornell University 2005
Organizer, Ithaca United Soccer Club Dryden adult team 2005
Volunteer, America Votes door-to-door voter participation drive 2004
Participant, Rural & Migrant Ministry statewide farmworker solidarity tour 2003
Presenter, Democracy Matters student education presentations 2003
Trainee, Empathic Assistance and Referral Services counselor training 2002

Dominic Frongillo

A New Generation of Leadership