James Chin Moody | Chief Executive Officer, Sendle
James Chin Moody is a co-founder and CEO of Sendle, a global parcel delivery service dedicated to helping small business thrive through delivery that is simple, reliable and affordable. Sendle is also a B Corporation and only 100% carbon neutral national delivery service. Previously James has held roles as Executive Director, Development at the CSIRO, Australia's national research agency. He was an Australian National Commissioner for UNESCO, member of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and Australian Bureau of Statistics Advisory Boards and Trustee for the Australian Museum. He is the Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Digital Economy and Society. James has a PhD in innovation theory from the Australian National University and was Chief Systems Engineer for the Australian Satellite FedSat, the first Australian satellite to be launched in 30 years. James is an expert and leading thinker on the interface between sustainability and innovation and is the co-author of The Sixth Wave: How to Succeed in a Resource-Limited World which has been published in English, Korean, Japanese and Chinese.
Dr. Lucas Joppa | Chief Environmental Officer, Microsoft
Dr. Lucas Joppa leads sustainability at Microsoft, as the company's first Chief Environmental Officer. In this role, he works to advance Microsoft's core commitment to sustainability through ongoing technology innovation, program development, policy advancement, and global operational excellence. With a combined background in both environmental science and data science, Lucas is committed to using the power of advanced technology to help transform how society monitors, models, and ultimately manages Earth's natural resources. He founded Microsoft's AI for Earth program in 2017 a five-year, $50 million cross-company effort dedicated to delivering technology-enabled solutions to global environmental challenges. With a PhD in Ecology from Duke University and extensive publication in leading academic journals, such as Science and Nature, Dr. Joppa is a uniquely accredited voice for sustainability in the tech industry. ▾
In addition to formerly serving on the Federal Advisory Committee for the Sustained U.S. National Climate Assessment, Lucas is an Associate Editor for the Ecological Society of America's EcoSphere journal and serves on the boards of leading scientific organizations, such as NatureServe and the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC). Prior to his current role, Lucas was Microsoft's Chief Environmental Scientist and led research programs at the intersection of environmental and computer sciences in Microsoft Research, the company's blue-sky research division. He remains an active scientist and one of Microsoft's foremost AI thought leaders, speaking frequently on issues related to Artificial Intelligence, environmental science, and sustainability. Along with his PhD, Lucas holds a BS in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin and is a former Peace Corps volunteer to Malawi.
Jamie Margolin | Founder & Co-Executive Director, Zero Hour
Jamie is a 17-year-old Colombian-American community organizer, activist, author & public speaker. She is the founder and co-executive director of an international youth climate justice movement called Zero Hour that lead the official "Youth Climate Marches" in Washington DC and 25+ cities all around the world during the summer of 2018. Jamie's work is what laid the groundwork for and inspired the current school strike for climate movement, and as the youth climate movement raises higher and higher in profile, Jamie stays grounded in addressing the root systems of oppression like colonialism that caused the climate crisis in the first place. All while in high school, Jamie has organized countless mass mobilizations for change, revolutionary events, actions, protests, written thought provoking Op-Eds for many publications, and gone on speaking tours for climate justice. Jamie is also a plaintiff on Our Children's Trusts' Youth v. Gov Washington state lawsuit, suing the state of Washington for denying her generation's constitutional rights to a livable environment by continuing to make climate change worse, and she is a climate justice organizer in her local Seattle community. Her debut book, "Youth To Power: Your Voice and How To Use It", is hitting bookstores worldwide in 2020. Jamie is one of Teen Vogue's 21 under 21 young women changing the world, and Fuse TV's Latina Trailblazer of 2018.
Bruce Agnew | Director, Cascadia Center & ACES Northwest Network
Since 1993, Bruce Agnew has been leading the Northwest Cascadia initiative serving as director of the Cascadia Center in Seattle. The Center is a private, non-profit, public policy center engaged in regional and international transportation and technology. Bruce also co-chairs of the Transportation Group for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) - a public private partnership of ten Northwest states and Western Canadian provinces/territories. Since 2017, he has served as director of the ACES NW Network dedicated to the acceleration of ACES (Autonomous-Connected-Electric-Shared) technology in transportation. The Network is a 40 member technology driven alliance co-chaired by Tom Alberg, Co-founder and managing partner of Madrona Venture Group in Seattle and Bryan Mistele, CEO/Co-founder of INRIX global technology in Kirkland. In 2009, Seattle Magazine named him "Road Warrior" in their "Power List" of community leaders for his transportation initiatives from advocacy of a Deep Bore Tunnel for the Alaska Way Viaduct Replacement to innovative infrastructure financing, passenger rail and ferries. ▾
He was also awarded the "Smashed Brick" by the Canadian Consul General in 2008 for reducing barriers to cross-border trade and tourism. On the North American front, Mr. Agnew chaired an advisory committee to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) chartered by NAFTA publishing a report,"Destination Sustainability" exploring carbon taxes on trade corridors and serves on the Can Am Border Trade Alliance. From 1987-93, Mr. Agnew was Chief of Staff for U.S. Representative John Miller from Washington state's First District. Before his congressional service, Bruce Agnew was elected to two terms on the Snohomish County Council and served as President of the Puget Sound Regional Council in 1985. Mr. Agnew is a 1974 graduate of Stanford University and a 1977 graduate of U.C. Berkeley Law School (Boalt Hall) and resides with his family in Beaux Arts Village, WA.
Ash Awad | Chief Market Officer, McKinstry
As chief market officer, Ash Awad is responsible for McKinstry's market development strategy and provides leadership for sales and business development efforts across all lines of business. With more than 20 years of industry experience, his extensive market knowledge spans systems engineering, evaluation of sustainable ideas, development of alternative-financing solutions, and optimizing and securing utility incentives and grants. Ash has served the community in a variety of industry and philanthropic roles. He currently sits on the board for both the Pacific Science Center and Climate Solutions. Ash earned his bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Massachusetts and a master's degree from the University of Washington. He is a registered professional engineer.
Lori Blair | Engineer and Scientist, The Boeing Company
Lori Blair has over 25 years of environmental experience and has a passion for stormwater and engaging a diverse group of people to advance innovative ideas to protect this valuable resource. She is currently the Boeing Stormwater Designated Expert and is responsible for advancing nature-based solutions, innovative stormwater technologies, such as the permeable pavement project, and support Boeing site teams with compliance with stormwater requirements. In addition, Lori is part of an Enterprise Stormwater Team with the mission to develop strategic objectives and create opportunities for internal and external collaborations. She has extensive project management experience including managing complex storm water issues at various sites demonstrating compliance with multiple regulatory agency requirements. Her away from work passions include her horse, her goats, hiking with her husband Corey and their energetic Norwegian Buhund.
Alison Booth Gribas | Worker-Owner, Equal Exchange
Alison Booth Gribas is a worker-owner at Equal Exchange, currently serving as a Cafe Manager in their two Seattle area retail outlets. She has been working in fair trade, coffee, and cooperatives since 2001. Alison has held various staff and elected positions at Equal Exchange including two terms as Worker-Owner Coordinator and one term on the Board of Directors. In 2011, Alison joined the Democracy at Work Network (DAWN) as an apprentice and co-authored the toolkit, "Designing Effective Systems of Evaluation and Accountability in Worker Cooperatives" in 2014. In addition to her cafe work, Alison provides training and support for other democratic businesses as a peer advisor with the US Federation of Worker Coop's +Co-op Clinic+.
Heather Burpee | Research Associate Professor & Director, Education & Outreach, University of Washington Integrated Design Lab
Heather Burpee, Research Associate Professor at the UW IDL, is a nationally recognized scholar in high performance buildings. Her work bridges practice, research, and education with collaboration between practitioners, faculty, and students. Her research addresses both qualitative and quantitative aspects of buildings including tracking health impacts and synergies between environmental quality, natural systems, sensory environments, and energy efficiency. She has led several efforts to create protocols for performance based tracking and auditing for hospitals, higher education, and commercial buildings including the nationally recognized Targeting 100! roadmap. She regularly applies these roadmaps in practice, consulting with leading design teams nationally that are charged with implementing high performance buildings.
Katherine Cheng | Head of Global and Community Impact, Expedia Group
As head of Global and Community Impact at Expedia Group, Katherine Cheng oversees CSR strategy, sustainability, corporate grants and giving, volunteerism, and community engagement. Her work is focused on finding ways to keep Expedia's global employees fulfilled in giving back to the communities where they live and work while cultivating relationships and partnerships that have significant impact in the communities where Expedia does business. Katherine honed her skills in international business, strategic communications, and reputation management at some of the world's most iconic brands, including Microsoft and Starbucks, as well as with the U.S. government, working for the Clinton and Obama administrations. She serves on the Board of Trustees as Vice President for the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian American Experience (The Wing) and the Board of Trustees for the Seattle Center Foundation. She also chairs the 30/30 Project Gala Committee and sits on the Susan G. Komen Grace Notes Gala Committee. ▾
In a nutshell, she'll tell you that she has the coolest job in the company. Katherine is a two-time graduate of the University of Washington with degrees in Political Science, American Ethnic Studies, and a Masters in Business Administration. When not supporting the causes and organizations she deeply cares about, she's fueling her passion for travel with her husband and twin 11-year-old boys.
Laura Clise | Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Intentionalist
Laura Clise is the founder and CEO of Intentionalist, an online platform and guide to small businesses and the diverse people behind them. Intentionalist makes it easy to support more connected, inclusive communities through everyday decisions about where we eat, drink and shop. Prior to Intentionalist, Laura held a variety of executive roles leading sustainability, corporate responsibility, supplier diversity, and external communications at AREVA, Plum Creek, and Weyerhaeuser. Laura is an Aspen Institute First Mover Fellow and the recipient of an Exceptional Individual Achievement Award from the Human Rights Campaign. She is an alumna of Carleton College and the Thunderbird School of Global Management. Laura serves on the board of directors for IslandWood and Athlete Ally, and can sing and/or order chocolate ice cream in Spanish, German, Italian, Chinese, Cambodian, Hebrew, and Turkish.
Michelle Connor | President and Chief Executive Officer, Forterra
Michelle Connor has worked to save keystone land for community and environmental well-being throughout her 25-year career at Forterra. She has now played a part in more than 400 transactions worth $500M and provided executive leadership in all phases of public policy, community engagement, negotiations, fundraising, and innovative finance (notably the Forterra Strong Communities Fund). Highlights of her leadership include successful completion of the 4,000-acre Kitsap Forest and Bay Campaign, saving the Wayne Golf Course in Bothell so that it can become a large public park, protecting waterfront on Maury Island from being developed as a gravel pit, restoring the culturally important Duwamish Hill Preserve, adding the scenic Moolak Lakes to the Mt. Si Natural Area, negotiating a community stake in coming redevelopment at 23rd and Union in Seattle's Central District, and laying the groundwork for Wadajir, a micro-enterprise hub in Tukwila together with the Abu Bakr Mosque. Michelle is a third-generation Washingtonian, with an M.S. from the University of Washington's College of Forest Resources and a B.A. from the Evergreen State College.
Mikhail Davis | Director of Technical Sustainability, Interface
Mikhail Davis is Director of Technical Sustainability at Interface, a world-leading modular flooring company with a fully integrated collection of hard and soft flooring. Interface's mission, Climate Take Back™, invites industry to commit to making a profit in a way that is restorative to the planet and creates a climate fit for life. Mikhail is responsible for advancing Interface's mission in the Americas by building internal leadership capacity, facilitating strategic alignment of efforts, and creating external partnerships that shift the marketplace toward sustainability. An expert in sustainable materials, he leads Interface's product transparency efforts in the Americas and was lead author and editor of the Radical Industrialists column at GreenBiz.com for two years. He also chaired the LEED Materials & Resources Technical Advisory Group for the US Green Building Council (2016-2019). Previously, he served as manager to environmental icon David Brower and spent five years with Blu Skye Sustainability Consulting building sustainable business strategies for Fortune 500 companies including Walmart, Staples, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. He holds a B.S. in Earth Systems from Stanford University and is a certified Biomimicry Specialist (Arizona State University).
Beth Doglio | Representative, Washington State, 22nd Legislative District
Beth Doglio is a state representative from the 22nd Legislative District, which encompasses most of Thurston County. Beth's environmental leadership in our state began nearly three decades ago as the founding Executive Director of Washington Conservation Voters (WCV), and most recently as the Power Past Coal campaign director for Climate Solutions. Serving in the legislature since 2017, Beth is one of Washington's foremost leaders on the environment, where she has helped lead the passage of groundbreaking legislation to make Washington a leader in the fight against climate change. She led the charge on the Clean Buildings for Washington Act, the first building performance standard applied to existing buildings anywhere in the country, that will improve the energy performance of thousands of large commercial buildings while lowering costs and pollution from fossil fuel consumption.
Davina Duerr | Representative, Washington State, 1st Legislative District
Rep. Davina Duerr has spent her life in service to her community. A longtime Bothell resident, Davina has worked on preserving open space and addressing affordable housing and transportation needs, with a particular focus on environmental sustainability. Rep. Duerr also currently serves as a councilmember in the city of Bothell, where she works with cities across the region to meet the needs of her community. Before taking office, Rep. Duerr served as Vice President of the Northshore Schools Foundation and was a co-founder and co-chair of the Foundations' M.I.L.K. Money campaign, which helps to raise money for students experiencing homelessness. She also had over 10 years of service on the Bothell Landmark Preservation Board, including 8 years as Chair. Rep. Duerr was inspired to seek appointment to the legislature after working to secure funding for I-405 capacity increases in the state budget last year. A daughter of a Taiwanese immigrant, Davina was raised in upstate New York, and then attended Syracuse University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in architecture. She currently works as a senior interior architect at a local architecture firm and is raising two active teenagers. Davina serves on the Transportation, Consumer Protection & Business, and Local Government committees; and is currently Vice Chair of the Local Government Committee.
Colleen Echohawk | Executive Director, Chief Seattle Club
Colleen Echohawk is an enrolled member of the Kithehaki Band of the Pawnee Nation and a member of the Upper Ahtna Athabascan people of Mentasta Lake. Executive director of the Chief Seattle Club, a non-profit dedicated to meeting the needs of homeless and low-income urban Native people in Seattle. Founder of the Coalition to End Urban Native Homelessness. Mrs. Echohawk is interested in working with community to create systems and structures that help facilitate wellness and encourages kindness and courage. Her work has been focused on organizational development and leadership; helping brilliant people do better work for the greater good. Colleen holds a B.A. degree from Antioch University and a Certificate in Organizational Development and Leadership. She is the co-founder and principal at Headwater People Consulting Group She serves on several boards including, Seattle Foundation, KUOW (National Public Radio member station), All Home Coordinating Board, Metropolitan Improvement District, Pioneer Square Preservation Board and is the board chair at Red Eagle Soaring Native Youth Theatre, and past board member at the Chief Seattle Club. Colleen is a proud Mom to two children and is married to Matt Hayashi. In her spare time she loves to read, sing karaoke, listen to National Public Radio and cook delicious food for friends and family.
Ara Erickson | Director Corporate Sustainability, Weyerhaeuser
As Director of Corporate Sustainability at Weyerhaeuser, Ara Erickson is responsible for building the right sustainability strategy for the company, creating a clear plan to achieve the related goals and reporting on progress. Her team also helps ensure a sustainable supply chain for Weyerhaeuser's customers, while creating value and new opportunities related to sustainability for the company. Topics that make Ara's job interesting are natural resource resiliency, breaking down the barriers that keep good ideas moving forward, and the relationship between forests, carbon and climate change. Prior to joining Weyerhaeuser, Ara directed a community-based, urban forest restoration program and conducted forest-related spatial and social science research and outreach. Ara received an M.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Washington and a B.S. in Resource Management/Forestry from U.C. Berkeley.
Hilary Franz | Commissioner of Public Lands, State of Washington
Elected in 2016, Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz protects and manages nearly six million acres of public lands in Washington State - from coastal waters and aquatic reserves, to working forests and farms, to commercial developments and recreation areas. Commissioner Franz is committed to ensuring our public lands are healthy and productive, both today and for future generations. The Commissioner of Public Lands administers the state Department of Natural Resources and its 1,500 employees, directs the management of 5.6 million acres of state-owned lands, supervises DNR's wildfire protection on millions of acres of state and private forest lands and chairs the state's Board of Natural Resources and the Forest Practices Board. Hilary is a third-generation farmer and small forest landowner, and has raised three wonderful boys. She holds a bachelor's degree from Smith College and a juris doctor from Northeastern University Law School.
Ubax Gardheere | Equity Strategies Manager, City of Seattle
Ubax is the Equitable Development Initiative Division Manager in the City of Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development. She currently oversees the EDI fund the City is investing in community-based organizations working in Seattle on anti-displacement strategies and economic development opportunities. Ubax's core values are rooted in Social Justice and transformative practice. she prioritizes working towards equity, authentically listening to community and she has extensive experience in community development and building an inclusive vision with many of Seattle's communities of color. She was a member of the Housing Affordability Livability Agenda Committee. Ubax previously was a Program Director at Puget Sound Sage. She was responsible for advancing Sage's priorities related to equitable transit-oriented development, she focused on land use policy, affordable housing policy, transit-oriented development, community based participatory planning, leadership development and importance of racial justice in policy making. ▾
Ubax serves as a Governance Group Member for Communities of Opportunity, a multi-million dollar, cross-sector initiative aimed at creating systems change across King County to address equitable health, housing and economic opportunity. She serves on the board of Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) a partnership of the County and East King County Cities who have joined together to assist with preserving and increasing the supply of housing for low- and moderate-income households in the region. Ubax is a proud single parent to three very energetic kids who keep her on her toes.
Mark Grey | Principal, Stephen Grey & Associates
Mark and his family currently live in Seattle where Mark is the owner of Stephen C. Grey & Associates, a specialty full-service commercial real estate firm serving Western Washington. Mark is active in the Seattle real estate market and recently completed new construction and major renovation projects in Seattle. Mark has 20 years in the industry and during that time has remained involved in the community through neighborhood organizations and school/business boards. Mark is also the founder of Clean Lake Union, a non-profit focused on improving water quality. Mark enjoys implementing his passion for pioneering higher building standards on real estate projects whether through the restoration, renovation or new construction projects. Mark Grey graduated in 1992 with a B.A. in Business from Santa Clara University and he and his wife have four daughters.
Duncan Griffin, AIA | Managing Principal, HDR
Duncan Griffin, AIA, is a registered architect with 30 years of experience in Health, Education and Commercial buildings. Throughout his career he has focused on creating more sustainable solutions in buildings to address the harm that buildings can do to the environment and our communities. His local clients have included the University of Washington, Washington State University, Overlake Hospital, Harborview Medical Center, Valley Medical Center, and CHI Franciscans. As Managing Principal of HDR's Architecture Studio in Seattle, Duncan leads a practice focused on bringing regenerative design principles to our diverse clients with health, community, and education projects. Building on our history of Mass Timber buildings, he has developed a new standard: "Carbon-Balanced Buildings", in which there is more carbon sequestered in the shell and core of a building than were emitted in the rest of the materials. A successful outcome for him is a project which delivers healthy experiences for building occupants, a flexible building infrastructure, and facilities that serve the community through reduced water, energy and carbon impacts.
David Heslam | Executive Director, Earth Advantage
David Heslam has been a national leader in the effort to develop and deploy energy labeling systems into the residential market. This work began in 2008 with early research in Oregon on energy labels and has continued through work with Earth Advantage in the implementation of energy labels in 16 states in all regions of the country. Heslam gained insight into the need for energy labeling during the 15 years he spent designing, building, and remodeling homes in Portland, OR. His national award-winning company, Coho Construction Services Inc., became known as a local and national leader for adopting new technologies and striving for high levels of sustainability. He built a Zero Energy home in 2004 and a Zero Water home the year before. Heslam's work at Earth Advantage has included the development of software, research into the effectiveness of energy audits, research into the feasibility of labeling systems, implementation of programs to enable the valuation of green and efficient homes, plus education for designers, contractors, REALTORS, bankers and appraisers about high performance homes.
Dune Ives | Executive Director, Lonely Whale
Dune Ives is the executive director of award-winning Lonely Whale, where she designs and leads initiatives that address environmental degradation and species decline. Through her leadership, Lonely Whale has received global recognition as one of Fast Company's World Changing Ideas, Huffington Post's Top Ten Movers and Shakers in Environmental Sustainability, the P4G 2018 Circular Economy Award sponsored by the Danish Government, and more. Dune has spoken at Milken Institute of Philanthropy Expert Convening, Washington Post LIVE, and as the Plenary Speaker at the 2018 Our Ocean Conference in Bali, Indonesia. Prior to Lonely Whale, Dune designed and oversaw Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Philanthropy, co-founded the Green Sports Alliance, and was among the first individuals trained by the Honorable Al Gore to deliver his presentation on global warming. Dune has a Ph.D. in Psychology from Utah State University.
Ellen Jackowski | Global Head of Sustainability Strategy & Innovation, HP Inc.
Ellen Jackowski drives HP's Sustainable Impact strategy and programs that focus on the planet, people and the communities that HP serves. Ellen also oversees efforts to align and integrate these programs with HP's Personal Systems, Imaging and Printing, and 3D Printing business groups to ensure that sustainability is at the core of HP's business results. Previously, Ellen was a management consultant focusing on strategy projects for Fortune 500 companies. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University and is a faculty member of the The Prince of Wales's Business & Sustainability Programme at the University of Cambridge.
Stanley Janicki | Vice President of Business Development, Sedron Technologies
Stanley serves as the Vice President of Business Development at Sedron Technologies where he is active in creating new markets for the companies' disruptive technologies. Such as transforming how the Department of Defense handles waste water, deploying new technologies to solve agriculturally derived nutrient pollution, and fundamentally changing how biosolids are handled across the country. In addition to his role at Sedron Technologies Stanley also serves as a board member at Sedron Agriculture and a technical advisor to Janicki Industries. Prior to joining Sedron Technologies Stanley graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Computer Engineering and spent several years working as a software engineer for Cisco Systems in Seattle.
Zenobia Jeffries Warfield | Executive Editor, YES! Media
Zenobia Jeffries Warfield is a national award-winning journalist, 13-year media professional and advocate for racial equity and racial justice. Zenobia began her journalism career in 2007 at the Michigan Citizen Newspaper, formerly a community newspaper in her hometown of Detroit, where she rose from reporter to managing editor, and finally editor before the paper closed in 2014. Zenobia is now Executive Editor at YES! Media in Seattle, where she joined as an associate editor in 2016, and became a senior editor in 2019. In both positions Zenobia worked remotely from Detroit, establishing the national magazine's racial justice beat for its online and print publications. As YES!'s Executive Editor, Zenobia leads editorial partnerships, print magazine production, manages editorial systems, and assists with management of beat editors. ▾
In addition to her work in journalism, Zenobia has served as an adjunct professor at Marygrove College in Detroit, teaching a graduate course on Media Effects on Social Justice, and has lectured and presented on media and social justice in other college and community spaces. She has also traveled to several African countries, covering their democratic process and elections.
Duane Jonlin | Energy Code and Energy Conservation Advisor, City of Seattle, Department of Construction and Inspections
Duane Jonlin is the Energy Code and Energy Conservation Advisor for Seattle's Department of Construction and Inspections, and for the past eight years chaired the Technical Advisory Group developing the Washington state energy code for the State Building Code Council. At the US federal level, he is a voting member of both the ASHRAE 90.1 Committee and the ICC Commercial Energy Code Committee. Prior to taking his position at the City of Seattle, Duane was a principal at NBBJ, with 30 years experience designing complex projects as a technical architect. He is a featured speaker nationally on issues of energy efficiency and energy regulations, and in 2016 was elected to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows.
Christophe Jospe | Chief Development Officer, Nori
Christophe Jospe is Chief Development Officer and a founder of Nori, a new private-sector carbon removal market. Nori has developed a program to issue Nori Carbon Removal Tonnes (NRTs), a sellable asset that represents one tonne of CO2 removed, and a methodology to enable the estimation, quantification, and verification for soil organic carbon accruals in US croplands. Jospe leads the efforts to generate supply and iterate and improve the methodology from the 2020 croplands pilot.
Jonah Kurman-Faber | Author and Senior Research Associate, Climate XChange
Jonah is a Senior Research Associate at Climate XChange, a national research organization focused on state climate policy. He provides technical assistance to policymakers on climate action, and has authored research on topics spanning environmental justice, public health, decarbonization, carbon pricing, and economic development. Most recently, he co-authored Build Back Better: Investing in a Resilient Recovery for Washington State. He is currently authoring similar reports for other states.
Elizabeth Leavitt | Senior Director, Environment and Sustainability, Port of Seattle
Elizabeth has over 40 years' experience in the environmental, port and aviation fields. She currently works as the Port's Senior Director, Engineering, Environment and Sustainability directing Port-wide efforts on environmental and sustainability as well as leading Engineering which includes designers, construction managers and surveyors. Prior to this position, she represented the Port of Seattle as the Director of Aviation Planning and Environmental Programs. She was responsible for managing the groups that delivers comprehensive planning and environmental services for Seattle -Tacoma International Airport, including the airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan. She was also successful in obtaining the permits for the controversial third runway project at SeaTac. Before joining the Port, she was a regulator and consultant, as well as California Institute of Technology's leader of Environmental Management at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Elizabeth is currently a member and past chair of Airport's Council International-North America's Environmental Steering Committee and the past Chair of the ACI-World Environment Standing Committee.
Brad Liljequist | Zero Energy Senior Program Manager, McKinstry
Brad Liljequist is the zero-energy senior program manager for McKinstry where he leads the company's zero-energy and zero-carbon efforts nationally. He is currently managing the zero-energy and zero-carbon elements within McKinstry's Catalyst building and several other client projects. Before joining McKinstry, Liljequist directed the energy, carbon and community programs for the International Living Future Institute, which included creating the first international zero-carbon building certification. He also developed the first certified multifamily zero-energy project in the United States, zHome, as well as Issaquah Fire Station 72, winner of the national ASHRAE Technology Award. Liljequist is the author of The Power of Zero: Learning from the World's Leading Zero Energy Buildings. His work has been covered by The New York Times, BBC, Wall Street Journal, NPR, Seattle Times, Architectural Review, GreenBiz and many others. He holds a master's in environmental policy from the University of Washington Evans School and a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University along with additional education and training from the University of St. Andrews and Seattle Central College.
Liz Lovelett | Senator, State of Washington
Sen. Liz Lovelett represents the 40th Legislative District in northern Puget Sound, including San Juan County and portions of Whatcom and Skagit Counties. She was appointed to the Senate in 2019. As a fifth generation Anacortes resident, Liz is rooted and invested in the 40th District. She has served as a community leader, championing affordable housing, water management, school construction, oil train safety, and improving lives for people in her community. She has served Anacortes as a city council member, and regionally as a board member for several organizations. Liz has a desire to foster working relationships between state government and the communities she serves. With a goal to promote environmental stewardship, balance community growth and economic vitality, and find solutions that put people first; she's helping make Washington a sustainable place to live and work. Liz is the Vice Chair of the Environment, Energy & Technology Committee and serves on the Local Government and Transportation committees. Liz is a mother, sister, and daughter of Anacortes residents. She is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree at Western Washington University's Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies, studying politics, environmental science and public health. She has been a small business owner and operator, and is a proud homeowner.
Alex Mayo | West Sound Marketing
Alex Mayo is a Western Washington based leader committed to reforming our criminal legal system. In recent years he has worked with several Seattle-based nonprofits led by formerly incarcerated individuals, including the Freedom Project, Washington Voices, What's Next Washington, and Civil Survival. He has also been appointed as a community organizer for Prison Voices Count and serves on the King County Equity Cabinet alongside his co-panelist Sarneshea and moderator De'Sean. Through a combination of his lived experience and professional training, he has supported each of these organizations and enthusiastically works with others in the community to amplify the voices of people impacted by the criminal legal system. Through activities such as grant writing, developing websites, and community organizing, he has joined an active community of leaders, each with lived experiences, committed to realizing an equitable world.
David Mead | Senior Associate, PAE
David is a committed advocate for net-positive buildings and brings an innovative approach to greenhouse gas analysis to advance building performance towards a carbon neutral future. He leads the building analysis and modeling group at PAE engineers and worked on the net zero energy fellowship for Project Drawdown.
Page Motes | Director, Sustainability Strategy, Dell
Page Motes is the Director of Sustainability at Dell Technologies. She is responsible for engaging with subject matter experts, business leadership, customers and other important external stakeholders to help define and drive Dell's strategic vision and plan of record for the company's sustainability efforts. Prior to this role, Page spent 10 years in Dell's Global Ethics & Compliance Office, most recently as Senior Managing Director, overseeing and managing Dell's ethics strategy and proactive culture of integrity initiatives, including the Code of Conduct, compliance and ethics-related awareness programs and signature ethics operational processes for Dell and its global team members. Both roles have been complimented by an additional 15 years in sales and consulting, much within the ethics, compliance, risk and governance space. ▾
Page is a member of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) and former Board member of the Ethics and Compliance Initiative (ECI). She has guest lectured at The University of Texas Law School and McCombs Business School, as well as the University of Colorado at Boulder and Bentley College. Page is also a Hill Country Chapter member of the Young Men's Service League (YMSL), which engages high school boys to develop a heart for service in their communities.
Dr. Sarah Myhre | Executive Director, Rowan Institute
Dr. Sarah Myhre (she/her) is a climate and ocean scientist, with expertise in environmental justice, decision-making, and communication. She is the Executive Director of Rowan Institute, which is a think-tank for public leadership on climate change. A public communicator and strategic advisor, she has more than a decade of work across scientific, educational, non-profit, and governmental sectors. Her writing bylines can be found in Newsweek, the Guardian, Yes Magazine, The Stranger, and Scientific American.
Erin Osher | Managing Director, Porter Novelli Seattle
Erin Osher leads the Seattle office of Porter Novelli, PR Week's Purpose Agency of the Year. Erin advises brands and philanthropies about how they can use marketing and communications to inspire people to act for social change. She has collaborated with Timberland, The North Face, McDonald's, Scholastic and others to bring purposeful brand campaigns to life around the world. In 2019, Porter Novelli Seattle was named one of the Most Equitable Workplaces and 100 Best Companies to Work for In Washington. Erin and her family moved to Seattle in three years ago, after 15 years in Brooklyn.
Carolyn Parrs | CEO & Founder, Mind Over Markets
Carolyn Parrs is the CEO of Mind Over Markets (MIND), a brand marketing and consultancy that helps companies get to the heart of their sustainability story and stance so that they can move their market and change the world. As committed sustainability advocate, she created Women Of Green, an online community that "turns up the volume" of the feminine voice in green. Her most recent endeavor: Removing 1000 tons of plastic from the ocean by helping beauty and wellness brands elevate their sustainability commitments by transforming their packaging from virgin plastic to new, beautiful packaging made with Ocean Waste Plastic. Carolyn started her journey working at some of the top New York City advertising agencies such as Benton & Bowles and Wunderman Worldwide, serving clients such as General Foods, Proctor & Gamble, AT&T, IBM, Richardson-Vicks, Manufacturers Hanover Trust, Time/Life Books and more. Her products have appeared on television shows such as Good Morning America, ABC News, CBS News and on radio and cable shows such as HBO, CNN and Lifetime Channel. Print coverage includes The New York Times, L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, People Magazine and Cosmopolitan.
Brett Phillips | Vice President, Sustainable and Responsible Investments, Unico Properties
Brett Phillips is an award-winning sustainability leader and advocate, whose private and public work on decarbonization is shaping how the built environment is addressing climate change. He is Vice President of Sustainable and Responsible Investments at Unico Properties, a subsidiary of Unico Investment Group, where he manages high-performance green building and renewable energy projects for Unico's national real estate portfolio. He is also co-founder of Unico Solar Investors, a Unico subsidiary that develops, operates, and supplies solar energy for commercial real estate and business portfolios across the United States.
De'Sean Quinn | Program Manager, Equity & Social Justice Implementation, King County
De'Sean developed his lifelong passion for community service and the environment at a very young age, volunteering alongside his father at the local Boys and Girls Club, other nonprofits, and on environmental restoration projects. He served as the Community Relations Manager for King County Executive Ron Sims. He was later appointed as Council Relations Director, where he served as chief liaison to the King County Council, and then as Regional Relations Manager under Executive Dow Constantine, interfacing with all 39 King County cities. De'Sean is in his 4th year on the Forterra Board an environmental and conservation organization. In addition he is a member of the Strong Communities Fund, a tool to accelerate the strengthening of our communities by pooling, leveraging and directing social investment capital. He served as the co-chair He is a champion of Centering Equity in government and the environment movement.
Baha Sadreddin | High Performance Design Specialist, ZGF Architects
Baha Sadreddin is a high-performance design specialist at ZGF Architects in Portland, Oregon with a focus on climate-responsive design optimizations through quantitative simulations. He is interested in an integrated approach that leads to a meaningful balance between the quantitative performance and the qualitative essence of design. Baha received a Master in Design Studies in Energy and Environments from Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD), took graduate coursework in Building Technology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from University of Oregon.
Amy Shatzkin | Deputy Director, Environmental Affairs and Sustainability, Sound Transit
Amy Shatzkin directs the Sustainability Program at Sound Transit, Central Puget Sound's regional transit agency. Amy leads sustainability initiatives effecting the design, construction, and operations for the agency's bus, train and light rail services. She is currently implementing green building and infrastructure standards for Sound Transit's $54B capital expansion plan - and working to reduce the agency's greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning to clean fuels. Previously, Amy worked with domestic and international non-profit organizations to develop local government climate policy. Amy holds a Master of Environmental Management degree from the Yale School of Forestry and currently serves as the Vice Chair of the American Public Transportation Association's Sustainability Committee.
Liz Smith | Independent Filmmaker and Writer
Liz Smith's work focuses on using media to create systemic change. She's currently co-producing a feature documentary about the Juliana v United Statesclimate lawsuit and writing a PBS Changing Seas episode about the Deepwater Horizon blowout. As the former Director/COO of Conservation Media Group, a non-profit funder of impact-driven media, she designed the Catalyst Workshops to train filmmakers and non-profits working on ocean and energy issues, like 350.org's #breakfree campaign to keep fossil fuels in the ground. She's spent 6 years producing media aboard research vessels in the Pacific, Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Gulf of Mexico; and she has helped bring live deep-sea exploration into classrooms, explored 2,000-year-old shipwrecks, searched for Amelia Earhart, and assisted with search and recovery operations off the coast of Syria as Dr. Robert Ballard's Director of Communications. She's a Fulbright Specialist and holds an MFA in Science and Natural History Filmmaking and a BA in Astronomy. She began her career as an Astrophysics TV Producer at NASA.
Marilyn Strickland | former Mayor of Tacoma, WA & former Chief Executive Officer, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
Marilyn Strickland is the former president and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Recognized by leaders throughout the Seattle metro area for her strategic, collaborative, and forward-thinking style, Strickland champions a regional approach to address our most pressing issues, including economic opportunity, housing affordability, and transportation. She is the first person of color and second woman to hold this role in the 137-year history of the organization. During her tenure, the Chamber has launched a podcast, is incubating the Housing Connector which links landlords and private property owners to those in need of housing, leads regional business expansion and retention efforts in King County, is taking a proactive approach to business advocacy and media relations, and was named one of Seattle Magazine's 100 Best Places to Work for 2019. Strickland previously served two terms as Mayor of Tacoma, where she forged new ground in transportation, education, workforce training, international investment, and economic development. ▾
Prior to elected office, she held marketing communications positions in both the private and public sectors. She now serves on the steering committee of the Cascadia Innovation Corridor, and is a trustee for the Urban Land Institute and Annie Wright Schools. She serves on the boards of Seattle City Club, the National Development Council and is a member of the International Women's Forum. Strickland holds a B.A. from the University of Washington and a Master of Business Administration from Clark Atlanta University.
Kevin Tempest | Co-Founder and Research and Development Scientist, Low Carbon Prosperity Institute
Kevin heads analytical projects and GHG Explorer for the Low Carbon Prosperity Institute (LCPI), the position he previously held for the Washington Business Alliance. Kevin previously worked as a Staff Scientist in Climate and Energy topics at SEI-US where he evaluated carbon infrastructure lock-in, natural gas as a transition fuel, approaches to limit fossil fuel extraction, and global urban greenhouse gas emissions pathways. Kevin holds a Master's Degree in Chemical Oceanography from the University of Washington, where he was a Program on Climate Change scholar. His latest project for LCPI evaluates opportunities to rebuild from the health and job crises in Washington through a Resilient Recovery Portfolio of investments that prioritize the local economy and jobs, public health, and climate change.
David Walsh | Director of Sustainability, Sellen Construction
Dave Walsh is a Registered Architect and the Director of Sustainability at Sellen Construction where he leads sustainability efforts on deep green projects including the new State of Washington Helen Sommers Office Building, Federal Center South and a new corporate headquarters for a Seattle technology company. Informed by his dual experience in architecture and construction, Dave collaborates with architects, engineers, manufacturers and owners to find materials that move projects beyond business-as-usual. Specifically, he has worked to reduce the embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions in new concrete mixes. Dave chaired the AIA Seattle Public Policy Board and was a Board Member of both AIA Seattle and the Seattle 2030 District. He is currently on the leadership team for Washington Businesses for Climate Action (WBCA) and chairs the Materials Focus Group for the Embodied Carbon Network, an initiative of the University of Washington's Carbon Leadership Forum. He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Kansas, completed post-graduate architectural studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, and holds a certificate in Green Chemistry and Chemical Stewardship from the University of Washington.
John Walsh | Senior Vice President, Proterra
John Walsh is the Senior Vice President at Proterra, a leading innovator in heavy-duty electric buses, batteries, charging and infrastructure. Walsh leads "Proterra Transit" Business Segment, helping to continue the company's success in the North American market. Walsh has nearly three decades of experience in the mobility industry and particular expertise in the heavy-duty vehicle sector. Most recently, Walsh was President and Chief Operating Officer of Davey Coach Sales, Inc., one of the leading dealers of new and used mid-sized buses and shuttles in North America. Prior to that, he served as President of the REV Group (NYSE: REVG), one of the largest bus manufacturing groups in the United States. Walsh was also Vice President of Sales and Marketing at ARBOC Specialty Vehicles and CEO of VPG Autos, maker of the MV-1, the first purpose-built wheelchair-accessible car. Before that, Walsh spent more than two decades at National Bus Sales & Leasing, Inc. and served as President, where he grew National from a small school bus dealership to the largest bus dealership in the U.S. John is a Board Member with CTE, Center for Transportation and the Environment and a Member of the American Public Transportation Association and serves on the Battery Electric Bus Committee and Workforce Development Committee.
Brad Warren | Executive Director, National Fisheries Conservation Center
Brad Warren is Executive Director of the National Fisheries Conservation Center and its Global Ocean Health program, focused on the effects of climate change on the ocean, and on fisheries, tribes, and coastal communities. Brad founded the program in 2007 after a 25+ year career in fisheries journalism and consulting, including 8 years as editor and publisher of Pacific Fishing magazine. Brad proposed and served on Washington's Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification and is an advisor to Terry Williams, treaty rights director for the Tulalip Tribes. He worked heavily on the 2018 carbon fee initiative to ensure that rural and tribal communities were given the opportunity to be part of the solution.
Kevin Wilhelm | Chief Executive Officer, Sustainable Business Consulting
Kevin Wilhelm is the CEO of Sustainable Business Consulting and is the world's pre-eminent consultant in the field of Sustainability. Kevin brings 20+ years of experience working with 160+ businesses helping them realize business value through the integration of sustainability into their business and communication practices. Some of his firm's clients include New York Life, Nordstrom, REI, Expedia, The North Face, Alaska Airlines, IAC, Whole Foods, PCC, Kohls and the Cities of Seattle & Tacoma. Additionally, he has taught at both the graduate and undergraduate level and has written five acclaimed books in the sustainability field including: the true guide to implementation "Making Sustainability Stick". and the just release this April - "Talking to the Other Side: Sustainable Tools for Finding Common Ground."
Kate Yoder | Journalist and Associate Editor, Grist
Kate Yoder is an associate editor at Grist in Seattle, where she covers climate change with a focus on language and culture. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, Mother Jones, and Wired, and she has been featured on NPR's On Point, among other radio programs. Her essay "War of Words" won a Folio Magazine Award for Essays and Criticism. A born-and-raised Hoosier, Yoder grew up in Elkhart, Indiana, and attended the nearby Goshen College. She is a sourdough bread devotee.
View our speakers from years past: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008.