3.0
November 4, 2011

elephant recommends: Opportunity Green Conference : Los Angeles : November 10-11, 2011

Opportunity Green is a winning combination of a two-day business conference with a day of mixed-level interactive workshops, tours, book signings, CEO showcases and VIP gatherings. Our attendees include everyone from entrepreneurs, MBAs and CEOs to those designing and developing the next generation of sustainable solutions and new business models. Our speakers and workshop leaders are some of the biggest names in the industry.

The conference is hugely popular across all industries. For the past four years, the conference has sold out. Held in partnership with the UCLA Anderson School of Management’s Price Center, Opportunity Green is looking forward to welcoming over 900 attendees in 2011. This year’s conference will take place November 10-11th at Los Angeles Center Studios in downtown Los Angeles, with pre-conference events on November 9th.

 

Discount code (EJ30) for elephriends (30% off).

 

We were planning to highlight some of our fave speakers, but there were too many ammaaazing ones so we had to list them all!


    • William Acevedo @WAcevedo

      Partner
      Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean, LLP
      William “Bill” Acevedo, a partner in Wendel Rosen’s Litigation Practice, leads the firm’s Green Business Practice Group – an experienced group of attorneys who advise and support companies that value health, the environment, and a sustainable economy. In addition to his work as an advocate in solving his clients’ complex business disputes, he has advised a long list of notable clients, including those in green media, environmental advocacy organizations and a number of eco-friendly product companies on a myriad of business issues and transactions. His personal commitment to… read more

       

    • Rohit Aggarwala @NYCMayorsOffice

      Program Lead, Environment
      Bloomberg Philanthropies
      Rohit T. “Rit” Aggarwala is an environmental policy expert, transportation planner, and historian. He currently serves as Special Advisor to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in his capacity as Chair of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, and an environmental advisor to Bloomberg Philanthropies. He lives in Palo Alto, California. From 2006 to 2010, Aggarwala was the Director of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability for the City of New York. In that role, he served as the chief environmental policy advisor to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, and led the…read more

       

    • Natacha Arnaud Battandier

      Sustainability Director
      Opportunity Green
      Natacha joined Opportunity Green several months ago. In charge of the Green Team, she has defined the company’s sustainability strategy for 2011 and pushed Opportunity Green to innovate sustainably. 2011 key initiatives include a resource recovery program over a two-week period, alternative travel solutions for attendees, an electronic conference program, a sustainability report using GRI framework, the offset of 100% travel and energy carbon emissions and stakeholder engagement. Natacha has more than 10 years of experience as an internal or external sustainability and strategic planning consultant for mid size and international companies from… read more

    • Elizabeth Barry

      Chief Sustainability Officer
      Marsh & McLennan Companies
      Elizabeth Barry, LEED AP ID+C serves as Chief Sustainability Officer for Marsh & McLennan Companies. As Chief Sustainability Officer, Ms. Barry is responsible for the development, implementation and integration of operational efficiency strategies. In this capacity, she is charged with building an enterprise sustainability program, encompassing real estate, technology, procurement and corporate travel, as well as focusing on addressing revenue generation components in brand integrity and additional service offerings. Over the past four years, Ms. Barry has developed an expertise in the creation and implementation of sustainability strategies at the corporate… read more

       

    • Yves Behar @yvesbehar

      Founder, Chief Designer
      fuseproject
      The need to design products and use materials that are strongly rooted in sustainability is a driving force for Béhar and fuseproject and is evident in the range of projects that fuseproject has developed. Béhar is renowned for his interest in humanitarian and ethical design, encouraging consumers to be aware of their environmental and social impact. Béhar believes that design is a force for positive social change and has forged a reputation for innovative work in sustainable design. Béhar has collaborated with the Mexican government to eyeglasses for schoolchildren, has brought a… read more

       

    • Fridolin Beisert @ACCD

      Associate Professor
      Art Center College of Design
      Fridolin Beisert is a practicing design professional who also conducts workshops and lectures for global corporations and executive education institutions. He received his Master’s of Science in Industrial Design on the topic of “Creative Strategies”, which consists of a set of learning techniques that stimulate and liberate the creative potential of individuals to help them apply new conceptual thinking into their work. Currently, Fridolin is an associate professor at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena with a focus on teaching creative problem solving, design thinking methodologies, cross-disciplinary team… read more

       

    • Chuck Bennett, Ph.D

      Vice President, Earth & Community Care
      Aveda
      As Vice President, Earth & Community Care for Aveda, Chuck Bennett is responsible for leading the company’s environmental and community outreach. Dr. Bennett guides the company and its affiliated network of salons and retail outlets in taking the Aveda mission to new levels of success globally. Prior to joining Aveda, Dr. Bennett served as Director of Environmental Affairs for Adolph Coors Company from 1988 to 1993. There, he led the development of the company’s environmental strategy and management systems, and helped create environmental policy for the state of Colorado, through… read more

       

    • Ron Blitzer

      CEO & CoFounder
      Be Green Packaging 
      Ron Blitzer (CEO/Co Founder) of Be Green Packaging LLC. Be Green Packaging,) designs, manufacturers, and distributes Cradle-to-Cradle™ certified, tree-free, compostable packaging for both the food and industrial/retail packaging industries. Blitzer has been in the packaging, beverage, retail food, and distribution business since 1982. A serial entrepreneur Blitzer founded American Softserve Systems Inc., which manufactured and distributed softserve ice creams and yogurts under license to ARCO am/pm Mini Markets. In the mid 1990’s he started a chain of organic juice and smoothie bars in San Francisco called Re Juice A Nation…. read more

       

    • Jay Bolus @CradletoCradle

      Vice President of Technical Operation
      McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry
      Jay Bolus is Vice President of Technical Operations for MBDC and as such is responsible for the development and implementation of MBDC’s Cradle to Cradle® Product Certification program. Additionally Jay functions as MBDC’s Director of Science and is responsible for the accurate and timely completion of all ongoing project deliverables. Jay was directly responsible for the development of MBDC’s Cradle to Cradle® Benchmarking methodology, a tool to evaluate the impact chemicals and materials have on human and environmental health throughout their life cycles. Jay’s projects include the development of the… read more

       

    • Aron Bosworth, LEED AP O+M, BD+C

      Sustainability Advisor
      Brightworks
      Aron currently manages a variety of LEED-NC, EB and CI projects for Brightworks, as well as teaching LEED exam preparation workshops throughout California. A former member of Jean-Michel Cousteau’s science, research and education department, Aron guided story development and field production activities for a primetime PBS documentary film series and consulted for hospitality clients on environmentally responsible building products. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a background in anthropology and biology, and strives to facilitate a built environment that mirrors nature’s processes while… read more

       

    • Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, Ph.D.

      Co-Founder
      Lime Design Associates
      Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, Ph.D., a co-founder of Lime Design, is adjunct faculty at the Stanford Technology Ventures Program and the co-instructor of the Creativity & Innovation course offered at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). She is also a key member of the REDlab (Research in Education & Design) at Stanford’s School of Education, and has a Ph.D. in Developmental Biology from Stanford. Leticia is fascinated with how people learn and the dynamics of creative teams. Growing up, one of the people who influenced her the most was her basketball… read more

       

    • Oliver Campbell @Oliver_Campbell

      Director Procurement
      Dell
      Oliver Campbell is the Procurement Director at Dell, and is responsible for much of Dell’s revolutionary packaging innovations. Since the Cornell University graduate was promoted to this position in 2006, Dell has become a world leader in sustainable packaging, reducing its packaging material use by 18.2 million pounds. Newsweek ranked it as the “greenest company in America” in 2010. With Campbell at the forefront, Dell is set to once again lead the industry with new packaging materials such as bamboo and mushroom-based foam in development.

       

    • Maureen Carroll, Ph.D.

      Co-Founder
      Lime Design Associates
      Maureen Carroll, Ph.D., is a co-founder of Lime Design, and the Research Director of Stanford University’s REDlab (Research in Education & Design), a partnership between Stanford’s d.school and the School of Education. Her previous company, Bay Breeze, was a curriculum design firm that created education projects for arts and media organizations. Trained as an ethnographer, with a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley, Maureen sees Lime Design’s work as a perfect synergy of teaching, mentoring and creating learning materials. Her publications can be found in places as diverse… read more

       

    • Leslie Cordes

      Senior Advisor
      United Nations Foundation
      Leslie has 24 years of professional experience in the legislative sector, executive branch, and non-profit field with a focus on climate change, sustainable development, clean energy and water, and other global environmental issues. She currently serves as Senior Director of Partnership Development for the United Nations Foundation’s where she works to develop partnerships in support of the foundation’s clean energy, climate, and special initiatives. During the past year, she also held the position of Interim Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, an innovative public-private partnership… read more

       

    • Rich Cox

      Principal Facilitator
      Lime Design Associates
      Rich Cox, Principal Facilitator of Lime Design, combines years of experience as Business and Performance Coach in business, finance and technology along with his extensive work in leadership communication and improvisational theater. Rich teaches innovation and leadership communication with organizations worldwide including Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Google, Microsoft, Visa, Cisco, Vestas, Blackrock, SRI, the Bravo television network and the Oracle Education Foundation. He performs and teaches at BATS Improv, the premier improvisational theater company in San Francisco, and has studied extensively with renowned improvisation expert Keith Johnstone. Prior… read more

       

    • David Crane @nrgenergy

      President and Chief Executive Officer
      NRG Energy
      David Crane has served as President, Chief Executive Officer and on the Board of Directors of NRG since December 2003. Crane leads NRG’s transformation into the nation’s premier energy company positioned for a sustainable energy future—developing new solar, wind, high efficiency gas and other generation sources while growing NRG’s retail, carbon capture and electric vehicle service businesses. Crane has been recognized for exemplary leadership, receiving such awards as Ernst & Young’s 2010 Transformational Achievement award, EnergyBiz’s 2010 CEO of the Year and Institutional Investor’s 2011 top CEO in the electric… read more

       

    • Robert Cull @CedarsSinai

      Executive Project Director
      Cedars-Sinai Medical Center 
      As Executive Project Director for Cedars-Sinai Health System, Robert leads the project team developing the Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion, a new 800,000 square feet clinical research and patient care building currently under construction and scheduled to open in May of 2013. Robert’s professional career has been focused on healthcare facility planning, design and construction. Prior to joining Cedars-Sinai Health System, Robert was the Partner for Healthcare at Jensen + Partners and Director for Facility Development at Saint John’s Health Center. As an architect he has been a principal and healthcare… read more

       

    • Gray Davis @governorDavis

      Governor of California (Ret) / Counsel Loeb & Loeb LLP
      State of California 
      Joseph “Gray” Davis was overwhelmingly elected the 37th governor of California in 1998, winning 58 percent of the vote. As Governor, he made education a top priority, signing legislation to strengthen California’s K-12 system by establishing the Academic Performance Index to increase accountability in schools, and expanding access to higher education with a record number of scholarships and college loans. These reforms improved student achievement scores for six consecutive years. While presiding over California during an economic expansion, Davis made record investments in infrastructure, created four Centers of Science… read more

       

    • Lewis Fix @lfix

      VP Sustainable Business & Brand Management
      Domtar
      Lewis Fix is Vice-President, Sustainable Business & Brand Management of Domtar. In this role, he directs the environmental business strategy for Domtar’s pulp and paper segment as a member of the company’s Sustainability Committee. Additionally, he directs the marketing communications and advertising functions of the pulp & paper business. Lewis also manages Domtar’s relationships with environmental non-governmental organization (NGO) partners, setting goals for continuous improvement. Lewis has spoken throughout North America on subjects like forest certification, corporate and NGO relationships, sustainability in the paper industry and the “greening”… read more

       

    • Kathy Gerwig @kathygerwig

      VP, Environmental Stewardship Officer
      Kaiser Permanente
      Kathy Gerwig is the VP of Workplace Safety and Environmental Stewardship Officer at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco. She has helped pioneer the hospital’s commendable efforts to reduce chemical use, save energy and cut waste by focusing on creating sustainable hospitals. Kathy holds an MBA from Pepperdine University. She is also on the board for the Center for Environmental Health and has testified before Congress advocating reform of toxic chemical legislation.

       

    • Dave Gilboa* @warbyparker

      Co-Founder & Co-CEO
      Warby Parker
      Dave is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Warby Parker, a transformative eyewear company that designs and sells vintage-inspired glasses for a fraction of the price of retail stores and distributes a pair to someone in need for every pair sold. Dave’s Swedish Viking roots have guided him through past adventures at Bain & Company, Allen & Company and The Wharton School.

       

    • Peter Glatzer @SHFTdotcom

      Producer & Co-Founder
      SHFT.com
      Peter Glatzer is an independent film producer with six films to his credit, including the Sundance hit THE GRAVE and the Tim Roth/Renee Zellweger thriller DECEIVER. He has made films and created television shows for HBO, Miramax, Fox, MGM and Discovery. Prior to producing, he was the Executive Director of the Hamptons Film Festival and the creator of the IFP Gotham Awards. In 2006 he started to look for sustainable options for himself and found a dearth of scattered information, which led to his partnership with Adrian Grenier and the… read more

       

    • Sean Gourley @sgourley

      CTO & Co-Founder
      Quid
      Sean Gourley, Quid co-founder and CTO, did research into the mathematics of war for his PhD thesis at Balliol College, Oxford. His findings appeared as the featured article in “Nature” (December 2009) and were the subject of a popular TED talk (2009). His work on statistical analysis, probability, and algorithm development applied to complex systems and large datasets inspired the creation of Quid. Sean is a Rhodes Scholar PhD in Physics (Complexity) from the University of Oxford; his is undergraduate degree in Physics is from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch,… read more

       

    • Dave Graham

      Partner
      GreenStart
      Dave Graham is a Founding Partner at Greenstart, the world’s first cleantech-only accelerator. He has been starting, building and investing in technology startups for more than a decade as Managing Partner at ArizonaBay Technology Ventures. Before that, Dave co-founded consumer Internet startup OpenAuto in 1999. Dave believes in lean startups, the Customer Development model, and that too much capital too soon can be fatal for new ventures. Dave is a board member at CloudSponge, TrustMe and SpineDigital, and works with at-risk youth as a Board Member at The Wolfe Center…. read more

       

    • Lee Green @smarterplanet

      Vice President, Brand Experience and Strategic Design
      IBM
      Lee Green is the Vice President, Worldwide IBM Brand Experience and Strategic Design. He has responsibility for IBM’s worldwide brand experience initiatives, strategic design and IBM’s Design Consulting Services offering for IBM clients. Mr. Green has played a pivotal role in IBM’s re-branding efforts over the last 15 years. His team also leads the corporation’s efforts in the area of “advanced concept design” working closely with IBM Research. In his career with IBM Lee has held numerous marketing, communications and management positions. Recently, he has focused aligning brand strategy with… read more

       

    • Adrian Grenier @adriangrenier

      Actor, Filmmaker & Cofounder
      SHFT.com
      Adrian Grenier is an actor, filmmaker, and musician well known for his role on HBO’s Entourage. He co-founded SHFT in 2009 with film producer Peter Glatzer after the two collaborated on Alter Eco, a Green Lifestyle TV series for Discovery.

      Adrian’s individual activism on the environment, along with his work through SHFT.com showcases a myriad eco-products, service, lifestyle choices and information via social and traditional media to the public.

      Adrian’s activism and work on behalf of many charities, the creation and work of SHFT, and, his personal choices… read more

       

    • Sheeraz Haji

      CEO
      Cleantech Group
      CEO – Sheeraz Haji As CEO of Cleantech Group, Sheeraz Haji is one of the world’s most influential cleantech thought-leaders and trusted advisors to global companies and executives. Prior to joining the company, Sheeraz served for eight years as co-founder and CEO of GetActive, a venture-backed software-as-a-service, customer relationship management company. He led GetActive’s merger with Convio, then as Convio’s president built a company with 1,200 clients and 300 employees. Sheeraz has also worked as a strategy consultant for McKinsey & Company; entrepreneur-in-residence (EIR) for El Dorado Ventures; operations executive for GMO,… read more

       

    • Jeremy Heimans @jeremyheimans

      Co-Founder & CEO
      Purpose
      Jeremy Heimans is co-founder and CEO of Purpose.com, a social enterprise that mobilizes millions of citizens and consumers to help solve major global problems. Purpose has built global movements to fight cancer (with LIVESTRONG) and eliminate nuclear weapons in 20 years (with Global Zero, a new initiative led by more than 200 world leaders and endorsed by President Obama) and is currently building a national movement to change America’s food culture with Jamie Oliver. Purpose recently launched All Out, the world’s first global movement organization for LGBT people and their… read more

       

    • Betsy Henning @betsy_henning

      Principal and Co-founder
      AHA!
      Betsy Henning is principal and co-founder of marketing communications firm AHA! in Vancouver, Wash. She is an expert communications strategist with a focus in building strong businesses through excellent brand experiences. Betsy consults with clients from high-tech giants to startups on strategic communication, integrated messaging, and brand voice, tone and manner. For more than a dozen years, Betsy has worked with Hewlett-Packard, Charles Schwab, Yahoo!, NBC Universal, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Pop!Tech, an annual conference of visionaries, corporate leaders, entrepreneurs and educators who consider how science, technology and innovative ideas can generate… read more

       

    • Lex Heslin

      President, CEO
      Beautiful Earth Group
      Lex Heslin is a sustainable energy developer whose goal is to improve the environment by creating reliable sources of clean, green power. Lex worked in power generation finance at Sanwa Bank in Tokyo, then at Goldman, Sachs & Co., before becoming president of a real estate investment firm in New York. He founded Beautiful Earth Group in Brooklyn, NY in 2008 to develop utility-scale solar and wind power generating facilities. Beautiful Earth (BE) develops and invests exclusively in non-carbon emitting electricity generation. BE is committed to helping the world change… read more

       

    • Jeremy Hollister @WeArePlus

      CEO / Creative Strategist & Innovation
      We Are Plus
      Jeremy is the mastermind behind the global strategic creative company We Are Plus, which specializes in branding and whose former clients include MTV, ESPN, MAC Cosmetics, Nike, Sci-Fi Network, the US Open and Virgin Mobile. Jeremy is also an award-winning film and music video director, artist and fashion designer and has spoken at numerous international events. An avid outdoorsman, Jeremy has surfed in Brazil, Costa Rica and Mexico, mountain biked in New Zealand and kiteboarded in the Caribbean.

       

    • Sue Igoe @Recyclebank

      SVP
      RecycleBank
      Sue Igoe is the SVP of Account Management at Recyclebank, which was recently named The Wall Street Journal’s #1 Clean Tech Company and the “Next Big Thing”. Sue is responsible for leading the management and growth of Recyclebank’s partnerships to include the brands and retailer partners who work with Recyclebank to connect with consumers on environmental topics. A founding employee and member of Recyclebank’s Executive Management team, Sue has held responsibility for the technology, rewards, sales and global marketing teams and was most recently the Managing Director of… read more

       

    • Hannah Jones @hjones_nike

      Vice President, Sustainable Business & Innovation
      Nike
      As Vice President of Sustainable Business & Innovation (SB&I), Hannah Jones leads the team mandated with enabling Nike to thrive in a future sustainable economy through closed loop business models. Nike defines the sustainable economy as an economy where people, planet, and profit are in balance. The SB&I team’s role is to fuel and hothouse sustainable innovation, embed sustainability into the heart of the business model, and mobilize key constituencies (employees, consumers, policy makers, civil society, and other industry) to enable scale through system change. Hannah is also a founding… read more

       

    • Mike Kahn @Sony

      Director, Mobile Music Business Unit
      Sony Electronics
      Mike has been with Sony for more than 15 years, with experience in the both the digital imaging and audio worlds. He currently serves as the director of Sony’s “Mobile Music” business, encompassing car audio and video, marine audio and Sony’s Walkman®line of digital music players, and works collaboratively with Sony Music Entertainment on several projects throughout the year. Originally hailing from the Atlanta area and now living in sunny San Diego, Mike is active board member of the 12 Volt Awareness Group, Consumer Electronics Association and Boys and Girls Club… read more

       

    • Vincent Kartheiser

      Actor & Environmentalist
      Mad Men
      Currently in production on his fifth season of portraying Pete Campbell on the four-time Emmy award-winning series “Mad Men,” Vincent Kartheiser first came to television viewer’s attention as ‘Connor’ on the hit series, “Angel,” and has also had roles in many other series, including “Sweet Justice” and “ER.” Most recently seen alongside Justin Timberlake in the science fiction thriller In Time, Kartheiser has appeared in over a dozen feature films including, Crime and Punishment in Suburbia directed by Rob Schmidt opposite Monica Keena; Larry Clark’s Another Day in Paradise opposite James… read more

       

    • Nurit Katz @nuritkatz

      Sustainability Coordinator
      UCLA
      UCLA’s first Sustainability Coordinator, Nurit Katz is working to foster partnerships among academic, research, and operational departments and further the goals and initiatives of the campus sustainability program. Ms. Katz is also an Instructor for UCLA Extension’s Global Sustainability Certificate Program. Before starting in this position she founded the UCLA Sustainable Resource Center to provide resources for the community on sustainability. She then served as President of the Graduate Students Association and assisted Dr. Charles Corbett in developing a new interdisciplinary graduate certificate program – Leaders in Sustainability. After graduation… read more

       

    • David Kiron @mitsmr

      Executive Editor, Innovative Hubs
      MIT Sloan Management Review
      David Kiron is the executive Editor of Sloan Management Review at MIT. Previously he was a senior researcher at Harvard Business School and a research associate at the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University. Kiron holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of Rochester and a BA from Oberlin College.

       

    • Steven Kline @PGE4Me

      VP, Corporate Environmental & Federal Affairs & Chief Sustainability Officer
      PG&E Corporation
      Steven L. Kline is Vice President of Corporate Environmental and Federal Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer for PG&E Corporation. He is responsible for environmental policy activities for PG&E Corporation, as well as for oversight of the corporation’s Washington, D.C., office. Kline also serves as the senior liaison with federal elected and regulatory officials. In addition to his duties at PG&E Corporation, Kline serves on the Boards of the China-US Energy Efficiency Alliance, Advisory Council for Resources for the Future and Executive Leadership Council for The Nature Conservancy. He holds… read more

       

    • Tom Kostigen

      Journalist

      Thomas M. Kostigen has reported from Wall Street to war zones to the world’s natural wonders. He is the co-author of The New York Times bestseller, The Green Book, and author of the award-winning You Are Here: Exposing The Vital Link Between What We Do and What That Does to The Planet, for which he traveled to the world’s most tenuous places connecting the dots of man’s effect on the planet. In his follow up guide, The Green Blue Book, Kostigen explicated the need for water preservation and conservation, and… read more

    • Micah Kotch @cleantechnyc

      Office of Innovation Development
      NYC ACRE
      Micah Kotch serves as Director of Operations for NYC ACRE at NYU-Poly (the New York City Accelerator for a Clean and Renewable Economy). NYC ACRE is seeded by a four year, $1.6M grant from NYSERDA to create a business incubator for clean tech and renewable energy companies. Partners in the NYC ACRE initiative include the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the New York City Investment Fund, Columbia University, Pratt Institute, and NYU. NYC ACRE resides within 16,500 sq. ft. at 160 Varick Street in downtown Manhattan. Micah is helping… read more

       

    • Annie Lescroart @eBayGreen

      Senior Manager, Sustainability Communications
      eBay Green Team
      Annie Lescroart has spent her career helping companies and nonprofits articulate and communicate the ways in which they make the world a better place. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, she spent nearly five years working for communications firms in New York and Boston. There, she consulted with clients that ranged from the United Nations to Harley Davidson to Pfizer, helping them build and execute meaningful communications platforms for their causes and social commitments. Now happily back in the Bay Area at eBay, she is a card… read more

       

  • Mark Lujan

    Eco Driving Project Manager
    Southern California Gas Company
    Mark A. Lujan, is the Eco Driving Project Manager of Fleet Services for Southern California Gas Company, one of Sempra Energy’s California regulated utilities. Sempra Energy is a San Diego-based Fortune 500 energy services holding company whose subsidiaries provide electricity, natural gas and value-added products and services. Mark has been with Southern California Gas Company for 33 years. Currently, he is responsible for developing and implementing an Eco-Driving training module to educate and enhance employee driving behaviors. This training will assist in fuel conservation, emission reductions, enhance safety behind the wheel… read more

     

    • Kevin Lyman @VansWarpedTour

      President & Founder
      Vans Warped Tour
      Lyman is best known as the creator of the Vans Warped Tour, the longest running music and extreme sports festival in the world today. In addition, he is also co-producer of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, Rockstar Energy Drink Taste of Chaos Tour and Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown. In 2005, Kevin established the Unite The United Foundation, an organization set up to encourage fans, artists and industry leaders from the music, touring and lifestyle worlds to come together through charitable contributions, events and volunteer efforts in order to work…read more

       

    • Glen Macdonald @UCLAIoES

      UC Presidential Chair and Director
      UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
      Glen M. MacDonald is an international authority on the environmental effects of climate change and drought. Dr. MacDonald is a UCLA professor of geography and of ecology and evolutionary biology and director of the multidisciplinary UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IoES). Dr. MacDonald leads the IoES in educating the next generation of professional and scientific leadership committed to the health of the planet, driving interdisciplinary environment and sustainability research, and creating outreach opportunities with businesses, non-profit organizations, policy makers and the community. His areas of interest are…read more

       

    • Hector Madariaga

      Director of Environmental Affairs
      Southern California Gas Company
      Hector A. Madariaga, is Director of Environmental Affairs for Southern California Gas Company, one of Sempra Energy’s California regulated utilities. Sempra Energy is a San Diego-based Fortune 500 energy services holding company whose subsidiaries provide electricity, natural gas and value-added products and service. Hector has been with Sempra Energy or its predecessors for 36 years. Currently, he is responsible for developing and implementing customer focused environmental strategies and programs for the Southern California Gas Company. Prior to his current position he was responsible for managing the vehicles fleet of the…read more

       

    • Bryan Martel

      Managing Director
      Environmental Capital Group
      ryan L. Martel, Managing Director, founded Environmental Capital Group with the goal of addressing global environmental problems by significantly expanding private equity investment in effective clean technologies. Bryan is appreciated as a vital link in the industry, fostering strategic connections and relationships between the investment communities, cleantech solution companies, scientific leaders and policymakers. Within ECG, Bryan provides strategic leadership and is growing a broad range of business development initiatives. He leads the team in working closely with limited partner trustees and executives, fund managers and general partner groups to provide environmental…read more

       

    • Gavin McIntyre @GavinMcIntyre

      Co-Founder and Chief Scientist
      Ecovative Design
      Gavin McIntyre is the co-founder and Chief Scientist of Ecovative Design LLC, and has lead all material and biological process development in the company’s strides to replace synthetics. Gavin co-invented the MycoBond platform, a patent-pending technology that uses a growing organism to transform agricultural byproducts into strong composite materials. These materials are 100% compostable, and made with a fraction of the energy of conventional plastics. He has served as the principle investigator on grants received from the US EPA, the USDA, the NSF, and the New York State Energy…read more

       

    • Irwin Miller @GenslerLfstyle

      Principal and Director of the Retail Studio
      Gensler
      Irwin Miller is a Principal and Director of the Retail Studio at the Gensler Los Angeles office. He also acts as a Retail Practice Area Leader for the firm. Noteworthy projects include MGM Mirage CityCenter Sales Office in Las Vegas, The Nomadic Museum in Santa Monica and Majestic Cruises flagship vessel based in Curacao. Irwin leads collaborative and dynamic teams that deal with the application of new technologies, media and user experience in retail environments. He holds bachelor of arts and bachelor of architecture degrees from the Rhode Island School…read more

       

    • Mary Sue Milliken @MarySueMilliken

      Co-Chef/Owner & Top Chef Master
      Border Grill Restaurants
      Mary Sue Milliken is co-chef/owner of the popular, critically acclaimed Border Grill restaurants in Santa Monica, Downtown Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, serving upscale, modern Mexican food in a hip, urban cantina setting. She is also co-chef/owner of the gourmet taco truck phenomenon, the Border Grill Truck. A pioneer of world cuisine since the creation of City Café and CITY Restaurant in Los Angeles in the 1980’s, Mary Sue is a preeminent ambassador of authentic Mexican cuisine, setting the standard for gourmet Mexican fare for over two decades. Always…read more

       

    • Brian Mullins @daqri

      CEO & Founder
      daqri
      Brian Mullins, Founder & CEO of daqri. Brian is a technology visionary and serial entrepreneur. He believes strongly in the power of technology to transform our lives, including the way we do business. With a background in industrial robotics and management at multi-billion dollar firms, Brian now creates value as an experienced entrepreneur who solves real world problems by creating technology solutions and sharing them with the world. daqri is new publishing platform that delivers content via QR codes. Supported content types include images, videos, PDFs, audio files, blog and…read more

       

    • Heidrun Mumper-Drumm @art_center

      Director, Sustainability Initiatives & Associate Professor
      Art Center College of Design
      A graphic designer and letterpress printer, Heidrun Mumper-Drumm is an associate professor and the Director of Sustainability Initiatives at Art Center College of Design. Since 2003, her focus has been on the incorporation of sustainability principles into design education and the design process. As a former environmental engineer for Bechtel and Parsons Engineering, her background includes nuclear, geothermal, solar and wind energy projects, as well as environmental management for NASA and the US Air Force. She has been applying this experience, as well as current thinking about sustainability, to reframing…read more

       

    • David Muyres

      Agent of Transportation Change
      OnGoing Transportation, Hunt Green & NewNorth Center for Design & Business
      Dave Muyres is a creative minded thought leader intent on reinventing the transportation industry through design and system thinking. Dave’s broad corporate and academic experience includes the Vice President of Educational Initiatives at the Art Center College of Design where he directed a series of Sustainable Mobility Summits, a series of annual events focused on sustainable mobilit (artcenter.edu/summit). Prior to joining Art Center in 2005, Mr. Muyres worked at Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI), where he held various functional and executive management positions within the automotive division in the United States,…read more

       

    • David Nahai

      President
      David Nahai Consulting Services
      H. David Nahai has an extensive record of success in both the private and public sectors, as a lawyer, CEO, government official, environmentalist, business owner and community leader. Nahai is a partner in the law firm of Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith and is a co‐chair of the Firm’s national energy, environmental, water, and real estate practice. Nahai is also the President of David Nahai Consulting Services, LLC and is Senior Advisor to the Clinton Climate Initiative. Until October, 2009, Nahai served as the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager…read more

    • Michela O’Connor Abrams@MichelaAbrams

      President
      Dwell Media LLC
      Michela O’Connor Abrams is the President and Publisher of Dwell, the award-winning design and lifestyle media company. In 2006, Dwell hit the coveted Adweek HotList as well as the Advertising Age A-List, and was a Cappell’s Circulation Top Ten Performer for the second consecutive year. In 2005, Ms. O’Connor Abrams helped see Dwell to its first major award when the magazine won General Excellence at the National Magazine Awards.

       

    • Cindy Ortega

      Senior Vice President of Energy & Environmental Services
      MGM Resorts International
      Cindy Ortega is Senior Vice President of the Energy and Environmental Services Division of MGM Resorts International. She oversees the development and implementation of strategies for environmental sustainability and awareness throughout the company. These include natural resource conservation, sustainable new construction, and environmentally sensitive company operations. Cindy was also responsible for the oversight and achievement of the LEED certification of the $8.5 billion dollar CityCenter Project in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. Under Cindy’s guidance, six developments at CityCenter were awarded LEED Gold certifications…read more

       

    • Ben Packard @starbucks

      Vice President, Global Responsibility
      Starbucks
      As vice president, Global Responsibility, Ben Packard drives the strategy and oversees the programs behind Starbucks responsible business approach to ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship. Before assuming his current role in 2008, Ben led Starbucks Environmental Affairs team. He directed key initiatives including an environmental footprint analysis and establishment of related performance metrics, a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and the first FDA-approved use of post-consumer recycled materials for paper cups. As chair of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Retail Development Committee, Ben led development of LEED® standards to help improve the…read more

       

    • Chris Paine @chrispaine

      Writer / Director
      Who Killed the Electric Car?
      Chris Paine is the writer/director of Who Killed the Electric Car?. This first feature film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006 before its release by Sony Pictures Classics to become one of the most successful documentaries of the last five years. His latest film is Revenge of the Electric Car. Chris has appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Nightline, ABC World News Tonight, Democracy Now and Science Friday on NPR. He’s toured nationally at venues including Princeton, Brown, Stanford, the Matthew Shepard Symposium on Social Justice,…read more

       

    • Tamin Pechet

      CEO
      Banyan Water
      Tamin Pechet is CEO of Banyan Water (www.banyanwater.com), a “Water Steward” for customers facing water scarcity, rising bills, and property damage. Banyan Water manages over 100 large customer sites, using software to cut water use in half and remotely monitor and control water systems to avoid property damage. Tamin also serves as Chairman of Imagine H2O (www.imagineh2o.org), a global organization spurring entrepreneurship in the water industry through innovation prizes and a water business incubator. Tamin serves on the Board of Directors of Lux Research (www.luxresearchinc.com), a leading provider of…read more

       

    • Brooks Perlin @ecosupplycenter

      CFO
      ECO Supply
      Brooks Perlin is CFO of ECO Supply (www.ecosupplycenter.com), an East Coast distributor of green building materials. ECO SUPPLY distributes a selection of green, cutting edge materials for commercial and residential projects. The company grew out of the sustainable furniture movement and offers expert guidance on choosing the best sustainable materials. Brooks Perlin lives in New York City.

       

    • Nancy Pfund*

      Managing Partner
      DBL Investors
      Nancy Pfund is a Managing Partner of DBL Investors. Ms. Pfund currently sponsors or sits on the board of directors of a number of private companies, including Primus Power, SolarCity, Solaria, Brightsource Energy and Pandora. Ms. Pfund also worked closely with exited portfolio company Tesla Motors.

      Previously, Ms. Pfund was a Managing Director at JPMorgan. Ms. Pfund joined JPMorgan (then Hambrecht & Quist) in 1984 as a securities analyst and later joined its venture capital department as principal and then Managing Director in 1989. In addition to her private…read more

       

    • Trevor Roald @QuickMobile

      Manager Product Experience
      Quickmobile
      Trevor is the manager of Sales Engineering at Quickmobile. As part of his job, he helps clients understand how mobile solutions impact their business and how to can leverage mobile to enhance organizational efficiency. He was previously the manager of business development and led strategic and tactical sales efforts that grew revenue in the Tourism and Event Services market by over 100% consistently over two years.

       

    • Andrea Robinson

      Founder and Director
      ARC Sustainability
      Andrea Robinson is the Founder and Director of ARC Sustainability, a Los Angeles-based environmental and corporate social responsibility consulting firm. ARC specializes in designing and implementing sustainability programs for high-profile productions, movie studios, conventions, corporations, live events, concerts, hotels, residences and non-governmental organizations. ARC Sustainability produces measurable results in energy efficiency, water conservation, waste diversion, building retrofits, transportation minimization, supply chain productivity, food and beverage sourcing, greenhouse gas emission reductions and advises on carbon offset frameworks.

       

    • Susana Rodriguez de Tembleque@SYPartners

      Executive Creative Director
      SYPartners
      Susana’s responsibility is to catalyze creativity and original thinking in all our work. To this end, she partners tightly with each princpal to set diection at key moments of their client engagement and then leads her team of designers to conceptualize and then bring to life the collective thinking of the team: be it in print, an installation, a store, a product, or a film. Susana is passionate that design can be the paradigm shift in business. She is an active voice in the design industry and is currently a…read more

       

    • Nicholas Rumanes @GenslerOnCities

      Real Estate and Sustainable Development Specialist
      Gensler 
      Nicholas Rumanes is a seasoned development executive with over 15 years of professional experience in design, construction and operations. He joins Gensler in 2011 as the firm wide leader of the Real Estate and Sustainable Development practice. His focus is on key real estate and facilities client relationships and developing strategies to maximize sustainable performance and return on investment across real estate portfolios. Prior to joining Gensler, Nicholas served as Vice President of development for Las Vegas Sands Corp. In this role, his responsibilities included development and portfolio management of the company’s integrated…read more

       

    • Manuel Sattig @BMWGroup

      Communications Manager Project i
      The BMW Group
      Mr. Manuel Sattig is the communication manager for project i for BMW AG. In this role, he is responsible for the strategy, planning and coordination of project i communication and activities.

      With project i, the BMW Group is corroborating its position as the most innovative and sustainable auto manufacturer in the world in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the seventh year running. With BMW i, the BMW Group is providing answers in a holistic manner to the mobility challenges of the future. In addition to purpose-built premium…read more

       

    • Daniel Schutzsmith @schutzsmith

      Founder
      Mark & Phill
      Daniel is a rare breed – a hybrid of equal parts business, design, and strategy – ready to change the world. He’s a professor at the School of Visual Arts and Co-Founder of Mark & Phil, an agency providing fine crafted cause marketing and philanthropic strategy for non-profits and triple-bottom-line focused companies like Greenpeace, MTV, Treehugger, Sustainable Works, Oxfam, Love Is Louder and more.

       

    • Jennifer Schwab @SCGreen_Home

      Director of Sustainability
      Sierra Green Club Home
      As Chief Sustainability Officer, Jennifer is responsible for all environmental information, education, and initiatives at Sierra Club Green Home.com. She developed the Sierra Club Green Home “GreenCheck” validation program for green suppliers, as well as the SCGH “Green Ambassador” course which educates Fortune 500 employees about the principles of sustainability and energy efficiency and in turn helps them message that information to consumers. Jennifer studied environmental design and sustainability at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, then she completed her Master’s in Urban Planning and Sustainable Design…read more

       

    • Ariel Schwartz @arielhs

      Assistant Editor
      Fast Company
      Ariel Schwartz is an Assistant Editor at Fast Company Magazine, where she write about cleantech, transportation, food, health, and more. Previously she served as the editor of Cleantechnica.com and the Technology Editor of Inhabitat.com. She has also contributed to GOOD Magazine, Popular Science, SF Weekly, NBC Bay Area Online, Triple Pundit and GreenBiz.com. Ariel hold a BA from Vassar College.

       

    • Jessica Scorpio

      Co-Founder
      Getaround
      Jessica Scorpio is a Co-Founder and Director of Business Development at Getaround, which was created to leverage the 1B+ cars on the planet to create a cleaner, smarter and more efficient transportation system through a marketplace for peer-to-peer car sharing. Prior to launching Getaround, she completed the inaugural Graduate Studies Program at Singularity University (SU ‘09), a new school launched by Ray Kurzweil, Peter Diamandis, NASA, and Google that focuses on inspiring a cadre of leaders to understand and facilitate the development of exponentially advancing technologies in order to address humanity’s…read more

       

    • Simran Sethi @simransethi

      Award-Winning Journalist

      Simran Sethi is an award-winning journalist and associate professor at the University of Kansas School of Journalism and Mass Communications, where she teaches courses on diversity, sustainability and environmental communications, and uses social media as exclusive reporting platforms. Simran is the contributing author of Ethical Markets: Growing the Green Economy, winner of the bronze 2008 Axiom Award for Best Business Ethics Book. She is currently writing a book on the psychological barriers to environmental engagement for Harper Collins. Named one of the top ten eco-heroes of the planet by the…read more

       

    • Peter Shumlin @VTGovernor

      Governor
      State of Vermont
      Peter Shumlin was elected Governor of Vermont in 2010 and is one of the nation’s leading supporters of renewable energy and the green economy. His office has addressed climate change with real, sustainable solutions. Governor Shumlin helped pass a key economic development bill with important green provisions, including legislating the Entrepreneurs’ Seed Capital Fund and setting more predictable requirements to allow wind and hydro projects to succeed. He also provided the momentum behind the Vermont Senate vote to retire the dirty and dangerous Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. In education, he recently…read more

       

    • Sherry Simpson-Dean @simpson_sherry

      Immediate Past Executive Director
      Opportunity Green
      Emmy Award winning film producer, Sherry Simpson Dean is known for her deep commitment to human rights and civil liberties. Her film, “Amandla! A Revolution in Four Part Harmony”, is a multiple award-winner of Robert Redford’s Sundance Film Festival. Her rare, historic footage of Nelson Mandela dancing jubilantly at South Africa’s first free election celebration in Soweto is treasured internationally. Currently serving as Opportunity Green’s Executive Strategist, Sherry is a distinguished member of the Metropolitan Water District’s Blue Ribbon Committee, where she chairs the communications subgroup. Formally, the Executive…read more

       

    • Karen Solomon @oppgreen

      Co-Founder, CEO
      Opportunity Green
      Featured by Glamour Magazine as one of the 70 women they considered to be environmental leaders and heroes, Karen’s vast experience and progressive vision have played an instrumental role in the rapid growth that has taken Opportunity Green from its start as local green business conference to a national brand. Considered a rising star in the social media arena, Karen’s work with Opportunity Green gained the company the runner up award in the green category of The Shorty Awards, the Oscars for Twitter held annually in New York City. Karen was honored…read more

       

    • Beth Springer @Clorox

      Past Executive Vice President
      The Clorox Company
      Ms. Springer has served as an Executive Vice President of International and Natural Personal Care at Clorox Corporation from January 2009 until April 2011. At Clorox, Ms. Springer had been responsible for creating an overall, enterprise perspective on long‐range strategy and business planning functions. Ms. Springer served as Executive vice president of strategy and growth of Clorox from January 2007 to January 2009 and navigated acquisitions and partnerships as well as heading the corporate Eco Office. She has also served as Vice President and General Manager of Glad Products division…read more

    • Susan Hunt Stevens @practicallygrn

      Founder & CEO
      Practically Green
      Susan Hunt Stevens is the Founder/CEO of Practically Green, a technology company that motivates people to adopt a healthier, greener lifestyle by making it easier and more fun to discover, try and share sustainable actions, products and services. Leading corporations, brands, and associations license and configure the company’s tools to power their own sustainability engagement initiatives. Previously, Stevens spent nine years at The New York Times Company, most recently as senior vice president, digital for Boston Globe Media, where she ran Boston.com, one of the largest news and information…read more

       

    • Kathleen Strouse @UMG_News

      Executive Director, Digital Business Support
      Universal Music Group
      As the Executive Director of Digital Business Support at Universal Music Group since 2006, Kathleen oversees all internal and external activities regarding digital and physical promotional product. Kathleen has managed to reduce physical promotional products by 89% while boosting digital promotional product by 400%, as well as saving on shipping and manufacturing materials by leading the trend towards digital music. Her leadership has both cut costs and helped reduce the music giant’s carbon footprint. Kathleen holds an MBA from Pepperdine University and a BA in English.

       

    • Dan Sturges @DNAsturges

      Founder
      IntraGo 
      Dan Sturges became fascinated with transportation the day he held his first Hotwheels toy car in his hand. Trained as a transportation designer at the Art Center College of Design, Dan has been helping to expand transportation options for over 20 years. After graduation from Art Center, Dan worked briefly as a car designer at General Motors. Soon after he started his own company trans2, introducing a new federally-recognized class of personal vehicles, the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle. The company changed hands and now produces the GEM as a Chrysler subsidiary. Mr. Sturges…read more

       

    • Boise Thomas

      Actor, Host
      Discovery Network, Planet Green
      Boise Thomas is the fresh face of Adrian Grenier’s Alter Eco, an environmentally-focused lifestyle show on Discovery Communications’ eco-focused channel Planet Green. Boise formerly served as the face of G Living, a modern green lifestyle network, where he wrote, produced and hosted over 100 environmentally-focused shows. He stared in G Living’s hip, eco-chic online series The Real G, where he interviewed and worked with numerous green personalities and chefs including sustainability expert John Picard and the founders of Method. Boise has interviewed many celebrities and has covered numerous environmental events…read more

       

    • Peter Van Stolk

      CEO
      Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery (Spud.com)
      As founder of Jones Soda Company in 1987, van Stolk served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors through 2007. Peter’s original marketing approach interacting online with consumers brought Jones Soda Co. success in a crowded beverage industry. Integrating customer input, Jones Soda is known for unique flavors and custom packaging. Peter also oversaw the launch of new product lines including non-carbonated juice, tea, ad energy drinks. He successfully competed against the global multi-billion dollar soda giants, and earned brand loyalty among consumers, all on a shoestring budget. By…read more

       

    • William Wescott Ph.D.

      Vice President, Innovation – Americas
      Veolia Environnement North America 
      Bill is Vice President, Innovation – Americas for Veolia Environnement, the world’s largest environmental services provider. He works closely with Veolia’s worldwide research and innovation group and all four of Veolia’s business divisions (water, waste, energy management, public transportation), to source clean technology innovation through strategic initiatives such as the Veolia Innovation Accelerator http://www.veolia.com/en/solutions/research-innovation/via/. Bill works closely with entrepreneurs and investors to identify promising technologies that meet the evolving needs of Veolia’s clients and can benefit from Veolia’s top position in key markets around the world. Bill is an internationally recognized…read more

       

    • Tensie Whelan @RnfrstAlliance

      President
      Rainforest Alliance
      Tensie Whelan serves as the president of the Rainforest Alliance. She has been involved with the Rainforest Alliance since 1990, first as a board member, and then later as a consultant, becoming the executive director in 2000. Whelan has been working in the environmental field for more than 25 years, during which time she served as the vice president of conservation information at the National Audubon Society and executive director of the New York League of Conservation Voters. Whelan also worked as a journalist and environmental communications consultant in Costa Rica,…read more

       

    • Gaylon White

      Director, Design Programs
      Eastman Innovation Lab
      Gaylon White is director of design programs for Eastman Chemical Company. Under his leadership, Eastman launched the award-winning Eastman Innovation Lab website ─ www.EastmanInnovationLab.com ─ and Material Difference™, a highly acclaimed sampling strategy for designers. White received a personal recognition award from the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) in 2010 for his support of design education and being a “great builder of bridges” between the manufacturing and design communities. He has authored some 80 articles, including, When Worlds Collide, a story describing Eastman’s design journey published in the Spring…read more

       

    • Andrea White-Kjoss

      President and COO
      Bikestation 
      Andréa White-Kjoss is president and chief operations officer of Mobis Transportation/ Bikestation, whose vision is the transformation of the American transportation system to include technology-networked and interoperable choices such as transit, bicycles, car-sharing and small electric vehicles in order to reduce congestion and emissions, and improve health and quality of life. Bikestation is the leading brand of Mobis and creates the only complete operational ecosystem for bicyclists and bicycling at transit, and in developments, universities and colleges, and corporate campuses. Bikestation facilities offer secure bicycle parking and related services to…read more

       

    • Andrew Williamson, PhD @awilliam100

      Director
      Physic Ventures
      Andrew Williamson is part of Physic’s Sustainable Living investment team. Andrew works with companies that are developing technologies, products and services to enable consumers to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. Among the portfolio company investments managed by Physic Ventures, Andrew is on the boards of Chromatin, EnergyHub, Gazelle, Impinj, Novomer, RecycleBank, and WaterSmart. Prior to joining Physic Ventures, Andrew spent 10 years leading materials science research and development projects at the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. At NREL, Andrew developed computational models…read more

       

    • Ian Yolles @ianyolles

      Chief Sustainability Officer
      RecycleBank
      Ian Yolles is the chief marketing officer at RecycleBank. The goal of RecycleBank is to create incentives for households to recycle by giving them a large portion of the value derived from their giving birth to a cyclical product lifecycle. Previously, he was co-founder and vice president of marketing and brand communications of Nau, a retail-direct, outdoor lifestyle apparel company. Prior to that Yolles worked as a senior consultant with Dialogos, a world leader and pioneer in the theory and practice of dialogue, organizational learning, collective leadership, and fostering approaches to…read more

       

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