Conference Speakers - American Sustainable Business Network

SPEAKERS

Business, Policy and Purpose Conference

October 21 - 23 2025 | 12 - 3:30 PM ET Daily | Virtual Event

KeyNote Speakers

Rick Steves

Television Host, Author, Activist

Rick Steves is a popular public television host, a best-selling guidebook author, and an outspoken activist who encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through travel. He is the founder and owner of Rick Steves’ Europe, a travel business with a small-group tour program that brings more than 30,000 people to Europe annually. Rick lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.

Founder of Fair Trade USA

Paul Rice is an award-winning social entrepreneur, author, and founder of Fair Trade USA, the leading certifier of Fair Trade products. Rice launched Fair Trade USA in 1998. Under his leadership, Fair Trade Certified became one of the fastest growing segments of the food and apparel industries. By forging partnerships with over 1,700 brands and retailers, the organization has generated over $1.2 billion in cumulative financial impact for 1 million farmers, workers, and their families in 72 countries worldwide. Previously, Rice worked with family farmers for 11 years in the highlands of Nicaragua, where he founded and led the country’s first Fair Trade coffee export cooperative.

Rice was Ethical Corporation’s 2019 Business Leader of the Year and was recognized four times as Social Capitalist of the Year by Fast Company magazine. Rice received the prestigious Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and the World Economic Forum’s Outstanding Social Entrepreneur award. His new book, Every Purchase Matters, is a USA Today National Bestseller.

PAUL RICE

Jamie Ager

Owner, Hickory Nut Gap

Jamie Ager is a fourth-generation farmer, entrepreneur, and proud son of Western North Carolina. Born in Fairview and raised on his family’s Hickory Nut Gap Farm, Jamie has spent his life growing food, building community, and working with people.

His great-grandparents helped launch one of the region’s first farm cooperatives, and his grandfather, Jamie Clarke, served western North Carolina in the U.S. Congress and the state legislature, balancing running the farm with working for the people in office.

After earning degrees from Warren Wilson College in Environmental Studies with a concentration in sustainable agriculture and History, Jamie participated in an Agriculture Leadership Development Program through NC State. Together, Jamie and his wife Amy returned to Fairview to raise their family and built Hickory Nut Gap, a sustainable meat company that today supports 25 employees and works with dozens of farmers across the region.

Graham Platner

Candidate for US Senate, Maine

Born in Blue Hill, and raised in Ellsworth and Sullivan, Graham is a lifelong Mainer. After High School, Graham enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served three deployments to Iraq. He returned to America and used the GI Bill to attend George Washington University. But when he saw some of the people he served with get deployed to Afghanistan, he realized his time in uniform was not over. He enrolled in the Army National Guard and was soon deployed to Afghanistan. Eventually Graham was drawn back home to Maine by his desire to serve his community of Sullivan, Maine. He started working on an Oyster Farm on Frenchman Bay. He eventually took over the farm and has built it into a successful and well-known small business in the community. He also serves as Sullivan Harbormaster and Sullivan Planning Board Chair.

Ahmed Baba

Independent Journalist

Ahmed Baba is an independent journalist, political analyst, technologist, and founder of the bestselling Substack publication Ahmed Baba News. He’s also a columnist at The Independent and a frequent panelist on MSNBC and CNN. His work has been cited by The New York Times, The Washington Post, CBS News, and Rolling Stone, among others.

In addition to his journalism, Ahmed builds civic engagement technology and has given guest lectures to over a thousand college, high school, and middle school students on media literacy, technology, and disinformation. For over a decade, his work has focused on creating journalism and technology that strengthen American democracy.

Mindy Lubber

CEO and President, Ceres

Mindy Lubber is the CEO and President of the sustainability nonprofit Ceres. She has been at the helm since 2003, and under her leadership, the organization and its powerful networks and global initiatives have grown significantly in size and influence.

As a global thought leader, Lubber has inspired capital market leaders including some of the world’s largest institutional investors and corporate boards and executives to factor responsible investment and business practices into their overall strategies. She regularly speaks to high-level global and national policymakers on the need for stronger climate policies that accelerate the transition to a more just and resilient economy. She is frequently quoted in mainstream business and financial news outlets and pens columns for Forbes.com and Reuters.com on a variety of sustainability topics. In 2015, Lubber helped catalyze the necessary business support to get the historic Paris Agreement across the finish line, leading Vogue Magazine to name her a “Climate Warrior.”

Lubber has received numerous awards and recognitions for her leadership. In 2020, she was awarded the United Nations ‘Champions of the Earth’ Entrepreneurial Vision award. She has made Barron’s Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential women in U.S. finance for four consecutive years and received the Climate Visionary Award from the Earth Day Network, the William K. Reilly Award for Environmental Leadership from American University, and the Skoll Foundation’s Award for Social Entrepreneurship. Ceres has been named a top 100 women-led businesses in Massachusetts for five years in a row by the Globe Magazine.

Prior to Ceres, Lubber served as a Regional Administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She also founded Green Century Capital Management and served as the director of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group. She resides in the Boston area.

Ellonda Williams

Co-Lead Executive, B Lab

Dr. Ellonda L. Williams is an Equity-driven Community Relations Operator, Inclusion Artist & Strategic Organizational Leader.

She serves as Senior Director of Community and co-Lead Executive at B Lab U.S. & Canada; one of six global partners of the B Lab Global Network that foster and mobilize a growing community of people and businesses working towards a more fair and inclusive economy in the United States and Canada.
In her day-to-day work, Dr. Williams balances focus on demonstrating the indispensable business value of certification, building community, and driving impact.

Ellonda possesses a rich background; with education in Human Services, Psychological Studies, Education, and Leadership Management, her experiences vary widely, giving her a keen eye and ear in the spaces she takes up. With both personal and professional commitments to the equitable treatment and inclusion of those who are historically and regionally marginalized, she has been a lifelong proponent and champion of social justice. She brings those ethics and ideologies to her everyday work and conversations.

Fran Seegull

President, U.S. Impact Investing Alliance

Fran Seegull is President of the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance, which works to increase awareness of impact investing in the United States, foster deployment of impact capital across asset classes globally, and partner with stakeholders, including government, to build the impact investing ecosystem. She also serves as Executive Director of the Tipping Point Fund on Impact Investing—a donor collaborative focused on growing the field.

Previously, Seegull was the Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director at ImpactAssets, where she headed investment management for The Giving Fund—now a $3.5 billion impact investing donor-advised fund.

Seegull has a BS in Economics from Barnard at Columbia University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She serves on the board of Align Impact and the investment committee of Calvert Impact Capital.

Angela Dingle

President and CEO, Woman Impacting Public Policy

As President and CEO of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), Angela Dingle leads a national nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of women entrepreneurs, strengthening their impact on our nation’s public policy, creating economic opportunities, and forging alliances
with other business organizations. Serving as the voice for the over 14 million women owned companies in the U.S., WIPP works with lawmakers to impact and influence policy that provides economic equity, procurement inclusion and access to the global marketplace.

Prior to serving in this role, Angela founded Ex Nihilo Management, an award-winning consultancy that provides governance, risk and cybersecurity (GRC) to the public, private and non-profit sector.

Angela is a sought-after speaker and thought leader. She is the author of Discovering Your Girl Powers: 10 Strategies to Build Confidence, Charisma and Credibility and Unexpected Leader: 11 Tools for Transformational Leadership. She has written articles and publications that provide valuable leadership guidance.

Hannah Pathak

Executive Director, American Sustainable Business Network

Camilla is a globally renowned leader focused on changing economic systems into stakeholder-driven economies. Over the years, she has held leadership positions at B Lab Global as well as Holland FinTech and FinTech Aera, a network of sustainable European FinTech companies working together toward the democratization of financial services. When Camilla’s not driving systemic change, she’s exploring the world with her husband and kids in tow.

Camilla Taylor

Executive Director, American Sustainable Business Network

Skye Perryman

President and CEO, Democracy Forward

Skye Perryman is the President and CEO of Democracy Forward, a nonpartisan, national legal organization that promotes democracy and progress through litigation, regulatory engagement, policy education, and research. Named one of Time 100’s 2025 100 Most Influential People In The World, Perryman is known for developing innovative legal strategies, building unique communities and coalitions, and values-based leadership.

Holly Ensign-Barstow

Interim Co-Executive Director at B Lab U.S. & Canada

Holly Ensign-Barstow is the Interim Co-Executive Director at B Lab U.S. & Canada. Previously, she was the Senior Director of Programs and Policy for B Lab U.S. & Canada, where she worked with business leaders to drive policy advocacy and sustainable operational changes that create a positive impact on workers, communities, and the environment.

During her 13-year tenure at B Lab, Holly has passed benefit corporation statutes in 40+ US jurisdictions and more than eight other countries through her leadership of broad-based coalitions of business leaders, business groups, bar associations, and policymakers. She also spearheaded an ecosystem education effort to promote the usage of this new corporate status by engaging public and private market investors, regulators, and influencers.

Holly is a recognized leader in stakeholder governance, stakeholder capitalism policy, and business engagement. She is the co-author and leader of B Lab’s expanded policy agenda entitled “From Shareholder Primacy to Stakeholder Capitalism,” which identifies regulatory and policy changes that are necessary to ensure our capital markets and entire economic system work for all people and the planet.

Holly earned her Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Barnard College, Columbia University and a Master of International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University. Prior to B Lab, Holly was instrumental in the launch of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability.

Eryn Banton

Founder, ReSurge

Eryn Banton is a climate and sustainable business advocate dedicated to advancing equitable, community-centered solutions to environmental challenges. Inspired by her experience in the Environmental Social Governance Sector, she founded ReSurge, a social enterprise that connects companies with community leaders to create resilient and inclusive impact. Additionally, Eryn serves on the ASBC Board, where she helps shape policy initiatives that drive sustainable business practices. As a current law student, she is committed to using legal tools to champion environmental justice and systemic change.

Mia Ketterling

Sr. Global Sustainability Lead at Pinterest

Mia Ketterling is the Sr. Global Sustainability Lead at Pinterest. In her role, she is responsible for building Pinterest’s sustainability strategy to advance sustainable outcomes within its operations. Mia manages Pinterest’s annual GHG inventory and assurance, sets science-based emissions reduction targets, helps maintain Pinterest’s commitment to 100% renewable electricity for our offices around the world, and collaborates on the company’s ESG disclosures.

Previously, Mia was a Program Manager on Pinterest’s Product Design team and before joining Pinterest, she was a Senior Producer at Apple. Mia earned a bachelor’s of science degree in Business and International Business from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. She lives with her husband, two wild kids and puppy in Pacifica, California.

Matt Renner

Vice President, Seneca Environmental

Matt Renner leads strategic development for Seneca Environmental with the goal of creating unprecedented collaboration to accelerate climate action. Previously he worked as a nonprofit executive in clean energy policy, climate organizing, and journalism for over a decade, focusing on the near-term social and economic impacts of climate change. Matt began his career as an investigative reporter and later became the Executive Director of the World Business Academy to focus on the future of business in a climate-constrained world. He has a BA in Political Science and Government from the University of California, Berkeley. In his spare time, Matt feeds local squirrels and birds and occasionally his family and friends by raising fruit trees.

Nick Beck

Regenerative Agriculture Organizer Climate Reality Project

Nick (he/him) is the Regenerative Agriculture Organizer for Climate Reality Project; Covering the agricultural portfolio for governmental affairs and engaging chapters on advocacy opportunities. Born in Orlando, Florida, Nick attended New College of Florida in Sarasota, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in environmental studies. There, he coordinated events, sustained traditions and discovered his passion for agroforestry, land use policy, and community spaces. For his senior thesis, Nick researched and reported on student perceptions of the campus’ built and natural environments. Before joining Climate Reality, Nick interned with the House of Representatives’ Committee on Agriculture. In his free time, Nick enjoys long walks with his dog and playing percussion in a folk band.

Gary Belan

Senior Director of American Rivers’ Clean Water Program

Gary Belan in the Senior Director of American Rivers’ Clean Water program. He leads a national team working to ensure cities across the countries have rivers that are clean enough to swim and play in. He does this by building national leadership for increasing funding and improving regulations to improve urban water infrastructure, including stormwater and sewage systems. He also promotes increasing the use of natural infrastructure practices and improving water quality monioting and data systems to help make water quality information more transparent to the public.

Gary joined American Rivers in May 2003. Prior to American Rivers, he worked as a project engineer for the Clark Construction Group, working on large commercial building projects.

Education: B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Virginia, M.A. in Environmental Policy from American University and Certificate of Non-Profit Management from Georgetown University.

Sara Blenkhorn

Sara Blenkhorn is a systems strategist and culture hacker who turns ideas into movements. A master convener across sectors, she has a gift for aligning unlikely allies and transforming competition into collaboration.

She has built two social enterprises, raised over half a million dollars for circular innovation, advised governments on sustainability and leadership, and helped global brands form coalitions for systemic change. Known for “stirring up the good kind of trouble,” Sara brings creativity, pragmatism, and purpose to every conversation. She is currently looking to join a team with an amazing culture that is setting the standard for impact and innovation.

Kellie Brownlow

Chief Mission Officer at First Step Staffing

Kellie Brownlow is the Chief Mission Officer at First Step Staffing, where she oversees fundraising, client programming, marketing, and communications. Under her leadership, First Step launched its first major capacity campaign, raising nearly $15 million and establishing two new departments: Marketing & Communications and Retention Services. Before joining First Step, Kellie served as Executive Director of the Georgia Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, managing a $32 million contract with the Georgia Department of Human Services and successfully lobbying for the creation of a Boys & Girls Clubs license plate. She was also Deputy Chief to the Chairman of Cobb County, playing a key role in the development of the Braves Stadium and Battery project.

Kellie began her career at the Atlanta Regional Commission, leading leadership development and strategic planning initiatives for local governments. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College and a master’s in public administration from the University of Georgia. She is a member of the State of Georgia Workforce Board and the Fulton County Technology & Energy Enhancement Authority.

Dr. Michelle C. Chatman

Founder and Principal Consultant of Integrate Mindfulness, LLC

Dr. Michelle C. Chatman is a socio-cultural anthropologist, professor, and contemplative scholar-activist dedicated to fostering healing-centered education and social change. As a tenured professor at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), she has led an impressive career of exceptional teaching, innovative research, and visionary leadership. At UDC she founded the Mindful and Courageous Action (MICA) Lab which advances liberatory approaches to teaching, research, and service.

As the Founder and Principal Consultant of Integrate Mindfulness, LLC, she provides specialized mindful leadership and coaching services to mission-driven organizations, centering racial healing, relationality, and trust. Earlier this year she launched Dream, Sis! Mindful Coloring & Activity Books to promote mindful fun for communities of color. Recognized among the Powerful Women in the Mindfulness Movement, Dr. Chatman lectures globally on the role of inner approaches for societal transformation. Learn more about her work at michellecchatman.com

Sasha Chebil

Director of Communications at the Carbon Business Council

Sasha Chebil is the Director of Communications at the Carbon Business Council, a global coalition of over 100 leading companies and nonprofits advancing carbon management. With extensive experience in strategic communications, she works to elevate the role of carbon removal in addressing climate change. Previously at the We Mean Business Coalition, Sasha led communications for mitigation programs focused on small businesses and corporate supply chains. With a background in climate communications and policy, she is currently working to integrate carbon removal into COP30 priorities and spotlight the companies and policymakers leading the industry. Sasha’s expertise spans strategic communications, media relations, and stakeholder engagement.

Dãnia Davy, Esq.

Founder/Owner, Land & Liberation LLC

Dãnia Davy is the founder of Land & Liberation, LLC, a consultancy promoting liberatory relationships between humans, natural and financial resources, and land. To help farmers, land stewards and their communities of support navigate the challenges of the current political climate, she created the WTF?! (We’re the Future), through which she distributes a weekly newsletter, maintains an educational website, and hosts educational webinars. Her previous professional experience includes serving as Director of Land Retention & Advocacy at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund and Skadden Fellow Attorney at the Land Loss Prevention Project.

Will Devine

Sr. Advisor to Centerline Liberties

Will Devine is a Sr. Advisor to Centerline Liberties which is a 501(c)3 focused on advancing policy solutions capable of defending core constitutional liberties, preserving a free market economy, and limiting the role of government in Americans’ everyday lives. For the past decade, Will has built his career at the intersection of Republican politics, advocacy, and grassroots organizing at the federal and state level. His work has centered on finding common ground and advancing solutions on complex policy issues most notably in clean energy.

Will holds a degree in Political Science from the College of the Holy Cross. A Florida native, Will currently resides in Boston, where he enjoys New England’s occasional warm weather.

Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani

Member of the Florida House of Representatives

Anna, a bold advocate for Florida families and the working class, is born and raised in Orlando. She’s a State House Representative with a background in nonprofit management and a PhD in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida. She also serves as the Founder and Executive Director of People Power for Florida, a voter registration and engagement organization. In 2018, she made history by flipping her legislative seat and becoming Florida’s first Iranian-American elected official. Known for her advocacy on housing affordability, healthcare access, public education, equality, tax policy, and environmental issues, Anna secured a permanent tax break on children’s diapers and adult incontinence products in 2023. Prior to running for office, Anna served as the Senior Director of Public Affairs and Communication at Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. In addition to her work as a public servant, Anna also continues to work in the nonprofit sector and serves as a Senior Colloborations Manager for NEO Philanthropy. A problem solver with a track record of kind sacrifice, endless hard work, and iron-clad values, Anna is known across the state and nation as a leader who is unbothered, unbossed, and committed to the people of Florida.

Patrick Flynn

Founder, Switchboard

Patrick is a climate action expert who has spent his career at the intersection of business, technology and sustainability. While always working for Planet Earth, he has held roles in engineering, investing, and business transformation, including many years leading sustainability for Salesforce. Nowadays, he’s on a mission to supercharge the business world’s most influential climate leaders with Switchboard. Patrick is an advisor to various mission-aligned organizations like Generation Investment Management, TOPO Finance, and Tradewater. He holds an engineering degree from Stanford and a business degree from MIT.

Chris Gale

Business Engagement for Purchasing with Purpose

Chris is a social impact and circular economy leader, who has worked with businesses and NGOs for almost two decades. Most recently, he has been leading business engagement for Purchasing with Purpose, a 501(c)(3) that supports the development of strong local economies and community impact driven by impact-led purchasing across the US.

Chris previously led eBay’s circular innovation and impact team, focusing on the role of e-commerce in empowering economic opportunity across under-served communities, as well as how recommerce can support the transition towards a circular economy.

Prior to joining eBay in 2020, Chris spent several years on issues surrounding education and skills development in Ghana, India and South Africa. He then transitioned into working more closely on how business can drive social impact, spending time at Marks & Spencer and Ben & Jerry’s where he led their social mission strategy in Europe for 5 years, focusing on refugee and asylum rights.

Chris is an alumni of The University of Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership, has a BA in Geography from The University of Manchester, and a Masters in International Business and Development from The University of London.

Nick Gardner

Co-Founder and Head of Strategic Initiatives and Community at Premiums for the Planet

Nick Gardner is Co-Founder and Head of Strategic Initiatives and Community at Premiums for the Planet, a climate finance movement helping businesses use their insurance dollars to accelerate resilience and climate action. He leads efforts to build a coalition of climate-conscious companies, mobilizing their collective spend, influence, and voice to drive systemic change across the insurance industry.

Beyond his work at PFP, Nick helps guide the U.S. Chamber of Connection, a civic innovation network tackling the loneliness epidemic and rebuilding trust in communities. He previously spent seven years at Salesforce, where he launched climate-focused products and built citizen philanthropy programs in education, economic opportunity, and climate resilience. Based in Seattle, Nick finds inspiration on mountain trails year-round.

Sada Geuss

Managing Director and Investment Manager at Trillium Asset Management

Sada Geuss is a Managing Director and Investment Manager at Trillium Asset Management. For over 40 years, Trillium has been exclusively focused on Sustainable and Responsible Investing (SRI), supporting a diverse group of investors to build investment programs designed to reflect both their financial and their impact goals. As part of her role, Sada supports investors seeking to provide loan capital to community-focused financial institutions. She is also part of the team at Trillium responsible for identifying and monitoring those community development financial institutions (CDFIs) made available to their investors.

Prior to joining Trillium in 2015, Sada was an Investment Analyst at Deutsche Bank where we spent over a decade providing investment advisory services to individual, family office, and institutional clients. She received her B.S. in Environmental Studies from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® designation.

Michael Green

Senior Advisor on Climate and Energy at ASBN

Michael Green supports the ASBN Climate and Energy Steering Committee, providing policy briefs and strategic guidance on climate policy. Michael is the Director of Carbon Markets at ASBN member, Native. From 2012–2021, he was Executive Director of Climate XChange. A 2016 White House Champion of Change, he serves on multiple nonprofit boards. Michael is based in Woodstock, Vermont. He enjoys cycling, skiing, snowboarding, and hiking.

Stephen Herzenberg

Keystone Research Center (KRC) executive director emeritus and ReImagine Appalachia co-director

MIT economics PhD Stephen Herzenberg is Keystone Research Center (KRC) executive director emeritus and ReImagine Appalachia co-director. Steve’s recent writings include a chapter in Governing for Sustainability on “Decent Work” and analysis of how to socialize the cost to workers of a clean economy transition in Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization. Earlier writings include New Rules for a New Economy, Cornell/ILR Press, 1998; and U.S.-Mexico Trade: Pulling Together or Pulling Apart, 1992.

Aaron Hurst

CEO, U.S. Chamber of Connection

Aaron Hurst is the founder and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Connection, a national movement to reverse the decline of trust and social connection by mobilizing cross-sector leaders to take collective ownership of their communities. A pioneering social entrepreneur, Aaron previously founded the Taproot Foundation, catalyzing the $15 billion pro bono service market, and Imperative, a venture-backed company redefining purpose at work. Author of The Purpose Economy, his work has been featured in The New York Times, WSJ, and Stanford Social Innovation Review. At the Chamber, he partners with cities, companies, and civic institutions to turn purpose into lasting civic infrastructure.

Michael Jarrett

Sustainability Expert

Michael is a sustainability expert with a diverse professional background including experience as a local policy researcher at an energy efficiency nonprofit, federal government consultant, data division director at an energy management firm, and policy director for a start up focusing on the intersection of sustainability policy and social justice issues. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from Duquesne University and an MPP from The George Washington University. He is also an adjunct professor in Duquesne’s Political Science Department where he teaches courses on domestic and global sustainability policy, and the United Nations. Michael currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA.

Saru Jayaraman

President of One Fair Wage

Saru Jayaraman (JD, Yale, MPP Harvard) is an academic at UC Berkeley and the President of One Fair Wage, which organizes to raise wages and end subminimum wages nationwide. She was named one of CNN’s “Top10 Visionary Women”, a White House Champion of Change, a James Beard Foundation Leadership Award winner, the San Francisco Chronicle ‘Visionary of the Year’ and most recently an Irvine Foundation Leadership Award Winner. Saru authored Behind the Kitchen Door (Cornell University Press), Forked: A New Standard for American Dining (Oxford University Press), and One Fair Wage: Ending Subminimum Pay in America (New Press) and has appeared on MSNBC, HBO, PBS, CBS, and CNN.

Kevin McGahren

President & GM of Greyston Bakery

Kevin McGahren is currently the President & GM of Greyston Bakery in Yonkers, NY. Kevin has led Greyston the past 4 years and has over 30 years of experience managing a variety of businesses. He attended the College of William and Mary and started his business career as a branch manager for M&T Bank. He joined Kraft Foods after earning his MBA at Northwestern University (Kellogg) and then spent 15 years managing brands such as Jell-O and Oreo cookies. Kevin has since spent his time leading a variety of smaller packaged food companies, such as American Beverage, PANOS brands, Dancing Deer, and now Greyston.

John Imes

Executive Director, Wisconsin Environmental Initiative

John Imes is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative and Village President of Shorewood Hills. For more than three decades, he has shown how smart policy and market innovation can reinforce one another—even in a politically divided state. John works with unlikely coalitions of business leaders, policymakers, and communities to advance clean energy and sustainability solutions that lower costs, create jobs, and strengthen local economies.

From manufacturing and green building to sustainable tourism and municipal governance, he has championed pragmatic, bipartisan approaches that turn environmental stewardship into a competitive advantage. His track record demonstrates that when policy enables market-driven innovation, states like Wisconsin can become national leaders in building a resilient, inclusive, and low-carbon future—proof that in purple states, local momentum and business ingenuity can outpace politics as usual.

Anthony Myint

Executive Director of Zero Foodprint

Anthony Myint is the Executive Director of Zero Foodprint, a nonprofit named One of the Most Innovative Companies in the World (#1 in Agriculture) by Fast Company. ZFP leads collaborations with state agencies, local governments and hundreds of businesses to implement impactful and validated regenerative agriculture projects. ZFP has awarded $8+ million to 600+ farm projects with a modeled GHG benefit equal to not burning 22+ million gallons of gas.

Kate Ogden

Head of Advocacy and Movement Building at Seventh Generation

Kate Ogden is Head of Advocacy and Movement Building at Seventh Generation, where she harnesses the power of brands and consumers to push for climate justice and systemic policy change. Her work has supported the passage of state “polluter-pays” climate superfund laws in both Vermont and New York and is now focused on advancing coalition efforts in California alongside partners across business and civil society. Before joining Seventh Generation, Kate spent 12 years at Greenpeace leading campaigns on climate, toxics, forests, ocean protection, and the right to protest. She continues to collaborate closely with advocacy and research groups, helping translate complex data into public action and business voice. Kate’s work centers on partnership, civic engagement, and using brand influence to shift culture, policy, and capital toward a livable future.

Julia Person

Sustainability Manager at Bob’s Red Mill

Julia Person is the Sustainability Manager at Bob’s Red Mill, a 100% employee-owned maker of whole grain foods based in Milwaukie, Oregon. As a leader in the healthy food movement for all people and all communities, our mission is fostering the joy of togetherness. At Bob’s we know we rely on a healthy planet to bring healthy, high quality ingredients to your table. Through Sowing Goodness, we focus on transforming how our food is grown into a climate solution – whole grains are good for the farmer, the soil, and the eater.

Athena Petty

Sr. Manager Sustainability News Seasons Market

Athena Petty is a sustainability leader with over 15 years of experience working with companies to draw down their climate impact and build sustainable systems. A graduate of the University of Oregon, Athena worked in the energy efficiency sector using innovative behavior change models to reduce energy use before shifting her focus to food and agriculture. As the Senior Manager of Sustainability and B Corp practice lead at New Seasons Market, Athena develops strategies that deliver value beyond the dollar, implements climate actions and creates partnerships to deepen impact. Athena is dedicated to the protection of our planet and communities and advocates for farmer protections and the climate-smart practices necessary for a resilient food economy. Athena is inspired by nature and seeks balance in life, spending time with her family under the stars whenever possible.

Stacey Sprenkel

Partner at Davis Wright Tremaine

Stacey Sprenkel is a Partner at Davis Wright Tremaine and leads the firm’s ESG & Sustainability and Compliance, Ethics, Risk & Governance practices. She advises boards, executives, and legal teams across industries on ESG strategy, ethics, compliance, anti-corruption, and risk mitigation, combining deep regulatory knowledge with a pragmatic, business-focused approach. Her work spans risk and materiality assessments, program design and benchmarking, high-stakes due diligence, third-party and supply chain risk management, and internal investigations involving complex financial and regulatory issues. With experience guiding multinational companies through evolving enforcement priorities and sustainability expectations, Stacey delivers practical solutions that align compliance objectives with business goals while minimizing litigation and enforcement risks.

Alex Wright-Gladstein

Founder and CEO of Sphere

Alex Wright-Gladstein is the founder and CEO of Sphere, a VC-backed company that makes it easy for everyone to invest their retirement savings in a climate-friendly way, by offering climate-friendly funds that can check the boxes of what 401(k) fiduciaries look for. Prior to founding Sphere, Alex was founding CEO of Ayar Labs, an MIT technology spinout that is valued over $1B and cuts the energy use of AI in half by using light to move data between chips. She has also been the energy entrepreneurship practice leader at MIT and an energy efficiency program manager at smart grid company EnerNOC. She received an MBA from MIT and a BA in Political Science and Economics from Tufts University.

Laurie Lane-Zucker

Founder and CEO of Impact Entrepreneur, PBC

Laurie Lane-Zucker is Founder and CEO of Impact Entrepreneur, PBC, a company dedicated to fostering the Impact Economy. Impact Entrepreneur hosts the Impact Entrepreneur Network, a large, global community of “systems-minded” entrepreneurs, investors, and scholars focused on social and environmental innovation. Laurie also serves as editor and publisher of Impact Entrepreneur, a digital magazine dedicated to the emerging Impact Economy. For over 30 years, Laurie has been a “pioneer” (Forbes) and recognized leader in sustainability, social enterprise, and impact investing. Laurie was the founding Executive Director of the international environmental organization, Orion Society, which publishes the celebrated Orion Magazine, as well as the founder of a global sustainability think-tank, the Triad Institute, and Hotfrog, a Founding B Corporation, GIIRS Pioneer Company, and the first company ever to complete an equity transaction on an impact investment exchange. Laurie is the bestselling and multiple award-winning publisher and editor of books and magazines on sustainability and social impact — having worked with such acclaimed authors as Wendell Berry, Barry Lopez, Terry Tempest Williams, and David James Duncan — and the author of numerous articles on entrepreneurship and impact investing. Laurie is a contributing author to the recently published academic textbook Sustainability: Business and Investment Implications (World Scientific).