Global Issues
Environment & Sustainability
Environment & Sustainability:
First-Ever White House Climate Advisor
The first-ever White House National Climate Advisor and former EPA Administrator under President Obama, as well as leading the White House’s newly formed Climate Policy Office under President Joe Biden for nearly two years, Gina McCarthy is one of the nation’s most respected voices on the environment and public health.
First Female Prime Minister of Norway
Former prime minister of Norway and director-general of the World Health Organization, speaker Gro Brundtland has dedicated herself to making the world a better place.
Former President of Ireland & Former Chair of The Elders
One of the world’s most respected advocates for human rights and Ireland’s first woman President, Mary Robinson leads the mission of the Mary Robinson Foundation—Climate Justice.
First Ever Pentagon Chief Environmental Officer, Sustainability & National Security Expert & Author
A pioneer in sustainability and national security, Sherri Goodman is among the most respected international voices on emerging global risks, including energy and climate security, environment and public health.
Explorer & Ocean Advocate
Continuing the mission of her grandfather, Jacques and father, Phillipe Cousteau to protect the world’s oceans, Alexandra is a National Geographic "emerging explorer," filmmaker and gifted storyteller.
Editor in Chief & Host of Naturally, Danny Seo
From the award-winning magazine to his Emmy-winning TV show Naturally, Danny Seo, & bestselling products that bear his name, Danny Seo is who America turns to for fresh ideas on healthy, eco-friendly living.
Founder, Life Edited
As founder and CEO of LifeEdited, environmental speaker Graham Hill helps people design their lives to include more money, health, and happiness with less stuff, space, and energy.
Former Chief Sustainability Officer for Persefoni AI
Tim Mohin has worked to embed sustainability into business for more than 35 years. He began his career in the policy arena with US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Senate working on issues like the Clean Air Act.
Global Policy Expert
Controversial author, journalist, professor and food policy expert Raj Patel continuously challenges our presumptions about the global economy with his work both as a policy analyst and activist.
Expert In Climate Adaptation & Public Policy, Author
An inspiring, thoughtful, and ever-optimistic authority on the implications for humanity of rapidly rising sea levels, Susan Crawford is the author of Charleston.
Consumer Advocate
A former Green Party candidate for president, Ralph Nader fights for the people on the issues that matter most: healthcare, safety, environment, ethics, education, and economic & social equality.
Expert on Energy, Environment & Food
An expert on energy and global infrastructure, Smil sheds light on the fact that moving away from fossil fuels to alternative energy fields will be a complex undertaking which will require enormous investments.
Former President of Colombia
Former Colombian President César Gaviria is known as a conflict mediator, advocate of democracy, staunch supporter of regional integration, and defender of human rights. He is credited with reforming the Americas.
Former President of Costa Rica
A former President of Costa Rica and Nobel Laureate, Oscar Arias has traveled the world championing such issues as democracy, demilitarization and peace
Leading Authority on Climate Change
Nicholas Stern (Lord Stern) is a globally recognized economist, and one the world’s leading authorities on climate change, international development and global economic growth.
Global Authority on Using Soft Power to Change Behavior, Forbes Columnist on Leadership Strategies & Fellow-in-Residence at the McSilver Institute of Poverty Policy and Research, NYU
Penny Abeywardena is an award-winning public official and international columnist with a rapidly growing audience. She has learned a lot about how and why political and social progress happens — especially before and after courts and politicians get involved.
Member of *NSYNC
Lance Bass is the quintessential illustration of a highly successful and driven jack-of-all-trades: singer, host, actor, producer, writer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and cosmonaut.
Visionary Sustainability Expert, Award Winning Author & Entrepreneur
Maxine Bedat is a renowned expert in sustainability, the future of business, and an acclaimed author known for her groundbreaking book, Unraveled: The Life and Death of a Garment.
Writer, Filmmaker & Adventurer
Writer, filmmaker and adventurer, Jon is a six-time grantee of the National Geographic Expeditions Council. One of the Society’s ‘Ocean Heroes,’ his first assignment for National Geographic Magazine was documenting a 3,741 mile crossing of Antarctica by dogsled.
Marine Biologist, Ocean Advocate & Environmental Storyteller
Carissa is a CEO, published marine biologist, Harvard-recognized content creator, and climate activist.
President of Colombia (2010-2014; 2014-2018)
Recognized as one of the most influential leaders in the world, Juan Manuel Santos was the President of Colombia, from 2010 to 2018, where he ushered in a new era of prosperity, peace, equity, and education throughout Colombia during his 2x tenure.
Canada’s 1st & Only Female Prime Minister
The first and only female prime minister of Canada, the RH Kim Campbell has spent her ground-breaking career shattering barriers for women, cultivating the next generation of leaders, and speaking out on human rights and the impact of climate change.
World Adventurer, Sportsman & Explorer
Lebanon’s foremost sportsman and adventurer, Maxime Chaya was the first person from his country to hoist its flag atop Everest (2006).
Environmental Activist, Documentary Filmmaker & Host
Céline Cousteau is an environmental activist, international speaker, documentary filmmaker, facilitator, and author committed to sharing the vital message of interconnectivity between humans and the natural world.
Executive Producer & Host of “Living on Earth
With issues of pollution and global warming dominating the public agenda, Steve Curwood explores these topics and more as executive producer of NPR's "Living on Earth."
Global Sustainable Justice Vanguard
Dominique Drakeford is a mother, a non-traditional environmental justice educator, published writer, independent researcher and creative storyteller that has been a leader in reimagining sustainability for the past 15+ years.
Founder, Brown Girl Green; Environmental Media Host & Activist
Kristy Drutman, otherwise known as “Browngirl Green” is a speaker, consultant, media producer, and environmental educator passionate about working at the intersections between media, diversity, and environmentalism.
Sustainable Landscape Architect
Tim Duggan most recently helped develop the Sustainable Landscapes Program for the Make It Right Foundation based in New Orleans. He develops strategies for affordable residential LEED Platinum Landscapes.
President of Colombia (2018-2022), Writer, Philanthropist & Entrepreneur
President of Colombia (2018-2022); a global expert in security, sustainability, conservation, green finance, and energy transition.
Executive Director at Waic Up, White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council Member
Jerome Foster II is an environmental justice activist, social entrepreneur, and renowned public speaker. At 18, he made history becoming the youngest person ever to advise the White House.
World-Leading Futurist
Nikki Greenberg is a world-leading futurist and innovation strategist, focused on preparing organizations for a tech-enabled future. She is a thought-leader, commentator in the press, and recipient of numerous international awards.
Founder & CEO of charity: water, New York Times Bestselling Author
Scott founded the non-profit organization charity: water in 2006. He created public installations and innovative online fundraising platforms to spread international awareness of the issue.
Environmentalist, Educator & Founder of QueerBrownVegan
Isaias Hernandez is a full-time content creator for QueerBrownVegan and has experience in diversity inclusion work in environmental spaces, academic research, and creative work.
Oil, Energy & Sustainability Expert
Amy Myers Jaffe is a leading expert on the geopolitics of oil, energy, security, risk and an influential thought leader on global energy policy and sustainability.
Visionary in Agentic AI-Driven Decision Intelligence
Dr. Moriba Jah is an internationally recognized, award-winning scientist, educator and MacArthur fellow acknowledged for his work in space environmentalism.
Oil Expert / Author
Antonia Juhasz is a leading oil and energy expert. She is an award-winning policy-analyst, author, and journalist covering all aspects of oil and energy policy with a specialization on the role of oil in conflict.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning NYT Columnist
How good do you really have to be, to be christened the reporter’s reporter…by other reporters? You have to be Nicholas Kristof – good.
Climate Justice & Renewable Energy Advocate
Melina is a renowned advocate for climate justice, Indigenous sovereignty and women's rights. She is Lubicon Cree from Northern Alberta, Canada. She is the Founder of Sacred Earth Solar and a Climate Fellow at the David Suzuki Foundation.
President of Green Cross International
An expert on sustainability and "survivability," environmental speaker Alexander Likhotal is president and CEO of Green Cross International, a global campaign for the right to water.
Expert on Cities, Mobility, Travel, Trade & the Future of Work
Greg Lindsay is the director of applied research at NewCities and director of strategy at its mobility offshoot CoMotion. He is also a partner at FutureMap, a geo-strategic advisory firm based in Singapore.
Author, Yale Lecturer & Harvard Senior Fellow
Vikram Mansharamani is an experienced global equity investor and lecturer at Yale University. He is the author of Boombustology: Spotting Financial Bubbles Before They Burst.
Environmental Policy Expert & Former EPA Deputy Administrator
Janet McCabe is an accomplished environmental policy expert with a distinguished career in public service, law, and academia.
Corporate Responsibility Expert
Susan McPherson is a serial connector, angel investor, and corporate responsibility expert. She is the founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, a communications consultancy focused on the intersection of brands and social impact.
Multi-Platinum Band AJR, Founder of Planet Reimagined & Columbia University Professor
Adam Met, PhD seamlessly transitions between roles as musician, educator, advocate, and scholar.
Award Winning Sustainability Strategist & Concept Developer
Milan Meyberg is an award winning Sustainability Strategist, Concept Developer and Public Speaker for global lifestyle brands, NGOs and large scale music festivals.
Founding Principal, Michael P. Murphy Studio, Founding Principal & Trustee Emeritus, MASS Design Group
Michael Murphy is an architect, educator and writer, and founder of Michael P. Murphy Studio. His work focuses on how the built environment shapes our lives, our health, and our communities.
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere
As the highest-ranking Brazilian-American to serve in the U.S. government, Jana Nelson offers an insider’s view on global leadership, diplomacy, and decision-making across the Americas.
"Eco-Model" & Author
The author of Style, Naturally, the first global guide to sustainable “green” beauty and fashion, Oakes is known as the “Eco-Model,” working on campaigns for socially and environmentally conscious companies.
Geologist / Earth Science Historian
Oreskes, PhD is the author of The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change, which laid to rest the idea that there was significant disagreement in the scientific community about global warming and its human causes.
Former Executive Director of Greenpeace USA
Former Executive Director of Greenpeace USA, Passacantando is a sought after environmental speaker who leads the fight for clean air, clean water, and the survival of our planet.
Former Deputy Secretary of Energy
From 2009 to 2014, Daniel Poneman served as Deputy Secretary of Energy and is currently a Senior Fellow with the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
Senior Astronaut, Stanford Engineer and MBA
Steve Smith made an audacious childhood dream to be an astronaut come true despite multiple setbacks. He is one of America’s most experienced astronauts with 4 spaceflights and 7 spacewalks to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.
European Politician & Finance Expert
Speaker Pedro Solbes served as the European Commissioner of Economic and Monetary Affairs, overseeing the euro's integration across the EU.
A Climate Action Pioneer in the Gen Z Creator Economy
Estella Struck is the visionary force behind Viviene New York, the pioneering sustainability-focused product marketing agency, driven by Gen Z.
Founder of Intersectional Environmentalist & Author of The Intersectional Environmentalist
Coining the term ‘eco-communicator’ to describe her style of environmental activism, Leah uses her passion for writing to explore and advocate for the critical yet often overlooked relationship between social justice and environmentalism.
Chief of Staff at the EPA under President Obama
Thompson is an experienced and successful executive in policy, program, and management. She was the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the first four years of the Obama Administration.
Marine Biologist, TV Personality & Author
Luke Tipple is a marine biologist, TV personality, best selling author, entrepreneur and pilot. Guided by the universal language of the water he’s spent the past 30+ years in, on or under the surface, experiencing its gifts and brutalities.
Global Energy Authority & Author of Saudi, Inc.
It is virtually impossible to examine the intersection of geopolitics, energy and markets without understanding Saudi Arabia. Global energy authority Ellen R. Wald brings incomparable expertise on the kingdom and its worldwide impact.
Former White House National Climate Advisor & Leading Authority on the Clean Energy Economy
Ali Zaidi served as Assistant to the President of the United States and National Climate Advisor. In this role, he led the White House Climate Policy Office, which coordinated policy development and the U.S. government’s overall strategy on climate and clean energy.