2026 Breakout Sessions
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During Welcome
High Performance Districts: Revitalizing Legacy Land to Catalyze Economic Development
Cities hold a massive, underutilized asset: existing industrial infrastructure. Instead of losing development to greenfield sites, municipalities can use their regulatory authority to create High-Performance Districts that act as magnets for major economic investment. Drawing on real-world models of transforming legacy brownfields into high-tech hubs, this short discussion reveals how local governments can spark the creation of mixed-use district energy systems. Learn how proactive "energy-ready" planning not only provides unparalleled market differentiation for tenants but also restores economic vitality to historically disinvested communities.
Scott Hubay
Managing Partner at Hubay Dougherty
Scott Hubay is the Managing Partner at Hubay Dougherty, where he leads the firm's clean energy practice. Since 2016, he has guided a diverse range of clients—including engineering firms, nonprofits, green banks, and governments—through complex infrastructure projects. Scott specializes in strategically layering energy incentives to optimize built-environment projects. By capturing these opportunities, he helps project owners significantly reduce CapEx/OpEx or expand the scale of their budgets. His practical expertise includes energy tax advice, third-party certifications for ITC and FEOC compliance, and coalition building for large-scale initiatives. Known for his ability to "connect the dots," Scott recently utilized this coalition-building approach to help design two winning EPA grant proposals (Solar for All, CPRG). An active member of the Energy Bar Association, SEIA, and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Scott enjoys exploring Ohio City with his wife and two children.
Morning Breakout 1
(10:30 AM - 11:30 AM)
Exhibit Hall
Business Sustainability Leadership: Navigating Risk, Innovation, and Impact
What does sustainability leadership look like in today’s rapidly changing business landscape? Leaders from banking, energy, manufacturing, and automotive sectors will share how their organizations are approaching sustainability amid evolving market pressures, regulatory uncertainty, supply chain challenges, and growing stakeholder expectations. From sustainability reporting and risk management to energy modernization, materials innovation, and responsible supply chains, this conversation explores how businesses are balancing long-term resilience with near-term realities. Panelists will discuss both the opportunities and challenges of advancing sustainability strategies in complex industries, offering candid insights into what meaningful corporate leadership looks like in a time of transition and uncertainty.
Cheryl Lombardi
Vice President & Senior Sustainability Reporting Analyst, Fifth Third Bank
Cheryl Lombardi is Vice President and Senior Sustainability Reporting Analyst at Fifth Third Bank, where she leads the publication of the company’s annual Sustainability Report and related disclosures. Since joining the bank in 2006, she has held roles across Operations, Business Banking, and the Sustainability Office. She holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin and the University of Phoenix. Outside of work, she is establishing a Christmas tree farm in southeast Ohio.
Heather Quinley
Managing Director, Sustainability, Duke Energy
Heather Quinley is Managing Director, Sustainability, at Duke Energy. Her role helps enhance Duke Energy’s reputation as a sustainable business leader. Her team is responsible for setting sustainability strategy, reporting on voluntary disclosures, fostering transparency in our ratings, and managing nongovernmental organization partnerships at the national level. She engages with the sustainable business community and with environmental stakeholders to advance Duke Energy’s business strategy. Her team is responsible for helping create shared value with our stakeholders as well as mitigating risk associated with our energy modernization approach. Heather earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in environmental science at the University of Virginia and holds a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Heather lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband and their three children.
Dr. Rick Michelman
President & CEO, Michelman
Dr. Rick Michelman, President & CEO of Michelman, brings nearly three decades of progressive leadership experience across product development, technology management, and global business strategy. With a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley, Rick has consistently applied his scientific expertise to drive innovation and sustainability across diverse industries, including packaging, digital printing, agriculture, coatings & additives, and fibers & composites.
Room 201
Solar Without Subsidies: The Future of
Alternative Energy
After the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July of 2025, residential and commercial solar tax credits were eliminated prematurely, tariffs and world conflicts put a squeeze on materials, and fossil fuels began proliferating once again. Is solar energy still a viable option for homeowners, business owners, and communities in our region? Hear local leaders ranging from residential to commercial installers, policy advisors, and financial institutions discuss how to tackle these challenges through the bumpy road of renewables, and how solar energy is more important than ever - not despite these events - but because of them.
Lewis Connell (Moderator)
Director of Sales and Marketing, Sustainergy Cooperative
Lewis is a worker-owner and director at Sustainergy Cooperative who is passionate about energy, climate advocacy, and the natural world. Joining Sustainergy in 2020, Lewis combines his background in sales and entrepreneurship with building science to help home and business owners save money and live more comfortably through solar and energy efficiency solutions. When not performing energy audits, you can find him traveling to new places with his wife Devan, playing music, or on the disc golf course.
Flequer Vera
CEO, Sustainergy Cooperative
Growing up in Peru with limited access to electricity, Flequer Vera developed a lifelong passion for sustainable and equitable energy solutions. He is CEO of Sustainergy Cooperative, a worker-owned Engineering, Procurement, and Construction firm specializing in solar and insulation, and co-founder and VP for 15 years of Co-op Cincy, a nonprofit incubator supporting worker-owned businesses. Flequer serves on the 2030 District Advisory Board, helped lead Cincinnati’s 5-Year Green Plan, and has advised the White House and U.S. Department of Labor on worker ownership. With a Finance degree, he brings disciplined expertise to community-centered solutions. In his free time, he enjoys family, dancing, and travel.
Craig Ickler
Energy Democracy Organizer, Cleveland Owns
Craig is a committed organizer and passionate about building energy democracy in Northeast Ohio. Originally from Portland, Oregon Craig worked for a local SEIU affiliate, helping to build healthcare justice for Oregon’s homecare workers. Now in Cleveland, Craig has been building the people, economic, and political power necessary to shift our energy system toward energy democracy. When not organizing, Craig enjoys riding his bike and spending time with his cat.
Jake Kuss
Solar Business Development, Melink Solar
Jake leads the Melink Solar business development team's efforts with public entities across the region, including school districts, municipalities, and universities. He is also the founder of Shared Power Network, an educational nonprofit focused on bringing solar energy education to Ohio's students. Previously, Jake launched Madison Energy Infrastructure's Midwestern efforts as the Midwest Market Lead, sat on the Green Energy Ohio board of directors, and served as the Acting Director of Utility Scale Solar Energy Coalition of Ohio (USSEC).
Andy Holzhauser
Partner, Donovan Energy
Andy Holzhauser, CPA (Inactive), is a Partner at Donovan Energy, a clean energy development and finance firm supporting building decarbonization and EV charging projects. His experience spans the private and nonprofit sectors, including Deloitte, Fifth Third Bank, 3CDC, and serving as Founding CEO of the Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance. Andy is a co‑founder of Electrada, Industrious Labs, and Sunflower Fuels. He serves on the Board of Beech Acres, is a former Board Chair of Green Umbrella, and lives in Over‑the‑Rhine with his wife and three children.
Room 202
From Textile Waste to New Opportunities
Textiles are one of the world’s largest pollution sources—and one of its biggest untapped opportunities. Each year, Goodwill moves more secondhand textiles than any nonprofit, including 43 million pounds in the Ohio Valley alone. This session explores how partnerships between Goodwill, Sew Valley, Hamilton County Recycling, and the Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub are transforming reuse, repair, and recycling into scalable systems that reduce waste, create jobs, and lay the groundwork for a circular economy.
This candid, case-based panel explores how small, practical actions—like mending workshops, reuse education, and repair pilots—can inform larger, system-level change. Grounded in active partnerships, panelists will share how more than 43 million pounds of textiles are managed across donation, resale, reuse, and recycling—and what it takes to steward materials at that scale.
The session highlights a mending and repair pilot launching in partnership with Sew Valley and supported by Hamilton County Recycling, as well as the Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub’s Fiber Forum, which is aligning regional stakeholders around shared solutions. Together, these efforts demonstrate how funding, education, and collaboration can reduce waste, create jobs, and build the infrastructure for a resilient, circular future.
Sherwood MacVeigh
Vice President Marketing, Ohio Valley Goodwill
Sherwood is a social impact leader advancing sustainability, workforce development, and circular economy innovation. At Ohio Valley Goodwill, she works across partnerships and social enterprise models to extend the life of goods and reduce waste. Her work connects brand, partnership, and impact—translating sustainability into scalable, real-world solutions.
Jenny Brewer
Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub
Jenny represents the Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub (The Hub), where she applies her background as a Business Process Consultant to strengthen The Hub’s role in local sustainability. A five-year board member and chair of the Innovation and Events Committees, she leads creative workshops, repair events, sustainable swaps, and recently organized the Fiber Forum textile collaborative. Known for her collaborative spirit and passion for community engagement, Jenny helps drive programs that inspire reuse, creativity, and environmental action across the Cincinnati region.
Madeleine Tepe Misleh
Co-Director of Operations, Sew Valley
Madeleine serves as the Co-Director of Operations at Sew Valley, a Cincinnati, Ohio non-profit organization where sustainable practices meet creative ingenuity. Madeleine leverages her passion for product development and engineering to bring forth thoughtful designs that fit and function well. She is committed to fostering innovation amongst her team members and enjoys solving a good problem. Madeleine aims to lead the organization towards excellence in craftsmanship, efficiency, and forward-thinking solutions for both production and product development.
Elise Erhart
Outreach Specialist, Hamilton County ReSource
Elise Erhart is the Outreach Specialist for Hamilton County ReSource, the County’s Solid Waste Management Department. She teaches all ages and organizations about reducing, reusing, and recycling throughout the County and loves getting to engage with all members of the community through outreach events. She has a BS in Environmental Biology and Minor in Sustainability, Energy, and the Environment from the University of Dayton. (If we’re including other fun facts, I’m a lifelong dancer and teach ballroom dancing lessons on the weekends.)
Room 203
Brownfield Redevelopment: Unlocking the Reuse of Underutilized Properties
Brownfields are properties with real or perceived contamination that present complex barriers to reuse and redevelopment. Returning these properties to effective uses can revitalize communities but requires adaptation and collaboration between partners to find the path to redevelopment. This 50-minute discussion panel will showcase 2-3 examples of brownfields in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati. It will tell the story of how partners like Community Development Corporations, the Port/Landbank, Department of Community and Economic Development, and Environmental Consultants work together to acquire brownfield properties, assess their contamination, fund the redevelopment, and center it around community wants and needs. Each partner plays a different role in the puzzle of how to reuse contaminated property and how to match the reuse to create healthy, resilient communities. These examples can provide insights for other regions in Ohio and the Midwest.
Amanda Testerman (Moderator)
Sr. Environmental Safety Specialist, City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment and Sustainability
Amanda Testerman is a Sr. Environmental Safety Specialist at the City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment and Sustainability where she leads a US EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant focused in the Lower Mill Creek Valley and provides expertise in environmental assessments for City projects. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and after years 8 working in industry, she joined the City to focus on environmental improvements at the local level. As part of the Green Cincinnati Plan, she is focused on centering community voices in cleaning up environmental contamination to create resilient communities.
Greg Koehler
Neighborhood Development Manager, City of Cincinnati, Department of Community & Economic Development
Greg Koehler is a development manager with the City of Cincinnati. With 18 years of economic development and community development experience, particularly with urban neighborhoods and legacy manufacturing areas, Greg has led, or provided funding for, numerous projects that redeveloped blighted and contaminated real estate to create new housing, improve business districts, or attract new jobs. His portfolio has included collaborative public-private partnerships with the Hamilton County Land Bank, Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, neighborhood CDCs, and private developers.
Rachel Hastings
Executive Director, NEST
Rachel Hastings serves as Executive Director at NEST, Northside’s community development corporation. Rachel moved to Northside in 1998 and is passionate about helping residents build their skills and make connections to positively impact their life and neighborhood. Before joining NEST, Rachel utilized community engagement, creative placemaking, leadership development, and real estate development at The Center for Great Neighborhoods of Covington. In her time at The Center, her team renovated over 40 historic single-family homes and the Hellmann Creative Center. Upon joining Price Hill Will in 2018, Rachel guided over $30 million in renovations, including transforming the former Price Hill Masonic Lodge into ARCO, a hub for arts and community; the mixed-use Warsaw Avenue Creative Campus; and affordable single-family homes. Rachel has a Master’s in Community Planning with a Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Cincinnati.
Scott Betz
Director of Development, The Port
Scott Betz is a Director of Development for The Port, where he plays an instrumental part in The Port’s efforts to put underutilized property back to productive use for job creation and community benefit. He supports the Development Team, managing industrial and commercial projects in The Port’s portfolio through all project phases, including due diligence, demolition, remediation, site work, construction, and disposition. Prior to joining The Port, Scott worked as a Development Officer at the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) where he managed over $70 million in development in Cincinnati’s urban core. Scott holds a Masters of City and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, Bachelors of Environmental Studies and Bachelors of Architecture from the University of Cincinnati. Scott is a Registered Architect in the State of Ohio and a Certified Planner by the American Planning Association.
Michael Luessen
Principal Geologist, Atlas Technical Consultants
Michael Luessen is a Principal Geologist at Atlas Technical Consultants in their Sharonville office, where he has toiled since the Pleistocene (well, it seems like it – let’s just say a LONG time). He has BS and MS degrees in Geology (from NKU and Idaho State University, respectively), over 35 years of local/regional/national environmental consulting experience. He is a Kentucky PG and Certified Professional in Ohio’s Voluntary Action Program. Mr. Luessen takes a great deal of pride in having provided creative solutions to environmental issues faced by the City of Cincinnati, the Port and private clients at many sites that are current City landmarks (and lots of “regular” sites too!)
Room 204
From Collaboration to Adaptation:
Building a Thriving Future
This session delivers powerful, Midwest‑grounded insights into how collaboration fuels effective climate adaptation. Through real case studies, participants see scholar–community–government partnerships creating measurable change. Interactive small‑group discussions help attendees apply these lessons to their own projects, identify strategic partners, and build capacity. The session concludes with actionable tools—including a project concept worksheet, regional resources like the Midwest Climate Resource Network, and opportunities to engage in the Climate Action Research Incubator—so participants leave equipped to drive thriving,
climate‑resilient futures.
Bamidele Emmanuel Osamika
Engagement and Evaluation Manager, Green Umbrella
Bamidele Emmanuel Osamika is the Engagement and Evaluation Manager at Green Umbrella, where he leads community and partner engagement, program evaluation, and collaborative climate initiatives across the Greater Cincinnati region. His work focuses on advancing climate resilience, sustainability, and community-driven solutions through partnerships with local governments and community organizations. Bamidele holds degrees in psychology from Adekunle Ajasin University and the University of Ibadan, and a Master of Environmental Science from Miami University (Ohio). He has experience in academia, sustainability research, and environmental education, and has published over 25 peer-reviewed articles on mental health, wellbeing, sustainability, and climate justice.
Kristy Hopfensperger
Director of the Environmental Science Program, Northern Kentucky Univeresity
Dr. Hopfensperger is an ecosystem ecologist, and currently a Professor at Northern Kentucky University and serves as the Environmental Science Program Director. Her research is centered on relationships between community dynamics and ecosystem processes in response to human disturbances. Hopfensperger works with undergraduate students and community partners to conduct research on topics including water quality, green infrastructure, greenhouse gas flux and invasive species. At NKU, she works to guide students through the wonderful world of science by leading interactive classes, mentoring ecological research experiences, and demonstrating active community engagement. Kristy received her Ph.D. in environmental science from the University of Maryland.
Charis Egland-Smith
Climate Resource Specialist, Midwest Climate Collaborative
Charis serves the Midwest Climate Collaborative (MCC) as a Climate Resource Specialist, bringing over 15 years of experience in sustainability and impact networks. She specializes in fostering strategic collaborations between local governments, non-profits, and higher education institutions to advance climate-related initiatives and enhance regional funding. Based in Cleveland, Charis works in partnership with the Great Lakes Energy Institute at Case Western Reserve University and its Climate Action Network (CWRU CAN). Her background includes leading multi-stakeholder initiatives at Green America and consulting for the Climate Collaborative. Dedicated to climate justice and building a resilient, carbon-neutral Midwest, Charis holds an M.A. in Political Science and serves as Board Treasurer for Fairtrade America. She is eager to leverage her expertise to build a more interconnected, climate-ready region.
Kelsey Hawkins-Johnson
Climate Safe Neighborhoods Director, Groundwork Ohio River Valley
Kelsey (she/her) is the Climate Safe Neighborhoods Director at Groundwork Ohio River Valley. CSN is driving equity and resilience engagement strategies for communities most vulnerable to climate change in Greater Cincinnati. She holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Eastern Michigan University. Her favorite things to do include hiking, enjoying the arts scene in the city, reading, and dancing.
Yingying Xie
Assistant Professor, Northern Kentucky University
Dr. Yingying Xie is a plant ecologist with 15+ years of experience studying the spatial and temporal interactions between plants and the environment. Her research focuses on the impacts of global change on plant phenology (i.e., the timing of life cycle events) and associated species interactions and ecosystem processes. She works with scientists in multiple disciplines, undergraduate students, local land managers, and community partners. She uses integrated approaches including natural history, community science network, field observation, and remote sensing techniques to identify the mechanisms and patterns and to predict impacts and consequences.
Ms Jennifer Foster
Vice President, Avondale Community Council
Jennifer Foster is a dedicated community health worker and lifelong advocate for the residents of Avondale, where she has proudly lived and served for over 17 years. As Vice President of the Avondale Community Council, she plays a key leadership role in advancing neighborhood initiatives, uplifting families, and promoting community wellness. Jennifer is actively involved in several impactful organizations, including Amnesty International, the Black United Front alongside Iris Roley through the Citizen Complaint Authority, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Parent Partner Committee, and the All-In Coalition. She also serves as a Community Builder in her role as a CHW, working tirelessly to bridge gaps between healthcare systems and the community.
Anas Malik
Professor and Chair, Department of Political Science, Xaiver University
Anas studies institutions and collective action interreligious contexts, particularly among Muslim and Catholic communities. His interests include community land trusts for environmental stewardship and affordable housing, civic strategies for accommodating climate refugees, and faith-based engagement in climate action, including certification and alternative finance mechanisms. Anas is Department Chair and Professor of Political Science at Xavier University, and a member of the Steering Committee of Faith Communities Go Green (www.fcgg.org)
Morning Breakout 2
(11:30 AM - 12:30 PM)
Dawn Kirchner is the City of Kettering’s first Sustainability Manager, leading the development of a long-term, citywide sustainability strategy. She began with the city in 2021 as Volunteer Administrator and holds a background in biology and environmental science, with research experience in aquatic toxicology from Wright State University. Kirchner works across departments to align goals, ensure environmental compliance, and advance initiatives to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, and modernize infrastructure. She is passionate about community engagement and science education, actively involving residents and businesses in shaping local sustainability efforts, including composting, native plants, and pollinator-friendly practices.
Exhibit Hall
Unlocking Our Full CAPacity: Municipal Climate Action from Plan to Proof
Communities across Ohio are showing that climate action is achievable and impactful, regardless of size or capacity. This session explores the full arc of local Climate Action Planning—from development to implementation and impact. Panelists will share how small and mid-sized municipalities create plans that reflect local priorities, resources, and constraints. Attendees will learn how communities with varying staff capacity and political contexts are aligning sustainability with economic development, infrastructure, and public health goals.
The session will also focus on turning plans into action and demonstrating results. Panelists will highlight implementation strategies, performance metrics, and tools like dashboards to track progress. Discussion will address common challenges, including limited capacity and imperfect data, and offer practical guidance on communicating outcomes effectively to residents and decision-makers to build long-term momentum.
Alyssa Johnson (Moderator)
Director of Programs & Partnerships, Power a Clean Future Ohio
Alyssa leads program development and partner engagement at Power a Clean Future Ohio (PCFO), supporting local governments in advancing clean energy and climate solutions. She oversees PCFO’s programming portfolio, ensuring initiatives align with member needs and organizational values while delivering practical, actionable tools. Alyssa builds strategic partnerships and connects communities to resources across local, state, regional, and national networks. Through her work, she helps municipalities reduce greenhouse gas emissions by coordinating program delivery, fostering collaboration, and strengthening coalitions. Her efforts focus on accelerating community-driven climate action and equipping Ohio’s local governments with the support needed to implement impactful, sustainable solutions.
Melanie Nutter
Principal, Nutter Consulting
Melanie Nutter is Principal of Nutter Consulting, advising cities, foundations, and companies on sustainability and smart city strategies. She served as Director of the San Francisco Department of the Environment (2010–2014), appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom and continuing under Mayor Edwin Lee. During her tenure, San Francisco achieved an 80% waste diversion rate and reduced emissions below 1990 levels. Nutter previously worked for Speaker Nancy Pelosi as Deputy District Director, leading policy and constituent services. She has held leadership roles with Ecodistricts and USDN, contributes to national smart city standards, and is a frequent speaker on urban sustainability.
Linda Arbogast
Sustainability Coordinator, City of Oberlin
Linda grew up on a farm in northern Minnesota, where her family still lives, and has carried her passion for community and the environment around the world. She holds a BA in Psychological Services and an MIA in International Administration, and spent over seven years working in health and education across South and Southeast Asia. As Peace Corps Country Director in Guyana, she launched the first environmental program for the country. Back in Ohio, she developed community engagement initiatives at Oberlin College and led Oberlin Community Services before serving nearly seven years as Oberlin’s Sustainability Coordinator. She and her family also run an organic blueberry farm.
Dawn Kirchner
Sustainability Manager, City of Kettering
Room 201
Behind-The-Meter Microgrids: The Modern, Smart, Clean Energy System
Behind-The-Meter Microgrids are the foundation of a smart energy system which saves money and creates revenue, provides security, and enhances resiliency for your community, campus, facility, business, or home. In the face of increasing energy costs, lower reliability and rising demand, microgrids provide a stack of values based on existing buildings and infrastructure. Microgrids use renewable energy, storage, and controls to provide reliable, robust power and energy without emissions. They are the building blocks of a clean, smart electric grid; and they are how we would build our electric grid if we started today.
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Michael Benson
Co-Owner of Command Consulting LLC
Michael Benson is a consultant leveraging an award-winning 30-year career in municipal public safety to ensure entities have robust, resilient energy systems to support their electrification programs. He and his partner patented the Mission-Critical Microgrid (Pat. No. 11,932,130 B2) to make this possible. Michael has a Professional Certificate in Energy lnnovation and Emerging Technologies from Stanford University, and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Anna Maria College. He is the Board President of Green Energy Ohio, and lives in a municipal electric community with his family, a storage+solar microgrid, and three electric vehicles.
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Amy Simpkins
CEO of muGrid Analytics
As co-founder and CEO at muGrid Analytics, Amy Simpkins architects reliable, adaptive command and control for mission-critical distributed energy systems. muGrid provides bankable techno-economic analysis, optimized control, and project development of renewable energy, energy storage, and microgrids to maximize economic return, increase energy resilience, and promote energy equity in the US and around the world. Amy is the author of Spiral: A Catalyst for Innovation and Expansion. Amy holds Master's in Astronautical Engineering from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor's in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT.
Douglas J. Pearson, PhD
Associate Vice President for Facilities Planning and Operations at Kent State University
Responsible for strategic and project planning, capital prioritization, and stewardship for Kent State University’s land, buildings, space, and continuously changing portfolio which is comprised of 10 locations, 2,500 acres, and 8 million GSF. The Facilities, Planning, and Operations Department has approximately 300 employees, and an annual budget of more than $20 million.
Rick Bolton
CEO of Compass Energy Platform
Rick Bolton is the CEO of Compass Energy Platform where he leads the company’s mission to develop and finance 21st century energy infrastructure, help cities fight climate change and build more resilient economies and communities. He leads the company’s work to define, assess and build locally-generated energy (including solar, wind, fuel cells, energy storage and biomass), microgrids, electric transportation and smart city assets.
Room 202
Short Talk Series: Systems, Stories, and Solutions
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The Stories We Tell: Why Communication Is Climate Infrastructure
Angela Betancourt, Founder and CEO, Betancourt Group
If the future of the Midwest depends on resilience, then the foundation of resilience is not technology; it’s communication. The stories we tell shape public trust, political will, community buy-in, and our collective belief in what is possible. Yet too often, climate work fails not because the science is weak, but because the message never reaches the people who need it. In this five-minute talk, Angela Betancourt highlights that storytelling is climate infrastructure. From social media to art, public campaigns to journalism, our stories determine whether communities embrace innovation or resist it. When we change the story from uncertainty to agency, from scarcity to creativity, from fear to possibility, we create a future where communities adapt to change and thrive. About the speaker: Angela Betancourt is a global strategic communications leader with over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of climate, business, policy, and culture across five continents. She is the Founder and CEO of Betancourt Group, where she partners with scientists, innovators, companies, and institutions to translate complex ideas into compelling narratives that build trust, influence decision-makers, and accelerate environmental and social impact. Angela holds a Master’s in Global Strategic Communications from Georgetown University and is a frequent speaker on climate communication and the role of storytelling in driving adoption of sustainable solutions.
When It Rains, It Overflows: Adapting Communities to Combined Sewer Challenges
Alex Falck, Environmental Engineer, R2O Consulting
Across the Midwest, combined sewer systems, once considered innovative, now pose growing environmental and public health challenges. As rainfall becomes more intense, combined sewer overflows (CSOs) discharge untreated wastewater into rivers and streams, degrading water quality and impacting nearby communities. This session provides a clear, accessible overview of how CSOs work, why they persist in legacy infrastructure systems, and what their impacts look like. More importantly, it reframes CSOs not just as an engineering issue, but as a community resilience challenge. Attendees will learn how individual actions, green infrastructure, and cross-sector collaboration can reduce overflow impacts and help protect water resources for future generations. About the speaker: Alex Falck is an Environmental Engineer and licensed P.E. (Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana) with over eight years of experience in water infrastructure, sustainability, and building health. At R2O Consulting, he supports cities and municipalities in managing hydrologic and hydraulic planning for stormwater and wastewater systems, including modeling and planning efforts related to combined sewer overflows. Alex holds a degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and previously worked at Melink Corporation, where he focused on mechanical system performance, indoor air quality, and sustainable building solutions. As a WELL Accredited Professional, he brings a multidisciplinary perspective on how infrastructure, buildings, and environmental systems influence community health and resilience.
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From CO₂ to Chemicals: Powering a Circular Economy
Molly Rizkallah, CEO, Cincy Carbon
Green chemistry is rapidly becoming a scalable solution for decarbonizing industry. Molly Rizkallah, CEO of Cincy Carbon, explores how electrolysis transforms captured CO₂ and water into carbon-free chemicals. The session highlights how electrochemical processes reduce emissions while enabling localized production. Attendees will gain a high-level understanding of electrolysis and its role in circular economies, supply chain strength, and workforce development, demonstrating how businesses can turn carbon waste into economic value while building a more sustainable future.
BREATHE: A Regional Air Quality Network
Amanda Testerman, Sr. Environmental Safety Specialist, City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment & Sustainability
BREATHE (Bridging Research Equity and Asthma through Healthy Environments) is a learning collaborative focused on connecting researchers, community organizers, public servants, and Cincinnatian’s interested in improving air quality in the region. This team first began meeting in Fall of 2025. BREATHE aims to connect partners through quarterly meetings to collaborate and learn about air quality research and actions to improve air quality within the Cincinnati region. By using collaborative, data-driven, systems-level approaches in connection with focused actions of Cincinnati’s built environment, we can improve air quality and asthma rates. This session will provide an overview of how this coalition was formed, what we aim to achieve, and how regional collaborations build strong networks to allow communities to adapt to changing environments. About the speaker: Amanda Testerman is a Sr. Environmental Safety Specialist at the City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment and Sustainability. As lead of the Natural Environment focus area, she is focused on improving air quality in Cincinnati and connecting partners and residents to resources. In partnership with the Cincinnati Health Department, Amanda leads the Cincy Air Watch project which aims to enhance community awareness of local air quality conditions and to investigate the relationship between air quality, asthma, tree canopy coverage, and heat island effects. Through the project she has installed 40 air monitors with public real-time data in Cincinnati neighborhoods.
Smarter Recycling: How AI Is Changing Waste Management
Ben Russ, Recycling Technician, City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment & Sustainability
Understanding individual waste streams has traditionally required time-intensive methods like physically sorting through trash or recycling to identify areas for improvement, especially in settings like hospitals, schools, and multi-family housing. A new wave of AI technology is changing that. This session explores how data-driven tools can provide faster, more reliable insights into waste composition. Learn how the City of Cincinnati is partnering with Rego to pilot AI-powered recycling audits in multi-family communities, improving efficiency, reducing contamination, and helping target education and outreach where it is needed most. About the speaker: Ben Russ graduated from The Ohio State University in 2024 with a double major in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability (EEDS) and Political Science. Since then, he has worked with Groundwork Ohio River Valley as a Youth Leader, leading environmental education and outdoor programming for young people. He now works with the city on recycling education and expansion initiatives, helping increase access and awareness across communities. Ben is passionate about advancing practical, community- driven sustainability solutions and engaging community leaders in environmental stewardship.
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Hemp: The Ancient Secret to a Sustainable Future
Rachel Batka, Communications Coordinator, Third Act, Union
This session will explore the many alternative uses of hemp that would allow us to move forward more sustainably. This includes hemp’s ability to replace wood pulp paper, synthetic textiles, concrete, lithium-ion batteries, ethanol, plastics, and pesticides. These hemp substitutions could address issues such as deforestation, excessive water consumption, carbon emissions, unsafe work environments, fossil fuel usage, crop contamination, and pollution in general. Hemp aids in cleaning up old messes as well. Hemp has been used to clean harsh metals, forever chemicals, and even radiation from contaminated soil and water—it even has unparalleled abilities in carbon sequestration. About the speaker: Rachel Batka has a history of climate activism within groups such as Extinction Rebellion and Climate Defiance. She is currently working with the climate activist group Third Act, serving as the communications coordinator for their Union affinity group. Rachel received a Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Sciences and Therapeutics from University of Maryland, Baltimore. During this program, she spent much of her time digging into the literature around cannabis and hemp as sustainable alternatives for some of our biggest polluters. In doing so, Rachel hopes to help demonstrate the interconnected nature of every fight towards liberation.
Growing Huts: Shut Out Predators While Looking Good
Marilyn Hiestand
A big deterrent to gardening in any environment is predator pressure. Deer eat many plants along with the vegetables. Raccoons will steal any corn way before ears are ripe enough for humans. Squirrels, birds, rabbits, turtles, and opossums will nibble on fruits allowing them to spoil before ripening. Growing huts are a solution letting you both garden successfully and live with wildlife in your yard. Growing huts are constructed from boards, cow panels, and chicken wire. They can be stand alone or be set up in larger configurations allowing worry-free and successful production. Each hut provides 64 square feet of secure growing space. Learn about construction and costs to set up a single hut and methods to easily increase growing space by connecting multiple huts. Huts deter deer, ground hogs, squirrels, raccoons, birds, rabbits, turtles, and opossums. From single units to large configurations, this design lets people garden without worry.
2025 Cincinnati Ice Box Challenge in review
This past summer the AIA Cincinnati COTE chapter held the AIA Cincinnati Ice Box Challenge - An innovative event to educate the public about high performance building concepts and sustainable building practices. The Challenge was not just a competition; it was a demonstration of how homes can be super energy efficient AND comfortable. Two Ice Boxes, one built to typical building code and one built to Passive House standards, were filled with 1,000 pounds of ice and left outside in the sun for 18 days. At the conclusion, the Passive House box preserved 345 pounds of ice while the ice in the typical code box had completely melted, all 1,000 pounds of it, leaving the Passive House box as the reining champ! The remaining ice demonstrates how well Passive House buildings keep out the summer heat. The results highlight the significantly reduced energy use and carbon emissions of high-performance buildings.
Andrew Glass, AIA Cincinnati Committee on the Environment (COTE) leadership team
Andrew is a project Architect at drawing department here in Cincinnati, where he commonly works with local clients and businesses to design architecture that is functional, beautiful, and deeply responsive to the people and place it serves. In 2023, he jointly resurrected the AIA Cincinnati Committee on the Environment (COTE) to advance the knowledge of local architects and designers in sustainable design, build relationships with elected officials to advocate for sustainable building, and host community-based events that turn ideas into action.
Ally Balmer, Sustainability Specialist & Project Captain, MA Design
Ally Balmer, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP BD+C, LFA is a Sustainability Specialist and Project Captain at MA Design, where she champions regenerative, high-performance buildings that respond not only to today’s challenges, but to the needs of future generations. Beyond her project work, Ally is deeply committed to advancing the profession. She actively mentors UC students and contributes to industry-wide climate action as part of the leadership team for AIA Cincinnati Committee on the Environment and as a co-lead of the Carbon Leadership Forum Ohio Hub.
Room 203
Greening Death: Living and Dying Sustainably
Slowly, quietly, over the past few years, individuals and organizations have been “reclaiming a tradition, as nature intended,” seeking to transform the way we each die and return to the earth. Often in resistance to the multi-billion-dollar funeral industry, sometimes in partnership with visionary leaders within that industry, what has come to be called the Green Burial Movement is beginning to move the needle toward environmentally and economically sustainable burial practices in America. An exciting panel of speakers hosted by Cincinnati’s Heritage Acres Memorial Sanctuary will bring a wide variety of lenses and experiences to a discussion of how we might live, and die, more sustainably.
Bill Gupton
Founder, Heritage Acres Memorial Sanctuary
Bill Gupton is the founder of Heritage Acres Memorial Sanctuary, a non-profit natural burial ground located on the east side of Cincinnati. Heritage Acres opened in 2020 and is the Tri-State region's only fully natural (“green”) burial ground. It is already the final resting place for nearly 150 individuals from as far afield as Toledo, Louisville, Lexington and Indianapolis as well as all over the greater Cincinnati area. Bill currently serves as Cemetery Director at Heritage Acres, where he helps families navigate the end-of-life and green burial process.
Nicole & Chad Scholten
Parents of Lucy Scholten
Nicole and Chad Scholten are parents of Lucy Scholten, who is buried at Heritage Acres. When Lucy died in 2022, the Scholtens chose to care for her and prepare her body for burial themselves. They then held a simple but beautiful visitation at their home in Northside for those who had known and loved Lucy. They also dug her grave, drove her to Heritage Acres, and buried her themselves. The Scholtens will share about the empowering and transformative nature of their experience.
David Copeland
Founder, Live Without Regrets Doula Services
David Copeland is a Cincinnati-based end-of-life doula and founder of Live Without Regrets Doula Services, which is dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA2S+, Black, Brown, elderly, and terminally ill individuals with dignity, compassion, and equity at the end of life. An INELDA-trained and certified professional, licensed missionary reverend, writer, and community advocate, David has years of experience serving through hospice care, nursing homes, and organizations like TreeHouse Cincinnati and Black-affirming LGBTQIA+ spaces. Through personalized services including end-of-life planning, respite care, vigils, legacy projects, and bereavement support, David approaches his work with trust, integrity, and a deep commitment to honoring one of life’s most sacred transitions.
Sam Perry
President, Green Burial Council International
Sam Perry is the president of the Green Burial Council International (C3), as well as a licensed funeral director in both Indiana and Illinois. He serves as Assistant Lecturer of Mortuary Science and Funeral Service at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. A volunteer with the Green Burial Council since 2010, Sam helped launch the GBC Certificate of Proficiency in Green Funeral Service in 2018. A dedicated death educator and advocate for green funeral practices, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Mortuary Science and a Master of Education in Workforce Education and Development.
Room 204
The ABC Approach to Equitable
Community Programs
Resilience is built through deep respect and understanding of the communities you serve and by empowering people in dynamic ways. Elevating community voice and creating solutions collaboratively can build the agility, creativity, and collective strength needed to sustain progress in an increasingly polarized world. Achieving lasting outcomes in the face of climate change, for communities you serve is possible when equity is at the heart of the program.
Centering people and their lived experiences, through a simple ABC approach can create a strong and adaptable foundation for programs. Exploring the nuances of access, barriers, and capacity within your programs will amplify equity.
In this interactive workshop, participants will explore a simplified model for assessing, enhancing and elevating equitable approaches and actions of your organization. Participants will collaborate and identify actions that increase access, decrease barriers and enhance capacity using the ABC approach to community resilience and equitable solutions.
Angela Burke
Manager of Strategic Partnership & Engagement, The Nature Conservancy in Ohio
Angie Burke is the Manger of Strategic Partnership & Engagement for The Nature Conservancy in Ohio, where he is responsible for establishing and managing community programs and strategic partnerships statewide. She helps foster a deeper connection with conservation and promote sustainable community involvement. Angie’s role guides the development and implementation of robust programs and initiatives that actively engage focal communities in learning, service/volunteerism, and direct involvement with conservation efforts. Angie has been in the field of community based conservation for more than 10 years, working to center people in conservation in equitable ways. Prior to joining the Conservancy, she was a field biologist studying small mammal populations in restored tallgrass prairies in Illinois. Her expertise includes community based programming, strategic planning and facilitation, design of equitable programs, habitat restoration, small mammal ecology, and data analyses. Angie holds a Master of Science degree from Northern Illinois University, and a Bachelor of Science from Northern Illinois University.
Joel Zavala
Director of Community Partnership and Engagement, The Nature Conservancy in Illinois
Joel Zavala is the Director of Community Partnerships and Engagement at The Nature Conservancy Illinois where he oversees multiple partnership and community centered conservation projects in the city of Chicago. Joel has extensive experience in engaging stakeholders to implement community-driven solutions on environmental issues like equitable access to the outdoors, climate adaptation, and natural area restoration. His work is done in collaboration with local governments, conservation organizations, and community stakeholders to create strategies that balance ecological preservation with social equity. Passionate about uplifting community voice, Joel ensures that underrepresented communities have expanded access to climate resources and improved capacity for decision-making opportunities. Joel is a husband and ‘Girl Dad’ to two. He’s a long time Chicago native, proud son of immigrants, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. He enjoys spending his personal time in the outdoors as a novice hunter – where he has more failures than success.
Amberly Barry
Strategic Partnership & Engagement Specialist, The Nature Conservancy in Ohio
Amberly Barry serves as the Northeast Ohio Partnerships and Engagement Specialist with The Nature Conservancy, where her work sits at the intersection of people and places. In her role, she builds relationships with communities, schools, and local partners to support conservation projects, hands-on education, and habitat stewardship across Ashtabula and surrounding counties. Amberly oversees outreach and programming at The Nature Conservancy’s NE Ohio preserves and Dr. James K. Bissell Nature Center, helping people connect with nature through environmental education, community science, volunteer opportunities, and collaborative conservation efforts. Amberly earned her undergraduate degree in Wildlife and Conservation Ecology from New Mexico State University, where she also completed a Master of Science in Animal and Range Science with a focus on Restoration Ecology. She brings this blend of academic training, field experience, and genuine enthusiasm to her work with the Conservancy.
Afternoon Breakout 1
(2:30 PM - 3:30 PM)
Exhibit Hall
Sustainable Policy Solutions for Data Center Development
The use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and CoPilot is surging. To power them, so is the expansion of data centers. Data centers can provide important technological and economic development benefits, but more focus is needed on their energy and water use, as well as potential community impacts. While many factors influence development decisions, Midwestern resources and incentives have made it an attractive place to locate. Illinois is 4th and Ohio is currently 5th in the nation for the number of data centers they host. Yet this rapid development must include and be balanced with sustainable resource management, or it cannot continue. This panel will examine the intersection of large-scale water and energy use, climate pressures, and policy gaps with respect to water and energy intensive industries like data centers. Attendees will gain insight into regulatory approaches, planning tools, practices, and strategies that support long-term water and energy resilience while balancing economic development priorities with community impacts.
Dean Jackson (Moderator)
Dean Jackson is a writer and researcher focused on how media and technology shape democratic accountability. As an investigative analyst for the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, he led inquiries into the roles played by Meta, Twitter, and Google in the lead-up to the insurrection. He is currently a senior fellow at the University of Pittsburgh's Communication Research Technology Lab and a contributing editor at Tech Policy Press. He holds an M.A. from the University of Chicago and lives in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife and two retired racing greyhounds.
Helena Volzer
Senior Source Water Policy Manager, Alliance for the Great Lakes
As Senior Source Water Policy Manager at the Alliance, Helena executes policy analysis, advocacy, and project implementation across the Great Lakes Basin. Helena previously served as an attorney at the Ohio Legislative Service Commission for over a decade, where she provided legal research, bill analysis, and legislative drafting services to members of the Ohio General Assembly. Helena holds a BA in Political Science and International Studies from Wright State University and a JD from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. She and her husband currently reside in Columbus with their two children.
Joe Flarida
Executive Director, Power a Clean Future Ohio
Joe Flarida is Executive Director of Power a Clean Future Ohio. In 2019, Joe worked with a wide range of Ohio clean energy and environmental advocacy organizations to create Power a Clean Future Ohio (PCFO), publicly launching in early 2020. He leads a growing statewide organization that works directly with Ohio's local governments to develop community-driven carbon-reduction strategies. Joe provides expert guidance to local governments across Ohio to help them reduce emissions and build a more equitable clean energy economy for all residents. He regularly speaks at events about PCFO’s work and local government leadership in Ohio on clean energy.
Sophia Chen
Sophia Chen is an independent science journalist based in Columbus, Ohio. She writes stories about computing, AI, and physics for a variety of audiences, ranging from children to experts. Her work is featured in international publications including Nature, MIT Technology Review, and Wired, along with Columbus's local Matter News. In 2022, she was the science communicator in residence at the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing at the University of California, Berkeley. She also writes for the YouTube show Physics Girl, with over 3.5 million subscribers.
Room 201
Building Community-Led Resilience Hubs
As we think of ways to forge stronger community bonds and support our neighbors, one option stands apart: Resilience Hubs. These hubs are community-created spaces for gathering, sharing resources, and coordinating responses to emergencies, like power outages or floods. Above all, they serve the needs of the neighborhood. But how do we create a Resilience Hub? The City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment & Sustainability is offering a chance to walk through their Resilience Hub planning process in this interactive workshop. Workshop participants will learn and simulate the steps of creating a Resilience Hub and connect with others interested in Resilience Hubs. Explore how to tap into your neighborhood’s strengths to improve emergency preparedness and build resilience.
Nikki Vandivort
Clean Energy & Climate Resilience Manager, City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment & Sustainability
Nikki’s focus is on expanding adoption of energy efficiency measures and clean energy across the City and to connect stakeholders to opportunities and incentives to help make their energy transition easier and more affordable. She approaches her work through convening, connecting, and educating. She supports resilience hubs primarily through guidance on energy improvements. Past experience includes 16 years as a specialist in wetlands and endangered species, working with water, wastewater, and electric utilities, interning with multiple tribal organizations, and completing her MBA and MPA in Sustainable Solutions from Presidio Graduate School.
Howard Miller
Environment Division Manager, City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment & Sustainability
Howard Miller is the Environment Division Manager at the City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment & Sustainability with 30 years of private and public experience in helping stakeholders complete meaningful environmental projects. Howard has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in geology with an emphasis on environmental science. Specializing in resilience and climate adaptation projects, Howard uses his training and experience to help align community needs with facility operations to co-create resilience hubs.
Lauren Clark
Climate Resilience Technician, City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment & Sustainability
Focusing on elevating community voice in planning efforts, Lauren Clark is deeply involved in the co-creation of resilience hubs through the Office of Environment & Sustainability. Whether in resilience hub projects or other community planning efforts, Lauren balances climate resilience demands with resident quality of life. Building on her experience with resilience and climate adaptation planning, an emerging area of her work is Cincinnati’s readiness for potential climate migration.
Macda Mulugeta
Green Cincinnati Plan Action Coordinator, City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment & Sustainability
Macda Mulugeta serves as the GCP Action Coordinator at the City of Cincinnati Office of Environment and Sustainability. A recent graduate of The Ohio State University, she brings a public health perspective to her work. She supports Brownfield identification and revitalization through stakeholder engagement and ArcGIS mapping, advances climate equity by strengthening nonprofit capacity within Resilience Hubs, and contributes to zero waste efforts such as composting and recycling. Currently, Macda is completing a 10-month Public Allies apprenticeship, an AmeriCorps funded program, supporting organizational and community capacity building.
Room 202
Growing Cincinnati’s Green Workforce: Seeds of Change in Action
Join us for an engaging short talk series featuring Seeds of Change Green Workforce Development Awardees, recognized for their innovative efforts to build pathways into Cincinnati’s growing green economy.
This session will showcase how Cincinnati training providers are expanding equitable pathways into green careers, serving students from public schools and post-secondary to adult learners — across fields such as sustainable construction, water management, and green infrastructure to electric vehicle design, advanced mobility, and battery manufacturing. Participants will hear from program representatives, trainees or program graduates about approaches that connect workforce development with climate action, equity, and economic resilience. You’ll also discover success stories from programs funded by the Green Cincinnati Plan’s Seeds of Change initiative—stories that show how investing in workforce development empowers people to navigate uncertainty, embrace innovation, and drive lasting impact.
This panel offers practical insights and inspiration from varying experiences to invest, adapt, and grow green job training opportunities that benefit both people and the planet. Together, we’ll explore how Cincinnati is planting the seeds for a thriving, resilient green workforce.
Thanapat Vichitchot (Moderator)
Green Workforce Development Manager, City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment & Sustainability
Thanapat Vichitchot is a mission-driven professional with more than 17 years of experience advancing economic opportunity through community engagement, program development, and project management. As Green Workforce Development Manager for the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment & Sustainability, he leads green job training initiatives aligned with the Green Cincinnati Plan. His work includes collaboratively commissioning the Cincinnati Green Workforce Landscape Analysis, advancing its key strategies and recommendations, and launching innovative training pilots. Thanapat has a strong track record in cross-sector partnerships, entrepreneurial ventures, and advancing equity and economic mobility.
Brad O’Shea
Green Corps Coordinator, Groundwork Ohio River Valley
Brad’s love for the outdoors started at a young age when he joined cub scouts and has since found a passion for the outdoors. Brad has a degree in History from Northern Kentucky University, but his passion rests with environmental restoration, protection and justice. Prior to joining Groundwork, Brad worked for the Center of Environmental Restoration for several years, gaining valuable knowledge and experience about native plants, invasive species management, streambank restoration and heavy machinery operating. Brad joined Groundwork ORV in 2022 as a Green Team Leader but quickly advanced to becoming a member of the Green Corp. Upon graduating from the Green Corps program, Brad joined Groundwork as the Green Corps Coordinator.
Emiley Crawford
Workforce Transformation and Apprenticeship Director, Easterseals Redwood
Emiley Crawford‑Davis is Director of Workforce Transformation and Apprenticeship at Easterseals Redwood, where she helps create breakthrough moments on the path to employment for veterans, individuals with disabilities, and others facing economic, social, or educational barriers. She has led the development of registered apprenticeship programs in the construction industry, supported by a competitive U.S. Department of Labor grant, resulting in nationally recognized credentials for participants. A recipient of the Workforce Inclusion Champion Award, Emiley is recognized for expanding workforce opportunities for women, veterans, minorities, and other underrepresented groups.
Isaias Gamboa
President & Founder, We Shall Overcome Foundation
Isaias Gamboa is an award-winning author, music producer, documentary filmmaker, educator, and social justice advocate, and the founder of the We Shall Overcome Foundation. Born in Costa Rica and rooted in faith-based service, his work uplifts marginalized communities through cultural preservation, historical truth-telling, and workforce development. After relocating to Cincinnati in 2014, he founded the Cincinnati Construction Academy, a U.S. Department of Labor Apprenticeship Ambassador program providing paid pre-apprenticeship training for African American youth and second-chance citizens. He also serves on the Cincinnati Mayor’s Human Services Advisory Committee and the Brent Spence Bridge Workforce Advisory Board.
Jennifer Geiger
Environmental Engineering Technology (EVT) Co-op Coordinator, Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
Jennifer Geiger is the Environmental Engineering Technology (EVT) Co-op Coordinator at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, where she has spent over a decade supporting student success through career development and experiential learning. In her role, she connects students with meaningful co-op opportunities across environmental, engineering, and technical fields, helping to align workforce needs with student career goals. Jennifer also serves as an instructor in Environmental Geology and Career Preparation, where she develops curriculum and provides hands-on guidance to prepare students for careers. She has played a key role in advancing academic programs at Cincinnati State, including contributing to the development of the Land Surveying bachelor’s degree and supporting accreditation efforts for engineering technology programs. With a professional background spanning environmental consulting, geology, and technical analysis, Jennifer brings a practical, workforce-focused perspective to education. She is passionate about creating pathways into environmental careers and strengthening connections between education, industry, and community partners.
Kirsten Brademeyer
Education and Youth Programs Director, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful
Kirsten Brademeyer manages the Environmental Education program at Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, where she works to increase environmental literacy and foster lifelong environmental stewardship across Cincinnati’s neighborhoods. A passionate community builder, Kirsten empowers individuals and organizations to grow beyond perceived boundaries by connecting them with sustainable, authentic tools and resources. She brings a mindful, equity-centered approach to program management, grounded in systems of accountability and support. With a background in college access and youth programming, Kirsten is skilled in content development, community engagement, advising, and intersectional program design.
Emma Schleuter
Marketing Manager, Partnership for Innovation in Education
Emma Schlueter graduated summa cum laude from University of Dayton, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She specializes in digital communication and marketing management for global and Ohio-based companies. She has gained hands-on experience through roles in marketing and workforce development, including positions with Partnership for Innovation in Education (PIE) and Melink Corporation. Emma specializes in digital marketing, SEO, and analytics-driven strategy, and has demonstrated leadership as Captain of the National Collegiate Digital Marketing Competition, President of Life Itself Dance and Vice President of the University of Dayton Marketing Club. She enjoys Wordle, gymnastics, hiking, and all outdoor activities.
Room 203
Planning for Tomorrow's Greenspaces
Join Great Parks of Hamilton County, Dearborn County, Indiana Planning and Zoning, and Cardinal Land Conservancy, as they explore approaches to planning for conservation. Great Parks, the largest landowner in Hamilton County, will speak to their role as a regional leader in trail building and how trail development is an opportunity to conserve land. Dearborn County Planning and Zoning will share how its comprehensive planning process has shifted to include environmental priorities and the steps taken to bolster the natural resources section of the comprehensive plan. Cardinal Land Conservancy, a multi-state land trust, will round off the discussion by sharing its approach to land prioritization for conservation.
Our panel will highlight the importance of being forward-thinking when it comes to conserving land, rather than reacting when it is too late to protect it. The discussion will highlight how organizations, governments, and individuals can support conservation throughout planning processes.
Claire Carlson
Greenspace Alliance Manager, Green Umbrella
When not found hiking trails or swimming in local watering holes, Claire manages Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance. In this role, she coordinates regional conservation initiatives in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, with a special focus on engagement with communities and counties during their comprehensive planning processes. Prior to this role, she worked with Soil and Water Conservation Districts in her home state of Iowa, where she also graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Geoscience.
Nicole Daily
Director of Planning and Zoning, Dearborn County Planning and Zoning Department
Nicole has lived in Dearborn County, Indiana, for 26 years and began her career with a civil engineering and surveying firm before joining the county’s Planning and Zoning Department in 2011, where she now serves as Director. Nicole has contributed to Comprehensive Plan efforts since 2004 and supported planning initiatives in communities such as West Harrison and St. Leon. She led a four-year update of the county’s zoning districts, modernizing a framework unchanged since 1965. Most recently, she helped complete the five-year Park and Recreation Master Plan and is leading the next Comprehensive Plan update.
Janet Broughton Murray
Chief of Planning, Great Parks of Hamilton County
Janet joined Great Parks in 2021 after a decade of landscape architecture practice in New York City. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, she focused on public realm projects that emphasized resilience and community impact, contributing to high-profile efforts such as the award-winning Battery Playscape in Manhattan and Southwest Resiliency Park in Hoboken, New Jersey. Today, as Chief of Planning, Janet applies her expertise in design excellence and environmental performance to lead teams delivering transformative projects, including the Sharon Lake Improvement Project, Shaker Trace Nursery, Oasis Trail, and the West Region Blueway and Trail System.
Jack Stenger
Director of Conservation, Cardinal Land Conservancy
Jack is a biologist with a background in natural areas management, a wide variety of environmental survey work, and outdoor education. He has a B.A. in Zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University and completed graduate work in Biology at the University of Cincinnati. He has worked in the private, non-profit, and public sectors of conservation, most recently as a Conservation Biologist at Great Parks of Hamilton County. Jack serves on the Board of Directors for another local land trust -Oxbow, Inc. Jack is a bird expert and a naturalist fascinated by all aspects of our region’s natural history. He hopes to bring this passion to Cardinal’s mission to protect land across the region.
Room 204
Patterns and Pivots: Resilient Systems for Community Connectors
Permaculture and sociocracy emerged as powerful responses to challenged systems—industrial agriculture and bureaucratic government. Both frameworks build resilience through distributed intelligence, feedback loops, diversity, beneficial relationships, and pattern recognition over rigid control and analysis paralysis. This workshop explores how these tools blend with Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) to create the collective strength needed for thriving communities in 2026 and beyond.
As polarization intensifies and climate disruption accelerates, we must revolutionize how we bring people together to implement solutions. Moving beyond theory, community connectors from businesses, nonprofits, and local government will examine useful models from across Indiana and the Midwest where people acting for the greater good can participate in lasting and scalable community change that also builds natural resilience and capable teams. Learn to identify existing community assets and nature-based practices already available; then organize them into flexible configurations capable of enduring disruption and driving cross-sector collaboration for community-led resilience.
Kathy Sipple
Sociocracy Consultant, Kathy Sipple Consulting & Senior Resiliency Coordinator, Earth Charter Indiana
Certified in Sociocracy and fluent in social permaculture, Kathy Sipple is a Johnny Appleseed of resilient networks. She seeds playful, self-sustaining systems that help communities thrive, making the invisible connections between people visible and alive. With a touch of fun and a lot of heart, she cultivates collaboration that lasts.
Rhonda Baird
Owner/Lead, Sheltering Hills Design, LLC & Operational Leader, Sociocracy for All Network
Rhonda Baird has spent 20+ years in permaculture and seven years in sociocracy. Based in Indiana, she's witnessed the magic that happens when humans organize as brilliantly as ecosystems do. She teaches both frameworks because regeneration requires people who know how to collaborate while they tend landscapes for future generations.
Afternoon Breakout 2
(3:30 PM - 4:30 PM)
Exhibit Hall
Keeping Energy Affordable Across Ohio
Rising energy costs and aging building infrastructure pose critical challenges for Ohio cities. This panel will explore best practices learned from WarmUp Cincy, an energy burden reduction program targeted at multifamily buildings; the Dayton Home Repair Network which leverages multiple funding streams to help homeowners and tenants live in healthier homes; and finally, how Columbus is creating an energy efficiency rebate program that supports residents while enhancing the contractor workforce. Engage with these three Ohio cities as they share the innovative approaches they have taken to ensure energy affordability for residents while building community resilience.
Learn how cities are leveraging nonprofit partnerships, learning from stakeholders to build new programs, and making critical upgrades to multifamily buildings. Panelists from Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton bring diverse perspectives from community-based organizations and local government, sharing their lessons learned from a wide range of energy equity programming
Aileen Hull (Moderator)
Executive Director, Dayton Energy Collaborative
Aileen was hired on as DEC’s second employee in the Spring of 2022. She served in the role of Community Engagement Coordinator before being designated Executive Director in the Fall of 2024. Aileen guides the organization’s direction, focusing on tangible solutions for housing improvements for our Dayton community. Aileen holds a degree in Sociology from the University of Dayton, has completed home health trainings, and is RRP and lead abatement contractor certified. While a Dayton transplant, Aileen now calls the Gem City her second home and is passionate about engaging with her community both inside and outside of her role at DEC.
Cassie Johnson
Buildings & Energy Coordinator, Sustainable Columbus
Cassie implements the Buildings section of the Columbus Climate Action plan which seeks to reduce pollution by increasing renewable energy, increasing building efficiency, and improving resilience of new construction. Prior to joining the Sustainable Columbus team, Cassie engaged and supported Ohioans in their understanding of the impacts of local and statewide policy on the Communications Team at The Ohio Environmental Council. She then earned her master’s degree in public administration from The Ohio State University.
Rachel Bickett
Sustainability Project Coordinator, City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment & Sustainability
Rachel Bickett has been with the City of Cincinnati Office of Environment & Sustainability for 3 years and serves as the Sustainability Project Coordinator, overseeing the WarmUp Cincy programs focused on energy burden reduction, managing youth grants through the GCP Seeds of Chage Youth Climate Action Grant program, and expanding OES communications. She’s incredibly grateful that her lifelong interest in sustainability and helping others has led her to her role as a public servant. Rachel graduated from Xavier University for Environmental Science and enjoys board games and riding her bike on the Wasson Way.
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Meg Maloney
Sustainability Manager, City of Dayton
Meg Maloney is currently the Sustainability Manager at the City of Dayton. In this role, she advocates for a more sustainable future for Dayton residents and businesses through energy and environmental justice programs. Through this role, Meg has helped save over $11 million dollars for residents and small businesses through the energy programs and has secured over $35 million dollars in sustainability grants in 2024. In addition, Meg has helped identify over $3 million dollars in savings through utility billing auditing and curtailment for City of Dayton facilities in 2025. Meg is passionate about advocating for the redevelopment of disinvested communities and works to turn blighted sites into community assets. Over the past two years, Meg has been recognized for her sustainability work and was honored as a Dayton Business Journal as an Innovator under 25, Best Sustainability Staff Member in the State by the Ohio Mayor Alliance, and the top Sustainability Leader for the Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio region.
Room 201
Demystifying Advocacy & Lobbying for
Climate Action
Join us in a discussion focused on how nonprofits, decisionmakers, and advocates can collaboratively navigate legal information regarding lobbying, education of lawmakers, administrative comments, supporting legislative work, and other forms of advocacy. Legal experts will provide hypotheticals and interactive discussions for both nonprofits and local government staff to demystify the legal restrictions placed upon lobbying. These hypotheticals and interactive discussions will help advocates level up their strategies and tactics for pursuing climate action in their communities, and help governmental officials understand what restrictions are sometimes placed upon organizations when it comes to advocacy.
This session is intended for folks of all experience levels when it comes to lobbying.
Chris Tavenor
Ohio Environmental Council, General Counsel
As General Counsel, Chris Tavenor (they/them) leads the OEC’s Law Center while providing essential legal support to the entire organization. They also coordinate the annual Ohio Public Interest Environmental Law Conference and our legal internship program. Over their time with the OEC, Chris has represented the organization before the Ohio Supreme Court, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the Ohio Power Siting Board, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Environmental Review Appeals Commission, and beyond.
Trent Dougherty
HubayDougherty, Partner
For 20 years as a nonprofit leader, lawyer, and advocate, Trent has championed a cleaner, greener, and more equitable Ohio. As a Partner at Hubay Dougherty, he provides strategic counsel across energy, environmental, and nonprofit law. Trent represents advocates and businesses before the PUCO and OPSB to advance clean energy development and deployment. Trent also combines his unique blend of nonprofit leadership and public interest ethic to serve as a trusted outside general counsel for progressive nonprofits, empowering them to thrive and achieve their missions.
Michelle Browning
Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services
Michelle Browning (she/her) was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies, she went to Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. While at Lewis and Clark Law School, Michelle was a student attorney with Earthrise Law Center and worked on projects regarding climate change and the Columbia River Gorge. Following her graduation in 2020, Michelle returned to Cincinnati and worked at the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office and the City of Cincinnati Solicitor’s Office. Michelle now works for Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services and is admitted to practice in the state of Ohio.
Room 202
Talking Trash: Recycling & Engaging Community into Taking Action
Explore how economic strategies and community engagement can transform recycling systems and advance the transition to a circular economy. This discussion will unpack the financial realities and incentives driving recycling—especially for products and packaging traditionally considered non-recyclable—and spotlight practical collection models that citizens, governments, and businesses can adopt or support. We’ll follow these materials through the supply chain, highlighting how effective recycling pathways and innovative partnerships create value, reduce waste, and strengthen local and regional economies. The conversation will also delve into circular economy principles, including closed-loop systems, market creation for innovative end-products, and emerging opportunities for reuse and refill across sectors.
Participants will gain actionable insights into engaging stakeholders, leveraging economic levers, and building community support to advance resilient, equitable, and scalable recycling solutions.
Eric Ascalon (Moderator)
Director of Community Affairs & Strategic Partnerships, TerraCycle
Eric Ascalon is Global Director of Community Affairs at TerraCycle, where he builds relationships with governments, communities, and NGOs to tackle hard-to-recycle waste. With a background in law, public affairs, and environmental advocacy, he operates at the intersection of sustainability, economics, and human behavior. He also chairs the Board of the Garden State Film Festival, a leading New Jersey cultural institution. Outside of work, he’s an Ironman finisher and trail runner, which explains a deeply ingrained comfort with unnecessary suffering. He holds degrees from Rutgers and American University Law School and lives with his family in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Chad Planner
Executive Director, Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub
Chad attended The Ohio State University, earning a B.S. in Visual Communication and a Certificate in Fundraising. He has been involved in local environmental efforts, including the City of Loveland Environment Committee and the Loveland Sustainability Council. Chad spent decades in the branding industry, executing engagement campaigns nationally for clients such as P&G and SunnyD, and locally for nonprofits including Green Umbrella, Hamilton County ReSource, and Cincinnati State. Now, as Executive Director of the Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub, Chad uses that experience and passion to inspire and grow the Hub’s community.
Mary Cropenbaker
Assistant Solid Waste Manager, Hamilton County ReSource
Mary Cropenbaker provides technical assistance to communities, businesses, and industries in Hamilton County to increase recycling and incorporate zero waste best management practices. She created the 513 Green Certification, a free behavior-based sustainability certification, to provide a framework for local organizations to use when building their sustainability programs and highlight the companies across Hamilton County that are successfully engaging their customers and employees through sustainable behaviors. Mary received her Master of Environmental Science from Miami University and an M.B.A. in Sustainable Business from Western Kentucky University.
Jeff Snyder
Senior Vice President Recycling & Sustainability, Rumpke Waste & Recycling
Jeff Snyder is the Senior VP of Recycling & Sustainability at Rumpke, overseeing recycling operations across 14 plants since 2020. Jeff began his career with Smurfit Westrock in 1991, holding several roles in mill and converting operations before joining the recycling division. There, he managed multiple Midwest recycling plants and helped oversee the development of several single-stream MRFs. Later, he joined Pratt Industries as Midwest Mill Buyer & Operations Manager, sourcing 50,000 tons of fiber monthly while managing three recycling plants. He holds a Business Management degree from Northwest Missouri State University and lives in Cincinnati with his wife, Jackie.
Room 203
Healthy Soils: The Recipe for a Thriving Culture
Healthy soils are the foundation of everything we eat, and yet most people never think about what's actually in the ground beneath their food. In this session, practitioners and researchers share their own recipes for building soil health, from cover crops and animal integration to compost, mycorrhizal networks, and beyond. We'll explore why healthy soils matter for nutrient dense food, community, and culture, and how anyone, regardless of scale, can start somewhere. Come away with practical strategies and a new lens on what it means to eat where you live.
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Khara Strum
Executive Director, OEFFA
Khara Strum is the Executive Director of Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA). Throughout her career, she has worked with rural, mostly agricultural communities to develop shared conservation goals that benefit landowners, wildlife and the environment. In her role at OEFFA, she leads a dynamic team in the pursuit of fair and equitable farming opportunities and policies for organic and local farmers. Khara attended Ohio Wesleyan University ’01 where she majored in Zoology and Environmental Studies and later obtained her Masters in Biology at Kansas State University ’08. Khara returned to Ohio in 2022 after 13 years collaborating with farmers on conservation on working lands in the Central Valley of California.
Dr. Jim Ippolito
Professor of Soil Health and Soil Fertility, The Ohio State University
Dr. Jim Ippolito is a professor of soil health and fertility at The Ohio State University. His 30+ year research program has focused on improving environmental soil fertility/chemistry/microbiology/ and soil health within numerous ecosystems. His 30+ year research career has crossed the boundaries between soils, waters, and air, to improve overall environmental resiliency, sustainability, and health. Jim is an expert in soil health, soil and water phosphorus, nitrogen, carbon, and trace/heavy metal fate and transport. Jim currently focused a great deal of attention on bringing his expertise to the soil health realm within Ohio, across the US and world.
Annie Woods
Farmer, Dark Wood Farm
Annie Woods is a diversified market gardener in Northern Kentucky. She grows vegetables for Community Supported Agriculture members and restaurants in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area. She joined the Organic Association of Kentucky team in 2022 to adapt a globally-recognized farm sustainability assessment framework for Kentucky farmers. Currently, 70 farms in Kentucky use this tool for whole-farm resilience planning, with a focus on improving soil health.
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Jon Gray
Co-Owner, Deep Roots Heritage Farm
Jon Gray is co-owner of Deep Roots Heritage Farm, a regenerative farm near Morrow, Ohio, where he focuses on restoring healthy land through regenerative agriculture practices. He also serves as President of Deep Roots Stewardship and Learning Center, a local nonprofit dedicated to natural resource stewardship, food education, and sustainable land management. At Deep Roots, Jon’s work emphasizes interspecies grazing, soil health, and the restoration of pastureland to native species of flora, with the goal of building resilient ecosystems for future generations.
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Chris Smyth
Director of the Common Orchard Project, Green Umbrella
Chris is an orchardist, facilitator, and educator. After studying Permaculture Design with experts across North America he now teaches at the University of Cincinnati. Core to that teaching craft is a practice; as the cofounder of one of the largest agroforestry operations in Ohio, the Southern Ohio Chestnut Company, and the Director of the Common Orchard Project, Chris creates containers for mutual medicine between human and plant communities.
Room 204
Harnessing the Power of Storytelling to Build a Resilient and Welcoming Region
Climate migration is reshaping communities around the world, bringing both challenges and opportunities for connection, care, and belonging. This interactive workshop explores the power of storytelling as a tool for understanding migration experiences and building more welcoming communities. Through guided discussion, reflective exercises, and shared narratives, participants will examine how personal and collective stories can foster empathy and strengthen social bonds across cultures and experiences. Together, we will explore questions such as: What does it mean to create a sense of home in times of environmental change? How can communities respond to displacement with compassion? How do we tend to the needs of existing communities as we welcome new neighbors? And how can storytelling help us imagine more inclusive futures? This workshop is designed for community members, educators, organizers, artists, students, and anyone interested in climate justice, migration, and community-building. No prior experience is required, just a willingness to listen, reflect, and engage with others.
Dean Bigbee
Dean Bigbee is a second-generation American whose family immigrated to New York before settling on the New Jersey side. Raised in apartments shared across three generations of their family, Dean later moved across the United States, spending many formative years in New Orleans before coming to Cincinnati to seek climate stability, purchase their first home, and start a family. Dean began their career in city and custodial work, and without formal education moved into technology and organizational leadership roles, where they now help companies build sustainable operations and grow responsibly. Their perspective is shaped by migration, economic and housing instability, and the search for rootedness.
Kristin Burgoyne
Executive Director, Refugee Connect
Kristin Burgoyne, MSSW, is the Executive Director at Refugee Connect, a Cincinnati nonprofit organization that provides resources and educational programs for refugees and immigrants new to the United States. She is a passionate advocate for the thousands of immigrants and refugees facing a multitude of language, system and educational barriers in our region.
Kelly St. Charles
Communications Manager
Kelly St. Charles is a marketing and social media specialist with over a decade of experience in event planning, communications, and creative writing. She’s a fervent supporter of green initiatives and especially loves farmers’ markets, local businesses, and dog parks. A Cincinnati native for over 30 years, she is passionate about helping the Queen City thrive. She studied Spanish and Theatre at Miami University and spends her free time performing improvisational theatre, writing plays, and stalking bakeries.
Thanapat Vichitchot
Green Workforce Development Manager, City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment & Sustainability
Thanapat Vichitchot is a mission-driven professional with more than 17 years of experience advancing economic opportunity through community engagement, program development, and project management. As Green Workforce Development Manager for the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment & Sustainability, he leads green job training initiatives aligned with the Green Cincinnati Plan. His work includes collaboratively commissioning the Cincinnati Green Workforce Landscape Analysis, advancing its key strategies and recommendations, and launching innovative training pilots. Thanapat has a strong track record in cross-sector partnerships, entrepreneurial ventures, and advancing equity and economic mobility.
Rachel Cranmer
City of Cincinnati Innovation Team’s Community Storyteller
Rachel is the City of Cincinnati Innovation Team’s Community Storyteller. The i-Team's primary focus is co-designing transportation and mobility equity solutions with residents and stakeholders. Rachel has worked in the environmental education and communication spaces across several Cincinnati organizations for more than 10 years. Her backgrounds include education, conservation, sustainability, permaculture, climate futures, and narrative communication and outreach.
Van Sullivan
Interim Executive Director, Green Umbrella
Van Sullivan is a recognized climate leader with more than 15 years experience, whose work spans regional climate action, equity-centered policy, collaborative program design, and cross-sector engagement. In addition to their current role as Interim Executive Director at Green Umbrella, Greater Cincinnati’s Regional Climate Collaborative, Van serves as the Co-Director of the Climate Safe Neighborhoods Partnership with Groundwork Ohio River Valley and Co-Chair of the Urban Sustainability Director Network's Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Chapter.
Thank You to Our 2026 Summit Sponsors!
Interested in sponsoring the Summit?
Contact Green Umbrella's Director of Engagement & Strategic Partnerships, Charlie Gonzalez
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Cincinnati Public Radio · CET PBS · UC Sustainability · Rumpke · Sustainergy
ASSA ABLOY · Electric Vehicle Association of Ohio · emersion DESIGN · Heads Up, Ohio! · Interfaith Cincy · Ohio Environmental Council · GoZERO Services · Ohio Air Quality Development Authority