2018 Speakers

2018 Plenary Speaker - Robert M. Perkowitz

Robert M. Perkowitz is founder and president of ecoAmerica, a non-profit that “starts with people” and helps build institutional leadership for climate and sustainability in America.  ecoAmerica’s supports dozens of national organizations ranging from the American Public Health Association and the AmericanAcademy of Physicians to the African Episcopal Methodist Church and the National League of Cities asthey build comprehensive climate programs that engage the millions of members in climate solutions. ecoAmerica’s core programs - Blessed Tomorrow, Climate for Health, Path to Positive: Communities,and Solution Generation – are grounded in strategic communications research convened through in-person and online training available at https://ecoamerica.org/.

2018 Plenary Speaker - Dan Barry

Dan Barry directs ecoAmerica’s Path to Positive program, which amplifies support for local climate mitigation and resilience efforts through partnerships with trusted institutions that bring together local leaders across key community sectors and provides engagement strategy and content designed to broaden public support for local policies and programs.  ecoAmerica uses consumer research and strategic partnerships to create large-scale engagement programs to build a critical mass of institutional leadership, public support, and political will for climate solutions in the United States by developing and supporting a network of trusted leaders and institutions who will lead by example and engage stakeholders in climate solutions.  Dan brings 30 years of environmental campaigning and local government service to Path to Positive Communities.

Holli Adams

Architect, ArchNexus
Holli Adams has 21 years of architectural experience including programming, master planning, facility assessment, feasibility and design. Ms. Adams demonstrates proficiency and skill at managing large diverse project teams on projects that have a high level of complexity. She is highly capable of managing an intricate project environment. Holli facilitates excellent communication within the design, owner and contracting teams. This high level of communication translates into the design documents, ensuring that the project delivery is well executed.

Nikki Anderson

Business Development, Hunt Electric
Nikki Anderson has over 15 years in project management, government entitlements, planning and development. She has been focused on Renewable Energy for the last several years. She has served as the Vice Chair for the BOMA Renewable Energy and sustainability committee for two years encouraging all business owners to reduce their electrical loads.

Serena Anderson

Executive Director, Cottonwood Canyons Foundation
Serena Anderson has twenty years in non-profit leadership.  While the industries have varied, her specific skill set encompasses working with non-profits that have been performing well and are seeking to create a sustainable and fundable structure.  Her work takes organizations and boards of directors from “good to great” while building strategic plans, program evaluation and development plans.  Today she represents Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, whose non-political mission is to continuously improve the environment of Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons through stewardship and education programs.  CCF has been working in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache Forest for nearly two decades.  The organization hosts thousands of volunteers each year to provide trail maintenance, native plant revegetation, invasive weed work and graffiti removal in our sensitive watershed through stewardship programs.

Hilary Arens

Director of Sustainability & Water Resources, Snowbird
Hilary Arens is Snowbird's Director of Sustainability and Water Resources.  She has a Masters in Watershed Science from Colorado State University, and worked at the Utah Division of Water Quality as the watershed coordinator for Utah Lake and Jordan River basins.  Her focus at Snowbird is to guide the resort towards reducing carbon emissions and waste, improve water and air quality in Little Cottonwood and American Fork Canyons, and provide education and advocacy opportunities to guests and employees.

Seth Arens

Research Integration Specialist, Western Water Assessment
Seth Arens is the Utah Research Integration Specialist at the Western Water Assessment. He has a diverse background in science, including research experience in ecosystem and plant physiological ecology, snow hydrology and atmospheric science. Seth worked as an environmental scientist for the Utah Division of Air Quality, where he developed research program to assess the extent and causes of ozone pollution in Utah and maintained Utah’s air quality monitoring network from 2010-2015. Prior to working in Utah, Seth studied impacts of climate change on ecosystem structure and carbon balance of Arctic ecosystems in Alaska and Greenland. Seth earned a BA in Biology and Environmental Policy from Colby College in Waterville, ME, an MS in Biological Science from the University of Alaska-Anchorage and an MS in Biology from the University of Utah.

Anne Francis Bayless 

Cellist, Fry Street Quartet
Anne Francis began playing the cello at age four, and her love for chamber music developed just a few years later, when she played in her first string quartet. She received her Bachelor of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music and her Master of Music from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.  A member of the Fry Street Quartet since 2000, Anne has traveled the world to perform and teach with the quartet. She teaches on the faculty of The Caine College of the Arts at Utah State University, and divides her time between Salt Lake City and Logan, where she lives with cats Lily and Chaussettes, husband Brant, principal violist of the Utah Symphony, and her son Harrison.

Dan Bedford

Honors Program Director & Geography Professor, Weber State University 
Dan Bedford was born and grew up in England, in a family devoted to the arts and sciences. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Oxford University, adventure beckoned in the form of graduate study at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Five years teaching at a private liberal arts college in Vermont led to a recognition that the mountains and wide-open spaces of the west were better suited to his temperament, and he relocated to Weber State University in 2002, where he now teaches physical geography and climate science in WSU’s Geography department. Dan took on the role of director of the Honors Program in 2016. He is married to Alice Mulder (also in the Geography Department, and director of SPARC, the Sustainability Practices and Research Center). They have two beautiful children, Emma and Henry.

Lindsay Beebe 

Organizing Representative, Beyond Coal at Sierra Club 
Lindsay Beebe moved to Salt Lake City in 2011, drawn West like so many others, by Utah’s unparalleled natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities. Since 2015 Lindsay has been working to protect Utah's climate and promote a transition from fossil fuels to clean energy as the Organizing Representative for the Utah Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign. Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Science in Community & International Development from the University of Vermont.

Kate Bowman

Solar Project Coordinator, Utah Clean Energy 
Kate Bowman works to generate solutions that overcome barriers to solar market growth through successful partnerships with decision makers and leaders, including local governments, utilities, and businesses. Through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Market Pathways Initiative, Kate leads a partnership between Salt Lake City and Utah Clean Energy to identify strategies to ensure sustainable and robust solar market growth in Utah. She has coordinated Utah Clean Energy's Community Solar and Drive Electric initiatives, community bulk-purchase programs design to increase solar and electric vehicle adoption by simplifying the purchase process and offering competitive pricing. In April 2014, Kate Bowman was recognized by the White House as a “Champion of Change” for her efforts to promote and expand solar deployment. She received a BA in Government from Dartmouth College where she focused on environmental policy.

Jacob Cain

Director of Operations, Weber State University 
Jacob Cain is the director of operations at Weber State University. He has worked at Weber for 10 years, starting as an hourly IT analyst, becoming Weber State's first energy manager, and now serving as director of operations.  Cain developed the financial model responsible for WSU’s success in energy management and remains a driving force for sustainability in university operations. Under his direction Weber State reduced utility cost by 44 percent, and carbon emissions by over 30 percent since 2009. Cain initiated a movement toward making all campus buildings carbon neutral capable - electrifying all building functions.  This innovate move will allow Weber State to source all energy from renewable energy sources by 2040, or sooner. Cain holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics and an MBA from Weber.  He has a number of industry certification related to energy and sustainability, including Certified Energy Manager, Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional, and Renewable Energy Professional.

Luke Cartin

Environmental Sustainability Manager, Park City
Luke Cartin is the Environmental Sustainability Manager for Park City, Utah.  He oversees Park City’s goals of achieving net-zero carbon and 100% renewable electricity for city operations by 2022, and community-wide 2032. These goals are the most ambitious in North America for any municipality, and one of the most aspiring world-wide. There are many programs underway, including; electrification of city fleet and buses, bringing on large scale renewables, quantifying open space as carbon sinks, and many more innovative projects.  Previous to coming to the city, he worked in ski resort sustainability for 15 years. His work has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, Outside Magazine, Newsweek, and other international outlets. He lives with his wife, two kids, and mutt in Park City.

John Cook

Research Assistant Professor, George Mason University
John Cook is a Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University. He founded Skeptical Science, a website which won the 2011 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for the Advancement of Climate Change Knowledge and 2016 Friend of the Planet Award from the National Center for Science Education. John co-authored the college textbooks Climate Change: Examining the Facts with Weber State University professor Daniel Bedford. He was also a coauthor of the textbook Climate Change Science: A Modern Synthesis and the book Climate Change Denial: Heads in the Sand. In 2013, he published a paper analyzing the scientific consensus on climate change that has been highlighted by President Obama and UK Prime Minister David Cameron. He recently completed a PhD in cognitive psychology, researching how people think about climate change, and developed a Massive Open Online Course on climate science denial.

Josh Craft

Lead for Government and Legislative Outreach & Corporate Affairs, Utah Clean Energy
Josh is the lead for government and legislative outreach and corporate affairs for Utah Clean Energy. Josh comes to Utah Clean Energy from Boston, MA, where he headed energy and climate change policy for the Environmental League of Massachusetts, and helped pass a major renewable energy procurement bill that included one of the nation’s largest procurements of offshore wind energy. Josh has spent nearly a decade working at the intersection of state politics and energy and utilities regulation. A native of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Josh holds a B.A. in History from Davidson College and an M.S. in Law and Public Policy from Northeastern University. When Josh isn’t working on energy policy matters, he enjoys getting to know Utah’s beautiful outdoors, reading about American history, and spending time with his wife and daughter as she attempts to pet every dog in Salt Lake City.

Rob Davies

Physicist and Educator, Utah State University
A physicist and educator, Rob has served as an officer and meteorologist in the U.S. Air Force, worked for NASA on the International Space Station project, and taught on the faculty of three universities. His scientific work has included research into interactions of spacecraft with the space environment, the fundamental nature of light and information, and Earth’s changing climate. For the past decade, Rob’s work has focused on communicating the critical science of climate change and sustainable systems. As a principal author of the Crossroads Project, along with the Fry Street Quartet, Rob seeks to effect a deep-seated, visceral, and factual communication of our challenges and opportunities.

Greta Belanger deJong

Fonder, Editor and Publisher, CATALYST Magazine
Greta Belanger deJong is the founder, editor and publisher of CATALYST, a 35-year-old  free-circulation nonprofit magazine, website and weekly e-newsletter, with award-winning coverage of environmental issues, wellness, holistic living and the arts. Previously, she was a staff writer at Countryside, a national organic farming magazine. deJong is a recipient of University  of Utah’s Service to Journalism award (youngest and first female awardee), KRCL’s Stephen Holbrook Visionary Award and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Josephine Zimmerman Pioneer in Journalism award.  She has a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. R. Ryan Dupont

Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Research Associate at the Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State University
Dr. Dupont is a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and a Research Associate at the Utah Water Research Laboratory at Utah State University. He has been involved in basic and applied environmental research at the Water Lab since joining the faculty in 1982, and currently is involved in research related to the evaluation of green infrastructure performance, stormwater harvesting, and reclaimed wastewater reuse for urban agriculture. He is a member of the Technical Advisory Board for the Jordan River TMDL, and the recently created Utah DEQ Long Term Storm Water Management Technical Work Group.

David Eckels

Founder, EVIA
David Eckels is a founding partner of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Advisors LLC, a consulting practice focused on helping clients plan and deploy electric vehicle charging projects. EVIA's services encompass every phase necessary for successful EV charging station development, from strategy to business development through execution. Prior to founding EVIA, David joined EVgo to launch the first public fast charge network in Utah. He then managed business development and construction across the western U.S., including urban and corridor programs in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and California. David earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College, and prior to EVs, worked in renewable energy and efficiency. He lives in Salt Lake City and loves exploring Utah’s wild places.

Zach Frankel

Executive Director, Utah Rivers Council
Zach Frankel received his B.S. in Biology at the University of Utah and is the founder and Executive Director of the Utah Rivers Council, which he helped start in 1995. Zach has led many exciting campaigns to protect Utah’s rivers and is an expert on water policy in Utah. Zach lives with his family and their horses in the Salt Lake Valley and enjoys all manner of outdoor sports and writing and making short films.

Ken Gardner

Owner, Gardner Energy 
Ken is the founder and owner of Gardner Energy, a West Haven, Utah based renewable energy design build company specializing in residential and commercial photovoltaics, wind and hydroelectric systems.  Gardner Energy has completed over a thousand projects in the past thirteen years. Ken is a Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Land Surveyor, Master Electrician, Electrical and renewable energy contractor.  He completed his graduate work in hydropower at BYU in 1981. Ken is vice-chairman of the board of directors of Solar Energy International and an instructor for the organization teaching grid tied, battery based solar, solar water pumping and hydroelectric classes at their facility in Paonia, Colorado. Prior to founding Gardner Energy, he was the founder and owner of Gardner Engineering for fourteen years. A South Ogden based consulting engineering and surveying firm.

David W Griffin II

Architect, ArchNexus
Trained in both architecture and building science, Mr. Griffin II has focused on the integration of the built environment and energy conserving/consuming systems. A focus on whole building energy simulation allows him to provide investment grade financial analysis to all parties involved proving the business case for sustainability in both new construction and existing buildings. David's energy experience includes over 2 million square feet of healthcare, higher education, commercial, federal and municipal buildings boasting over 8.8 MkWh saved/year. Applying his experience, he continues to save the world - one building at a time.

Andrea Heidinger

Artist & Teacher
Andrea Henkels Heidinger grew up exploring Utah. She earned a BFA at Alfred University in NY before working for the National Park & Forest Services. Inspired by the sensory experiences she had at that time, she returned to school for her MFA at the University of Idaho where she sought to artistically communicate the complex connection between people & nature. That complexity is manifested in her art’s medium and imagery. Heidinger is a “post-consumer artifactist artist,” a term she coined for working with her post-consumer waste as her primary medium. Her MFA thesis, Manifesto of a Post-consumer Artifactist Artist, continues to guide her artistic process. Heidinger has shown her work nationally & internationally, including at the Biennale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea in Florence Italy in 2003. She has received Certificates of Merit, Juror’s Awards and recently, a People’s Choice award at the Covey Arts Center Art Showcase in Utah.

DJ Hubler

Program Manager, McKinstry
DJ Hubler leads McKinstry’s project development efforts in Utah. His expertise is in finding innovative solutions to challenging problems, energy analysis and modeling, and design of compelling projects for clients. Mr. Hubler has lead the development of numerous multi-million dollar energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) in Utah, Colorado and throughout the western United States. He is a registered Professional Engineer and holds a M.S. in Architectural Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University.

Patty Karapinar

Director of Sustainability & Associate Architect, ArchNexus
Patty Karapinar is Director of Sustainability and Associate Architect with Architectural Nexus, with 30 years of professional experience.  LEED-AP since 2001, Patty serves as Project Administrator for many LEED and Collaborative for High Performance Schools projects. She provides sustainability guidance to project teams, conducts sustainability training, and manages Nexus’s AIA 2030 Commitment. As a leading member of the Arch|Nexus SAC adaptive reuse project team achieving LEED-NCv4 Platinum, pursuing LEED-EB Platinum, WELL, and Living Building Challenge certification, Patty performed healthy materials selection, construction administration, and heads Nexus’s WELL certification efforts. Patty holds a BS in Environmental Design from University of California at Davis and an MArch from University of Oregon.  She is an active member and past Leadership Committee Chair of the Capitol Branch of the Northern California Chapter of the USGBC; current member of the AIACOTE/ILFI Sacramento Collaborative and the AIACV Materials Matter Committee.
 

Alyssa Kay

Program Manager, The Energy Institute at Salt Lake Community College
Alyssa Kay is a Program Manager for The Energy Institute at Salt Lake Community College, Utah’s premier workforce training provider for the clean energy industry. She holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture from the University of Utah, and attended the Ecosa Institute for Sustainable Design and Universidad Nacional Del Litoral in Argentina. For several years, before making the transition to education, Alyssa operated an architectural design firm specializing in net zero energy and alternative building technologies.

Hanko Kiessner

CEO, Packsize
Packsize® CEO Hanko Kiessner decided to take on the battle for air quality in 2012. While building his business in Salt Lake City, he felt a personal moral and ethical responsibility to extend the principle of not doing business at the expense of others. In response to the poor air quality in Salt Lake City, Hanko made the decision to drive electric to reduce tailpipe emissions. To promote this message, Hanko focused on expanding the available infrastructure for charging electric vehicles. He began by giving away free charging stations to business partners as a gift and message of goodwill. The program was so popular he decided to formalize it and make it available to all Utah businesses. To spread the word, he joined with two other business leaders, Steve Keyser and Talley Goodson, to form Leaders for Clean Air and launched the private-sector initiative on Jan 20, 2015. Their work spreads the virtue of electric charging to the entire community along the Wasatch Front by providing charging stations, consultations on charging management, and best practices for EV drivers at the workplace.
 

Chamonix Larsen

Building Science Consultant, Morrison Hershfield
Chamonix joined Morrison Hershfield’s Building Science division in 2017. With over 13 years of industry experience, she has been involved with projects as a technical advisor, project manager, and as an owner’s representative for energy efficiency, LEED certification and whole building commissioning. Chamonix has worked for clients in both private and public sectors, on projects ranging from targeted repairs to new construction design. She is well versed in State of Utah energy efficiency programs and standards as a co-chair of the Governor's Building Efficiency Plan, and while overseeing the development and implementation of the State’s High Performance Building Standard from 2007-2011. Chamonix will be the incoming chair of the Utah Building Enclosure Council 2018-2020.

Leia Larsen

Reporter, Standard Examiner
Leia Larsen is a reporter for the Standard-Examiner in Ogden, Utah. She covers issues related to water, air quality, health and the outdoors. She recently completed a yearlong multimedia project, "Losing the Great Salt Lake," which explored the environmental and economic impacts of Utah's famous saline waterbody that's on the brink of a record low. She has undergraduate degrees from the University of Utah and a master’s in journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder. Before becoming a reporter at the Standard-Examiner, she worked as an environmental assessor, investigating more than 200 sites throughout the West. She also formerly reported for a small newspaper at the headwaters of the Colorado River. She enjoys climbing, skiing, mountain biking and sleeping in tents.

Andre Lortz

Chief Financial Officer, Maverik
Andre Lortz is the Chief Financial Officer for Maverik, a regional convenience store chain with over 300 stores in 11 western states. Andre joined Maverik in 2014 in his current role. Prior to joining Maverik, Andre was the CFO for FJ Management (FJM), Maverik’s parent company, for 5 years (promoted to help resolve FJM’s bankruptcy in 2008). He also served as the CFO for Big West Oil, a regional independent refiner owned by FJM. Andre joined FJM in 2004 as the CFO for the retail division of Flying J. Prior to joining FJM, Andre worked in the healthcare industry for 9 years in various roles.  He also spent several years in public accounting with Ernst & Young. Andre graduated from Weber State University with a BA in Accounting and a Masters of Professional Accounting. He is a Certified Public Accountant. He currently serves on Weber State University’s Alumni Association board of directors and on the advisory board of the School of Accounting.

Greg Mauro

Founder and Managing Partner, Learn Capital
Greg Mauro is founder and managing partner of Learn Capital, which has the largest portfolio of ed tech investments in the world.  Previously he managed a US Treasury backed New Markets fund focused on education facilities for high performing high schools. He also served on the foundation board for High Tech High for eight years.  Greg has co-founded four venture backed startups used by millions across the education, wireless, and media sectors.  Most recently Greg was a co-founder at Edmodo, used by over 80 million teachers and students worldwide.  Greg is also co-founder of Nextivity, SmartDrive, and Tachyon, which collectively received $350M in venture capital.  Prior to these ventures, Greg joined four engineers to launch Entropic, which created the MoCA home networking standard before going public.   Greg started his career as a strategy consultant for Monitor Group and is a graduate of UCLA’s College of Honors. An avid skier and surfer, Greg has visited over 100 countries. Greg is Chairman and Co-Owner of Powder Mountain, the largest ski area in the United States, and is also Chairman of the Summit Institute.
 

Rebecca McFaul

Violinist, Fry Street Quartet
Violinist Rebecca McFaul is a founding member of the Fry Street Quartet, and teaches on the faculty of Utah State University’s Caine College of the Arts. She is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory and Northwestern University.  As a teenager, Rebecca spent an inspiring summer at the Tanglewood Institute in the presence of great artists such as Leonard Bernstein and Yo Yo Ma, after which the pursuit of a life in music became imperative.  It was the medium of the string quartet, with its fantastic literature, range of expression, and ability to connect with an audience that called; the Fry Street Quartet has been and continues to be the realization of that pursuit.The Crossroads Project merges the two areas of interest I’m most passionate about: music and humanity’s relationship to the natural world.  It’s no surprise that I find myself aligned with these interests.  A childhood of barefoot summers at “the lake” in Wisconsin’s north woods combined seamlessly with a house full of classical music.  Appreciation and wonder at the workings of “Mother Nature” were normal, as was artistic pursuit.  Looking back, this is where I first learned to pay attention to natural systems, and since then I’ve never been able to look away.  With eyes wide open, the message from the scientific community is clear: we’re in trouble. “It is my hope that the Crossroads Project will encourage our audiences to be participants rather than observers.  That in this endeavor we might help to create a more connected and engaged society that more courageously seeks to build a society in harmony with the natural systems that support all life on this planet.”
 

Keegan Moyer

Principal,  Energy Strategies
Keegan Moyer joined Energy Strategies in 2014 and directs the firm's technical transmission and market analyses. His project teams combine grid simulation tools, complex industry datasets, and financial analyses to help clients identify and evaluate generation and transmission investments, market strategies, and energy policies. Keegan is responsible for many of the firm's studies and support surrounding generator interconnections and transmission service. He has worked for clients in the Western, Eastern, and Texas Interconnections. He provided expert witness services on transmission- and interconnection-related matters in multiple states. Recent projects include serving as the WestConnect Order 1000 Region Planning Consultant project manager, benefit-cost analyses for high-voltage transmission projects in the Southwest US, economic evaluation of a proposed pumped storage project, conducting open solicitation processes for merchant transmission, and supporting renewable energy developers through interconnection, curtailment, and basis-risk analyses in WECC, SPP, MISO, PJM, and ERCOT. Prior to joining Energy Strategies, Keegan was the Manager of Transmission Expansion Planning at the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC). In that role, he was responsible for providing leadership and direction to the WECC Transmission Expansion Planning Department, facilitating Transmission Expansion Planning Policy Committee stakeholder activities, and managing the $14.5 million department of Energy Regional Transmission Expansion Planning Grant.
 

Maura Olivos

Alta Environmental Center Ecologist, Alta Ski Resort
Maura Olivos has led the Alta Environmental Center at Alta Ski Area since 2009.  Formally trained as an ecologist, Olivos received a degree in energy management and certificate in GIS. She actively utilizes each of these fields within the conservation and sustainability efforts of Alta and the greater community.

Rohit Nair

Senior Engineer, Rocky Mountain Power
Rohit Nair is a senior engineer in the Engineering Standards & Technical Services group at Rocky Mountain Power. He was appointed to this position in April 2015. Rohit is responsible for a wide array of grid modernization efforts including studies dealing with renewable resources, smart inverters for solar photovoltaic systems, energy storage and electric vehicles. Further, he contributes to various power quality, special projects and policy-making activities. Rohit earned his masters degree in electrical engineering and a masters in business administration. He holds a professional engineers license from the state of Arizona. He is a recipient of several national and international awards including the IEEE Region 6 outstanding engineer award. .

Bradley Ottesen

Violist, Fry Street Quartet 
Bradley Ottesen is the violist of the Fry Street Quartet, and teaches in the Caine College of the Arts at Utah State University. He holds a master’s degree from the New England Conservatory and a bachelor’s from Northwestern University. The different phases of his early career have been rich and varied, and he has been based in Boston, Massachusetts and Calgary, Alberta.  He has taught at every level — from public school to university, and values his experience of performing alongside doctors and lawyers equally with being the tenured member of a symphony orchestra.

Justin Owen

Energy Manager, Weber State University
Justin Owen is the Energy Manager at Weber State University where he oversees the energy and controls teams. Justin manages WSU's revolving green fund, pursues energy rebates, manages energy upgrades to HVAC and lighting systems, calculates annual energy savings, supervises the controls team, and oversees the university's renewable efforts. During his tenure, WSU's energy savings have continued to grow and WSU has continued to be cutting edge with the installation of groundsource, variable refrigerant flow, and solar systems. Justin holds Masters degrees in Environmental Science and Public Affairs from Indiana University and a Bachelor's in Geography from Weber State University. Justin is an Energy Manager in Training, Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional in Training, and a certified Renewable Energy Professional.

Tyler Poulson

Sustainability Program Manager, Salt Lake City
Tyler Poulson focuses on energy issues and addressing climate change for the Salt Lake City Department of Sustainability.  He collaborates with all City departments on implementation of internal Climate Response Plans that embed carbon mitigation and climate preparedness considerations into City operations.  Tyler also works on energy policy and projects on a community scale and helped inform Salt Lake City’s recent commitment to 100% renewable electricity by 2032.  He previously worked in the finance sector and has a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Utah, along with the LEED Green Associate accreditation.

Clio Rayner

AIA, LEED® AP BD+C Architect, GSBS Architects
Clio Rayner, AIA, LEED® AP, has been a member of the sustainability team at GSBS Architects for her entire career. She has helped guide the sustainability mission for GSBS since 2005 and played an important role in the certification of more than 30 LEED projects. Clio has always been an active member of the sustainability community in Utah as a speaker at conferences and seminars and as a guest lecturer and adjunct faculty member for University programs. Much of Clio’s volunteer time is also focused on sustainable design and education. She has been a member of the AIA Utah’s Committee on the Environment since 2006 and a member of USGBC Utah since 2010.  In these roles she has helped to shape the sustainable design conversation in our region by developing education sessions for professionals and the public, including the yearly USGBC Utah Sustainability Summit. Clio has been a member of USGBC Utah’s Board since 2014 and continues to help redefine what sustainability means in Utah through her practice and participation.
 

Phil Saieg

McKinstry
Phillip Saieg currently works at McKinstry delivering advanced technical and energy-related services in the Rocky Mountain Region. Phillip has ten years of experience working on high-performance projects. Along with two bachelor’s degrees, Phillip is a Certified Energy Manager, holds a green-building certification from Colorado State University, is a LEED AP Operations + Maintenance (O+M), and has completed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Energy Executives Institute program. Phillip is a published author on many green building topics, and regularly consults on energy-related topics, specializing in energy-related design, master-planning, and building operations.

Garth Shaw

Architect/Principal, GSBS Architects 
Garth Shaw, AIA, LEED® AP, is the Director of Sustainability at GSBS Architects where he has been for two decades. Beginning with his work to certify the Utah Olympic Speed Skating Oval as one of the very first LEED projects in the nation, Garth has guided efforts to successfully certify more than 30 LEED projects. In recent years Garth has focused on working with school districts, higher-ed institutions and municipalities to verify the sustainable performance of projects, benchmark and model energy performance, and to identify carbon reduction strategies. Beginning in 2008, Garth applied his skills, and those of his talented and enthusiastic colleagues, to make significant reductions to GSBS Architects’ environmental impact. GSBS is one of the first members of Salt Lake City’s e2 Business group and under Garth’s leadership, implemented strategies to reduce waste, increase recycling, and drop energy consumption. The firm also invested in on-site renewable energy. In 2016, Garth became the firm signatory for the AIA 2030 Commitment and reported the carbon footprint of designs completed in 2015. The firm continues to report progress with the goal of carbon-neutral designs by 2030.

 

Bob Simonton

Design & Construction Director, University of Utah
Bob Simonton is the current Director of Design & Construction at the University of Utah. Bob is involved in the major aspects of Capital planning and implementation, including state-funded projects, infrastructure upgrades, and new building construction. As a long-time innovator and leader in university campus improvements, Bob brings a wealth of knowledge and resources from over 25 years of University experience. Prior to joining the University of Utah,  Bob was the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Capital Programs at the Oregon University System. Bob holds a B.S. Finance from Millersville University.

Amanda D. Smith

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah
Amanda D. Smith is an energy sustainability researcher who is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, director of the Site-Specific Energy Systems Laboratory, and faculty advisor to the ASHRAE Student Branch at the University of Utah. She has expertise in building science, distributed energy resources, energy systems modeling, and quantifying the environmental impacts of energy conversion. In 2015, she introduced a new multidisciplinary energy systems course for engineers and in 2016, she was recognized as the Utah Engineers Council Educator of the Year and with the Alta Sustainability Leadership Award for Integrating Sustainability Education. She is Associate Editor of the journal Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments and an active member of ASHRAE and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Brok Thayn

Energy Department Manager, Hunt Electric
Brok Thayn holds a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering with specialties in electromagnetics and space craft systems from Utah State University. As the Energy Department Manager for Hunt Electric, Brok has completed several of the largest Solar PV Installation in Utah.

Chance Thompson

Senior Manager, Sustainability and Public Relations, SMG/Salt Palace Convention Center
Chance Thompson works in the Communications & Public Relations department for the Salt Lake County-owned and SMG-managed Salt Palace Convention Center and Mountain America Exposition Center in Utah. He serves as the Chairperson for the Green Team consisting of representatives from the Salt Palace, Mountain America Expo Center, Visit Salt Lake, Utah Food Services and PSAV. Together, they work to enhance tourism and hospitality in the Salt Lake area. In an effort to strengthen that partnership, Mr. Thompson pursued the idea to invite all of the organizations to apply for APEX/ASTM Level 1 certifications concurrently. This had a galvanizing effect. After joint certification was received in June 2017, word spread throughout the sustainable meetings industry and he has since led webinars and training on how to replicate this strategy. He is a member of the globally focused, 2018 Events Industry Council Sustainability Committee, as well as the APEX/ASTM Relaunch Task Force. Chance lives in Park City, UT, with his fiancé, dog and cat. He is a self-proclaimed outdoor fanatic, enjoying backpacking, skiing and mountain biking in his spare time.
 

Whitney Ward

Associate Principal, VCBO Architecture
Whitney Ward, an Associate Principal at VCBO Architecture, is an advocate for sustainable design and provides expertise in the design and documentation process for sustainable buildings. She has extensive experience in programming, facility planning, and community master planning. Whitney embraces a holistic design approach that ensures that functionality, flexibility, and durability are at the forefront of the projects that she works on. While at VCBO, Whitney has expanded her knowledge and experience through her work on projects such as Unified State Labs, Westminster College Master Plan, and SJ Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah

Robert Waters

Violinist, Fry Street Quartet
A violinist of remarkable versatility, Robert Waters studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Yale School of Music, and the Juilliard School. His range of experience includes positions such as Concertmaster of Chicago’s Music of the Baroque, founding member of the Jupiter Trio and the Callisto Ensemble, Associate Concertmaster of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Associate Professor of Violin at the DePaul University School of Music. In his current position with the Fry Street Quartet, Robert is on the faculty at  USU’s Caine College of the Arts. Robert grew up in the small college town of Kent, Ohio, relishing the combination of gently rolling hills, warm summers, and backyard-grown veggies.  Traveling and exploring new and different landscapes, too, has been a favorite activity since his earliest memories. I’ve always found great inspiration reaching into the community as an educator, teaching violin, chamber music, and orchestral skills to students of all ages. I’m particularly excited to expand that connection between people to the subject of global sustainability.
 

Charlie Woodruff

Director, Community - Utah & Northern Rockies, U.S. Green Buildings Council
Charlie Woodruff is a Director in the Community department of the U.S. Green Building Council representing Utah and the Northern Rockies region (Idaho, Montana and Wyoming) and holds a LEED Green Associate credential. He works with companies, cities, universities and school districts across the region to advance sustainable development, resilience, and healthy communities. Charlie grew up in Colorado and has called Idaho home since 2005 when he moved back out west after a trying the eastern seaboard on for size. With his degree in geology and environmental science from Whitman College he tells random earth stories to his kids on road trips and enjoys getting lost in the canyons, mountains and forests of the mountain west. Professionally his passions and experience are in relationship and business development, marketing and communication, holistic urban sustainability, and public lands policy.

Tenneson Woolf

Principal, Tenneson Woolf Consulting & Group Facilitation 
Tenneson Woolf is a facilitator, workshop leader, speaker, and writer based in Lindon, Utah. He posts a daily blog, Human to Human, in which he offers reflection on varied aspects of participative leadership practices, insights, and human to human depth. Tenneson designs and leads meetings in participative formats. To help people be smarter together. To get people interacting with each other — learning together, building relationships, and focused on projects. To get deeper to the heart of what matters. From strategic visioning with boards to large conference design. He has been a practitioner of Circle and other participative forms for 20+ years. Lately he has been working with faith communities, educators, public health leaders, and alternative energy leaders. His lineages include The Berkana Institute, The Circle Way, and The Art of Hosting.

Sarah Wright

Executive Director, Utah Clean Energy 
As founder of Utah Clean Energy, Sarah Wright has a proven record of accomplishment in the promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency within the state of Utah. As Executive Director, she has effectively fostered diverse partnerships with state agencies, municipal governments, industry, agricultural groups and community groups to advance clean energy and climate solutions. She is an intervener in regulatory proceedings and a witness in legislative hearings testifying in support of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Sarah brings over fifteen years’ experience with the Utah industry where she served as an environmental consultant providing occupational health and ambient air quality permitting services. Sarah holds a B.S. in Geology from Bradley University, and an M.S. in Public Health from the University of Utah.

Ashlee Yoder 

Sustainability Manager, Salt Lake County 
Ashlee has been working for Salt Lake County for 10 years and is currently the Environmental Sustainability Manager. She manages both the Recycling education program as well as the composting program at the Landfill.  The Recycling education and outreach efforts engage County residents in recycling and resource conservation.  The composting program processes 25,000 tons of green and food waste into compost each year.  Ashlee has also been working with many city and community leaders to create a more sustainable Salt Lake County through both internal and external policy. She graduated from the University of Utah with bachelor’s degrees in Communications and in Political Science and earned a master’s degree in Public Administration.   Ashlee began working with Salt Lake County as a Human Resources Consultant and is now pursuing her second passion in the field of Sustainability.

Rick Ziegler

Building Consultant, Morrison Hershfield 
Rick has over nine years of experience as a building envelope consultant. His consulting experience is broad and covers new and existing building in numerous regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. His work includes building envelope assessments and investigations, envelope design and specifications, shop drawing and submittal reviews, field testing, mockups, and construction review. Rick has worked on both new construction and rehabilitation projects across a number of market sectors such as commercial office, healthcare, higher education and government. He was also a contributor to the State of Utah’s high-performance building standard.