SBi Speaker Biographies

Ray Anderson founded Interface, Inc. with the environmental vision of "Mission Zero" to eliminate any negative impact on the environment by the year 2020, through the redesign of processes and products, the pioneering of new technologies, and efforts to reduce or eliminate waste and harmful emissions while increasing the use of renewable materials and sources of energy. Fourteen years after their inception, Interface is nearly 50 percent towards that vision, a remarkable feat for a company in petroleum-intensive industry of carpet manufacturing.
Ray is a master commentator on the Sundance Channel's series, "Big Ideas for a Small Planet," and was named one of TIME magazine's Heroes of the Environment in 2007, with a similar honor from Elle Magazine that year. He's a sought after speaker and advisor on all issues eco, including a stint as co-chair of the President's Council on Sustainable Development during President Clinton's administration.

Ray will be presenting the Opening Night Kickoff Nature’s Solution to a World in Crisis

Mike is Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at the UK retailer Marks & Spencer.

He was part of the small team that developed the company's groundbreaking Plan A, a 100 point, 5 year plan to address a wide range of environmental and social issues. He helps provide the vision and the energy to affect change and ensure a leading but efficient approach to sustainability across the company.

He deals with issues as diverse as sustainable fish sourcing, chemicals in products, labour standards in factories, animal welfare, food miles, privacy and data protection, genetic modification, fair trade, wood sourcing, community investment, cotton sourcing and climate change. His working life is broadly divided into three parts. Listening to and prioritising stakeholder expectations of Marks & Spencer, integrating them into corporate strategy and working with shops, business units and suppliers to deliver more sustainable products and wider business activity.

Mike will be presenting Plan A, Because There is No Plan B

Mr. Beard has a trial and appellate litigation practice focusing on complex commercial matters. He represents clients in state and federal court, as well as before state and federal administrative agencies. His clients have spanned various industries, including mining companies, consumer product manufacturers, technology companies, pharmaceutical companies, financial institutions, consumer retailers, food product companies, and restaurants.
In addition, Mr. Beard is a member of Morrison & Foerster's Cleantech practice group. In this rapidly evolving area, he is currently focused on issues surrounding false advertising allegations relating to green claims made by companies in connection with consumer products and services, as well as patent infringement matters relating to cleantech companies and subject matter. In addition to the Cleantech practice group, Mr. Beard is part of Morrison & Foerster's e-Discovery Task Force, IP Litigation practice group, Trial practice group, and pro bono program.

Brooks will be speaking about Avoiding Greenwashing Accusations on the Global Stage

Guy is part of the Business Insights team of Havas Media Intelligence, focusing on issues of sustainability and CSR, and their commercial impact on companies and their brands. Guy has worked with Havas Media for 3 years across a number of projects. Prior to this, Guy worked in the broadcast sector with BBC, ITV as well as developing communications for a number of leading multinational companies and brands. Guy holds an MBA from IE (Madrid) and is undertaking a DBA doctoral research programme, focusing on the development of different approaches to strategic CSR.

Guy will be speaking on the panel Worldwide Consumer Insights into Sustainable Brand Demand and will be presenting research on Meeting the Needs of Increasingly Complex Global Consumers

Martin Charter is the Director of The Centre for Sustainable Design and Professor of Sustainable Product Design at University College for the Creative Arts (UCCA). Since 1988, he has worked at director level in 'business and environment' issues in consultancy, leisure, publishing, training, events and research. Martin was the launch Director of Greenleaf Publishing, Marketing Director at the Earth Centre, former co-ordinator of one the UK's first green business clubs, and more recently ran a regional network on green electronics (www.cfsd.org.uk/seeba) while directing a network focused on eco-innovation (www.cfsd.org.uk/eco-i-net). Martin is a member of the Editorial Boards of GMI, International Journal of Sustainable Engineering and International Journal of Sustainable Design. Presently, Martin also sits on sustainability advisory boards of P&G and InterfaceFlor in Europe. He is a regular international conference speaker and author and editor of various books and publications.

Martin will be facilitating a workshop on Sustainable Innovation and delivering a plenary address on The Changing Global Landscape of Sustainable Innovation

Steve heads up the marketing efforts at NatureWorks, where they turn plant sugars into plastics & fibers – turning annually renewable resources into the product known as "Ingeo™"– plastic from plants, not oil.
They use the sugars taken from plants grown every year and transform them into a bio-plastic. Called Ingeo™, it’s an ingenious material that's used by the leading brands & retailers with whom they've partnered to offer consumers more responsible innovations in electronics, appliances, personal care, clothing, the home, garden and new fresh food bio-packaging. The renewable materials we source produce less green house gases and use less fossil fuels than any other plastic, and is the platform from which these brands have innovated an entirely new generation of more responsible, lifestyle products - the things that each of us as consumers so rely on every day.

Steve will be presenting research on The Sustainable Innovation Journey – Learning as They Grow at Natureworks LLC

Christine Driscoll, J.D., is a Boston, Massachusetts native, has worked throughout the United States and Europe, focusing on business and international trade law, venture capital and private equity sectors. In addition to advising her clients on business transactions, Christine has also chaired a legal education program for inner-city students and represented a number of political asylum cases for people from Western Africa on a pro bono basis.
Christine decided to pursue an MBA at the international business school, INSEAD (based in France and Singapore), graduating in July 2006, after which she joined Edun Apparel Ltd as Business Development Manager of Edun Live, based in Dublin, Ireland. She is thrilled with her role at Edun Live, in which she manages a brand with an important social mission while simultaneously collaborating with individuals and customers on a worldwide basis.

With over 10 years of experience, Stephanie is responsible for developing new accounts and expanding client relationships worldwide in brand strategy, product design and innovation. Stephanie most recently worked at Pfizer Consumer Healthcare as a member of the Global Innovation team. There she grew innovation partnerships with aggressive growth retailers (e.g., CVS, Wal-Mart), and led the development of emerging retail formats/concepts and expansion of new healthcare partnerships. She also managed the launch of new
products with platinum accounts and tested new product ideas and concepts to bring to market. Prior to joining Pfizer, Stephanie worked as an independent consultant with such clients as AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. She started her career at Towers Perrin consulting in strategy and change management. Stephanie has a BA from the University of Maryland and graduated cum laude and a MBA from the George Washington University in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.

Stephanie will be presenting research on Creating Ownable Green Presence at Shelf: Best Practices in Domestic and International Markets

João R. Freire is an economist by trade, who has worked in the fields of finance and marketing for several multinational companies in Brazil, Portugal and the United Kingdom. João is also an entrepreneur and the founder of Ecoterra, a company specialized in the marketing of natural food products. He is a Ph.D candidate in Place Branding at London Metropolitan University (UK), where he was also a lecturer in marketing. His research focused on the analysis of the interaction between brands and consumers. João's greatest interest is in branding and, more specifically, Place Branding. After years of quantitative and qualitative research, intense studying and working on branding issues, he has developed new ideas and a unique methodology for brand identity construction. João is a frequent speaker and author on Branding topics. His articles have appeared in international publications such as Place Branding and Journal of Brand Management. He has also been invited to serve as a reviewer for the Place Branding journal, which is published by Palgrave Macmillan, London, UK.
Joao works as a Brand Strategist for Brandia Central in Lisbon.

João will be presenting research on a LOGZ - The Sustainable Atlantic Hub: A Branding Case Study

Lisa Friedman, Ph.D. is co-founder of the Enterprise Development Group and co-author of The Dynamic Enterprise: Tools for Turning Chaos into Strategy and Strategy into Action. She works with enterprises globally to facilitate a shared understanding of the emerging trends transforming industries, to shape vision and strategy for the future, to teach simple but powerful innovation practices and to align organizations to realize their goals.

In addition to her consulting and training work, she is a frequent speaker and workshop leader on strategic thinking and change management, creating value through innovation, future-driven leadership and sustainable enterprise. She coordinates EDG client exchanges and designs EDG’s innovation tours, bringing leaders from around the world to Silicon Valley to explore examples of innovation throughout the enterprise.

Lisa will be co-leading the pre-conference workshopsC2C - Lifecycle Design Thinking Parts I and II

Gil Friend is founder, president & CEO of Natural Logic Inc, a sustainability consultancy helping companies build economic advantage through exceptional environmental performance. Clients have included General Mills, Hewlett Packard, Nike, Odwalla, Pacific Gas & Electric, Sun Microsystems, and many others. A systems ecologist and business strategist with 35 years experience in business, communications and environmental innovation, Friend combines broad business experience with unique content experience spanning strategy, systems ecology, economic development, management cybernetics, and public policy. Tomorrow Magazine called him one of the country's leading environmental management consultants - a real expert who combines theoretical sophistication with hands-on, in-the-trenches know-how. Friend lectures widely on business strategy and environmental policy, and writes "The New Bottom Line," a monthly column on business strategy; contributes to Sustainable Life Media.com, GreenBiz.com, and WorldChanging.com; and a forthcoming book: Risk, Fiduciary Responsibility and the Laws of Nature.

Gil will be speaking on Measuring What Matters

Katie leads SustainAbility’s Engaging Stakeholders Program, a unique international membership forum where businesses develop and drive best practice in sustainability reporting and stakeholder engagement. Areas of recent focus include: materiality and issue prioritization, the ‘nuts and bolts’ of reporting, innovation in stakeholder engagement, local and regional reporting, and integrating sustainability messages into mainstream communication channels. As co-author of SustainAbility’s 2006 Global Reporters benchmark survey, and lead architect of the forthcoming Sustainability Reporting database, her recent research has covered over 300 Sustainability, corporate responsibility, triple-bottom-line, non-financial, extra-financial (you name it!) reports. She has advised on reports produced by: Nike, Starbucks, Alcan, Chiquita, Novo-Nordisk, Abbott, McDonald’s, Rohm & Haas, and the World Bank.

Katie will be speaking on Communicating Accountability: Beyond the CSR Report

Omino Gardezi is the senior vice president of global sales and business development. He is directly responsible for Syrup's worldwide revenue generation efforts as well as the day-to-day operations of the company's sales organization. As Syrup's "business founder," Omino led the development and implementation of the company's initial business model. Since joining in August of 2002, he has brought Syrup to profitability in record time, generating more than $10 million in revenue.
Omino has more than 12 years of luxury consumer and enterprise experience, holding key positions at several corporations, including LVMH, Creative Management and Conde Nast. He has worked on advertising campaigns for Missoni, YSL, Gucci, Sony, Diesel, L'Oreal, HBO and Prada.

Omino will be speaking on Putting the Imagination in Ecomagination

Tamara is the Managing Director of OZOlab; she has led strategy and sustainable innovation for the lab since its inception, shaping each of its ventures and leading the innovation consulting practice for client companies. OZOlab (www.OZOlab.com) is a leading innovation lab and business incubator that exists to identify, create and market a new breed of sustainable businesses with mass consumer appeal. OZOcar and OZOlife.com are the first companies within the OZOlab’s portfolio; OZOwater, ‘drinking water brought to you but not shipped in bottles’, will launch in early 2009. OZOlab Consulting works with brand leaders to create long term sustainable value for businesses and their stakeholders, and to drive sustainability leadership throughout the organization.
Tamara’s background combines 13 years experience in design, brand strategy and marketing, sustainable innovation and business consulting. She holds both a Masters Degree in Design, Strategy and Innovation, and in Responsibility and Business Practice. She writes regularly for Treehugger.com and speaks and consults on sustainability and business practice. She was named one of the “35 Outstanding Businesswomen Under the Age of 35” by World Business Magazine in 2007.

Tamara will be speaking on the panel Emerging Models for Collaboration: Imagining a World Where David and Goliath Both Win and will be presenting Rethinking the System: Out of the Box Thinking for Game Changing Innovation

Santiago is currently VP Unilever Brand & Global Corporate Responsibility for Unilever plc, working closely with the marketing teams on strategies to successfully embed economic, social and environmental insights into the company's brand-development and innovation processes.

His career began as a lawyer in Argentina and, after undertaking an MBA in the USA at Thunderbird, worked in investment banking for Bankers Trust in New York. Seeking a change in career, he started two NGOs in Argentina, before joining Unilever Argentina's Corporate Relations team in 1999. He quickly became Head of Corporate Relations for Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, and then led the function in South America. In 2004 Unilever seconded him to the Corporate Centre in London to his current role.

Santiago will be speaking on Sustainable Brands, a Path to 21st Century Growth

Jonathan Greenblatt is the CEO of GOOD, a successful social entrepreneur and an acknowledged thought leader on ethical branding. GOOD, an integrated media company for people who want to live well and do good, is one of the fastest growing media brands on the market. GOOD is an editorially-led, member-driven community that provides content and experiences for people, businesses and organizations moving the world forward. Its portfolio currently includes an award winning print magazine, live events and an online destination updated daily with fresh editorial and short-form video features. Launched in September 2006, GOOD has received equal recognition for its creative sensibility, commercial success and social impact, such as the Choose GOOD campaign which has directed almost $750,000 in subscription revenue to a diverse roster of leading nonprofits around the world. Prior to his appointment to GOOD, Greenblatt co-founded Ethos Water, the premium bottled water that helps children around the world get clean water. In 2005, Starbucks Coffee Company acquired Ethos Water, making it one of only a handful of non-coffee businesses the company has purchased in its 30-plus year history. Ethos currently reaches more than 40 million consumers every week, raising awareness about water and sanitation issues and planting the seeds for long-term social change.

Jonathan will be speaking on The New Economy of Integrity

Nitin Gupta is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Attero Recycling. He graduated with an MBA degree from NYU Stern School of business and a B.Tech degree in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi. He has also studied at London Business School as part of the exchange programme. Gupta has extensive experience in startups in India and USA and most recently has held various leadership positions at Lotus Interworks, a technology incubator firm based out of USA.

Hi company, Attero, is a Noida-based E-Waste management company, which brings to the market a convenient, highly efficient and safe solution to counter the growing E-Waste problem. The company offers product pickup from anywhere in India thus reducing the customer’s need for storage and the ensuing problems. Customers are constantly updated with regular reports of the status of the consignment from receipt to final disposal. Attero conducts regular audits to ensure compliance with the Health Environment and Safety standards. At Attero the mantra is that every contribution can make a difference to reducing the e-burden on society and protecting nature from the growing E-Waste menace. The company is proud of the fact that it cares for the society and is working towards a cleaner and safer future for all.

Nitin will be speaking on the panel The Global Impact of Electronic Waste – On Brands and on the Planet

Laszlo Gyorffy is President of the Enterprise Development Group in Palo Alto, California — an international consulting firm that specializes in strategy development and implementation for groups facing complex change. He has successfully consulted in the United States, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

Laszlo has spent the last 16+ years applying his innovation, change leadership, and training expertise across a variety of industries (e.g., high technology, energy, consumer business, health care and the public sector) to enhance organizational performance.

A certified instructional designer and trainer, Laszlo recently collaborated with William McDonough (internationally acclaimed green designer, architect, and author), to bring Enduring Value: William McDonough’s Approach to Breakthrough Thinking to the market place. The program covers the core concepts of the “Next Industrial Revolution” and provides tools, techniques, and examples for how to apply Cradle-to-Cradle Design principles to reinvent your business.

Prior to joining the Enterprise Development Group, he spent three years with Deloitte Consulting in their Change Leadership practice. Laszlo holds a Masters of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from San Diego State University.

Laszlo will be co-leading the pre-conference workshops C2C - Lifecycle Design Thinking Part I and C2C: Lifecycle Design Thinking Part II

As co-founder and CEO, Priya Haji is the award-winning leader of World of Good, a company dedicated to building ethical shopping experiences with mainstream retail partners, including Whole Foods and eBay. Since the company was founded in 2004 out of the MBA incubator at the Haas School of Business, it has created online and offline distribution channels for thousands of artisan producers in the developing world through more than 1,200 retail locations across the country and a brand new online marketplace launched in partnership with eBay. Since 2004, World of Good has impacted the lives of over 25,000 individuals in more than 70 countries around the world.

Priya will be presenting research on WorldofGood.com by eBay: Brand as Market Catalyst

Cheryl Heller is a leading strategist, writer and creative director, partnering with companies to transition their brands from the traditional values and tactics of the past to behavior and communications that will engender the trust, loyalty and support required to flourish in the future. She is CEO of Heller Communication Design in New York City and Norfolk, CT. Cheryl has developed brands and launched products for Fortune 100 and start up companies in fields ranging from fashion and beauty, automotive, entertainment, retail, technology, food and beverage, health care, manufacturing and finance. In addition to her work for large corporations, Cheryl works with leading non-profits, including WWF, Audubon New York, IDE (an international organization dedicated to poverty elimination) The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education, SafeHorizon and the Joyful Heart Foundation. She is helping to launch a new NGO, led by Dr. Paul Polack, called Design for the other 90%, and served as an advisor for an exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum with the same name. She is an advisor to the National Academies of Science on how best to communicate the importance of climate change, and is a Senior Faculty Fellow at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship. She serves on the board of Pop!Tech, which accelerates the impact of positive change in the world, and The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education. Cheryl is a member of the Aspen Design Summit, and is a Senior Faculty Fellow at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship.

Cheryl will be speaking on Uncovering Your Unique Brand of Good

Ms. Karen Ho is the Business Engagement Leader of the Climate Program for WWF, Hong Kong. She works on climate and energy issues in Hong Kong and Southern China, working across all businesses and industries to initiate, lead, and oversee the development of climate programs.
Prior to WWF, Ms. Ho worked with BP, Coca-Cola, Huhtamaki, and O-I as Business Development and Marketing Director for the Asia Pacific region. She received her MBA at the University of Surrey, UK, and is accredited as a Chartered Marketer by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK.

Karen will be speaking on The Move Toward Sustainability by Chinese Suppliers

Co-founder and president, Robert Holzer began Syrup, Inc. in 1998, with more than a decade of marketing strategy experience that spans across the luxury, fashion and technology industries. Rob spent the early part of his career in the luxury jewelry industry as marketing manager of several Swiss and French watch and jewelry companies prior to his career change to the burgeoning Internet industry. Rob joined The New York Times Electronic Media Co. as a part of the team developing The New York Times on the Web and New York Today. He then launched the east coast office for Silicon Valley messaging technology company Commtouch, Inc. where his business development efforts landed many of the company's largest partnerships.

Rob's business development and marketing expertise has been crucial to the growth of Syrup and his vision has enhanced the firm's expansion and strengthened client relationships. His unique global perspective, and work experience in diverse cultures, has fueled Syrup's growth and reputation as a visionary global agency. Rob is consistently generating innovative strategies for Syrup and continues to develop high-level branding approaches for his company's clientele.
Since Syrup's inception, Rob has served as an industry expert for the League of Advertisers and is often asked to appear as guest speaker on Internet strategy and Integrated Advertising. Most recently he was invited as a guest speaker at the Berkman Center at Harvard Law School to discuss Syrup's HopeActChange.com project and the impact of social media on the 2008 election.

Robert will be speaking on Putting the Imagination in Ecomagination

Toshi Ide studied electronic engineering at Osaka University but started his career as a professional musician. From 1987 to 2001, he lived in San Francisco and developed best selling music software applications. He returned to Japan in 2001 and established a production company to promote healing music and video such as Kitaro, the only Japanese Grammy winning artist. In 2005 and 2006, he published two LOHAS books and took an initiative role to spread the concept of LOHAS through seminars and media appearances. In 2007 he co-established LOHAS Business Alliance (LBA). He is also pioneered carbon offset and emission trading market in Japan by establishing the first carbon offset provider, gConscious, Inc. in 2007.

Toshi will be speaking on the panel Worldwide Consumer Insights into Sustainable Brand Demand

Simon is a Research Director at GlobeScan, leading on many custom global research projects over the past seven years at the company. He runs GlobeScan's annual 20-country Issues and Reputation study, which tracks societal trends that affect the performance and reputation of client organizations. He has worked with a number of leading companies on reputation management, corporate responsibility, issues identification, and stakeholder management, including Chevron, Rio Tinto, HP, Novartis, Kraft, Siemens, and SABMiller. Simon attended graduate school in Australia, where he completed a PhD at the University of Sydney. He has worked in Canada, Australia, and Mexico.

Simon will be speaking on the panel Worldwide Consumer Insights into Sustainable Brand Demand and presenting research on Societal Trends in Corporate Responsibility: Implications for Branding and Communications -

Beth Keck is the Senior Director of International Sustainability for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. She has a wealth of international experience, having worked in the US, India, China, and Hong Kong. She began her career in journalism, earning degrees in both Hong Kong and the US. She has worked in multiple government agencies such as the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). While with the FAA, she worked for five years in Beijing, China before moving to Hong Kong to work as Asia-Pacific VP of business development. Having worked with business and government officials from all parts of the globe, Beth's most recent move took her to Wal-Mart, where she first worked in International Corporate Affairs. She is now heading Wal-Mart's International Sustainability work, fully utilizing her vast global experience.

Beth will be speaking on How Wal-Mart is Shaping the Supply Chain of the Future

Karin Laljani is Senior Vice President, Market Strategy & Sustainability of InterfaceFLOR in Europe, a division of US based Interface Inc., a global leader in the manufacture of environmentally responsible modular floor coverings.
Karin's responsibilities include marketing strategy, corporate communications / PR, design & development, the innovation pipeline, business development and sustainability. She has previously worked for ICI, obtaining several strategic marketing roles and working throughout Scandinavia, Belgium, Spain, North America, and the UK.
Karin's key skills lie in the management of complex B2B marketing strategies, creating order from chaos in world-wide multinational environments, operating effectively in multicultural organisations & in several languages, and building global virtual teams to deliver on strategies.
Karin is also a contributor to articles, studies and books focusing on the marketing function's position to influence how we produce and consume in a more sustainable way.

Karin will be speaking on Continuing the Journey at Interface Fairworks

Robert is an investor and principal architect, along with two founding nonprofit organizations, in the formation of the Pico Bonito business model and financing structure. Now in its fourth year of operation, Pico Bonito is a pioneer in blending successful models to achieve environmental, social, economic, financial, and investment objectives – focusing on sustainable forestry, agroforestry, and the carbon offset market. As part of his role, he has established numerous corporate and public/private partnerships which have generated a variety of economic and socially responsible benefits.

Robert also serves as principal of Robert L. Lapides Co., LLC – a specialized private equity investment and advisory firm based in Wellesley, Massachusetts. His areas of expertise include: new fund establishment, private equity financings, portfolio company oversight, strategic relationships, and successful exit strategies. His work includes advisory, co-investment, and ongoing representation for the benefit of private equity funds, investing institutions, and high net worth individuals. He has over 20 years of experience in the private equity and nonprofit sector. He serves as advisor and/or board director to a variety of private equity groups, operating companies, and nonprofit organizations.

Robert will be speaking on the panel Emerging Models for Collaboration: Imagining a World Where David and Goliath Both Win

Chris Laszlo is the managing partner of Sustainable Value Partners, a Washington, DC-based consulting firm that works with Fortune 500 companies to create business value through improved sustainability performance. A frequent author and speaker who has written two books on sustainability, Laszlo spent 15 years as an executive at Lafarge (a manufacturer of building materials) and Deloitte. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of Paris and a Masters in Public Affairs from Columbia University.

Chris will be speaking on The Opportunity for Sustainability During an Economic Downturn

Annie is the senior counsellor to Chevron Global Lubricants and American Express and is actively involved with the marketing programs of Tastybaby, Fabrik and Spot Runner.
In March 2007 Annie launched a global sustainability practice entirely devoted to communication strategies around the topics of sustainability, alternative energy and environmental strategy. As a Green Wolfe Annie was an integral part of American Express Partners in Preservation program, which was designed to build awareness for the need to protect our history.
Prior to C&W, Annie was Vice President of Corporate Development and Accounts Services at Wilson McHenry Company. In this position Annie was responsible for the strategy and execution of global PR programs for clients including Pioneer Electronics, Micron Electronics, Acer America and CBSSportsline.com.

Annie will be speaking on the panel Worldwide Consumer Insights into Sustainable Brand Demand and will be presenting research on Cohn & Wolfe’s Green Brands Study – China

Allard Marx worked for Colgate Palmolive, Amatil and LIG and during that time started a successful consumer foods business in Italy, turned around and doubled a pharmaceutical company in Pakistan and led the reformulation, product line extension and re-launch of five key brand groups across Western Europe, the Middle and Far East.

Once in consulting, he forged the world’s first global travel alliance for National, Europcar, Tilden and Nippon and after forming INCIDE in 1991, the firm has worked for clients including INSEAD, MARC Restaurants, SONY, Dubai Health Authority, HP, Coca Cola, Cathay Pacific, The Economist, Disney, TIME, Northwest Airlines and several others. www.incide.com

Allard speaks four languages and recently published Business Brand Book. His continued work on Delfino Cars www.delfino.co.uk spurred Marine Positive.

Allard will be speaking on Taking a Sustainable Luxury Brand to New Depths

Brenda Mathison’s 23-year career in the environmental affairs industry is a testimony to her knowledge, passion and drive for her cause. During her five years s Best Buy’s Director of Environmental Affairs, she strives to heighten the company’s expertise and awareness of environmental resources and processes. Each day she aligns those resources and processes with self-imposed guidelines the company has placed upon itself to be an exemplary environmental steward.

Under her leadership, Best Buy’s industry service and innovative programs have garnered national, state and local recognition. Best Buy has executed plans allowing for the collection of over 48 thousand tons last year of unwanted consumer electronics and appliances. Under her direction Best Buy continues to develop strategic plans for carbon reduction through reduction in energy use and evaluation of alternative sources of energy. In addition the efforts on waste minimization and recycling, the partnership with the USGBC on a Retail Portfolio program for LEEDs, and the management of the on-going and development programs in renewable energy, transportation, and global sourcing are driven as part of Best Buy’s overall environmental affairs program.

Before joining Best Buy, Mathison served as executive vice president of Weisman Enterprises providing environmental program consultation for more than 30 national clients including Best Buy, Target, as well as other major retailers.

During her tenure at Browning Ferris Industries, she held various positions including that of divisional vice president of the Midwest region and as a vice president of BFI Minnesota.

Brenda will be speaking on the panel The Global Impact of Electronic Waste – On Brands and on the Planet

Joep Meijer graduated as an environmental chemist trying to define a quantified assessment tool for sustainability of a paper mill. He worked for an engineering consultancy focusing on the built environment for a decade and moved to Austin in 2006 to found theRightenvironment. He has over 10 years of experience, developing more then a dozen tools, drafting national standards on footprinting, and performing LCA studies for over 300 products.
Joep helps clients to define sustainability strategies that result in improvements that can be measured, investing in sustainability where it really matters. He trains design departments in sustainable design sourcing from their own processes and materials and then extending to possible new materials and material uses.
He enjoys communication, is a great facilitator and dares to dream. He is an expert in quantifying environmental performance using life cycle thinking and life cycle assessment methodologies. He loves to reveal trade-offs to aid clients in making the right decisions.

Joep will be speaking on Bullet Proofing Your Brand through Life Cycle Assessment

Jeff Mendelsohn is the founder and president of New Leaf Paper, a company with the mission of driving a fundamental shift toward sustainability in the paper industry. Paper manufacturing is one of the most polluting and resource intensive industries in the world. Jeff envisions a complete redesign of the paper industry to incorporate the principles of sustainability, and is a frequent public speaker on this topic. He leads New Leaf Paper's product innovation, creating a wide selection of market leading environmental papers that fit this vision. Since it was founded in 1998, New Leaf Paper has seen real change in the marketplace through its efforts, and inspired some of the largest paper companies in the world to pay attention to environmental concerns. Jeff's interest in socially responsible business transcends the goals of New Leaf Paper, and he actively works to support the growth of the socially responsible business community.

Jeff will be speaking on the panel Emerging Models for Collaboration: Imagining a World Where David and Goliath Both Win

Anant Nadkarni is the Vice President of Group Corporate Sustainability at the TATA Group, where he coordinates social, environmental and related initiatives to major Tata companies through a network of nearly fifty CEOs and two hundred champions. He created a framework to evolve Tata Guidelines on Social Development and Environmental Management. He also created the Tata Index for Sustainable Human Development. He has worked for Tata in different capacities in manufacturing, projects, and audit for 18 years. Anant represents several bodies promoting social responsibility and corporate sustainability throughout India as well as being the Focal Point for India with the UN Global Compact.

Anastasia O’Rourke is a cofounder of Big Room Inc, a Canadian company started in 2007 that advises purchasers and managers in green product certification and marketing, and manages the ecolabelling.org network and database. Anastasia has over 12 years experience in the environmental field, having worked as a consultant and researcher in Australia, Sweden, France and the U.S. She has written over 20 reports, articles and whitepapers on eco- markets, trends in cleantech and socially responsibly investing, and on environmental strategy for business. Her clients have included: Silicon Valley Bank, Yale University, , The Cleantech Group, The Carbon Trust, UNEP, the Global Reporting Initiative, LVMH, Sony Europe, EDF, Sydkraft, The UK Investor Relations Society, Thoreau Environmental Capital, CSR Europe, The Sydney Olympics Authority, the NSW State Environment Minister, the City of Sydney and numerous other municipalities in Australia. Anastasia previously worked at INSEAD Business School in France, Sydkraft in Sweden, and The Institute for Sustainable Futures and the EcoDesign Foundation in Australia. She has a M.Sc. (Industrial Environmental Management) from Lund University in Sweden (2000) and a B.A. (Hons 1st Class and University Medal) from Sydney University, Australia (1997). She is currently completing a Ph.D. at Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (Dec 2008) and working with Big Room Inc.

Anastasia will be speaking on the panel Ecolabeling for MultiNationals

Since founding J. Ottman Consulting, Inc. nearly 20 years ago, Jacquelyn and her colleagues have helped more than 60 Fortune 500 businesses, the Energy Star label and other organizations learn how to seize opportunities by pro-actively addressing consumers' environmental concerns. Ottman has helped clients develop concepts for exciting new products with less environmental impact and strategies for reaching green consumers while minimizing the risk of backlash. Her book, Green Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation, is called the "definitive work on the subject" by the American Marketing Association. Jacquelyn is a sought-after speaker at conferences and corporate forums run by IBM, 3M, Philips Electronics, and GE, and one of the true pioneers of green marketing. She also serves as program co-chair of Sustainable Brands '08, as well as host to SLM's Sustainable Brands Weekly. The principal organizer and driving spirit behind the Design:Green eco-design educational initiative, she sits on the Advisory Board of the Centre for Sustainable Design (U.K.), the Center for Small Business and the Environment, and the NYC chapter of O2, of which she is a past co-chairman. For seven years, she chaired the jury of the American Marketing Association's Special Edison Awards for Environmental Achievement.

Jacquelyn will be leading the workshop Green Marketing 101 and will be moderating the panel Ecolabeling for MultiNationals

Anthony leads the creative team in Fitch’s Columbus studio for the Environments and Brand Communication practice areas. He has 20 years' of experience in retail design and architecture working with such clients as Nike-Asia Pacific, ACG, Brand, Women's KOP - Columbia Sportswear Company, Pendleton Woolen Mills, HSBC, Hon, Ace Hardware and P&G. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and continues to be involved in green classes through the American Institute of Architects (AIA), studio coaching of LEED materials for testing of the Fitch Environmental studio and local Ohio sustainability actions

Anthony will be speaking on Creating Ownable Green Presence at Shelf: Best Practices in Domestic and International Markets

John serves as communications consultant for several client organizations, including Evenson Design Group, a sustainable branding and design firm in Los Angeles. A former psychology professor, John's unique insight into the psychology of the communication design process has made him a prominent contributor to several pioneering entertainment projects over the past decade, including two $200 million dollar plus themed attraction designs. Recent clients and partners have included the Oscar-winning BRC Imagination Arts, the Joseph Campbell Foundation, and Knock Knock, Inc.

An outspoken voice within in the Los Angeles sustainable business community, John works with a variety of profit and non-profit organizations to create messaging campaigns that inspire environmental action. His new book “Igniting Inspiration: A Persuasion Manual for Visionaries” is quickly becoming an indispensable tool for a new generation of socially conscious marketers, business leaders, and activists in the Los Angles area and beyond.

John will be leading the workshop Inspiring Sustainability in Skeptical Audiences

Peter is founder and Managing Director of Moxie Design Group, an agency specializing in identifying, designing and communicating sustainable ideas that are good for our environment, good for the future and profitable for business.
Peter has worked in the design industry for over 20 years. He has a long-standing interest in sustainable development, and the role of design and innovation plays in delivering better human and environmental outcomes.
He works with organisations to help them understand and respond to the growing ethical economy. Providing insight and commentary on conscientious consumers and the markets they frequent. Peter has consulted with a range of agencies and enterprises including New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Coca-Cola Amatil, Westpac Bank, SCA Hygiene Australasia, Shell New Zealand, DCI New York, EcoStore and NZI/IAG Insurance.

Peter will be leading the workshop Sustainability for SMEs

Mr. Sarni is founder and Chief Executive Officer of DOMANI with 30 years of experience in providing sustainability and environmental consulting services to private and public sector enterprises. He has worked closely with companies such as Alcoa, BASF, Cisco, DIAGEO, Cherokee Investment, Enterprise Community Partners, Forest City Enterprises, Invensys, NTT DATA, TNK-BP, and Vivendi in developing and implementing sustainability strategies that provide the greatest tangible and intangible (brand) value to organizations. He has a practical yet creative approach to implementing sustainability programs and integrating diverse business and technical issues related to energy, climate change, sustainable land use, and reporting/branding. Mr. Sarni’s current focus is on the integration of sustainability initiatives into business decision making processes, the development and application of sustainability management and metrics systems, and carbon management programs. He is a Member of the Environmental Compliance Committee of the Chicago Climate Exchange and a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) and The Conference Board. He frequently speaks on a range of sustainability issues and authors an editorial column on sustainable business practices in Venture Magazine and host's Sustainable Life Media "Climate Management Weekly."

Will will be moderating the panel Measuring, Mitigating, and Communicating Your Carbon Impact

Brian Scudamore is the Founder and CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. In 1989, Scudamore started a single truck junk hauling business named The Rubbish Boys Disposal Services as a way to pay for university tuition. After several years of hauling junk and attending The University of British Columbia he dropped out of school to focus full time on the junk removal business.

After exploring numerous ways to grow the business, he opted to franchise the junk removal service to numerous cities in Canada and the United States. In 1998 the company's operating name was changed to 1-800-GOT-JUNK?.

To date, Scudamore’s leadership is widely recognized by the media and business community. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is consistently named a Best Employer in Canada. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is ranked as one of the fastest growing franchises in North America.

In 2003, Scudamore was featured on Oprah and has gone on to be covered by Fortune Magazine and CNN. He has also been on Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray and Donny Deutsch. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? was also featured on the Food Network's "Restaurant Makeover."
Scudamore was named entrepreneur of year by IFA International Franchise Association 2008.

Brian will be speaking on the panel The Global Impact of Electronic Waste – On Brands and on the Planet

John Shegerian is the Chairman and CEO of Electronic Recyclers International® (ERI). Established in 2002, ERI is an Electronic Waste collector and recycler, specializing in the environmentally safe and socially responsible dismantling of electronic items such as computers, televisions and monitors. ERI is recognized as the leading e-waste recycler in country. For his work with ERI, Shegerian was named the Clean Tech Entrepreneur of the Year for Northern California by Ernst & Young in 2008 and is a national finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year honors.

Shegerian serves alongside CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as a member of the California Commission for Jobs and Economic Growth and was recently appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to serve on the Governor's Gang Advisory Committee, focused on providing the State's top legislators with guidance pertaining to policies geared toward the reduction of gang and youth violence.

Passionately espousing his trademarked mantra that "Green is Good," Shegerian serves as an executive board member of the Alliance Toward Harnessing Global Opportunities, as a board member of the Coalition for Clean Air, as a corporate board member of the Environmental Media Association, and as a board member on the VerdeXchange for Innovations and Developments in the Green Economy. He also serves on the Fundraising Committee and as an Ambassador of Education at California State University at Fresno. Shegerian also serves on the Board of the Boys and Girls Club of Fresno and on the Media Relations steering committee for the State of California's Integrated Waste Management Board.

John will be moderating the panel The Global Impact of Electronic Waste – On Brands and on the Planet

Charlie Sheldon is the co-founder of Link Studios, a design and build cooperative (linkstudios.net), and founder of Cragelmeyer LLC, a mass-customizable contemporary furniture company (cragelmeyer.com) - both based in San Francisco. He also chairs the San Francisco Chapter of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA-SF.org) teaches design at San Francisco State University and lectures at many universities in the area.

His background includes studies in philosophy, art and biology as an undergraduate at Kenyon College in Ohio. He moved to San Francisco in 2000 to work as an interface design strategist. Later, after the tech market fell, he worked in the building trades and found his way into retail fixture design. His interest in 3D design led him to attended industrial and architectural design courses in San Francisco, Sweden, and the UK, prior to receiving a Masters in Industrial Arts and Product Design from San Francisco State University. His focus was split between manufacturing systems, sustainable design and organizational design. He worked during the last of his schooling as a mass-market furniture designer at THInc. Design in San Francisco before starting Link Studios in 2006.

Charlie will be speaking on Working to Principles

Yalmaz Siddiqui is Office Depot's Director of Environmental Strategy, responsible for directing the development and integration of environmental programs under the company's vision to "increasingly buy green, be green and sell green".
Yalmaz came to Office Depot in April 2006 from IBM Consulting where he was a Senior Consultant and author of the first global study on environmental procurement of wood and paper products. Before he joined IBM, he was a management consultant at PwC, where he focused on the forest, paper and packaging industries.
Yalmaz holds a Master's in Environment & Development from Cambridge University in England, and a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing & International Business from McGill University in Canada.

Yalmaz will be speaking on Detangling Attributes, Specifications and Certifications for a Cross Continent Green Brand Office Depot Green™ and will be speaking on the panel Emerging Models for Collaboration: Imagining a World Where David and Goliath Both Win

Sandy Skees, president and founder of Communications4Good, is a senior international public relations/marketing strategist, providing communications counsel and programs that create bottom line results in people, planet and profits through end-to-end stakeholder relationship management. She has more than 20 years experience at global and boutique agencies, as well as corporate marketing experience at an international technology company. She is recognized for highly developed problem solving skills that bring communications solutions to Fortune 100 corporations. Previously a partner at Porter Novelli, she managed the global HP account team in 20 cities/10 countries around the world and served on the agency’s Global Citizen and Pro Bono Initiative. Currently she mentors for the California Clean Tech Open, is serving on a green building committee and advises a national micro credit nonprofit.

Sandy will be speaking on Uncovering Your Unique Brand of Good

Amy Skeeters-Behrens leads the global marketing efforts for WorldofGood.com, an eBay marketplace offering products that have a positive impact on people and the planet, and empowers consumers to align their social values with their shopping decisions. Prior to this role, Amy served as Senior Manager for Marketplace Operations for WorldofGood.com, where she oversaw relationships with key partners and managed the seller on-ramping process. Throughout her tenure at WorldofGood.com, Amy has been responsible for a range of marketing, merchandising, and business development activities.

From 2005 to 2007, Amy was the manager of half.com by eBay, a specialty site for books, movies, music and video games, where, in 2006, her focused efforts in product development and targeted marketing grew business by 20%. Amy's work was vital to establishing the half.com architecture and successful integration with other eBay properties, including product enhancements to drive seller exposure on eBay.

Will will be presenting research on WorldofGood.com by eBay: Brand as Market Catalyst

KoAnn is a seasoned business-to-business media executive with a consistent track record of success over 18 years producing record-breaking business results across a wide variety of media and markets. Formerly Senior Vice President with Miller Freeman, Inc. now CMP media, she has successfully launched over 40 conferences, trade shows, magazines, websites, research studies and even books - the largest of which have attracted tens of thousands of people from around the world. Her involvement with business and the environment dates back to the mid-1980s when she launched international conferences on improving log utilization, reducing Waste Paper, and eliminating ozone-layer destroying chemicals (CFCs or chlorofluorocarbons).

Prior to founding Sustainable Life Media, KoAnn founded Organizations That Work, a management consultancy focused on her passion for helping companies deliver breakthrough financial performance through purpose-driven leadership practices and improved organizational alignment and learning. Since 2003, she has devoted her full attention to the emerging field of sustainability, helping various media entrepreneurs and NGO's such as Sierra Club, Greenbiz.com and others, establish their own paths to effectiveness and economic sustainability. In 2005, through SLM, she produced the 1st International Conference on Cradle to Cradle Design in Practice with Bill McDonough, Michael Braungart, Peter Senge and others.

KoAnn will be providing opening remarks for the Opening Night Kickoff Nature’s Solution to a World in Crisis and will be co-hosting the Sustainable Retail Roundtable

After a European education, Susannah returned to California to begin formal business life as an engineering manager in the aerospace & defense sector directing international projects and business/partnership development. Following a stint in global technology distribution creating outsourcing strategies for the tech leaders, she moved to Europe to focus on strategic innovation and brand differentiation. After being the CEO of one of Italy’s leading luxury yacht manufacturers, she began concentrating on the oceans of the world with renewed vigor to do whatever it takes to restore and preserve their vitality- and is spearheading our team’s first integrated initiative to create a MarinePositive superyacht.

Having founded Italy’s first consulting company for ethics, social and environmental consulting, Susannah continues as an advisor, consultant and entrepreneur in luxury, sustainability and private equity, with sustainability endeavors ranging from creating the first ethical/socially-responsible code of conduct for a tripartite Sicilian interport, involvement in the strategic development and positioning for various renewable energy companies in photovoltaic, wind, and bio-ethanol, to the recent founding of a sustainable luxury haute couture brand. She speaks four languages.

Susannah will be speaking on Taking a Sustainable Luxury Brand to New Depths

Diogo Teixeira studied Communications’ and Culture with a particular interest in Branding. He started his professional career as a journalist for the Portugal Public TV Network. He then moved on and joined the Euronews tv broadcaster in France. After a period of time Diogo was invited to join the organisation of the Euro 2004, the European Soccer Championship held in Portugal.
After this experience he assumes functions of general-manager of Sitebysite, a communication agency, focused on new media. He then joins Brandia Central, as a Brand Strategist. He has worked for brands such as UEFA, RTP, HP, COFIDIS, Vodafone, Pingo Doce, OK Teleseguro. His main interest is the application of sustainability and innovation factors into brands’ strategy. He is also a regular speaker at several conferences on branding and Sustainability.

Diogo will be presenting research on a LOGZ - The Sustainable Atlantic Hub: A Branding Case Study

One of the strategic counsel and client leads at Junxion Strategy, Peter is known for his expertise in strategic and business planning, sustainability issues, and marketing and communications. His experience spans the world of corporate, government and non-profit clients across North America.

From 2002 to 2006, Peter served as the Vice-President, Communications and Marketing at Mountain Equipment Co-op, Canada's largest consumer co-operative and a leader in social and environmental responsibility. In that role, he was responsible for all facets of the co-op’s national communications, marketing and market research in both English and French.

A recipient of Business in Vancouver's “40 under 40” award, and a participant in the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference, Peter is an active member in various progressive business and community initiatives. He currently serves as Co-chair of the Vancity Community Foundation and an advisor to SPUD, North America’s largest organic home delivery service. He also chaired Canadian Business for Social Responsibility for more than four years.

Peter will be speaking on Highlights in Sustainable Retail Best Practices

Mr. Thomas, 51, is senior vice president, Global Market Strategy and Emerging Markets, for MeadWestvaco Corporation. He focuses on leading their marketing and business development activities in key growth markets such as China, India and Eastern Europe.
Prior to joining MWV in May 2007, Bruce was President and CEO of Cadmus Communications Corporation, the world's leading service provider to academic and scholarly publishers. In his leadership role with Cadmus, he led the expansion of their production platform in India, Singapore, China and the Caribbean Rim, growing market share and improving overall profitability. During his tenure, Bruce also served as chief operating officer, chief financial officer and vice president, Law and Business Development. Prior to Cadmus, Bruce was a merger and acquisitions partner with Troutman Sanders LLP.

Bruce will be speaking on Targeting the Fastest Growing Regions of the World With Your Sustainable Solutions

David Thompson is Director of the Corporate Environmental Department for the Panasonic Corporation of North America; he has worked for Panasonic for 21 years and since 1995 has headed parent company Matsushita's corporate environmental department, with responsibility for environmental compliance, state and federal government policy.
He has been involved in environmental issues since 1991, when Panasonic played a key role in establishing the Portable Rechargeable Battery Association, which was founded to address the environmental issues facing the rechargeable battery industry. In 1994, he began work with the newly formed Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp. He is also chairman of the Electronic Manufacturers Coalition for Responsible Recycling, vice chairman of the Environmental Issues Council for the Electronics Industries Alliance and a member of the Northwest Product Stewardship Third-Party Organization Project.
He earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Missouri, a master's degree in Japanese studies at Washington University, a second master's in international relations at the University of Tsukuba (Japan) and studied international economics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

David will be speaking on the panel The Global Impact of Electronic Waste – On Brands and on the Planet

Throughout her 30-year career Pam has straddled two worlds, with one foot in the world of business and the other in the world of consciousness. These dual passions have led her to focus her work on the roles of awareness and integrity in building brands that succeed in the workplace and the marketplace. Pam's experience in building brands extends across a broad base of clients and client types, from small businesses and nonprofits to the Global 1000 and government agencies.
Enlightened Brand clients include such leading organizations as Fritz Institute, Juniper Networks, NASA, Sun Microsystems, and Swisscom. Prior to founding Enlightened Brand, Pam served as corporate identity manager for Intel Corporation and global brand strategy manager for Symantec. She is a sought-after speaker, facilitator, trend scout, and executive advisor for businesses that want to become market leaders for our connected world, and serves as program committee co-chair for Sustainable Brands '08.

Pam will be leading the workshop From Content to Context: Telling Your Sustainable Brand Story

Laurens’ career with Tetra Pak has lead to successfully positioning Tetra Pak’s carton packages as the environmental and convenient package alternative for healthy liquid food in the Dutch and Belgian markets. Laurens joined the Sales team at Tetra Pak in 2002, and was promoted to Director of Business Development for The Netherlands in 2005. In 2006, he took on the role of Director, Business Development for the newly formed Tetra Pak Benelux, which includes responsibilities in Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg. Under his leadership, Tetra Pak has enjoyed strong growth in the Benelux market. Prior to joining Tetra Pak, Laurens held various marketing and sales positions with Heineken and Mars. Laurens holds a degree in business economics from Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Laurens will be speaking on the panel The Future of Sustainable Packaging

Full Bio Coming Soon!

Marci Zaroff is the Founder/President of lifestyle brand Under the Canopy, pioneering the market for organic and sustainable textiles with "ECOfashion." Zaroff is a recognized visionary and leader in organic fiber fashion and home products and has created a unique development, distribution and monitoring business model to ensure that the process and the products remain pure and authentic.
Prior to founding Under the Canopy, Zaroff spent a decade in the natural/organic food and beauty world. Currently she speaks and lectures worldwide on sustainable textiles and green business, helping to define US and global standards for organic fiber certification. Aside from Under the Canopy, Zaroff co-founded "Green Drinks South Florida," a network of green businesses and consumers sharing her passion and ideas for creating a greener Florida and a better world.

Marci will be speaking on Making Market by Being a Change Agent

Shelley Zimmer is an Environmental Marketing Manager of inkjet printers and supplies at Hewlett-Packard. Shelley’s projects include influencing product design for future environmental features and communicating environmental attributes of products to consumers. Her interest is to move consumers to purchase products that are better for the environment.

Before working at HP, Shelley worked at Nike on the Considered team, a sustainable design innovation group.

Shelley is a Senior Fellow in the Environmental Leadership Program, which is a national fellowship program that seeks to transform public understanding of environmental issues by training and supporting a diverse network of emerging leaders.

Shelley received an MBA and a Master’s in Environmental Management at Duke University, where she studied environmental marketing. Her undergraduate degree from Yale University was a BA in environmental history.

Shelley will be speaking on the panel Ecolabeling for MultiNationals