GTF Speakers 2023

Having worked for Lufthansa Group in various locations throughout the US over the past 21 years, I was excited for the opportunity to work globally on sustainability, a topic close to my heart.

Alyson Freeman leads the environmental sustainability strategy for data center and infrastructure solution products. She identifies new growth areas, initiatives, and emerging opportunities to enhance the sustainability of Dell Technologies products and services, optimizes existing solutions, and defines next generation initiatives. She has 20 years’ experience in engineering and management roles at NASA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Samsung, Intel, and Dell Technologies. Her Ph.D. is in electronic materials with a focus on semiconductors. Freeman is also global lead for the Women in Action employee resource group at Dell Technologies, a co-founder and former chair of Women in Technology at Samsung Austin Semiconductor, a board member of Westwood STEM Academy, and co-founded a global Coding for Kids program at Dell Technologies.

Life-long environmentalist who developed the food industry’s most potent weapon against climate change…the world’s first 50% beef, 50% veggie burger for the large majority of Americans who still eat meat but who want to eat less meat. BS Cornell University 1998, MBA UCLA Anderson 2003.

Ashish leads a global group of energy, commodities and technology sector experts analyzing net zero emissions pathways. He works extensively with CXOs & policy makers to decipher the inter-dependencies between various components of the energy transition, to help strategic decisions. Over the years he has spoken at leading forums such as the World Future Energy Summit, World Energy Leader’s Summit and the Clean Energy Ministerial, hosted dialogues with G-20 ministers, given inputs to the works of the World Economic Forum and the World Energy Council, and shared his views at the London Stock Exchange and the White House executive office. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, he has a first-class degree in Engineering and a MBA in Finance and Strategy.

As a Bruin and native Angeleno, Ashley loves Southern California and all the great things it has to offer. Ashley realized she really wants to help people and communities at an early age. She attended an alternative high school in Compton and later, UCLA. She began her career path by working in several different industries before catching solar fever in 2011. As GRID GLA’s Executive Director, she can combine both her love for renewable energy and community development to make a positive impact in her community.

An Afro-Latina immigrant from Colombia who advocates for environmental sustainability and renewable energy. She initiated Los Angeles’ solar for renters program, banned single-use plastic bags, and led the Sierra Club’s ‘Beyond Coal’ Campaign which committed Los Angeles to a coal-free energy future by 2025. As the youngest Commissioner of the LADWP Board in 2017, Aura led the adoption of a local Green New Deal. This moved LADWP toward 100% renewable energy and played a role in state-level legislation for cleaner energy and reduced emissions. Aura’s decade of experience spans the public and private sectors. She is CEO of Vasquez Solutions and previously served as a Policy Advisor in Congressman Eliot Engel’s office. Aura is an avid hiker, concert-goer, and candidate for LA City Council.

Boaz Paldi is the Chief Creative Officer for United Nations Development Programme. In this role Boaz oversees UNDP’s advocacy, flagship campaigns, events, activations and impact partnerships. Most recently Boaz launched the #DontChooseExtinction campaign that has been viewed by over 2 billion people across the globe. Before being appointed to his current role, Boaz led UNDP’s campaigns, partnerships, advocacy and communication including the co-founding and creating the Lion’s Share Fund , co-founding the Social Good Summit and creating UNDP individual giving program.

Dr. Cassie Rauser is a sustainability and climate strategist who uses her demonstrated ability to build relationships and forge collaborations among diverse groups to co-identify challenges and co-determine implementable solutions with the goal of creating a more livable and equitable world. She is the former executive director of UCLA’s Sustainable LA Grand Challenge, where she built a novel university program that harnessed expertise from across disciplines, created opportunities for partnerships across sectors, and collaboratively worked to strategically transform Los Angeles into the most sustainable mega-city by 2050. Dr. Rauser was part of the consultant team that led the development of the first-ever L.A. County sustainability plan, and most recently is a convening lead author on LA100 equity strategies for delivering carbon-free energy in Los Angeles.

Chanel Parson is responsible for progressing SCE’s vision for a Clean Energy Future through the electrification of vehicles and buildings. Her portfolio includes over $1 billion in programs that address key barriers to electrification – availability, affordability, and awareness. Her portfolio also includes strategy, program development, business development and partnerships, and codes and standards. With over 17 years of utility experience, Chanel has led teams in training, transmission and distribution operations, project management, regulatory, safety, and customer service. Chanel has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from UCLA, a Master of Arts in Organizational Behavior and Program Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University, and a Master of Business Administration from UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Conyers Davis the Global Director of the Schwarzenegger Institute, a public policy Institute founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2012 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA. Previously he worked for British Prime Minister David Cameron, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Simon & Schuster and Lionsgate Films. Additionally, Conyers managed projects for the 2004 G8 Summit and the 2005 Hurricane Katrina recovery effort while working at the US Department of Homeland Security in Washington, DC. Conyers has a degree in International Relations from the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and serves on the national board of After-School All-Stars, the largest school based after school provider in the United States.

David Joosten is the president of Vodafone US. In this role he leads Vodafone Business commercial operations throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America, in addition to Vodafone partner markets including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, the Nordics and Vodafone’s international public sector customers. With more than twenty years in international IT, telecoms and sales, he brings a wealth of experience to the role.

Dustin Krause is the Sr. Director, of Sales + Sourcing as well as Global Automotive at Redwood Materials. Dustin is leading the efforts to both capture and collect end of life battery materials as well as place them back into the supply chain. Previously, Dustin was Director of e-Mobility for Volkswagen in the North America Region. Dustin has worked in the electric vehicle space for more than 15 years. He has a background in sales, marketing, product development as well as market expansion. Dustin also spent nine years with Tesla in a variety of roles and has been both in North American but also with roles in Europe and Asia.

Mr. Walti has been an entrepreneur for most of his adult life, having started eleven companies in addition to working with hundreds of entrepreneurs as EIR, mentor, consultant, and investor. He was the Founding CEO of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), one of the world’s leading clean technology centers, and is currently the CEO of the Network for Global Innovation (NGIN). NGIN assists cleantech entrepreneurs in more than two dozen countries by providing entrepreneur assistance programming, connecting them with investors/customers, and enabling local cities/states to develop their innovation ecosystem. NGIN is the Implementation Partner for UNIDO’s Global Climate Innovation Program, operating in a dozen developing nations. Mr. Walti was named to the Techweek100 as one of the most impactful technology leaders in 2014.

Jermaine Hampton is a seasoned professional with expertise across both public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Currently, the Vice President of Workforce Development & Special Projects at the LAEDC, Jermaine is a passionate advocate propelling change, fostering innovation, and empowering communities. His knowledge spans from Economic & Workforce Development, Business Management to human-centric arenas like Human Services. His most potent ingredients for success are his influential leadership and vision to reshape societal systems. Jermaine’s passion is reflected in awards he’s led programs to, including best practice recognitions, and his accolade as the recipient of the esteemed National Association of Workforce Development Professionals Leadership award in 2015. He’s a true changemaker, having touched thousands of lives, from at-risk youth and adults to veterans, creating lasting impacts.

Jessica Hyman is the Head of Sustainability at Atlassian. She is responsible for Atlassian’s sustainability strategy including ESG Reporting, Climate and Human Rights. Previously, Jessica led Global Operations for Business for Social responsibility (BSR). She has been involved in Atlassian’s Foundation and Pledge 1% programs and leads a Women in Tech mentoring group in San Francisco.

Typically Dutch, Koen grew up near the waterfront, enjoying sailing the smaller and bigger Dutch lakes and North Sea. After getting his Masters’ degree in Economics and Business Administration, Koen found his way into the maritime industry. Working for Damen Shipyards, the largest shipbuilder in the Netherlands, he became responsible for Strategy and the Transformational initiatives within the company. His entrepreneurial spirit combined with the growing awareness that the world requires change in which we generate, store and use energy, Koen started SolarDuck together with three of his former colleagues with the aim to electrify the world with Offshore Floating Solar. In the past years, the company has been able to develop groundbreaking technology, partnerships and has seen impressive growth.

Mark Freymueller looks back on over 25 years of international experience within Sales, Marketing, and business development of commercial vehicles. After two decades at Mercedes-Benz, he joined Hyundai Motor Company in 2017. Before coming back to Hyundai’s headquarters in Seoul as Senior Vice President of Commercial Vehicle Business Innovation, Freymueller was CEO of Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility – a joint venture successfully promoting zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell transportation throughout Europe.

Martin was born in Saarbrücken in 1969. He graduated with a doctorate degree in Chemistry from the University of Saarland with a focus on Nanoparticle Composites and Smart Coatings. Martin founded Kraftblock (formerly Nebuma) together with his co-founder Susanne in 2014. He filed his first patent in 1998 and has 20 years of experience in material development, production and sales. As the Head of the Department of Ceramics he developed the Department of Polymer Nanoparticle Composites at the Institute for New Materials, University of Saarland. Subsequently he headed the Smart Coatings division at ItN Nanovation AG.

Dr. Bradley is a sustainable aviation consultant and educator with 39 years of experience. He teaches short courses for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) on sustainable aviation technologies and electrified aircraft. He is an Adjunct Professor of Practice at USC where he teaches aircraft design and advises sustainable aviation research. He is a retired Boeing Technical Fellow and was instrumental in biofuel flight demonstrations and was responsible for the creation and research on the trailblazing NASA SUGAR concepts, including the SUGAR Volt hybrid electric airliner. He is an AIAA Fellow and received his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from USC.

Matt Petersen is the President and CEO of Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI.) LACI is creating an inclusive green economy by unlocking innovation (e.g., incubating leading startups), transforming markets (i.e., creating aspirational partnerships), and enhancing community (i.e., inspiring future entrepreneurs). LACI’s three priorities are accelerating transportation electrification, clean energy, and sustainable cities. Prior to joining LACI, Matt Petersen was appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti as the first ever Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Los Angeles. Serving as CSO for four years, Petersen was the chief architect of the groundbreaking Sustainable City pLAn, led efforts to make LA a global leader in EVs, and helped create the Climate Mayors.

Michael Samulon is the Deputy Director of Electrification in the Energy and Sustainability Office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. His focus is on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution through transportation decarbonization. He has overseen the deployment of over 1,500 electric vehicles in the City fleet, charging infrastructure for employees and the public, and runs the City’s monthly EV Task Force. Michael focuses on policy efforts around building codes and curb usage and is working on long term infrastructure and operations planning with LADWP, LA Metro and the Port of Los Angeles in anticipation of a fully electrified bus fleet and goods movement sector.

Mike Brown is an award-winning entrepreneur and social impact business advisor. He serves as the Business Ambassador at the United Nations Association of Orange County, promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UN Global Compact to businesses in his community. Mike is also the Founder & CEO of Impact Grove, an advisory agency whose purpose is to accelerate the shared value opportunity for companies to do well by doing good. Mike proudly leads Impact Grove as a Certified B Corporation, a 1% For The Planet business member, and a Certified Green Business in the California Green Business Network.

Nico Rosberg is well-known as the 2016 Formula 1 World Champion. Since leaving the racing series, he is passionately committed to the issue of sustainability. As an entrepreneur and investor in green technologies and mobility startups, he represents visionary innovations that make the world a little better. In numerous projects around the world, he also contributes to the topic of environmental protection, health, equality and justice. In 2019, he co-founded the GREENTECH FESTIVAL, a global platform for pioneering sustainable ideas that takes place annually in Berlin. Since 2021, he has been competing with Rosberg X Racing in Extreme E, a racing series that aims to draw attention to the consequences of global climate change.

There is a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jamie Lannister). Alongside his busy acting and producing commitments, Nikolaj finds the time to offer his voice to causes such as equity, diversity, female empowerment and sustainable development in his role as an official UNDP Goodwill Ambassador. Nikolaj has a passion for technology and believes in a positive future, a sentiment he is pouring his energy into for the upcoming 6-part series “An Optimists Guide to the Planet”. A first-time guest at our GTF Connect launch in Los Angeles, Nikolaj will be opening our conference with a session called “Dreaming Green” which will explore how creativity and a clear vision are the key ingredience needed to turn the tide on climate change.

UCLA’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, Nurit Katz is working to foster partnerships among academic, research, and operational departments to facilitate creating a world class living laboratory for sustainability at UCLA. Nurit also served as Executive Officer for UCLA Facilities Management for six years and is an Instructor for UCLA Extension’s Sustainability Certificate Program. She also currently serves as Commissioner on the Board of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Nurit holds an MBA and a Masters in Public Policy from UCLA and a BA in Environmental Education from Humboldt State University, and is pursuing a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

Oscar hold a Doctoral Degree in Environmental Science and Engineering at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IoES). He also holds a Masters Degree in Homeland Security. Before Lisus, Oscar founded the multi-awarded environmentalist group GR, an organization with more than 5,000 members. Oscar comes from a humble background, spending his formative years in the back of a cloth store, where he learned the art of selling.

Parham Peiroo is a leader in Boston Consulting Group’s Climate & Sustainability practice and in BCG X Green Tech for which he co-leads climate tech and carbon markets in North America.  Parham’s led strategy engagements for institutional investors, venture capital funds, Fortune-1000 companies, growth-stage companies (VC-sponsored), and non-profits. He has advised clients on climate fund strategy and operations, corporate venturing, new climate venture build, growth strategy, climate market scans, and portfolio strategy. In addition, he has led the building and operationalization of new ventures including acting as interim CEO/Venture GM of a climate tech venture focused on carbon markets.  Parham joined BCG in 2017, after working as a partner at a law firm in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he acted for growth-stage companies, angel investors, and venture capital/debt funds. 

Sahir is Co-Founder and CEO of King Children, a sustainable technology platform made to rethink how we design, develop, and produce the products we buy. KC was recognized as a top 50 startup to watch by Built in NYC. Sahir is a member of ForbesIgnite’s Sustainable Transformation Council and a Forbes 30U30 honoree for his pathbreaking work creating the products, methods, and materials of the future. He’s been featured and quoted in TechCrunch, WWD, and other publications for his leadership commercializing zero-waste, made-to-order production at scale. He has participated in HBS’s roundtable on entrepreneurship and presented keynotes on zero-waste manufacturing at conferences including EOS Day Asia, TIEcon and Cornell Johnson Business School. Sahir graduated from Brown University with majors in Applied Mathematics and Political Science.

Sasha founded Cosmic Buildings to provide an innovative approach to building homes that are both affordable and sustainable, without any harmful effects on the climate or people. With over a decade of experience in academia, industry, and construction tech startups, Sasha is committed to creating a scalable construction method that addresses the world’s two biggest crisis: housing and climate change

Shameka Dixon was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, where her interest in Community Development started. After obtaining her degree in Economics, Shameka has worked in Workforce and Economic Development for over 10 years. Shameka has found her passion within workforce and Economic Development and thrives on building the capacity of individuals. Shameka’s goal is to secure as many people as possible with new skills and living wages.

Shaun co-founded Third Sphere to help startup founders to build the world beyond climate change. He’s responsible for venture investments, founder coaching and connecting founders to the Third Sphere extended family of customers, investors and partners.

Simon has worked at the intersection of climate and innovation for over a decade as an economist and entrepreneur with endeavors that include one of the first climate tech incubators in the US; the first large scale urban tech collaboratives in NYC and Detroit; and the Urban Tech Summit at Cornell Tech. In 2019, as the Founder of CIV:LAB and in partnership with the City of New York, Simon built ‘The Grid’, a local urban innovation collaborative of 130+ urban innovation organizations the subsequently launched Detroit Urban Solutions in 2020. Most recently, CIV:LAB has begun to fund community climate initiatives in education, workforce development and technology as part of a one of a kind national climate grant network with the goal of deploying $1bn across the United States to fight climate change.

Spencer Reeder is Director of Government Affairs and Sustainability at Audi of America. Spencer has a background in engineering, geophysics, climate science, and policy spanning academia, industry and government. He served as a lead author on the 2014 U.S. National Climate Assessment and earlier as Lead Policy Strategist for Climate Change within Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire’s administration. Just prior to joining Audi, Spencer led Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s global philanthropic investments in climate, energy, and transportation. Earlier in his career he held various research and engineering roles at The Boeing Company. Spencer was twice selected as a finalist for NASA’s astronaut program.

Dr. Ying has devoted over four decades to the aerospace industry, with experience at NASA, Boeing, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), and most recently an electric aircraft start-up company based in Los Angeles, Ampaire. She is the Senior Vice President of Ampaire, responsible for global partnerships and operations. She is also a Board member and elected VP-Aerospace of the SAE International, and Board member of the Lindbergh Foundation, continuing the legacy of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s lifetime of service by spearheading bold solutions and inspiring talent to help balance technology and the environment. Dr. Ying holds a Commercial Pilot License and is a FAA-Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). She received her PhD and MS degrees from Stanford University and BS from Cornell University.

Yezin Taha is the founder and CEO of Nevados Engineering. Nevados provides a comprehensive All Terrain Tracker (ATT) solution for the solar industry that eliminates the need for grading on almost any site. Yezin founded Nevados to enable installation of solar power plants in less time, at lower costs, and in more locations. Yezin began his career designing gas turbines at GE Energy and came to the solar industry through as a consultant at Black & Veatch. Through the B&V work, Yezin saw a major unmet need in the industry and started Nevados to bridge that gap. Yezin had no knowledge of starting or running businesses prior to Nevados, and learned as he went.

Having worked for Lufthansa Group in various locations throughout the US over the past 21 years, I was excited for the opportunity to work globally on sustainability, a topic close to my heart.

Alyson Freeman leads the environmental sustainability strategy for data center and infrastructure solution products. She identifies new growth areas, initiatives, and emerging opportunities to enhance the sustainability of Dell Technologies products and services, optimizes existing solutions, and defines next generation initiatives. She has 20 years’ experience in engineering and management roles at NASA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Samsung, Intel, and Dell Technologies. Her Ph.D. is in electronic materials with a focus on semiconductors. Freeman is also global lead for the Women in Action employee resource group at Dell Technologies, a co-founder and former chair of Women in Technology at Samsung Austin Semiconductor, a board member of Westwood STEM Academy, and co-founded a global Coding for Kids program at Dell Technologies.

Life-long environmentalist who developed the food industry’s most potent weapon against climate change…the world’s first 50% beef, 50% veggie burger for the large majority of Americans who still eat meat but who want to eat less meat. BS Cornell University 1998, MBA UCLA Anderson 2003.

Ashish leads a global group of energy, commodities and technology sector experts analyzing net zero emissions pathways. He works extensively with CXOs & policy makers to decipher the inter-dependencies between various components of the energy transition, to help strategic decisions. Over the years he has spoken at leading forums such as the World Future Energy Summit, World Energy Leader’s Summit and the Clean Energy Ministerial, hosted dialogues with G-20 ministers, given inputs to the works of the World Economic Forum and the World Energy Council, and shared his views at the London Stock Exchange and the White House executive office. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, he has a first-class degree in Engineering and a MBA in Finance and Strategy.

As a Bruin and native Angeleno, Ashley loves Southern California and all the great things it has to offer. Ashley realized she really wants to help people and communities at an early age. She attended an alternative high school in Compton and later, UCLA. She began her career path by working in several different industries before catching solar fever in 2011. As GRID GLA’s Executive Director, she can combine both her love for renewable energy and community development to make a positive impact in her community.

An Afro-Latina immigrant from Colombia who advocates for environmental sustainability and renewable energy. She initiated Los Angeles’ solar for renters program, banned single-use plastic bags, and led the Sierra Club’s ‘Beyond Coal’ Campaign which committed Los Angeles to a coal-free energy future by 2025. As the youngest Commissioner of the LADWP Board in 2017, Aura led the adoption of a local Green New Deal. This moved LADWP toward 100% renewable energy and played a role in state-level legislation for cleaner energy and reduced emissions. Aura’s decade of experience spans the public and private sectors. She is CEO of Vasquez Solutions and previously served as a Policy Advisor in Congressman Eliot Engel’s office. Aura is an avid hiker, concert-goer, and candidate for LA City Council.

Boaz Paldi is the Chief Creative Officer for United Nations Development Programme. In this role Boaz oversees UNDP’s advocacy, flagship campaigns, events, activations and impact partnerships. Most recently Boaz launched the #DontChooseExtinction campaign that has been viewed by over 2 billion people across the globe. Before being appointed to his current role, Boaz led UNDP’s campaigns, partnerships, advocacy and communication including the co-founding and creating the Lion’s Share Fund , co-founding the Social Good Summit and creating UNDP individual giving program.

Dr. Cassie Rauser is a sustainability and climate strategist who uses her demonstrated ability to build relationships and forge collaborations among diverse groups to co-identify challenges and co-determine implementable solutions with the goal of creating a more livable and equitable world. She is the former executive director of UCLA’s Sustainable LA Grand Challenge, where she built a novel university program that harnessed expertise from across disciplines, created opportunities for partnerships across sectors, and collaboratively worked to strategically transform Los Angeles into the most sustainable mega-city by 2050. Dr. Rauser was part of the consultant team that led the development of the first-ever L.A. County sustainability plan, and most recently is a convening lead author on LA100 equity strategies for delivering carbon-free energy in Los Angeles.

Chanel Parson is responsible for progressing SCE’s vision for a Clean Energy Future through the electrification of vehicles and buildings. Her portfolio includes over $1 billion in programs that address key barriers to electrification – availability, affordability, and awareness. Her portfolio also includes strategy, program development, business development and partnerships, and codes and standards. With over 17 years of utility experience, Chanel has led teams in training, transmission and distribution operations, project management, regulatory, safety, and customer service. Chanel has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from UCLA, a Master of Arts in Organizational Behavior and Program Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University, and a Master of Business Administration from UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Conyers Davis the Global Director of the Schwarzenegger Institute, a public policy Institute founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2012 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA. Previously he worked for British Prime Minister David Cameron, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Simon & Schuster and Lionsgate Films. Additionally, Conyers managed projects for the 2004 G8 Summit and the 2005 Hurricane Katrina recovery effort while working at the US Department of Homeland Security in Washington, DC. Conyers has a degree in International Relations from the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and serves on the national board of After-School All-Stars, the largest school based after school provider in the United States.

David Joosten is the president of Vodafone US. In this role he leads Vodafone Business commercial operations throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America, in addition to Vodafone partner markets including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, the Nordics and Vodafone’s international public sector customers. With more than twenty years in international IT, telecoms and sales, he brings a wealth of experience to the role.

Dustin Krause is the Sr. Director, of Sales + Sourcing as well as Global Automotive at Redwood Materials. Dustin is leading the efforts to both capture and collect end of life battery materials as well as place them back into the supply chain. Previously, Dustin was Director of e-Mobility for Volkswagen in the North America Region. Dustin has worked in the electric vehicle space for more than 15 years. He has a background in sales, marketing, product development as well as market expansion. Dustin also spent nine years with Tesla in a variety of roles and has been both in North American but also with roles in Europe and Asia.

Mr. Walti has been an entrepreneur for most of his adult life, having started eleven companies in addition to working with hundreds of entrepreneurs as EIR, mentor, consultant, and investor. He was the Founding CEO of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), one of the world’s leading clean technology centers, and is currently the CEO of the Network for Global Innovation (NGIN). NGIN assists cleantech entrepreneurs in more than two dozen countries by providing entrepreneur assistance programming, connecting them with investors/customers, and enabling local cities/states to develop their innovation ecosystem. NGIN is the Implementation Partner for UNIDO’s Global Climate Innovation Program, operating in a dozen developing nations. Mr. Walti was named to the Techweek100 as one of the most impactful technology leaders in 2014.

Jermaine Hampton is a seasoned professional with expertise across both public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Currently, the Vice President of Workforce Development & Special Projects at the LAEDC, Jermaine is a passionate advocate propelling change, fostering innovation, and empowering communities. His knowledge spans from Economic & Workforce Development, Business Management to human-centric arenas like Human Services. His most potent ingredients for success are his influential leadership and vision to reshape societal systems. Jermaine’s passion is reflected in awards he’s led programs to, including best practice recognitions, and his accolade as the recipient of the esteemed National Association of Workforce Development Professionals Leadership award in 2015. He’s a true changemaker, having touched thousands of lives, from at-risk youth and adults to veterans, creating lasting impacts.

Jessica Hyman is the Head of Sustainability at Atlassian. She is responsible for Atlassian’s sustainability strategy including ESG Reporting, Climate and Human Rights. Previously, Jessica led Global Operations for Business for Social responsibility (BSR). She has been involved in Atlassian’s Foundation and Pledge 1% programs and leads a Women in Tech mentoring group in San Francisco.

Typically Dutch, Koen grew up near the waterfront, enjoying sailing the smaller and bigger Dutch lakes and North Sea. After getting his Masters’ degree in Economics and Business Administration, Koen found his way into the maritime industry. Working for Damen Shipyards, the largest shipbuilder in the Netherlands, he became responsible for Strategy and the Transformational initiatives within the company. His entrepreneurial spirit combined with the growing awareness that the world requires change in which we generate, store and use energy, Koen started SolarDuck together with three of his former colleagues with the aim to electrify the world with Offshore Floating Solar. In the past years, the company has been able to develop groundbreaking technology, partnerships and has seen impressive growth.

Mark Freymueller looks back on over 25 years of international experience within Sales, Marketing, and business development of commercial vehicles. After two decades at Mercedes-Benz, he joined Hyundai Motor Company in 2017. Before coming back to Hyundai’s headquarters in Seoul as Senior Vice President of Commercial Vehicle Business Innovation, Freymueller was CEO of Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility – a joint venture successfully promoting zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell transportation throughout Europe.

Martin was born in Saarbrücken in 1969. He graduated with a doctorate degree in Chemistry from the University of Saarland with a focus on Nanoparticle Composites and Smart Coatings. Martin founded Kraftblock (formerly Nebuma) together with his co-founder Susanne in 2014. He filed his first patent in 1998 and has 20 years of experience in material development, production and sales. As the Head of the Department of Ceramics he developed the Department of Polymer Nanoparticle Composites at the Institute for New Materials, University of Saarland. Subsequently he headed the Smart Coatings division at ItN Nanovation AG.

Dr. Bradley is a sustainable aviation consultant and educator with 39 years of experience. He teaches short courses for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) on sustainable aviation technologies and electrified aircraft. He is an Adjunct Professor of Practice at USC where he teaches aircraft design and advises sustainable aviation research. He is a retired Boeing Technical Fellow and was instrumental in biofuel flight demonstrations and was responsible for the creation and research on the trailblazing NASA SUGAR concepts, including the SUGAR Volt hybrid electric airliner. He is an AIAA Fellow and received his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from USC.

Matt Petersen is the President and CEO of Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI.) LACI is creating an inclusive green economy by unlocking innovation (e.g., incubating leading startups), transforming markets (i.e., creating aspirational partnerships), and enhancing community (i.e., inspiring future entrepreneurs). LACI’s three priorities are accelerating transportation electrification, clean energy, and sustainable cities. Prior to joining LACI, Matt Petersen was appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti as the first ever Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Los Angeles. Serving as CSO for four years, Petersen was the chief architect of the groundbreaking Sustainable City pLAn, led efforts to make LA a global leader in EVs, and helped create the Climate Mayors.

Michael Samulon is the Deputy Director of Electrification in the Energy and Sustainability Office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. His focus is on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution through transportation decarbonization. He has overseen the deployment of over 1,500 electric vehicles in the City fleet, charging infrastructure for employees and the public, and runs the City’s monthly EV Task Force. Michael focuses on policy efforts around building codes and curb usage and is working on long term infrastructure and operations planning with LADWP, LA Metro and the Port of Los Angeles in anticipation of a fully electrified bus fleet and goods movement sector.

Mike Brown is an award-winning entrepreneur and social impact business advisor. He serves as the Business Ambassador at the United Nations Association of Orange County, promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UN Global Compact to businesses in his community. Mike is also the Founder & CEO of Impact Grove, an advisory agency whose purpose is to accelerate the shared value opportunity for companies to do well by doing good. Mike proudly leads Impact Grove as a Certified B Corporation, a 1% For The Planet business member, and a Certified Green Business in the California Green Business Network.

Nico Rosberg is well-known as the 2016 Formula 1 World Champion. Since leaving the racing series, he is passionately committed to the issue of sustainability. As an entrepreneur and investor in green technologies and mobility startups, he represents visionary innovations that make the world a little better. In numerous projects around the world, he also contributes to the topic of environmental protection, health, equality and justice. In 2019, he co-founded the GREENTECH FESTIVAL, a global platform for pioneering sustainable ideas that takes place annually in Berlin. Since 2021, he has been competing with Rosberg X Racing in Extreme E, a racing series that aims to draw attention to the consequences of global climate change.

There is a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jamie Lannister). Alongside his busy acting and producing commitments, Nikolaj finds the time to offer his voice to causes such as equity, diversity, female empowerment and sustainable development in his role as an official UNDP Goodwill Ambassador. Nikolaj has a passion for technology and believes in a positive future, a sentiment he is pouring his energy into for the upcoming 6-part series “An Optimists Guide to the Planet”. A first-time guest at our GTF Connect launch in Los Angeles, Nikolaj will be opening our conference with a session called “Dreaming Green” which will explore how creativity and a clear vision are the key ingredience needed to turn the tide on climate change.

UCLA’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, Nurit Katz is working to foster partnerships among academic, research, and operational departments to facilitate creating a world class living laboratory for sustainability at UCLA. Nurit also served as Executive Officer for UCLA Facilities Management for six years and is an Instructor for UCLA Extension’s Sustainability Certificate Program. She also currently serves as Commissioner on the Board of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Nurit holds an MBA and a Masters in Public Policy from UCLA and a BA in Environmental Education from Humboldt State University, and is pursuing a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

Oscar hold a Doctoral Degree in Environmental Science and Engineering at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IoES). He also holds a Masters Degree in Homeland Security. Before Lisus, Oscar founded the multi-awarded environmentalist group GR, an organization with more than 5,000 members. Oscar comes from a humble background, spending his formative years in the back of a cloth store, where he learned the art of selling.

Parham Peiroo is a leader in Boston Consulting Group’s Climate & Sustainability practice and in BCG X Green Tech for which he co-leads climate tech and carbon markets in North America.  Parham’s led strategy engagements for institutional investors, venture capital funds, Fortune-1000 companies, growth-stage companies (VC-sponsored), and non-profits. He has advised clients on climate fund strategy and operations, corporate venturing, new climate venture build, growth strategy, climate market scans, and portfolio strategy. In addition, he has led the building and operationalization of new ventures including acting as interim CEO/Venture GM of a climate tech venture focused on carbon markets.  Parham joined BCG in 2017, after working as a partner at a law firm in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he acted for growth-stage companies, angel investors, and venture capital/debt funds. 

Sahir is Co-Founder and CEO of King Children, a sustainable technology platform made to rethink how we design, develop, and produce the products we buy. KC was recognized as a top 50 startup to watch by Built in NYC. Sahir is a member of ForbesIgnite’s Sustainable Transformation Council and a Forbes 30U30 honoree for his pathbreaking work creating the products, methods, and materials of the future. He’s been featured and quoted in TechCrunch, WWD, and other publications for his leadership commercializing zero-waste, made-to-order production at scale. He has participated in HBS’s roundtable on entrepreneurship and presented keynotes on zero-waste manufacturing at conferences including EOS Day Asia, TIEcon and Cornell Johnson Business School. Sahir graduated from Brown University with majors in Applied Mathematics and Political Science.

Sasha founded Cosmic Buildings to provide an innovative approach to building homes that are both affordable and sustainable, without any harmful effects on the climate or people. With over a decade of experience in academia, industry, and construction tech startups, Sasha is committed to creating a scalable construction method that addresses the world’s two biggest crisis: housing and climate change

Shameka Dixon was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, where her interest in Community Development started. After obtaining her degree in Economics, Shameka has worked in Workforce and Economic Development for over 10 years. Shameka has found her passion within workforce and Economic Development and thrives on building the capacity of individuals. Shameka’s goal is to secure as many people as possible with new skills and living wages.

Shaun co-founded Third Sphere to help startup founders to build the world beyond climate change. He’s responsible for venture investments, founder coaching and connecting founders to the Third Sphere extended family of customers, investors and partners.

Simon has worked at the intersection of climate and innovation for over a decade as an economist and entrepreneur with endeavors that include one of the first climate tech incubators in the US; the first large scale urban tech collaboratives in NYC and Detroit; and the Urban Tech Summit at Cornell Tech. In 2019, as the Founder of CIV:LAB and in partnership with the City of New York, Simon built ‘The Grid’, a local urban innovation collaborative of 130+ urban innovation organizations the subsequently launched Detroit Urban Solutions in 2020. Most recently, CIV:LAB has begun to fund community climate initiatives in education, workforce development and technology as part of a one of a kind national climate grant network with the goal of deploying $1bn across the United States to fight climate change.

Spencer Reeder is Director of Government Affairs and Sustainability at Audi of America. Spencer has a background in engineering, geophysics, climate science, and policy spanning academia, industry and government. He served as a lead author on the 2014 U.S. National Climate Assessment and earlier as Lead Policy Strategist for Climate Change within Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire’s administration. Just prior to joining Audi, Spencer led Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s global philanthropic investments in climate, energy, and transportation. Earlier in his career he held various research and engineering roles at The Boeing Company. Spencer was twice selected as a finalist for NASA’s astronaut program.

Dr. Ying has devoted over four decades to the aerospace industry, with experience at NASA, Boeing, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), and most recently an electric aircraft start-up company based in Los Angeles, Ampaire. She is the Senior Vice President of Ampaire, responsible for global partnerships and operations. She is also a Board member and elected VP-Aerospace of the SAE International, and Board member of the Lindbergh Foundation, continuing the legacy of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s lifetime of service by spearheading bold solutions and inspiring talent to help balance technology and the environment. Dr. Ying holds a Commercial Pilot License and is a FAA-Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). She received her PhD and MS degrees from Stanford University and BS from Cornell University.

Yezin Taha is the founder and CEO of Nevados Engineering. Nevados provides a comprehensive All Terrain Tracker (ATT) solution for the solar industry that eliminates the need for grading on almost any site. Yezin founded Nevados to enable installation of solar power plants in less time, at lower costs, and in more locations. Yezin began his career designing gas turbines at GE Energy and came to the solar industry through as a consultant at Black & Veatch. Through the B&V work, Yezin saw a major unmet need in the industry and started Nevados to bridge that gap. Yezin had no knowledge of starting or running businesses prior to Nevados, and learned as he went.