2016 Speakers

Eric Lombardi - Plenary Speaker & Workshop Leader 

Eric Lombardi, Executive Director of Eco-Cycle International is a specialist in community recycling systems, social enterprise and public-private project development. Over the past 24 years Lombardi built Eco-Cycle into the largest Zero Waste social enterprise in the U.S.A. Lombardi is an authority on creating comprehensive community-based programs, consulting internationally on the social and technical aspects of creating a “Zero Waste - Or Darn Near” society. As an international consultant, keynote speaker and workshop leader for government and private sector clients, Eric has presented across the USA, New Zealand, Eastern and Western Europe, America Samoa and Saipan. His work covers the design of recycling facilities, the collection and marketing of “hard to recycle” materials, the benefits of a social enterprise approach, the politics of growing community recycling programs, and strategies for long-term recycling business survival.

David Abbott

David C. Abbott is currently the Installation Utility Manager at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.  He has served in the civilian Department of Defense position since August 2009.  Mr. Abbott is responsible for establishing and managing the policies, processes and reporting metrics that enable Hill AFB to operate its facility energy delivery systems in a resilient, efficient manner. He and Mary Boyle will be presenting about Clean Energy and Energy Security at Hill AFB, the focus of which is the Air Force Facility Energy Plan built upon three pillars that guide energy management: Increase Supply, Reduce Demand, and Culture Change.

Kate Bailey

Kate Bailey is the Program Manager for Eco-Cycle Solutions and is a leading authority on Zero Waste best practices. She focuses on the (important) little things such as facts, numbers, details, and logistics that help Zero Waste initiatives succeed. The national reports, websites, webinars, and tools she has created have been used to empower diverse audiences, from individuals to state legislators, to adopt Zero Waste solutions. Kate will be speaking on Waste and the Climate Connection, the consequences of how much we buy, how often we travel, and the foods we eat — and how these everyday lifestyle choices all influence the size of our climate footprint. It’s called our “consumption emissions.”

Daniel Bedford

Dr. Daniel Bedford is a geographer and climate scientist with interests in the climate-society interface. Upon joining Weber State University’s geography department in 2002, he became fascinated with Great Salt Lake’s central role in the Wasatch Front’s human-natural coupled system. Besides learning and writing about Great Salt Lake, he also takes students there as part of a regularly-taught course in the Honors program. Join Bedford and panel members in a discussion about the videos Climate Change and the Future of Great Salt Lake, and Desert Water: A New Water Ethic.

Vicki Bennett

Vicki Bennett is the Sustainability Director for Salt Lake City, working with both city agencies and the public to create a more livable community. She holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California at San Diego, and an Executive MBA from the University of Utah. Vicki has over 30 years of experience with an emphasis on sustainability planning, climate change mitigation and adaptation, energy policy, food security, waste diversion and environmental management. She has led Salt Lake City’s award-winning Salt Lake City Green sustainability program for 15 years. Vicki will moderate the Legislative Panel.

Natalie Betts

Natalie Betts is the Recycling Economic Development Liaison with the City of Austin’s Austin Resource Recovery and Economic Development Departments. Natalie oversees the Recycling Economic Development Program to create green jobs through zero waste. Her projects include development of Austin’s [re]Manufacturing Hub, business-to-business materials exchanges tools, and promotion of local products and businesses. Join Natalie for a discussion on the underlying economics of waste from analyzing economic development projects, to assisting businesses with the economic development incentives process, and more.

Matthew Booth

Matthew Booth is currently a graduate student in the Environmental Sociology program at Utah State University. He often called as a conference presenter to cover topics such as disposable bottled water consumption and attitudes toward sustainability. Come hear Matthew’s story on how a single individual helped his employer go from waste apathy to a full blown e-waste recycling program.

2 Lt. Mary Boyle

Lt Boyle is a 2014 graduate of the Air Force Academy where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. She is presently working as the Hill AFB Energy Manager, driving Hill AFB to achieve federally mandated energy reduction goals. 2 Lt. Boyle will be presenting with David Abbott about Clean Energy and Energy Security at Hill AFB, the focus of which is the Air Force Facility Energy Plan built upon three pillars that guide energy management: Increase Supply, Reduce Demand, and Culture Change.

Jacob Cain

Jacob Cain is currently the Director of Plant Operations for Weber State.  He was the Energy and Sustainability Manager at Weber State University since 2008.  He has a bachelor's degree in Applied Physics from WSU as well as an MBA from WSU.  He has a number of industry certifications: Certified Energy Manager, Renewable Energy Professional, Certified Building Commissioning Professional, Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional, Business Energy Professional, Educated Facilities Professional, LEED GA.

Hal Crimmel

Hal Crimmel is Brady Distinguished Professor of English and founding co-chair of WSU’s Environmental Issues Committee. Hal is Chair of the Department of English at Weber State and teaches courses in the environmental humanities, American literature, and writing, including field-based courses, in Montana, Colorado, and Utah. Join Hal and others to view and discuss their book and videos, Climate Change and the Future of Great Salt Lake and Desert Water: A New Water Ethic.

Sean Damitz

Sean Damitz, Director of the Center for Civic Engagement and Service-Learning at Utah State University, has 15 years of experience directing AmeriCorps, service, and sustainability programs at the institution. Sean will be presenting on how four individuals ditched the crew cab truck and used cargo bicycles as their sole means of transportation.

Representative Becky Edwards

Becky has been a resident of Bountiful and North Salt Lake since 1993. She attended BYU and received an M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy as well as a Master’s Degree in Social Work.  Becky has been in the House of Representatives since 2009 and is the current chair of Economic Development and Workforce Services Standing Committee, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Standing Committee, Health Care Reform Task Force Committee, Education Interim Committee, Higher Education Appropriations Committee and Utah State Workforce Investment Board.  In this session you will learn what bills she sponsored or supported in reaching these goals, and what is coming next.

Gerald Elias

Gerald Elias, a former violinist with the Boston Symphony and associate concertmaster of the Utah Symphony, has been Music Director of the Vivaldi by Candlelight series since 2004, and a faculty member of the University of Utah since 1989. An active member of Citizens Climate Lobby, his op-eds and letters to the editor have appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News. Join Gerald, David Folland and Susan Soleil to learn how spirituality linked with pragmatism creates powerful momentum for climate stabilization.

David Folland

David Folland M.D. is a retired pediatrician who has volunteered for the past 5 years with the non-partisan Citizens' Climate Lobby, for which he is currently Co-leader of the Salt Lake City Chapter. In that role he has lobbied in Washington D.C. and Utah, has written many op-eds and letters-to-the editor, and spoken about the urgent need for federal policy to address climate change. He's deeply concerned about what lies ahead for today's children, grandchildren, and future generations. David will be joining Gerald Elias and Susan Soliel in a discussion on how spirituality and pragmatism linked together can create powerful momentum for climate stabilization. The discussion will be facilitated by Citizen's Climate Lobby and Utah Interfaith Power & Light.

Issac Goeckeritz

>Filmmaker Issac Goeckeritz has produced documentaries on a variety of sustainability topics including air quality, water, downtown redevelopment and social issues. His films have been the recipient of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy Award and have aired on PBS stations across the United States. The topics discussed in this panel includes fairly priced water, rethinking current law, and encouraging greater efficiency among others.

Brian Kahn

Brian Kahn, a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor, specializes in Social Impact Investing and educating individuals, businesses and organizations about the multitude of investment options within the Impact realm. A key component of Social Impact Investing is corporate governance and reinvestment in human capital. Join Brian to discussing information from stocks to private placements, from individual accounts to corporate retirement plans. This session will open your eyes to the world of Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance investments.

John Kelly

John D. Kelly is a Professor in the Automotive Technology Department at Weber State University. Kelly has been working on cars since 1979, and has been working at Weber State in the Automotive Department since 1989. He is a Member of the Utah Clean Cities Coalition Electric Vehicle Task Force and has participated in the new ASE L3 Light Duty Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Specialist Pilot exam.  Join John and learn how California’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, will impact Utah's air quality, and transportation as we know it well into the future.

Representative Brian King

Brian S. King graduated from the University of Utah College of Law in 1985 and practiced law in SLC for 30 years. In 2008 Brian was elected to the Utah State House of Representatives as the Democratic representative for District 28. He is a member of the House Judiciary and Revenue & Taxation Standing committees. He also serves on the Executive Offices and Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, the Constitutional Defense Council, and the Constitutional Revision Commission. He serves as the Chair of the Judicial Conduct Commission for the State of Utah. Representative King also serves as the House Minority Leader for the Democratic Party, is on the Executive Committees of Utah State Democratic Party, and the LDS Democratic Caucus within the party. Representative King will be joining other representative for a conversation on sustainability policy in Utah.

Kenner Kingston

Kenner Kingston is an architect and the President of Architectural Nexus, a Salt Lake City based firm with a practice reaching throughout the western United States.  Kenner was an early adopter of the LEED rating system and served as the firm’s first Director of Sustainability.  In addition to being the only Living Future Accredited Professional in the Great Basin, Kenner volunteers his time as an Ambassador Presenter for the International Living Future Institute. This panel's topic is on the Living Building Challenge. The Challenge attempts to raise the bar for sustainability in the built environment.

Alexi Lamm

Alexi Lamm became Utah State University’s first sustainability coordinator in 2012, where she works with faculty, staff, and students to integrate sustainability into campus operations and academic programs. Learn what works in advertising from Alexi. Dive into the results of an analysis of clean air advertisements and outreach materials from across the country, and discuss the implications of various types of appeals (e.g., fear, rational, emotional, humor, etc.) and the source credibility of such outreach materials (e.g., government, industry, advocacy group, students, etc.) on target audiences.

Dan McCool

Professor McCool’s research focuses on water resource development, public lands policy, voting rights, and Indian water rights. He has served as a consultant for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice, The ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, and the Southwest Center for Environmental Research and Policy, and has authored, co-authored and edited many books on Rights and Policy. Join Professor McCool and panel members in a discussion about the videos Climate Change and the Future of Great Salt Lake, and Desert Water: A New Water Ethic.

Brian McInerney

Brian McInerney holds a MS degree from the University of Montana in Forest Hydrology and an undergraduate degree from St. Mary's University in Minnesota. McInerney is the Senior Hydrologist at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Salt Lake City, Utah. Join Brian to learn about Utah’s water fate as global temperatures continue to warm. See how we currently collect water from snow fall in higher elevations, and rely on melting snow to flow into the populated areas in the warm season. Will this system be as reliable in the future?

Senator Ann Millner

Dr. Ann Millner was elected as the State Senator for District 18 in November, 2014.  She is Chair of the Education Standing Committee and serves on the Economic Development & Workforce Services Committee as well as the Higher Education and the Business, Economic Development & Workforce Services Appropriations Committees. In this session you will learn what bills she sponsored or supported in reaching these goals, and what is coming next.

Tyler Poulson

Tyler Poulson is Salt Lake City’s Sustainability Program Manager. His work focuses on energy and climate change, including carbon mitigation and climate resiliency planning on both internal and community-wide levels. Tyler will be presenting on strategies and a framework for engaging employees on climate change to ensure grassroots, participatory leadership within an organization. Attend this session to learn how to engage your community or organization.

Gina Shelley

Dr. Gina Shelley is an assistant professor in the Teacher Education Department at Weber State University. She teaches courses in educational technology to undergraduate and graduate students. Gina will provide information on reducing the use of paper and waste through the real-time collaboration and storage capacities of cloud computing during the Recycling & Waste Panel discussion.

Susan Paris Soleil

Susan Soleil is the Executive Director of Utah Interfaith Power & Light. She understands the urgency of global warming and knows people of faith, when engaged and active, are a powerful force for change. She is excited by the possibility that Utah IPL could, to paraphrase Margaret Mead, help facilitate a small group of dedicated people of faith who will make significant impacts and lasting changes that will stabilize our climate. Join Susan, Gerald Elias and David Folland to learn how spirituality and pragmatism can create powerful momentum for climate stabilization.

Blake Thomas

Mr. Thomas manages Salt Lake County’s economic development projects, two revolving loan funds, and a regional export plan in coordination with the Brookings Institute. Previously, he managed the statewide Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program and an energy efficiency revolving loan fund at the Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development. Blake obtained Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Utah State University and is currently an MBA candidate at the University of Utah. This session will illuminate ways in which state and local government are collaboratively spurring the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency resources.

Senator Todd Weiler

Todd Weiler was born in Georgia, raised in the Chicago suburbs and lived in Germany for two years.  He married Elizabeth Gordon in 1991 and they have 4 children.  He has a business and a law degree from BYU, having graduated cum laude in 1996 from the J. Reuben Clark Law School where he served on law review.  Todd litigated with downtown firms for 15 years, most recently with Dorsey & Whitney.  In 2011, Todd went in-house with Logistic Specialties.  He currently serves as LSI’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel.  Before joining the Utah Senate in 2012, Todd served on a city council, and was chair of his local chamber of commerce and county political party.  Todd chairs the Retirement standing and appropriation committees, the confirmation committee and the Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement interim committee.  He is also the vice chair of Senate Rules.  Additionally, he sits on the Business and Labor and Judiciary standing committees, and on the Health and Human Services appropriation committee.

Paul Wickelson

Paul Wickelson has a PhD. in American Studies from The University of Utah, where he has taught in the Writing Department and the English Department. He is currently a stay-at-home dad of two young boys, and a co-founder of the NHMU (Natural History Museum of Utah) Divestment Campaign. This session will open your eyes to the world of Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance investments.