Mitch Landrieu is a public servant, lawyer, author, and nonprofit leader. Landrieu most recently served as a senior advisor to President Biden and the Infrastructure Coordinator at the White House, responsible for the implementation of the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In that role, he oversaw the most significant and comprehensive investments in American infrastructure in generations that led to over 40,000 new projects in two years encompassing roads, bridges, rail, ports, airports, transit, clean water, clean energy and high-speed internet.

A former two-term mayor of New Orleans, Landrieu led the recovery from Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill and the removal of four Confederate monuments, for which he received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. He previously served two terms as lieutenant governor of Louisiana and 16 years as a state legislator. 

Landrieu is the founder of the racial- and economic-equity initiative E Pluribus Unum. Landrieu penned a New York Times bestseller, In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History, in which he recounts his personal journey confronting the issue of race and institutional racism that still plagues America. A past president of the US Conference of Mayors, he was named the 2015 Governing Magazine Public Official of the Year.  He currently serves as co-chair of the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign.  He and his wife Cheryl live in New Orleans, where they raised their five children.

Anne Marie Burgoyne has led Emerson Collective’s philanthropy since 2013. Under her leadership Emerson has become a major funder that supports important work across an array of sectors, including education, immigration, environmental justice, and health equity, fostering community among important leaders and organizations across issues to achieve long-lasting impact. At Emerson, Anne Marie has developed a model, frictionless philanthropy, that helps all grantee partners grow their impact through full access to a suite of opportunities for capacity building, convening, communications, and narrative storytelling, and leveraging technology. Prior to joining Emerson, Anne Marie served as portfolio director at the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, where she identified and funded early-stage, high-growth, high-impact nonprofits. She currently sits on the boards of directors of Hope Enterprise Corporation, The Management Center, Nia Tero, and Waverley Street Foundation.

Avra is COO of Elemental Excelerator, a non-profit climate investor and impact organization with over a decade of experience investing in place-based climate technologies. An experienced entrepreneur specializing in scaling, culture-building and strategy, Avra leads Elemental’s efforts to maximize climate impact. Prior to joining Elemental, Avra was COO and GC at JUMP where she led the mobility company from its early inception to its $200MM+ sale to Uber.  In addition to her role at Elemental, Avra serves as a director and advisor for impactful organizations and ventures like Made of Air, Story Ventures, and the climate and mental health non-profit Billion Minds Institute.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander focused on getting things done that will make a real difference in people’s lives. 

She has signed over 1,250 bipartisan bills and five balanced budgets. From cutting taxes for seniors and working families to put hundreds of dollars back in their pockets and investing in schools to improve student outcomes to fixing 20,000 lane miles of the damn roads, Governor Whitmer delivers on the fundamentals.

By lowering the cost of job training and higher education, cutting red tape for permitting and redevelopment, and competing with other states and nations, Governor Whitmer has made Michigan one of America’s best states to do business, attracted investments from around the world, and maintained a strong credit rating.  

Since day one, her administration has gone everywhere and worked with anyone to make Michigan the best state to live, work, and invest. Whether you’re a family looking to start a life with more affordable health care and housing, a business looking to expand with a skilled workforce, or a young person seeking a path to a brighter future with more personal freedoms, Governor Whitmer is focused on building a safer, more welcoming Michigan with a place for you.

Governor Whitmer works alongside three dynamic statewide leaders: Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist, Attorney General Dana Nessel, and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. She lives in Lansing with her husband Dr. Marc Mallory and Kevin & Doug, the First Dogs of Michigan. She has two daughters and three stepsons. Governor Whitmer earned a bachelor's and law degree from Michigan State University.

Jeff Jones is the Executive Director of Hope Village Revitalization. A lifelong HOPE Village resident, he is a nonprofit leader with more than 20 years’ experience managing quasi-governmental and community-based organizations, coordinating multi-million dollar neighborhood stabilization initiatives and community engagement strategies. Mr. Jones is an urban planning practitioner aiming to leverage his background and talents into transformative change in Detroit neighborhoods.

Dr. Laura Sherman is the President of Michigan EIBC and IEI. In addition to overseeing the operation of the organizations, Laura supports Michigan EIBC’s policy platform by leading on regulatory work at the Michigan Public Service Commission. In this capacity, she often serves as an expert witness in contested cases.

Dr. Sherman most recently served as the organization’s Vice President for Policy Development and as a Senior Consultant at 5 Lakes Energy. Before joining Michigan EIBC, Laura served as the policy advisor to Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) on energy, agriculture, and environment issues. In that capacity, she led a team in Washington, D.C. and Colorado to develop legislation, analyze policy issues, and negotiate bipartisan solutions. 

Laura received a B.S. in Geological and Environmental Science from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences from the University of Michigan. Her graduate and postdoctoral research utilized novel techniques to trace mercury pollution from sources like coal-fired power plants into rainfall and aquatic ecosystems across the Great Lakes Region.

Kara is the State of Michigan's Chief Climate and Energy Strategist. Most recently, she served as Chief of Staff at the Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and previously served as Senior Advisor to Governor Gretchen Whitmer on energy and environmental protection. Over the past five and a half years, she helped craft a bold policy agenda for Governor Whitmer, worked on five bipartisan budgets making record investments in climate, water, and parks, designed and negotiated the 2023 game-changing clean energy package, worked with partners to restart the Palisades Nuclear Plant, and more. Before joining the administration, Kara worked in government affairs at the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. Kara lives in Lansing.

Jennifer Palmieri is an advisor to Emerson Collective.  She is the author of the number 1 New York Times bestselling book Dear Madam President and her newest book, She Proclaims: Our Declaration of Independence from a Man’s World.  Jennifer is one of the most accomplished political and communications strategist in America today.  She served as White House communications director under President Barack Obama and was head of communications for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.  She was also White House deputy press secretary for President Bill Clinton, national press secretary for the Democratic Party, and national press secretary for the 2004 John Edwards for President campaign. 

Chanell Scott Contreras is president and CEO of Michigan Saves, a nonprofit organization that assists residents across the state in securing financing solutions for energy updates to their homes and buildings.  Chanell’s passion for sustainability and experience in community development finance have positioned her to lead Michigan Saves in expanding equitable access to efficient and clean energy improvements needed for the health, safety, and comfort of all Michiganders. Chanell joins Michigan Saves with 15 years in community economic development and most recently served as executive director of ProsperUs Detroit. Under her leadership, ProsperUs was spun off into a successful standalone operation and formally certified as a community development financial institution (CDFI), Michigan’s first Black and woman-led CDFI. Chanell’s leadership has garnered several recognitions, including Crain's 40 Under 40 in 2021 and one of Crain's Notable Women in Nonprofits in 2022. Earlier in her career, Chanell consulted on economic equity initiatives and served as a National Urban Fellow at the Cleveland Foundation. Chanell graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in Communications and Sociology and obtained her Master of Public Administration from Baruch College.

Noelle Laing is Chief Investment Officer of Builders Initiative and is a member of the Builders Vision Leadership Team. She is responsible for the investment management of the Builders Initiative Foundation endowment and an impact-driven LLC.

Previously, Noelle was a managing director at Cambridge Associates. While there, she worked with institutional and family clients to develop and execute mission-related and impact investing programs and portfolios. Her impact investing knowledge and thought leadership related to asset classes and impact themes are highly regarded. She is a frequent speaker and panelist on impact investing topics.

In addition to working with dozens of institutional investors and family offices throughout her years at Cambridge Associates, Noelle also worked directly in the investment offices of the American Red Cross and at Taft Hartley Pension Plan.

Noelle is a CFA charter holder and earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in mathematics from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. Outside of work, she can often be found exploring her new hometown of Chicago with her husband and daughter.

Steven G. Zylstra serves as president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council and SciTech Institute, roles he assumed in 2007. He is responsible for strategy, operations, finance and policy development. Zylstra is a vocal spokesman for the value technology and clean energy can provide in raising social and economic standards in Arizona and was named “Leader of the Year, Technology,” by the Arizona Capitol Times, “Most Admired Leader” by the Phoenix Business Journal and participated in the year-long Greater Phoenix Leadership Workforce Academy, coordinated by the Center for the Future of Arizona and the Aspen Institute.

From 2000 to 2007, Zylstra served as president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Catalyst Connection. He concurrently served as president and CEO of the Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center and the Doyle Center for Manufacturing Technology. Additionally, Zylstra was president of the Pittsburgh Biomedical Development Corporation, an affiliated organization of the Pittsburgh Technology Council that invested in start-up biomedical and biotechnology companies.

He serves on numerous committees and boards including the Arizona Advisory Committee of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition; Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee; Arizona District Export Council Board; Arizona Science Center Board of Trustees; Center for the Future of Arizona’s (CFA) Development Committee; Code.org Advocacy Coalition; Common Sense Arizona Advisory Council; Greater Phoenix Chamber Cyber and IT Workforce Collaborative Advisory Boards; Maricopa Community College Workforce Development Leadership and Innovation Council; Sun Corridor Inc. Board of Directors; University of Phoenix, College of Business and IT Advisory Council; and several others.

 
Zylstra holds a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering technology from Western Michigan University. In 2011, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science in technology from the University of Advancing Technology. 

Betony Jones is Labor Advisor to Secretary Granhom and the Director of DOE’s Office of Energy Jobs, where she oversees jobs and workforce development strategies across the department as well as engagement with organized labor to ensure that DOE’s policies and program implementation result in high-quality jobs and economic equity. Prior to joining the Office of Energy Jobs, Jones was a Senior Advisor on Workforce for DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Jones began her career working on climate science in the White House Office of Science and Technology policy in the Clinton Administration, where she saw the complex economy-wide nature of climate change as both a challenge and an opportunity. From there, she spent 20 years directing implementation and conducting policy research to demonstrate the employment and economic impacts and opportunities associated with climate action, including as Associate Director of the Green Economy program at the University of California Labor Center and as Founder and CEO of Inclusive Economics, a national strategy firm working at the intersection of labor, workforce, and clean energy. She has published dozens of papers and reports on these topics, and is a nationally-recognized expert in labor-climate issues.

Jones earned her Masters from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a B.S. degree from the University of Michigan.

Lauren Schandevel is the Northeast Campaigner for Jobs to Move America (JMA), based in Warren, Michigan. In her role, she conducts strategic research to support JMA's campaigns for Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) with clean energy manufacturers. Lauren has a professional background in community organizing and a Master's in Public Policy from the University of Oxford.

Ike Irby is a climate expert working at the intersection of policy, politics, and press. 

A scientist by training, Ike served in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Domestic Policy Advisor and Chief Climate Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris. He is an expert on climate, energy, transportation, infrastructure, and technology policy. One of Vice President Harris' longest serving advisors, Ike joined then-Senator Harris' office as a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow in 2017. 

Currently, Ike advises clients across campaigns, NGOs, philanthropy, and the private sector on climate related issues. 

Ike grew up in Colorado, began his career as a science teacher at John Burroughs School in Missouri, and holds a BA from Bowdoin College and a PhD from William & Mary. 

Kerry C. Duggan is the CEO of SustainabiliD, a strategic advisory firm that enables established organizations to see around the corner on climate and scales up the most innovative climate tech on the planet, all to equitably solve the climate crisis. Duggan is also a faculty member at University of
Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability. She serves on two corporate boards, one publicly traded and one private. Previously, Duggan served in the White House as climate advisor to President Joe Biden and was deputy director of the Detroit Federal Working Group. She spent several
years in leadership roles at DOE, including as Director of Legislative, Regulatory and Urban affairs and Stakeholder Engagement Director.

John Podesta is the Senior Advisor to President Biden for International Climate Policy at the White House. He initially joined the White House in September 2022 as the Senior Advisor to President Biden for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation (OCEII) to lead the rollout of clean energy provisions under the Inflation Reduction Act. John manages both an international and domestic portfolio through his new role from the White House. He works in coordination with the strong team in the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate office at State Department and the National Security Council to represent the U.S. as a fierce champion of bold climate action, as well as continuing to oversee the team implementing the Inflation Reduction Act. In this role, John engages with international, domestic, and private sector partners to harness the clean energy transition to create more prosperous, equitable, and resilient communities across the world.

Podesta served as counselor to President Barack Obama, where he was responsible for coordinating the administration’s climate policy and initiatives. In 2008, he served as co-chair of President Obama’s transition team. He was a member of the U.N. Secretary General’s High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Podesta notably served as White House chief of staff to President William J. Clinton during the second administration. He chaired Hillary Clinton’s campaign for president in 2016.

Outside of his roles in several White House administrations, he is the Founder and former Chair for the Washington, D.C- based think tank Center for American Progress and a Founder and former Chair of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

A Chicago native, Podesta is a graduate of Knox College and the Georgetown University Law Center, where he is currently a visiting professor of law.

Quentin is a member of Governor Gretchen E. Whitmer’s cabinet and serves on the boards of the American Center for Mobility, Michigan Israel Business Accelerator, International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and Oklahoma University’s Economic Development Institute (OU EDI) and is a member of the Michigan Council on Climate Solutions.

He was named by Financial Times as a member of the 2021 Agenda Diversity 100, Crain’s Detroit Business, 50 Names to Know in Government (2021), Biz New Orleans CEO of the Year (2020), Biz New Orleans Businessperson of the Year (2019), by Consultants Connect as one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers (2020, 2019) and by Ebony Magazine for its Ebony Power 100 as a Power Player (2018).

Immediately prior to joining MEDC, Quentin was President & CEO at the New Orleans Business Alliance which, under his leadership, became one of fewer than 80 accredited economic development organizations worldwide (AEDO). Quentin also previously served as the Assistant Secretary for Louisiana Economic Development, (LED) Louisiana’s department of economic development.

John McAuliff is a Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Clean Energy Innovation & Implementation (OCEII). He joined the team from USDA, where he served as a Senior Climate Advisor managing IRA programs at the Rural Business Cooperative Service at Rural Development (RD). At RD, John redesigned the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and helped build it from a $50 million a year grant program in 2022 to a $500 million program in 2023.

Previously to joining the Biden-Harris administration he worked at a utility watchdog and in the Virginia State Legislature after getting his start in public service as a CORO fellow. He lives in Virginia and holds a BA from the University of Richmond and a Certificate in Biotechnology from Georgetown University.

Jennifer Somers is the Executive Director of the Collectrify: A Frontline-Led Energy Fund. In this capacity, she works in partnership with community practitioners and philanthropic partners to foster shared learning and resource frontline organizations to lead the way on the development of strategies to decarbonize their communities. Rooted in the Principles for A Just Transition, Jennifer serves Collectrify’s Vision for 2030: that we all live in communities that are healthy, affordable, and self-sustaining because residents on the frontlines of the climate crisis have livable housing, pollution-free renewable clean energy and equitable economic opportunity driven by deep democracy.

Jennifer has over twenty-five years of experience leading and co-creating strategies at the intersection of energy, climate, health and justice. As an organizer and project manager for community-based organizations, Jennifer had led initiatives focused on environmental justice, economic development, and energy efficient and healthy affordable housing for MAAC Project, Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation. In one of her most visible roles, she served as a Senior Policy Advisor for the U.S. Department of Energy, leading the budgeting, management and implementation of federal stimulus dollars that helped to facilitate the weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades of over one million homes for limited-wealth families in three years.

Jennifer holds a bachelor's degree in Economics and Spanish from Fairfield University and a master’s from Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. She is a returned volunteer with Jesuit Volunteer Corps. Jennifer has served as the co-chair of the GREEN working group for The Funder’s Network where she sparked the development of the Systems Transformation Learning Series for philanthropy. She has also served on the board of directors for Build It Green and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC).

Lori Lodes is the Executive Director and co-founder of Climate Power.

Over the last 20 years, Lori has taken on some of our country’s biggest fights—and won them. She was one of the organizers who helped to pass the Affordable Care Act—and one of the strategists tapped by President Obama to reengineer HealthCare.gov, which led to the turnaround of the health care law’s implementation. In 2016, she served as Deputy Communications Director for Hillary Clinton. After the election, Lori ran Protect Our Care to stop the repeal of Obamacare and founded Get America Covered, a national campaign to help people get health coverage. Before starting Climate Power, Lori was a Director of Corporate Communications for Apple, overseeing public relations for its corporate values—including the environment, supplier responsibility and U.S. job creation. A native of Oklahoma, she currently lives in Connecticut."

Andy Schor serves as the 52nd Mayor of Lansing, Michigan. 

Mayor Schor believes that Lansing’s Time is Now! He is focused on Lansing being its best self - a diverse, vibrant and welcoming community. Mayor Schor knows that a strong city must offer amenities and necessities needed to retain and sustain residents through all stages of life. 

Under Mayor Schor’s leadership, Lansing has seen billions in new investments all across the city either completed or in progress. Inclusive growth and economic development throughout Lansing remains a priority for Mayor Schor. He was proud to open the first grocery store in Lansing’s downtown and has focused on new housing for residents of all incomes that continues to be developed all across the City. Support and resources continue to be prioritized for neighborhoods, as well as social services, including homeless prevention programs and sheltering services for those in need. He has increased access to recreational activities with new parks, improved play equipment, and recreation opportunities for all residents.

Prior to his election as mayor, Schor served in the Michigan House of Representatives, and as an Ingham County Commissioner. Professionally, his work has been focused on good government policy issues, including several years at the Michigan Municipal League, working for the Michigan Insurance Commissioner, and as an aide in the Michigan Legislature.

Andy and his wife, Erin, are proud to call Lansing home. They have two children, both graduates of Lansing Everett High School. Mayor Schor graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, earning Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and history.

Gail Parson, based in Chicago, is E2’s Deputy Director. E2 is a national, nonpartisan group of business leaders that advocate for smart policies that are good for the economy and the environment, with 9 chapters throughout the country. Gail has spent more than 25 years working on state, regional and national issues ranging from tax policy and health care to environmental issues and housing. She has developed successful corporate partnerships, including a low-default, zero down payment loan program between financial institutions and community-based groups in select cities responsible for $25 million. She has built volunteer-based groups in the Midwest and has provided technical assistance to a variety of organizations.

Zach leads Ceres’ federal policy team in mobilizing the business voice for ambitious U.S. federal climate and clean energy policy. 

Prior to joining Ceres, Zach worked at Prince George’s County Government, where he managed an innovative residential energy efficiency and solar energy grant program in low-income communities of color. Before that, Zach led market entry, policy, and partnership strategy with the largest power companies and equipment manufacturers in China at Sentient Science, a software start-up in the wind energy industry. Previously, Zach guided bottom-up technical assistance and capacity building and high-level information sharing and advisory projects with state and federal government partners on a clean, just energy and economic transition in the U.S. and China at the Center for Climate Strategies and Institute for Industrial Productivity. 

Zach graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in Government and earned a law degree from Temple University.

Aimee Witteman is the Vice President of Investment and Policy at Rewiring America, the leading nonprofit working to ensure efficient, electric machines are the most convenient and affordable to purchase and install. For everyone.

For over two decades Aimee has served as a strategist, coalition builder, trusted advisor, and manager for philanthropies, governments, and nonprofits working to advance economy-wide decarbonization. She designed, founded, and led the Midwest Climate and Energy at the McKnight Foundation, as well as philanthropic programs and teams  at the Climate Imperative Foundation, the Energy Foundation, and Invest in Our Future. She served in the first year of the Biden Administration at the Department of Energy where she founded and led a team of regional intergovernmental and external affairs specialists to support design and passage of historic climate legislation: the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and CHIPS and Science Act. 

Aimee served as executive director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition from 2005-2010 and is a former WK Kellogg Foundation fellow. She has a master’s of science from Tufts University in agriculture and environmental policy.

Mike Duggan is the 75th mayor of the City of Detroit.

Michigan AFL-CIO Workforce Development Institute is the nonprofit division of the state federation, and WDI’s mission is to combat economic and environmental injustice by connecting the unemployed or underemployed with the training and resources necessary to find gainful employment and transition Michigan to a cleaner, greener economy. Before joining WDI, Chong-Anna served as Executive Director of the Michigan Community Action Association, representing a statewide network of anti-poverty non-profit organizations. She also served as US Senator Debbie Stabenow Mid-Michigan Regional Representative and as the Director of Rapid Response’s Dislocated Worker Team at the MI Department of Labor, Energy and Economic Growth under then-Governor Jennifer Granholm.

Ali Zaidi serves as President Biden’s National Climate Advisor. Zaidi is a longtime advisor to President Biden, having provided counsel and leadership on climate policy development, legislation, and executive action from day one of the Administration and on the Biden presidential transition and campaign. Zaidi served in leadership roles for climate change and energy during the Obama-Biden Administration and as New York’s Chairman of Climate Policy and Finance and Deputy Secretary for Energy and Environment, where he led the state’s efforts on climate change and clean energy.

Prior to this role, Zaidi served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Climate Advisor. He immigrated from Pakistan and grew up outside Erie, Pennsylvania. Zaidi received an A.B. from Harvard University and J.D. from Georgetown University.

Named by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Michigan, Alexis has 20 years of experience in TV news media, government, corporate and community affairs. Alexis is the founder of Moment Strategies, a strategic communications practice located in Detroit with a client base that spans the state. Moment is working with the State of Michigan to help communicate the transformative impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and clean energy legislation.  Prior to launching Moment, Alexis spent six years serving the City of Detroit as Mayor Mike Duggan’s chief of staff. Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office, Alexis was an Emmy-award winning reporter, most recently at Fox 2 Detroit.  Originally from Los Angeles, California, Alexis is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and lives in Detroit with her husband, Bryce and their three-year-old daughter.