The Midwest Climate Summit Planning Committee worked hard to bring together a phenomenal lineup of talented and inspirational speakers. Coming from various backgrounds, sectors, and identities, each of them brings a unique perspective to the table.

Robert Bullard
Keynote Speaker
Considered by many the father of environmental justice, Robert Bullard is the Keynote Speaker for the Summit Kickoff Session on October 2. He will deliver his presentation at 10:10a Central Time.

Chris Caldwell
Science & Research Presentation
President of College of Menominee Nation and Director of Sustainable Development Institute, Chris Caldwell will deliver the Science & Research Presentation of the Summit Kickoff Session on October 2, at 11:00am central time.

Katharine Wilkinson
Teaching Presentation
Author, strategist, teacher, and editor-in-chief at Project Drawdown, Katharine Wilkinson will deliver the Teaching presentation of the Summit Kickoff Session on October 2, at 11:15am central time.

Heather McTeer Toney
Outreach and Engagement Presentation
National Field Director for Moms Clean Air Force, Heather McTeer Toney will deliver the Outreach and Engagement Presentation of the Summit Kickoff Session on October 2, at 11:30am central time.

Isra Hirsi
Climate Action Presentation
Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of the US Youth Climate Strike, Isra Hirsi will deliver the Climate Action Presentation of the Summit Kickoff Session on October 2, at 11:45am central time.

Shara Mohtadi
Moderator
Member of the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ environment team, Shara Mohtadi will moderate the Summit Kick-Off Session on October 2, starting at 10am central time.

Heidi Roop
Keynote Speaker
Climate scientist, educator, communicator, Heidi Roop is a Keynote Speaker for the Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10am central time.

Jessica Hellmann
Keynote Speaker
Climate change ecologist and director of the Institute on the Environment, Jessica Hellmann is a Keynote Speaker for the Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10am central time.

Gabe Filippelli
Keynote Moderator
Earth scientist, biogeochemist, and former ocean policy advisor, Gabe Filippelli will moderate the keynote of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10am central time.

Daniel Vimont
Keynote Speaker
Director of the Nelson Institute Center for Climatic Research, Daniel Vimont is a Keynote Speaker for the Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10am central time.

Timothy Carter
Moderator – Climate Action Workshop
- Email: tcarter@secondnature.org
President of Second Nature, a national non-profit with a mission to accelerate climate action in higher education, Tim Carter will moderate the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Brianna Chandler
Climate Action Workshop
- Email: brianna.chandler@wustl.edu
Sophomore at WashU, Brianna Chandler will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Melvin Carter
Climate Action Workshop
Mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Melvin Carter will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Ed Ferguson
Climate Action Workshop
Director of Sustainability North America at Anheuser-Busch, Edward Ferguson will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Stephen Forrest
Climate Action Workshop
Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Physics, and Material Sciences and Engineering and Co-chair of U-M President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality, Dr. Stephen R. Forrest will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Meredith Drosback
Moderator – Outreach & Engagement Workshop
Associate Director for Science at SciLine, a program at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Meredith Drosback will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Michael Hawthorne
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Investigative journalist who focuses on environment and public health issues for the Chicago Tribune, Michael Hawthorne will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Mary Annette Pember
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
National correspondent for Indian Country Today, Mary Annette Pember will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Hannah Ni’Shuilleabhain
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Student at Northwestern University studying journalism, Hannah Ni’Shuilleabhain will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

John Chase
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Director of investigations at the Better Government Association, John Chase will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Stephen Vavrus
Science and Research Workshop
Senior Scientist in the Nelson Institute Center for Climatic Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Stephen Vavrus will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Michelle Garvey
Teaching and Education Workshop
An interdisciplinary scholar-activist, Michelle Garvey will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Mike Keen
Teaching and Education Workshop
Experienced educator and sustainability consultant, Mike Keen will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Sam Grant
Teaching and Education Workshop
Executive Director of environmental organization MN350, Sam Grant will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 2 on October 9, at 10:45am central time.

Carla Frisch
US Department of Energy (DOE)
Acting Executive Director and Principal Deputy Director, Office of Policy

Delmar Gillus
Keynote Speaker
Chief Operating Officer of Elevate Energy, Delmar Gillus is a Keynote Speaker for the Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10am central time.

Neil Hawkins
Keynote Speaker
Sustainable business thought leader and Erb Foundation President, Dr. Neil C. Hawkins is a Keynote Speaker for the Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10am central time.

Chris Wheat
Moderator – Climate Action Workshop
Director of Strategy and City Engagement for the American Cities Climate Challenge, Chris Wheat will moderate the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Amy Fredregill
Climate Action Workshop
Managing Director of the Sustainable Growth Coalition Environmental Initiative, Amy Fredregill will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of the Summit Session 3, on October 23.

Michael Shelton
Climate Action Workshop
Associate Director of the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State University, Michael Shelton will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Joe Parisi
Climate Action Workshop
Dane County Executive, Joe Parisi will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Lora Iannotti
Moderator – Science and Research Workshop
Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis, Lora Iannotti will moderate the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Andy Jones
Science and Research Workshop
Andy Jones will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Lisa Reyes Mason
Science and Research Workshop
Associate Professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work and climate researcher, Lisa Reyes Mason will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Laalitha Surapaneni
Science and Research Workshop
Internal medicine physician with a master’s in public health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Laalitha Surapaneni will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Michael Wysession
Teaching and Education Workshop
Professor of geophysics in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, Michael Wysession will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Cathy Manduca
Teaching and Education Workshop
Director of the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College, Cathy Manduca will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Eduardo Brondizio
Teaching and Education Workshop
Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Center for the Analysis of Social-Ecological Landscapes at Indiana University Bloomington, Eduardo Brondizio will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Jason Walsh
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Jason Walsh will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Sarah Moskowitz
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Deputy Director at the Citizens Utility Board, Sarah Moskowitz will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Dylan Jennings
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Tribal Council Member at Bad River Tribe and Director of Public Information at the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Dylan Jennings will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 3 on October 23, at 10:45am central time.

Daniel Wildcat
Keynote Speaker
Professor of Indigenous and American Indian Studies at Haskell Indian Nations University and Founder of the Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Working Group, Daniel Wildcat is the Keynote Speaker for the Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10am central time. Daniel Wildcat will also participate in the Teaching & Education Workshop of this session.

Santina Contreras
Climate Action Workshop
Assistant Professor in the City and Regional Planning Section of the Knowlton School of Architecture at Ohio State University, Santina Contreras will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Barbara Charry
Climate Action Workshop
Strategy Manager for The Nature Conservancy in Missouri’s floodplains and nature-based solutions team, Barbara Charry will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

John Ikerd
Climate Action Workshop
Author and professor emeritus of agricultural economics at the University of Missouri, John Ikerd will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Daniel Horton
Climate Action Workshop
Climate scientist, assistant professor, and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences at Northwestern University, Daniel Horton will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Kimberly Wasserman
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Executive Director of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO), Kimberly Wasserman will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Karen Kendrick-Hands
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Co-founder and Director of Projects of the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG), Karen Kendrick-Hands will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Barbara Buffaloe
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Sustainability Manager for the City of Columbia, Missouri, Barbara Buffaloe will will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Ray Wilson
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Chairperson of Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light and President of Ray Wilson & Associates, Ray Wilson will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Daniel Poynter
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Founder of Carbon Neutral Indiana, Daniel Poynter will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Marshall Johnson
Science and Research Workshop
Vice President of the National Audobon Society, Marshall Johnson will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Bill Gutowski
Science and Research Workshop
Professor of Meteorology in the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences at Iowa State University, Bill Gutowski will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Jean Eells
Science and Research Workshop
President of E Resources Group, LLC, Jean Eells will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Mark Rasmussen
Science and Research Workshop
Director of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, Mark Rasmussen will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Cassie Power
Teaching and Education Workshop
Associate Director for Faculty and Academic Engagement at the WashU Gephardt Institute, Cassie Power will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Sarah Mincey
Teaching and Education Workshop
Social-ecological systems scientist and faculty at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, Sarah Mincey will participate in the Teaching & Education Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Liliana Sydorenko
Teaching and Education Workshop
Northwestern student and climate activist, Liliana Sydorenko will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Beth Martin
Teaching and Education Workshop
Associate Director of the Washington University Climate Change Program, Beth Martin will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 4 on November 6, at 10:45am central time.

Justin Gillis
Keynote Speaker
Former New York Times Climate Reporter, Justin Gillis is the Keynote Speaker for the Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 11:20am central time.

Frannie Levar
Climate Action Workshop
As Director of Environmental Sustainability at United Airlines, Frannie Levar will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Frank Oswald
Climate Action Workshop
City of St. Louis Building Commissioner, Frank Oswald will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Dane McFarlane
Climate Action Workshop
Director of Research at the Great Plains Institute, Dane McFarlane will moderate the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Robert Blake
Climate Action Workshop
Founder and CEO of Solar Bear, Robert Blake will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Kevin Ellett
Climate Action Workshop
Kevin Ellett will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Kevin Self
Climate Action Workshop
Senior Vice President Strategy, Business Development and Government Affairs at Schneider Electric, Kevin Self will participate in the Climate Action Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Shahzeen Attari
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Researcher in judgment and decision making related to climate change and resource use, Shahzeen Attari will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Michael Vandenbergh
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Professor at Vanderbilt University Law School and Director of the Climate Change Research Network, Michael Vandenbergh will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Kaitlin Raimi
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Researcher of psychological and social motivations of sustainable behaviors, Kaitlin Raimi will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Robyn Wilson
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Professor in the School of Environment and Natural Resources Department at The Ohio State University and incoming President of the Society for Risk Analysis, Robyn Wilson will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Max Boykoff
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Researcher in science-policy and society challenges, Max Boykoff will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Tom Dietz
Outreach and Engagement Workshop
Human ecologist and environmental sociologist, Tom Dietz will participate in the Outreach and Engagement Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Jennifer Haverkamp
Moderator – Science and Research Workshop
Graham Family Director of the University of Michigan’s Graham Sustainability Institute and professor, Jennifer Haverkamp will be the moderator for the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Sarah Mills
Science and Research Workshop
Senior project manager and lecturer at the University of Michigan, Sarah Mills will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Beth Soholt
Science and Research Workshop
Executive Director at Clean Grid Alliance, Beth Soholt will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Maria Redmond
Science and Research Workshop
Director of the Wisconsin Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy, Maria Redmond will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Lucas Nelsen
Science and Research Workshop
Policy associate at the Center for Rural Affairs, Lucas Nelsen will participate in the Science and Research Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Jennifer Mefford
Teaching and Education Workshop
Director of Business Development for the Southeastern Michigan Labor Management Cooperation Committee, Jennifer Mefford will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Ian Adams
Teaching and Education Workshop
Managing Director of Clean Energy Trust, Ian Adams will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.

Jeff Henderson
Moderator – Teaching and Education Workshop
Jeff Henderson will participate in the Teaching and Education Workshop of Summit Session 5 on November 20, at 10am central time.