ECONOMY

Finance executive with 25+ years of global leadership across finance, operations, IT, and government contracting. Drives transformation, scalability, and shareholder value through data-driven strategy, optimizing capital and ROIC while empowering teams with servant leadership across corporate, mid-market, and private equity-backed organizations.

CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

Purva Chawla is a Dallas-based architect, sustainability consultant, and educator. She founded MaterialDriven, a US and EU materials library and design consultancy, and serves as an adjunct lecturer at SMU and Lawrence Tech. Her work focuses on circularity, embodied energy, and sustainable materials, with degrees from UPenn and Sushant School.

WATER AND OCEANS

Dustan Compton, Conservation Manager at Tarrant Regional Water District, has 17 years of experience focusing on water conservation programs, community outreach and regional coordination. He has a master’s degree in Applied Geography from the University of North Texas and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management from Northeastern State University.

WASTE AND RECYCLING

Caralyn Dawson is an Environment and Development Planner II at the North Central Texas Council of Governments, focusing on Regional Codes and Solid Waste programs. Originally from Alba, Texas, she holds a BS in Environmental Science and an MA in Philosophy from the University of North Texas.

BIODIVERSITY

Kiersten Gibizov is an animal educator experienced with diverse species at Fort Worth, Frank Buck, and Phoenix Zoos. She specializes in operant conditioning, animal handling, and public outreach, training birds, raptors, and reindeer. Passionate about conservation, she enjoys teaching, teamwork, and sharing her expertise with the public.

HEALTHCARE AND SPORTS

Dr. Daniel Hansen trained at the University of Kansas Medical School, completed a neurosurgery residency at the University of Iowa, and a fellowship at Texas Children's Hospital. He specializes in pediatric epilepsy, tumors, minimally invasive, and endoscopic surgery. Outside medicine, he enjoys family time, running, travel, and cooking.

HEALTHCARE AND SPORTS

Business services division chair and corporate & transactional chair at Polsinelli, an AM Law 100 law firm. Wrote white paper on sustainability as it relates to the healthcare industry titled “Health Care ‘Prime’: Patient-Centered Sustainable Health Care.”

Dorothee Honhon is a Professor of Operations Management at UT Dallas. Her research focuses on supply chain management, retail operations, and inventory control. Holding a PhD from NYU Stern, she is widely published in top journals, specializing in mathematical modeling for assortment planning and consumer choice behavior in retail environments.

CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION

Assistant Professor of Instruction at UT Dallas, teaching environmental studies. She coordinates the minor, serves on the Sustainability Committee, and has 9 years of experience teaching environmental politics and philosophy. She aims to inspire students to think critically and engage actively in civic life.

BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Tricia Loe, Founder and President of Sustainable Concepts, helps projects achieve LEED and WELL certification. She leads professional organizations, serving as Chair of the USGBC Texas chapter, and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from LSU and an MBA from SMU.

ENERGY

Eric Love focuses on energy efficiency and conservation, helping residential and small commercial clients reduce energy use through practical upgrades. Interested in solar, battery storage, and modern energy management, he guides customers toward solutions balancing comfort, cost savings, and long-term performance in lighting, HVAC, and other systems.

ECONOMY

Organizational development consultant and educator specializing in resilience. Former U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot, with experience in Western Pacific government agencies. Held sales leadership roles in building products, focusing on sustainability and earning five design patents. Actively volunteers, serving two terms on the McKinney Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Board.

ENERGY

As Director of Energy and Sustainability at CBRE Group, the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm, Ira focuses on meeting clients’ sustainability goals that encompass green building, water efficiency, energy and CO2 reduction, waste and recycling improvement.

ENERGY

Mohammed Njie, a senior in Electrical Engineering at SMU, is a student social entrepreneur in the Hunt Institute’s Social Enterprise Program. He founded Janta Clean Energy, delivering solar projects and Wi-Fi computer carts in Gambian schools, combining research and innovation to combat energy poverty and create lasting impact.

BIODIVERSITY

Amir Omar, a first-generation American, is Mayor of Richardson, Texas, and former City Council member. Known for initiatives like “Tree the Town” and community gardens, he promotes sustainability and civic engagement, leveraging his business and technology experience to lead Richardson with innovation, service, and community development.

AGRICULTURE AND FOOD

Ilyse Putz is Giving Grove Program Director at GROW North Texas, creating and managing orchards across the DFW Metroplex. She holds degrees in Biology, German, and Plant Science, and actively engages in local naturalist and food policy initiatives to connect communities with sustainable fruit-growing projects.

WASTE AND RECYCLING

Andrea and Chantal Sethi, a mother-daughter team, lead Plano International Festival’s Zero Waste Program, achieving 97% landfill diversion in 2024. Andrea drives community green initiatives, while Chantal applies her marketing expertise to sustainability. Together, they promote reducing, reusing, composting, and recycling for lasting environmental impact.

AGRICULTURE AND FOOD

Dr. Whitney W. Strauss is a CSR strategist, social impact leader, and author with 20+ years guiding nonprofits, corporations, and foundations. She leads Dallas Food Plan projects, secures transformative funding, shapes policy, and builds partnerships to drive outcomes in health, education, and equity, emphasizing collaboration, inclusive leadership, and sustainable change.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Meghna Tare is a changemaker embedding sustainability and resilience into large organizations. As Chief Sustainability Officer at the University of Texas at Arlington and sustainability lead for FIFA World Cup 26 in Dallas, she drives actionable environmental strategies, fostering collective efforts toward a resilient, impact-driven future grounded in evidence and systems thinking.

AIR QUALITY

Daniela Tower is an Air Quality Planner at NCTCOG, serving the DFW Metroplex. With 20+ years in environmental work, she specializes in data collection and analysis, translating findings into actions that improve air quality while balancing community needs, environmental standards, and economic considerations.

BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Sustainability leader with expertise in sustainability strategy, climate solutions, circular economy, supply chain , ESG and regulatory affairs. Combining his personal passion and professional experience he helps corporations and non-profit organizations with their sustainability journey and help combat climate change. For One Earth One Chance, he is responsible for advocacy and partnerships.

WASTE AND RECYCLING

Chris Wood worked for more than 15 years as a corporate attorney. A lifelong Houstonian, he attended UVA for undergrad and UT Austin for law school.