Technical Program

The ICR24 technical program showcased major breakthroughs in technology, policy, and infrastructure aimed at mitigating the existential threats posed by climate change to our environment, health, communities, national security, and economic stability. Focused on climate resilience, the program highlighted solutions for adapting to and addressing climate change, including innovations that restore ecosystems, adapt infrastructure and societies, and reduce the drivers of climate change. You can expect to continue this conversation and identify new solutions at ICR25.

ICR24 Keynote Speakers and Panelists

  • Ali Zaidi

    National Climate Advisor
    Ali Zaidi serves as Assistant to the President and National Climate Advisor. In this role, he leads the White House Climate Policy Office, which coordinates policy development and President Biden’s all-of-government approach to tackle the climate crisis, create good-paying, union jobs, and advance environmental justice. 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.  Before his current role, he served as Deputy National Climate Advisor.  

  • Dr. Geri Richmond

    Under Secretary for Science and Innovation, Department of Energy (DOE)
    Geraldine (Geri) Richmond is the Under Secretary for Science and Innovation at the Department of Energy (DOE). In this role she oversees DOE's Office of Science, the nation’s largest federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences, DOE’s applied R&D areas of nuclear, fossil, and renewable energy, and energy system integrity, and the DOE national laboratories and their facilities. She is currently on leave from the University of Oregon where she holds the Presidential Chair in Science and Professor of Chemistry. Richmond's research throughout her career has been on the use of laser-based and computational methods to understand the molecular, adsorption structure and dynamics at liquid surfaces that have relevance to environmental and technological interests. 

  • Kelly Cummins

    Acting Director, Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations
    Kelly Cummins is the Acting Director for the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In this role, she is responsible for delivering more than $25 billion in funding to support large-scale clean energy demonstration projects. Cummins has worked in the field of national and energy security at DOE for more than 20 years. Prior to her role in OCED, Cummins served as the Associate Deputy Director for Field Operations in the Office of Science, where she was responsible for management and operational oversight of the Office of Science field complex, including 10 national laboratories executing leading scientific research and development.

  • Sarah Ladislaw

    Senior Director for Climate and Energy, National Security Council, The White House

    Senior Director Sarah Ladislaw leads the U.S. National Security Council’s (NSC) Climate and Energy Directorate, responsible for coordinating national security policy on issues including the climate crisis, energy security, stability and reliability, and strengthening environmental sustainability. Sarah previously was a Managing Director at RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute), where she led the US Program. She also worked on other global initiatives including the Mission Possible Partnership to reduce industrial-sector emissions and supports the development of green banks.

  • Ben Vinson III, Ph.D

    President, Howard University
    Dr. Ben Vinson III is the 18th president of Howard University and a tenured professor of history in the University’s College of Arts and Sciences. As president, he is tasked with inspiring, innovating, and strategically leading the Howard community which include undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff. President Vinson was most recently provost and executive vice president at Case Western Reserve University. During his tenure, Dr. Vinson spearheaded the university’s “Think Big” strategic planning initiative, which received national attention for its innovative and inclusive planning process.

  • Richard W. Spinrad, Ph.D.

    Under Secretary of Commerce, Oceans and Atmosphere & NOAA Administrator
    Richard (Rick) W. Spinrad, Ph.D., was sworn in on June 22, 2021 as the under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and the 11th NOAA administrator. Dr. Spinrad is responsible for the strategic direction and oversight of the agency and its over 12,000 employees, including developing NOAA’s portfolio of products and services to address the climate crisis, enhancing environmental sustainability and fostering economic development, and creating a more just, equitable, diverse and inclusive NOAA workforce.

  • Franco Amalfi

    Director, Sustainability Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships - North America, Capgemini
    Franco is a sustainability expert and digital transformation global thought leader with more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of sustainability and digital transformation. He is currently the director of sustainability strategic partnerships and initiatives for Capgemini. He is responsible for working with hyperscalers and climate techs to bring to market innovative sustainability solutions to customers in all industries in North America. Prior to joining Capgemini, Franco was the Head of Sustainability Strategy, Global Public Sector for Google Cloud.

  • Nancy J. Balkus, P.E., SES

    Deputy Assistant Secretary, the Air Force for Environment, Safety and Infrastructure, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.
    Nancy J. Balkus, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Environment, Safety and Infrastructure, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.  She provides executive leadership on all matters pertaining to formulation, review and execution of plans, policies, programs and budgets for Air Force built and natural infrastructure, environmental, installation energy, safety, occupational health, and resilience integration programs. These include facility management, military construction, utilities privatization, energy security, contingency energy, environmental compliance and restoration, occupational safety and workplace health.  

  • David Balton

    Executive Director, Arctic Executive Steering Committee
    David Balton is the Executive Director of the U.S. Arctic Executive Steering Committee, which advances and coordinates and U.S. policies and activities in the Arctic region. He previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries in the U.S. Department of State, attaining the rank of Ambassador in 2006.  Ambassador Balton was responsible for coordinating the development of U.S. foreign policy concerning oceans and fisheries, and overseeing U.S. participation in international organizations dealing with these issues.

  • Meredith Berger

    Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations, and Environment)/Chief Sustainability Officer
    The Honorable Meredith Berger assumed the responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations & Environment on July 28, 2021. She is responsible for providing oversight and policy for Navy and Marine Corps energy and climate resilience; infrastructure sustainment, restoration and modernization; military construction; acquisition, utilization and disposal of real property and facilities; environmental protection, planning, restoration and natural resources conservation; and safety and occupational health.

  • Sharon Burke

    President, Ecospherics and Co-Founder, Ecosecurity Council

    Honorable Sharon E. Burke is the President of Ecospherics, a research and consulting firm that focuses on climate change, energy, critical minerals, and food security. She is also the Co-Founder with Dr. Rod Schoonover of the Ecosecurity Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to policy solutions for ecosphere security. Throughout her career, Burke has worked to balance national security and environmental sustainability, with a focus on ideas that scale through public policy.

  • Douglas Chan

    Chief Operating Officer, Climeworks
    Douglas Chan oversees the Operations of Climeworks, building on his experience leading manufacturing and energy projects around the world. Douglas is responsible for Climeworks’ plant operations as well as structuring the supply chain, project execution, and production teams that are needed to enable direct air capture and storage (DAC+S) to reach gigaton capacity by 2050. He also serves as General Manager US, leading Climeworks' business expansion into the United States. Before Climeworks, Douglas was latest with Tesla, where he contributed to scaling operations internationally.

  • John Conger

    President of Conger Strategies and Solutions, LLC
    John Conger is President of Conger Strategies and Solutions, Director Emeritus of the Center for Climate and Security, Senior Advisor to the Council on Strategic Risks, Senior Advisor to the International Military Council on Climate and Security, and a Senior Advisor at WestExec Advisors.

  • Julia Kumari Drapkin

    CEO and Founder, ISeeChange
    Julia Kumari Drapkin is the CEO of ISeeChange, a climate data and engagement platform to help cities monitor, design, and maintain climate ready infrastructure. Cities have used ISeeChange to generate over 25M in infrastructure investments in low income communities. Drapkin founded ISeeChange after reporting natural disasters and climate change for 12 years across the globe and in her own backyard on the Gulf Coast. Under her leadership, ISeeChange has received national awards and recognition from the White House Climate Data Initiative, NASA, MIT Solve, Echoing Green, Village Capital, Grist, AGU, the AAAS, Verizon, Exelon, Morgan Stanley, and the National Science Foundation. Drapkin also serves on the American Meteorological Society’s Board on Environment and Health. 

  • Dina Esposito

    Assistant to the Administrator for the Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) at USAID
    Dina Esposito serves as the Assistant to the Administrator for the Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) at USAID, Feed the Future Deputy Coordinator for Development, and the Agency’s Global Food Crisis Coordinator. Most recently, Dina served five years at Mercy Corps (MC), a global organization focused on helping build more resilient, inclusive communities in some of the most fragile contexts in the world through development, humanitarian response, and peacebuilding programs. She served there as Vice President for Technical Leadership, guiding a team of subject matter experts who provide strategy, program design and technical support for Mercy Corps’ global vision and for country teams in more than 40 countries. 

  • Sherri Goodman

    Senior Fellow, Environmental Change & Security Program and Polar Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center
    Sherri Goodman, Senior Fellow at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program and Polar Institute, and Secretary General of the International Military Council on Climate & Security, is credited with educating a generation of U.S. military and government officials about the nexus between climate change and national security, using her famous coinage, “threat multiplier,” to fundamentally reshape the national discourse on the topic. Sherri serves as Vice Chair of the Secretary of State's International Security Advisory Board and on the EXIM Bank's Council on Climate. 

  • Rachel Jacobson

    Assistant Secretary of the United States Army Installations, Energy and Environment
    Ms. Rachel Jacobson was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 15, 2022, and sworn in as the 17th Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army for Installations, Energy and Environment (ASA(IE&E)) on April 4, 2022. As ASA (IE&E), she is the primary advisor to the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army for all matters related to Army installation policy and oversight, and coordination of energy security and management. In addition, she is responsible for policy and oversight of sustainability and environmental initiatives; resource management; Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC); privatization of the Army real estate portfolio and installation Safety and Occupational Health programs.

  • Alex Laplaza

    Advisor, Lowercarbon Capital
    Alex has nearly a decade of experience scaling decarbonization and adaptation solutions globally. Most recently, Alex was a Partner at Lowercarbon Capital where he joined as the firm's first hire, raised $2B in early-stage equity, built a portfolio of over 100 decarbonization and adaptation investments, and established the firm as one of the most active climate tech investors the world. Before Lowercarbon, Alex worked on clean energy infrastructure, climate policy, and food and water security in emerging markets, including India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Kenya.

  • Anthony Leiserowitz, Ph.D.

    Senior Research Scientist, Lecturer, and Director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, the Yale School of the Environment
    Anthony Leiserowitz, Ph.D. is the founder and Director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and a Senior Research Scientist at the Yale School of the Environment. He is an internationally recognized expert on public climate change beliefs, attitudes, policy support, and behavior, and the psychological, cultural, and political factors that shape them and conducts research globally, including in the United States, China, India, and Brazil. 

  • Katie MacDonald

    Co-Founder, Tailwind
    Katie MacDonald is a climate activist, investor, and innovation policy expert who has been working on climate change since she skipped school at 17 to protest for offshore wind. She is the co-founder of Tailwind, an innovation studio focused on accelerating innovation for climate adaptation and resilience solutions. Before Tailwind, Katie served as Director of Tech to Market at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) where she was responsible for the organization’s early-stage startup investment portfolio. 

  • Dr. Jennifer Mercer

    Head of Arctic Sciences in the Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation
    Dr. Jennifer Mercer is Head of Arctic Sciences in the Office of Polar Programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF) where she oversees the facilitation of scientific research across the Arctic through myriad disciplines and approaches. She previously held positions at the US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory and at the University of Wyoming. Dr. Mercer has been conducting research, leading projects, and overseeing scientific research in the Arctic and Antarctic environments for over two decades and has peer-reviewed publications in the fields of organic geochemistry, atmospheric and cryospheric science, polar engineering, and Arctic science diplomacy. 

  • Brendan Owens, ASD (EI&E)

    Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Energy, Installations, and Environment)
    The Honorable Brendan Owens was sworn in as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment on January 26, 2023. In this role, he is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment for all matters relating to operational and facility energy; installations real property planning, operations, and sustainment; environment protection, compliance, and restoration; natural, historical and cultural resources; and accompanied and unaccompanied military housing.

  • Ben Reinke

    Vice President of Global Business Development, X-energy
    As Vice President of Global Business Development, Dr. Reinke leads the Business Development organization at X-energy and is responsible for end-to-end commercial reactor business development and sales – strategy and marketing, analytics, organizational management, customer relationship development, contract negotiations, capture management, and early-phase project management.

  • Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

    Senior Advisor, Akin; Member of Congress 1989 - 2019
    As the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress with a public service career that spans nearly four decades, Ileana brings institutional knowledge, expertise, and experience across diverse domestic and international affairs policy matters. Throughout her Congressional career, in her various roles on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, including as Chair, she led on pressing foreign policy issues, including championing the advancement of freedom and democracy for all; fighting Islamist extremism; supporting and strengthening the U.S. – Israel partnership; supporting free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea; imposing sanctions on human rights violators in Venezuela; and fighting against tyranny and oppression, particularly in her native homeland of Cuba.  

  • Aaron Salzberg, Ph.D.

    Director of the Water Institute and Distinguished Holzworth Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina
    Aaron Salzberg is the Director of the Water Institute at the University of North Carolina. The goal of the Water Institute is to contribute to a more water secure by advancing research, policy, and practice.  From 2010 to 2017, Aaron served as the Special Coordinator for Water at the U.S. Department of State where he managed the development and implementation of U.S. foreign policy on drinking water and sanitation, water resources management, and transboundary water issues.  He was the first person to hold this title.  In this role, Aaron led the development of the first U.S. Global Water Strategy.

  • Mónika Serrano

    Resilience Program Manager, Turner Construction Company
    Mónika Serrano leads Turner Construction's resilience program and brings 20 years of experience in the construction industry. Passionate about addressing climate change, she actively promotes climate adaptation in the built environment. Mónika serves on the Board of Advisors for the National Institute of Building Sciences, is a member of the ASTM Property Resilience Assessment task force, and contributes to the LEED v5 Resilience Working Group.

  • Raina Thiele (Tentative)

    Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Alaska and Strategic Priorities, Department of the Interior
    Raina Thiele serves as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Interior for Alaska Affairs and Strategic Priorities. She serves as the Department of the Interior’s policy lead on issues related to Alaska, which comprises a large proportion of the Department’s overall portfolio. She has spent her career in public service, the private sector, and the nonprofit sector. In her previous public service role she was President Obama’s tribal liaison and led planning for President Obama’s historic 2015 trip to Alaska. Raina was born and raised in Alaska and her family hails from Pedro Bay Village on Lake Iliamna and Alexander Creek. She is Dena’ina Athabascan and Yup’ik.

  • Sonam Velani

    Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Streetlife Ventures
    Sonam Velani is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Streetlife Ventures, an early stage venture fund that invests at the intersection of cities and climate. Sonam has worked across the world and across the public and private sectors, connecting the dots between the built environment and urban infrastructure. Prior to co-founding Streetlife, Sonam financed $10 billion of transportation, energy, and water infrastructure projects at Goldman Sachs, helped build coastal protection and water systems in Asia at the World Bank, launched drone mobility solutions in Africa at Zipline, and developed New York City’s $15 billion Green New Deal at the NYC Mayor's Office.

  • Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti

    Ambassador of Brazil to the United States
    Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti presented her credentials to President Joe Biden on June 30, 2023. Before assuming her duties in Washington, Ambassador Viotti served as Chef de Cabinet to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (2017-2021), Under Secretary General for Asia and the Pacific at the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2016), and Ambassador of Brazil to Germany (2013-2016).

Agenda

View Detailed Agenda and Event Information