Purpose to Progress

2025

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2025 Speakers

Mac McKenzie

CEO / Co-Founder | Bridge Institute

  • The Bridge Institute is a charity that brings senior leaders of governments, corporates, and civil society together to make breakthroughs in thinking and action on pressing societal challenges. It is based on the belief that the world's biggest challenges are all deeply systemic, which means no government, no business, no civil society lead, or philanthropist can solve on their own - it means we need to come together, for the long-haul.

    Current and recent societal challenges the Bridge Institute has taken on include the combatting of human trafficking and gender-based violence in South Asia, carbon removal from the atmosphere in the UAE, peacebuilding in Kashmir, sustainable food in South-East Asia and the Afghan refugee crisis in the United Kingdom.

    Mac is a dedicated sportsman and mountaineer and is passionate about the role of sport in a healthy and thriving society. He has been a mountain guide for Raleigh International.

    He graduated from Oxford University with a Masters in Engineering, Economics and Management. He is trained and qualified in Neuro Linguistic Programming, the Leadership Development Framework, Transactional Analysis, Myers Briggs, Design Thinking and Systems Thinking."

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Daniel Jacobs

Managing Director | Jacobs Sustainability

  • Drawing on his experience as a government official, business professor, and practicing attorney, Daniel Jacobs combines business acumen with legal savvy in advising businesses on their sustainability practices. He consults with companies around the world seeking to develop business practices that maximize profits while minimizing risk. As founding director of the first interdisciplinary graduate program in sustainability management in a U.S. business school, Dan led American University to a #1 national ranking in sustainability education by Bloomberg Businessweek. An expert on the root causes of corporate disasters, he is the author of BP Blowout: Inside the Gulf Oil Disaster (the #1 featured title of the Brookings Institution Press in Fall 2016), and The Volkswagen Diesel Emissions Scandal and Accountability” (the cover story of the July 2019 sustainability edition of The CPA Journal).

    Prior to joining academia, Dan had an equally distinguished career in public service. An award-winning lawyer at both the Justice Department and the State Department in Washington, D.C., he also served at State as an office director and senior negotiator in the Bureau of Economics, Energy, and Business. In those capacities, he handled a variety of domestic and international sustainability issues impacting a cross section of major industries both in the U.S. and abroad.

    Dan is a popular speaker who has lectured to corporate, academic, and public sector audiences on five continents. He also has appeared as a commentator on sustainability issues on the BBC World News, and regularly in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Times, Washington Post, London Times, and Guardian. He attended the historic Rio Earth Summit at which the original Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted, and most recently attended the U.N. Climate conferences in Baku (COP29) and Bonn (SB58).

    Dan earned degrees from Duke Law School (J.D.), Cambridge University (M.Phil.), and Middlebury College (B.A.). While completing his degree requirements, he studied three foreign languages and competed in four club sports.

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John Davis

Professor of Practice | Center for Sustainable Business Practices, Lundquist College of Business

  • John Davis is a Professor of Practice at University of Oregon's Lundquist College of Business, Chair of BrandNewView, a leadership firm focused on helping organizations become a force for social and economic good, and Board Member of the Global Society for Good Leadership.Previously, he led the Asia and North America regions for Duke University's Corporate Education. He also served as an interim department coordinator at the Lundquist College.

    Davis has held numerous academic and consulting roles for organizations such as the SP Jain School of Global Management (Dean and Professor), Emerson College (Department Chair and Professor), Singapore Management University (Professor of Practice), the International Olympic Academy, and more. Davis is a former Fortune 500 executive, having led marketing teams for Nike and served as vice president of marketing and business development at Transamerica, Informix, and Unify. He has also founded two award-winning companies—Northwest Resorts, a boutique resort firm, and BrandNewView.

    He is a best-selling author and has written books focused on strategy, branding and marketing, higher education, and the global sports business. His eleventh book, Radical Business, details what businesses must do to become a force for social and economic good.

    Davis has also published articles in leading journals, including: Harvard Business Review, Dialogue Review, The European, CEO Today, Middle East Business Intelligence (MEED), and the International Journal of Advertising, among others. He has spoken at major global conferences, including: TEDx, World Knowledge Forum, YPOs, The Human Difference, American Marketing Association, BrandFinance, Global Brand Forum, and Entrepreneurs Organization (EO).Davis is sought by numerous media organizations for interviews, including BBC, MSNBC, CNBC, ESPN, Fortune Magazine, Bloomberg, WWD.com, The New York Times, NPR, and ChannelNewsAsia

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Linda Tang

Founder | Contingenci®, by Good Human LLC

  • I founded Contingenci®, by Good Human LLC, in 2020 to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. We produce sustainable, performance reusable masks that have reached their end-of-life phase and are being upcycled into pet beds for the veterinary and pet industry. We also create energy-efficient and pet-comfort products for veterinarians. Our company specializes in sustainable upcycling solutions and pet soft goods using leftover waste (deadstock). 280 Billion dollars annually are left in warehouses and end up in landfills; we partnered with major outdoor apparel industry brands (The North Face, Marmot, Specialized Bicycles) & are the first carbon-neutral circular manufacturing facility in San Jose, CA, & last 3 % of US Apparel manufacturing.

    As a COVID start-up that has been self-funded And is both women—and minority-owned, we have faced many challenges and learned valuable lessons. We want to invite you to join us in fostering awareness and building actual infrastructure to facilitate a circular economy in California and the future USA. We can do this by advocating for more government incentives, policies, and education on how consumer habits can help heal the planet.

    As a fourth-year Asian female start-up founder (non-VC) in the Bay Area, I would love to share my experience and challenges as a business owner. My goal is to help other aspiring minority female sustainable businesses thrive in California and prove that sustainability can be profitable. Our website has more information about our core veterinary product and carbon-neutral factory, as well as important links, handles, and videos.

    I have always wanted to design and produce high-tech, trendsetting action sports apparel and ergonomically fashionable accessories. My passion for fashion and extreme sports has brought me to The North Face, one of the largest brands in outdoor exploration. I also have experience in the entertainment and sports marketing industry.

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Danielle Klinkebiel

Climate Policy Analyst | City of Eugene

  • Danielle Klinkebiel has been championing local action to address climate change for close to 15 years. Her career includes opportunities in sustainable food systems, environmental justice, and stewardship of public lands. Currently she works for the City of Eugene as a climate policy analyst, developing climate policy and programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. She is a visionary with effective follow-through and a creative problem solver who thrives working in collaboration.  

    Danielle holds a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley in Urban Studies and Environmental Design and a Master’s Certificate from the University of Oregon in Non-Profit Management.  

    In her free time, she likes picking fruit with her toddlers and recently discovered a passion for distance swimming in lakes of the Pacific Northwest. 

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Dr. Nejem Raheem

Chair of the Department of Marketing Communication | Emerson College

  • Nejem Raheem is the Chair of the Department of Marketing Communication at Emerson College in Boston. His undergraduate degree is in theater directing from Bennington College and he did his PhD in Economics at the University of New Mexico. He teaches classes on Behavioral Economics, Ecological Economics, Marine Conservation, Rivers, Sustainable Tourism, and whatever else he can gin up. His research is mostly in the area of ecosystem services and traditional or indigenous communities with a big focus on water management. He helps to put together an annual "Teach In on Sustainability" at Emerson, and is part of a group working on a new major in Sustainability Communication. He is one third of the band called The Boundary Objects. 

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Dr. Karen Hall

Director of the Ecological Education Program | Institute of Applied Ecology

  • Karen Hall belongs to nature – referring to the version inclusive of humans and more-than-humans alike. This sense of belonging, from a young life growing up in the Southern Appalachians, led to a career in deeply connecting people to nature in myriad ways primarily with systemically disadvantaged audiences.

    After an early diversion from graphic arts, business management, and music, Karen earned her B.S. in Biology at Western Carolina University in North Carolina. Her master’s thesis (Botany) focused on in vitro growth and chemical extraction/analysis of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), an important medicinal plant. She completed this degree and her Ph.D. (Plant Physiology) at Clemson University in South Carolina where she studied ethnobotany with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

    Reluctant to leave the shadow of mountains, Karen designed and ran the Master Naturalist program for SC, was State Coordinator of the Master Gardener program and taught undergrads/grads for many years before leaving for work as an applied ecologist in Texas. When the call of mountains became too loud, she moved with her husband to Eugene, Oregon – serving first as an administrator at a Raptor Center and later in her current job as Program Director of Ecological Education for the Institute for Applied Ecology in Corvallis.

    Her current work focuses on ecological education as the backbone of conservation-based programs taking place in prisons throughout the American West. In eleven prisons in 5 states, incarcerated crews learn about the ecosystems where they are located (most within sagebrush steppe habitat) while they also grow or raise plants or butterflies that can then be used to restore native habitats or save species from extinction. This work takes her through mountains with forests, deserts and wetlands – while also connecting justice-impacted peoples with the nature that surrounds and is a part of them.

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Brittany Sierra

Founder and CEO | Sustainable Fashion Forum

  • Brittany Sierra is a thought leader in sustainability and consumer behavior, recognized for her out-of-the-box approach to driving impactful change in the fashion industry. As the Founder and CEO of the Sustainable Fashion Forum, Brittany has built a globally recognized platform that unites leaders, innovators, and grassroots voices to challenge traditional norms and inspire cross-functional collaboration. Through SFF's annual conference and digital community, she has attracted high-profile speakers from companies and brands like Patagonia, Everlane, Vestiaire Collective, Neiman Marcus Group, Adidas, and more as well as grassroots voices from Transformer’s Foundation, Better Cotton, Remake and more, creating a space that fosters bold conversations and paves the way for a more sustainable and equitable future.

    Brittany is also the host of Green Behavior, a podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of psychology, consumer behavior, and sustainability. Through engaging interviews with neuroscientists, industry experts, and thought leaders, she uncovers the motivations behind consumer choices, empowering professionals to create offerings that resonate with today’s conscious consumers.

    In addition to her work with SFF, Brittany served on Rothy's Sustainability Council, where she contributed critical insights to help the brand shape its circularity initiatives and achieve its ambitious sustainability goals.

    Recently named a 2024 Vogue Business 100 Innovator for her leadership in sustainability, Brittany is not just a part of the conversation—she is leading it and actively shaping the future of sustainability in fashion.

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Liz Wilson

SVP of Global Product Creation | Rossignol Group

  • Liz Wilson is a dynamic product leader with more than 20 years of global experience in the active and outdoor apparel industry, including Nike and The North Face. Now based in Milan, Italy, she leads Rossignol through a global transformation as their GM of Softgoods. Fueled by her passion for building strong brands, she deeply understands consumer brand loyalty. She has a proven track record of creating product-led innovations within large and mid-sized global companies. Liz embodies a love for products and is dedicated to delivering exceptional consumer experiences while achieving impressive financial results.

    In addition to her product expertise, Liz is committed to mentorship and stewardship. As an eight-year mentor with the Camber Executive Mentorship program, Liz has successfully guided eight emerging leaders through a year-long program that enhances leadership skills and accelerates career growth. Furthermore, as a board member of the Wilderness Land Trust from 2012 to 2022, she played a key role in securing over 50,000 acres for wilderness preservation.

    As a multi-channel executive, Liz has a proven history of driving sales margins and profits, setting and achieving both long- and short-term goals, and developing and executing strategic plans. Her superpower lies in initiating or reimagining new business opportunities, propelling brands, and building teams globally.

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Damien Pitts

Director of the Center of Diversity and Inclusion | Oregon State College of Engineering

  • Damien grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. After high school, he enlisted as a Human Intelligence Collector/Korean linguist in the United States Army, serving in such places as California, Arizona, Korea, Hawaii, Afghanistan, and Iraq. After ten years of service, Damien attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies and Masters in Sociology, Political Economy concentration. While in Graduate school, he was Graduate Student Senate Vice President and created student events that fostered cross departmental relationships.

    After Graduate School, Damien was a Career Coach/Government Jobs Liaison at the University of Utah. In that position, he provided career support for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Veterans. He worked closely with the Utah Athletics Department to enhance off the field success by hosting workshops collaborating with employers to create avenues for off the field success, leading to higher job placement and graduation rates for athletes. Concurrently, he taught Sociology at Salt Lake Community College.

    For seven and a half years, Damien served Assistant Director of Student Organizations and Diversity Outreach in the Lundquist College of Business, University of Oregon. He advised an average of 1200 Business related students a year and oversaw 17 Business related student organizations. He also taught a First year Intro Course and Cross-Cultural Negotiation. For 5 years he co-led the Summer Academy to Inspire Learning (SAIL) Business camp for high school students. In September 2024, he left UO, and currently serves as the Director for the Center of Diversity and Inclusion for the College of Engineering at Oregon State University.

    Being deeply involved in the Oregon community, Damien advises the Delta Alpha (UO) and Iota Iota (OSU) Chapters of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Additionally, from March 2021-Jan 2023, he served as the second Black City Councilor in Springfield, Or, and pushed for community spaces with BBQ grills to increase connectivity, and was a champion for initiatives to connect the city to cultural entities. A proud Eagle Scout, Damien was a Board member for the Oregon Trails Council of the Scouts of America for six years. Lastly, he is the Vice Chair of the Oregon Department of Education Black/African American Student Success Advisory Board, and member of PNW Chapter of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) and NAACP.

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Brian Stewart

Co-Founder | Electrify Now

  • Brian Stewart is a co-founder of Electrify Now, a volunteer organization devoted to educating energy consumers and homeowners about the health and economic benefits of electrification and the role that all of us can play to accelerate the world to clean renewable energy and a sustainable future. Brian has over 40 years of experience in product design, engineering, manufacturing and sustainability and held many leadership roles in his career at Nike Inc. including Vice President of Sustainable Innovation.

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Noel Kinder

Former Chief Sustainability Officer | Nike

  • Noel Kinder is a thought leader in global sustainability and has over 20 years of experience in general management, strategic planning, supply chain management, and government relations.

    Noel most recently served as Nike’s Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) where he led Nike’s “Move to Zero” strategy and integrated sustainability across functions, resulting in Nike’s recognition as an industry leader in sustainability.

    Prior to becoming the CSO, Noel was the Vice President of Sustainable Manufacturing and Sourcing.

    Noel was previously the General Manager of Nike Vietnam LLC, one of the company’s largest sourcing countries, where he was responsible for all manufacturing operations and represented Nike as the country’s largest indirect employer to the Vietnamese government.

    He has served as a member of the NYSE Sustainability Advisory Council and currently advises Collab Fund and Greenplaces.

    Noel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Oregon and a Master’s degree in Business from Portland State University. He is fluent in Spanish.

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Peter Stolpe

Undergraduate Program Manager | Warsaw Sports Business Center

  • Peter Stolpe is a seasoned sports business professional and educator, currently serving as the Undergraduate Program Manager at the Warsaw Sports Business Center and Instructor of Sports Business at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business. In this role, he oversees undergraduate programming and teaches courses that prepare students for careers in the sports industry.

    Before transitioning into academia, Stolpe amassed significant experience in the athletic apparel and footwear industry. He held a senior category management position at Adidas, where he was responsible for managing special event footwear and apparel ranging, pricing, forecasting, and purchasing logistics for Adidas Running. His work involved strategic planning and execution to meet market demands and enhance brand presence.

    Stolpe's industry experience also includes collaboration with academic institutions to develop design curricula that bridge the gap between industry needs and educational offerings. Notably, he was involved in an industry-led collaboration between Adidas and the University of Portland aimed at developing a design curriculum.

    Stolpe's multifaceted career, encompassing both industry and academia, positions him as a valuable asset in educating and mentoring the next generation of sports business professionals.

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T. Bettina Cornwell

Academic Director of the Olympic Studies Hub | University of Oregon

  • T. Bettina Cornwell (Ph.D. in marketing, The University of Texas) is the Philip H. Knight Chair in the Lundquist College of Business and Head of the Department of Marketing at the University of Oregon. Bettina is best known for her work on sponsorship-linked-marketing. She consults with brands and organizations and is a keynote speaker that emphasizes understanding how thing work. More broadly, her research focuses on marketing communications and consumer behavior and often includes international and public policy emphases. The third edition of her book, Sponsorship in Marketing will be published in May of 2025.

More Speakers:

Oregon MBA Student Panelists:

Yoav Dubinsky

Operational Director of the Olympic Studies Hub | University of Oregon

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Pavel Zaytsev

MBA, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

  • Pavel Zaytsev is an Innovation and Entrepreneurship-focused MBA candidate at the University of Oregon. A former military leader and systems engineer, he now treats sustainability as a design challenge—building ventures that frame complexity as opportunity. His latest project, WIT-Box, offers affordable, zero-waste meal kits through a local-first micro-grocerant model. Pavel’s approach blends systems thinking, behavior design, and AI to build tools that simplify decisions and scale impact

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Sarah Luginbill

Master of Accounting

  • Sarah Luginbill is a Master of Accounting student at the University of Oregon, where she also completed her undergraduate degree. Her interest in sustainability was sparked during Josh Skov’s Industrial Ecology class, and she is passionate about exploring how sustainability will continue to change the field of accounting. Sarah served as president of Beta Alpha Psi , the accounting honors society, for the University of Oregon Beta Chapter where she led initiatives to promote academic excellence and community engagement. Currently preparing for her CPA exams, she will soon begin her career as an auditor with Deloitte in Portland. Outside of her studies, Sarah enjoys reading, baking, and playing video games with friends.

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Doris Agra

MBA, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

  • Doris Agra is an Oregon MBA Innovation(Tech) and Entrepreneurship 25’ Candidate at the University of Oregon. She is keen on discovering more non-traditional learning fields in life! Is an administrator with more than nine years of experience in operations management, skills development training, communications, marketing, product/program design, development, and implementation. She is interested in STEM/STEAM education, technology in business, and championing the positive impact of sustainable business practices.

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Aaidan Hebert

MBA, Sports Business

  • Aaidan Hebert is a dedicated University of Oregon MBA Sports Business Candidate with a passion for community engagement, development, and social impact. He brings valuable experience in community relations, corporate partnership activation, and event planning. Currently interning with Women In Flight and Oregon Sports Properties, Aaidan is gaining hands-on experience supporting the Oregon Ducks as they continue to transition into the Big Ten Conference.

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Joshua Skov

Panel Moderator, Senior Instructor of Management

  • Joshua Skov has been a consultant to business and government organizations on sustainability strategy for more than twenty years. Acting as a liaison between technical analysis and executive-level decision making, he has served more than 50 clients in the United States and abroad in a range of industries, including energy, food, waste management, tech, and consumer products. Outside of the University of Oregon, Skov is assistant vice president in the sustainability, energy, and climate change practice of WSP USA.