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2026 Speakers

Chris Enlow

B Consultant | Fractional Sustainability Leaders Collective

  • Chris’s approach to sustainability is grounded in action—driven by a sense of duty of care and a belief that values must be operationalized to create lasting change. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Education from the College of Charleston and his Master’s in Recreation Management from Arizona State University, he joined the Peace Corps and served in rural Bulgaria, focusing on environmental education and trail restoration. That experience sparked a lifelong focus on turning good intentions into tangible impact.  Following his work in the non-profit sector, Chris helped to establish and build the sustainability program at KEEN—phasing out harmful chemicals, shaping responsible sourcing standards, and aligning business operations with environmental values. Today, he advises companies in his Futurescapes Consulting practice on integrating sustainability into supply chains, compliance systems, and community impact strategies. 

     Based in Portland, Chris draws inspiration and grounding from Oregon’s wild landscapes—especially time spent surfing and meditating. He has dedicated many years to nonprofit service and currently serves on the boards of Oregon Wild and the Oregon Sustainability Board, bringing both purpose and practice to his governance work. 

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Erin Lewellen

CEO | Tilting Futures

  • As CEO, Erin is propelling Tilting Futures into a new era of innovation and impact. She founded the organization's innovative flagship program, Take Action Lab, and launched a systems change strategy with higher education institutions, educational nonprofits, and partners to identify best

    practices, build a robust evidence base, and integrate credit-bearing experiential immersive global learning into curricula as a global standard. A recognized thought leader in youth development and global education, Erin listens to young people and develops programming to meet their needs. She fosters a culture of equity and inclusion, earning the organization a top spot on Outside Magazine's Best Places to Work and recognition in COLOR Magazine as an inclusive workplace.

    Before joining Tilting Futures in 2014, Erin was the Vice President of School Partnerships at Revolution Foods and the Bay Area Director for Playworks. She has also served as the Board Chair for Oakland Leaf and is a member of the Advisory Board for Rising Sun Center for Opportunity. Erin regularly authors articles about her work and life to publications such as Forbes, Fast Company, Bloomberg, and NBC.

Jocelyn Bridson

Director of Environment & Community Impact | Tillamook Creamery

  • Jocelyn Bridson is the Director of Environment & Community Impact at the Tillamook County Creamery Association, a farmer-owned dairy cooperative in Oregon. She has over twenty years of experience working at the intersection of science, management, and communication. After joining Tillamook in 2020, she has worked collaboratively to establish strategies and implement stewardship projects across farms, facilities, and their fleet including creating a climate action plan roadmap. She also leads the company’s philanthropy programs which center around food security, agricultural advocacy, and healthful children.  Previously, she led sustainable agriculture programs in the fresh produce industry in California and has also worked in habitat restoration and environmental education. Jocelyn is a Certified Crop Advisor and has a master’s degree in Environmental Science & Management from UC-Santa Barbara and a B.S. in Conservation Biology from University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Mitra Gruwell

Community Engagement Coordinator | Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts

  • Mitra Gruwell is an upcycle fashion/product designer, educator and consultant with a focus on business and program management, entrepreneurship and creative curriculum development.  Mitra is the Board President and program manager/developer for nonprofit Viking Textile Maker Hub, offering education and access to industrial sewing skills and equipment, and she teaches workshops on machine operation and sewing, Textile Repair, Upcycling and Design Thinking.  She is a Sustainability Commissioner for the City of Eugene, Master Recycler, the Fix-It Fair Coordinator as well as the Community Engagement Coordinator for local nonprofit the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts.  Mitra is passionate about the arts and sustainability and the roles creativity and innovation play in creating a healthy and sustainable future for humanity and the planet alike. 

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Jake Higdon

Fellow | California Forward

  • Jake Higdon is a fellow at California Forward and Center for Public Enterprise. He most recently served as Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy, where he worked to implement the Biden-Harris Administration’s industrial strategy, craft Inflation Reduction Act tax guidance, and launch new clean energy manufacturing and infrastructure programs.  
     

    Prior to joining DOE, Jake advanced national energy and climate policy in roles at Environmental Defense Fund, Data for Progress, Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, and the Obama White House. He holds an M.P.A. from Columbia University and a B.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill. 

Miranda Menard

Senior Program Manager, Energy & Sustainability | CBRE

  • PNW based strategic thought leader specializing in Real Estate, Global Program Operations & Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

    In addition to leading a Fortune 500 Global RE/IFM Energy + Sustainability program across a 16+ million sqft portfolio, Miranda is the founder of Willow Group, a boutique management firm and co-founder of Opulence, an Investors Social Club. Miranda serves on the University of Oregon Black Alumni Association Executive Board of Directors, CBRE Black Excellence Co-Chair and CBRE HOLA Board of Directors.

    (LinkedIn)

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Dr. Janice Lao

VP Regulations & Compliance | Helen of Troy

  • Dr. Janice Lao is an internationally multi-awarded environmental scientist and economist working with businesses to operate in a manner that creates holistic value for all. She has over 20 years experience working in the field of corporate sustainability, and in the past 10 years as head of sustainability for several publicly listed companies based in Asia, Europe, and the United States. She is currently VP- Regulatory, Sustainability & Governance for consumer goods company Helen of Troy. At 30, she developed the initial mathematical and economic modeling that was the basis for international aviation’s carbon-neutral growth strategy. She also originated and led some of the “first in the industry” sustainable financial deals, from green bonds to M&A. Her work has been recognized by Forbes Magazineas one of the world’s most influential female sustainability leaders, Fortune Magazine and others, often as the only Asian, and one of the youngest, in their lists. She graduated from the University of Oxford as a British Chevening scholar and at Prescott College with a PhD in Sustainability Education. She also co-wrote a climate change book “Sparky & Benny’s Big Home Mystery” with her daughter, Esther. Her new children’s book “Penguins Can Fly, Right?”, co-authored with her son, Isaac, is now out. 

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Sofie Roux

CEO | BloomBox Design Labs

  • Sofie Roux is a Stanford senior majoring in Sustainable Architecture and Engineering who believes that grand challenges, such as achieving universal access to high quality education in science and technology (STEAM) fields, can be approached with sensitivity, determination, and relentless design thinking.  

    She is the Founder and CEO of BloomBox Design Labs, focusing on improving access to high quality STEAM education in low resource environments. Over the past four years, BloomBox Design Labs has designed, constructed, and installed four state-of-the-art computer and design labs, capable of functioning completely off grid, and in austere and rural environments in Malawi. BloomBoxes have brought electricity, access to computers, a spectrum of educational technology, multimedia educational materials, and high-speed connectivity to over 10,000 students, who previously had no or minimal access to electricity. The BloomBox team plans to scale these labs to 300 more schools across the country and within southern Africa in the next 5 years in partnership with the UNHCR and the Government of Malawi. BloomBox Design Labs has been the recipient of the Diana Humanitarian Award, a US Department of Energy award for sustainability, and startup prizes at energy tradeshows across the country and the American Institute of Architects.  

Jessica Ahrenholtz

Executive Director | Next Step Recycling

  • Jessica Ahrenholtz is the Executive Director of NextStep Recycling, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit electronics recycler in Eugene, OR. 

    Jessica began her career at NextStep Recycling in 2018. She has served as NextStep’s ReUse Store Manager, Director of Marketing, Grant writer, Assistant Executive Director, Community Outreach Director, Volunteer Coordinator and became NextStep’s Executive Director in 2023.

    Jessica has received many community awards, including most recently, Eugene’s 2024 Outstanding Women in Business and the Springfield Chamber’s 2024 Business Person of the Year. 

    Jessica loves helping others and works non-stop to assist as many people in our community as possible, providing much needed computers and Job Skills Training to so many with education and employment barriers.

Tori Middelstadt

Executive Director | Willamette Valley Visitors Association

  • Tori Middelstadt has spent nearly 20 years working in tourism and still loves helping people discover great places. She got her start in Alaska’s tourism industry, where working in visitor attractions sparked a lifelong appreciation for outdoor adventure, rural communities, and welcoming travelers. After moving to Oregon in 2014, she found her way into destination marketing with Travel Salem and later joined the Willamette Valley Visitors Association as Development and Industry Relations Manager. 

    Most recently, Tori led Visit Grants Pass, where she helped rebuild the DMO, launch a new brand, and strengthen partnerships across the community. Now back at WVVA as Executive Director, she brings a collaborative, people-first approach and a passion for tourism that benefits both visitors and the communities that call Oregon home. 

Wyatt Cuddington

Senior Sustainability Certifications Manager, Textiles, Climate Pledge | Amazon

  • Wyatt Cuddington leads textile and recycling certification strategy for Climate Pledge Friendly, Amazon's sustainable shopping program. He is focused on building the business and technical infrastructure that enables customer trust when shopping for more sustainable textile, fashion, and apparel products. He manages relationships with leading sustainability standards and industry leaders across textiles and recycling, developing traceability and product claims management systems to grow the number of products that feature more sustainable materials.
    Prior to joining Amazon, Wyatt earned his MBA at the University of Oregon's Lundquist College of Business, with an emphasis in Sustainable Business Practices and a specialty in Environmental Conflict Resolution from the School of Law. He holds BAs in International Relations and Music from UC Davis. Wyatt loves surfing and grew up in San Diego.

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Laura Kinman

Founder | Coastal Range Collective

  • Laura Kinman is the founder of Coastal Range Collective, a sustainable women’s coastal apparel brand rooted in function, longevity, and thoughtful design. She spent over a decade at Patagonia leading women’s lifestyle product, helping bring to life some of the outdoor industry’s most influential sustainability and social initiatives.

    In January 2025, Laura launched Coastal Range Collective to explore how industry-leading practices once implemented at global scale can be adapted to a small, independent business. Through her work, she shares lessons on sustainability, entrepreneurship, and redefining impact beyond traditional measures of scale.

Andrew Millison

Permaculture Educator & Designer | Oregon State University

  • Andrew Millison is an educator and founder of Oregon State University’s Permaculture Design program since 2009. He has travelled the Earth documenting impactful stories of land regeneration on his popular YouTube channel, which boasts over 100 million video views. In his 30-year career in Permaculture, he has designed and consulted on numerous projects throughout the world. 

Joe Moll

Executive Director | McKenzie River Trust

  • Joe came to the Trust in January 2005 after working mostly with grizzly bears and landowners in Montana and Hokkaido, northern Japan. Outside of his work with Trust, he likes to spend as much time as he can running trails and exploring new places outdoors with his wife and three boys.


    - (MRT website)

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Dr. Yoav Dubinsky

Associate Teaching Professor of Marketing | University of Oregon

  • Dr. Yoav Dubinsky is an Associate Teaching Professor of Marketing in the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon, and the operational director of the University of Oregon Olympic Studies Hub. His interdisciplinary scholarship focuses on sports, nation branding, public diplomacy, and country image and especially how countries, cities, and communities try to improve their images and reputations through sports. Focusing on the Olympic Movement, Dubinsky has covered or researched the Olympic Games from Beijing, London, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, and Paris. He has been involved with the International Olympic Academy as a lecturer, a coordinator, and a student, using sports as a tool for inclusion in diverse international environments. He is the author of the books Nation Branding and Sports Diplomacy: Country Image Games in Times of Change and A New Olympic Era: A New Olympic Era: Navigating Socioeconomic, Geopolitical, and Environmental Complexities.