2025 EcoCareers Summit

September 2025

Thank you for participating in the National Wildlife Federation's 2025 EcoCareers Summit Series!

Downloads:

The following 2025 Summit Downloads are available:

Speakers:

Distinguished Keynote: Dr. Suzanne Pierre, Critical Ecology Lab		Distinguished Keynote: Pooja Tilvawala, Youth Climate Collaborative
Dr. Suzanne Pierre is a Haitian and Indian ecosystems ecologist and biogeochemist, a writer, and transformer of social systems. She is the founder and executive director of the Critical Ecology Lab, a research and social change organization creating new methods and spaces for communities with scientific and cultural knowledge to destabilize oppressive systems and fight back against escalating social and planetary disasters. Dr. Pierre received a bachelor’s in environmental studies from New York University, a doctorate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University and was a University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellow at Berkeley. Her technical expertise is in applying molecular and stable isotope approaches to characterizing the environmental nutrient and carbon cycling in plant and microbial communities experiencing climate change. She leads the development of the field of critical ecology, which applies scientific techniques to investigate human-caused environmental change through the analytical lens of decoloniality and social liberation theory. Her goal is to explain the relationship between global ecological change and systems of global colonialism and capitalism. Dr. Pierre speaks and writes about the intersections of identity, liberation, and ecology, and collaborates with artists and curators to convey these topics through art and exhibitions internationally. She is a recipient of the National Geographic Wayfinder Award.		Pooja is a rising leader in climate justice and intergenerational equity. As the Founder and Executive Director of Youth Climate Collaborative, she creates an ecosystem of support for youth climate leaders worldwide to sustain their leadership and initiatives. Her team directly supports 4,000+ youth per year with programs focused on skills-building, access, and community, including trainings on climate mental health, AI literacy, leadership, and media, access to free/affordable housing and passes to attend life-changing convenings, national hubs in UK, US, Kenya, India, and more. She is also the Founder and CEO of Jaali, a new AI-enhanced social media for social impact changemakers to connect with each other, opportunities, and funders to advance their action and strengthen collaboration for the Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, in 2023 she co-founded the Entertainment + Culture Pavilion, and has since co-organized over 230 events across 7 cities to mobilize a global movement for culture-based climate action. Further, she helps design climate grant programs, advises organizations on youth engagement and strategy, and is conducting innovative research to create a guidebook of intergenerational decision-making models to encourage their wide adoption across sectors. She firmly believes that together, we can improve the quality of life of all.

Featured Speaker: Angela Crenshaw, Maryland Department of Natural Resources		Featured Speaker: Arsum Pathak, National Wildlife Federation
Angela Crenshaw is the Director of the Maryland Park Service, where she oversees over 90 properties (including parks, battlefields, rail trails, natural resources management areas, natural environment areas and state historical parks), 269 classified employees, over 142,000 preserved acres, 1,153 miles of trails, and 2,200 camp sites. Ranger Crenshaw first became a Maryland Park Ranger in 2013 and has been promoted up the ranks through her time at Elk Neck and Gunpowder Falls State Parks. By 2017, she was the Assistant Manager of Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park, where she shared both her knowledge of the environment and the legacy of Harriet Tubman, a powerful historic shero and a motivating force for all women. In 2022, Ranger Crenshaw was honored to become the first Black Lady Park Manager in the history of Maryland Park Service when she accepted the position of Park Manager of Susquehanna, Rocks and Palmer State Parks. The following year, she was promoted to Acting Director and then to Director of the Maryland Park Service. Ranger Crenshaw received her bachelor’s degree in economics and environmental studies from Washington College and her master's degree in Energy and Environmental Policy from the University of Delaware.		Arsum Pathak is the Director of Adaptation and Coastal Resilience for National Wildlife Federation’s South Central Region. Her work focuses on advancing science-based climate adaptation and resilience to protect coastal communities and ecosystems throughout the Gulf Coast from the impacts of climate change and associated extreme events. In this role, she distills climate science and highlights innovative nature-based approaches to help local communities and policy experts understand their baseline physical risks and develop equitable solutions in the face of sea level rise, storm surge, and other climate-induced threats. Arsum has authored and co-authored several publications on climate change impacts and adaptation and participates in state-based coastal resilience and hazard mitigation planning across the Gulf working collaboratively with regional and local stakeholders. Before joining NWF, Arsum received her Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy at the University of South Florida where she researched and published on climate impacts and adaptation decision-making in small islands using a systems approach.

Featured Speaker: Brianna Amingwa, Deeply Rooted Outdoor Education		Featured Speaker: Chris Castro, Climate First Bank
Brianna Amingwa, affectionately known as ‘Ranger Bri,’ is a passionate environmental educator and founder of Deeply Rooted Outdoor Education. With a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Michigan State University, she has dedicated her career to fostering meaningful connections between communities and nature. Before founding her business, Brianna enjoyed a rewarding career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for nearly 13 years. She supervised a thriving environmental education program at America's First Urban Wildlife Refuge and concluded her federal career as the National Coordinator of Youth Employment and Environmental Education. Named a Global Top 30 Under 30 Environmental Educator by the North American Association of Environmental Educators, Brianna has developed and managed education programs reaching nearly 18,000 students annually. Brianna is the creator of the Step Right Out! Framework, a comprehensive model for classroom educators to bring their curriculum to life through inquiry-based outdoor investigation.		Chris Castro is Founding Director and EVP, Chief Sustainability Officer at Climate First Bank. With a distinguished career in sustainability and clean energy, Chris has made significant contributions to environmental initiatives. Prior to joining Climate First Bank, Chris served as a presidential appointee for the Biden-Harris Administration, where he managed a $16 billion portfolio of grants and technical assistance programs at the U.S. Department of Energy. Chris's career also includes nearly a decade of service at the City of Orlando, Florida, where he held various roles, including Senior Advisor to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Director of Sustainability & Resilience. Chris is also known for his eco-entrepreneurial efforts. He co-founded IDEAS For Us, a global UN-accredited nonprofit advancing community-led sustainability projects, and started Citizen Energy, a clean-energy consulting firm specializing in commercial and multifamily buildings. Chris is a graduate of University of Central Florida where he studied B.S. Environmental Studies & Policy, Energy & Sustainability.

Featured Speaker: Hannah Wickes, HannahWickes.com		Featured Speaker: Dr. Iara Lacher, Seven Bends Nursery
Hannah is an advisor on brand, marketing and governance for tech and climate focused startups, and a career coach for individuals seeking to scale positive impact, particularly in climate and nature focused careers. She was Chief Marketing Officer for Ecosia, Germany’s first B-Corp, scaling the organisation to 20 million users enabling the restoration of 100 million trees in +30 countries. Hannah has held roles in business development and marketing at Trivago, working through their IPO launch. Prior to tech she was a journalist for the ABC. Hannah is a Royal Society of Arts’ Fellow, Advisor to Creatives for Climate and Europe's largest climate tech VC, World Fund. She also supports UK Community Foundations and the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants as a nonprofit board member.		Dr. Iara Lacher is a landscape ecologist with expertise in plant ecology, ecosystem function, land use, and native plant propagation. She is the owner of Seven Bends Nursery, a native plant nursery located in Berryville, Virginia offering landscape design, consultation, and long-term ecological management planning services. She comes to this role after an academic career focused on ecological conservation and its intersection with management and policy. As a nursery owner, she is attracted to projects that involve local communities, serving through education and outreach as well as through her role as board chair for the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, a wildlife hospital focused on rehabilitation, release, education, and research on wildlife and OneHealth.

Featured Speaker: Krystal Noiseux, MIT Climate Policy Center		Featured Speaker: Lauren Wang, Trust for Governors Island
Krystal Noiseux is the Associate Director of The Climate Pathways Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT’s) Sloan School of Management, where she oversees engagement efforts in support of the project’s main goal: to use interactive simulations to advance the adoption of evidence-based climate policy through top decision-makers in the public and private sector. Krystal holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from Juniata College and an M.S. in the Human Dimensions of Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida. She was also formally trained as a science educator at Providence College. Prior to MIT, she worked in environmental affairs for state government (Rhode Island, USA) and in the Harvard University Office for Sustainability. She currently resides in Washington, DC.		Lauren Wang is an urban planner committed to serving the people and communities standing up to the climate crisis. She serves as the Director of Climate Programs at the Trust for Governors Island, which supports innovation in urban climate solutions by offering real world piloting opportunities to startups and nonprofits. Lauren also teaches at The City College of New York, where she collaborates with the NYC Climate Justice Hub. Her previous experience includes managing climate adaptation and housing resiliency initiatives at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice and NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

Featured Speaker: Oscar Lopez, El Rio es Vida Coalition		Featured Speaker: Russell Reed, Geographer
Oscar Armando Lopez III is a researcher, writer, and artist from the U.S.-Mexico border whose work spans public policy, youth advocacy, climate action, and multilateral diplomacy. He served as the 13th UNA-USA Youth Observer to the United Nations, where he represented American youth in global forums and helps advance youth priorities within UN processes, and in 2025, he was selected to represent the United States at the Y20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Oscar holds a B.A. in Government and a B.B.A. in Business Honors from the University of Texas at Austin. His commitment to inclusive policy making has led him to roles across sectors, including the White House where he advanced federal climate policy through the Council on Environmental Quality. In response to growing concerns about water scarcity in his hometown, Oscar co-founded the El Río Es Vida Coalition, a collective of scientists, organizers, and community members working to protect the Rio Grande and secure long-term water access for border communities. He is also a member of the Youth Impact Council, launched during NYC Climate Week 2024 to accelerate youth-led global action, and he serves as a Young Advisor to the Story Lab. Oscar has served on several boards, including Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation’s Advisory Board and Laredo Food Policy Council.		Russell Howell Reed is a conservationist, climate activist, and writer. He is the founder of Geographer, a forthcoming creative organization fostering cultural engagement in the environmental movement. A prominent youth climate justice advocate, Russell has led delegations to several United Nations negotiations and spearheaded the ongoing Youth Clause campaign launched at COP29 in Azerbaijan. He is the former conservation manager of Virunga National Park in Eastern Congo and a founding member of biomaterials company Sway, winner of the Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize. Russell is a task force member of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and a board advisor to Glass Half Full Louisiana. Russell's writing on culture and the environment can be found in Atmos, Document, Grist, Office, and elsewhere. He is on spring residency at the Robert Rauschenberg archives in New York City. Russell is an industry fellow at Griffith University and lectures frequently at universities including Harvard, Universidad Libre de Barranquilla, UC Santa Cruz, and the University of Rwanda. He holds an A.B. in Geography from Harvard—the first awarded since the department's disbandment in 1948. He was a John Harvard Scholar, president of the Harvard Political Review, and co-chair of queer activist effort Secret Court 100. He received the inaugural M.Phil. in Anthropocene Studies from the University of Cambridge, where he was the Paul Williams Scholar.

Featured Speaker: Ryan Drake, Morris Arboretum and Gardens		Featured Speaker: Sanjana Paul, Earth Hacks
Ryan Drake is the McCausland Natural Areas Manager at the Morris Arboretum and Gardens of the University of Pennsylvania where he manages 110 acres from wetlands, forests, meadows, orchards, streams, community gardens, research plant collections, native Hymenoptera research, and more. He is also currently a master’s candidate at the Weitzman School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania in City and Regional Planning: Land Use and Environmental Planning with an emphasis on Historic Preservation. Previously, Ryan worked in Iowa as the Ecological Horticulturist at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden where he designed and implemented new ecological gardens. He is originally from Wisconsin where he received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in Community and Environmental Sociology with an emphasis in Conservation Biology. Connecting plants, people, and ecology has long been his interest and pursuit in blending the natural environment and cultural landscapes.		Sanjana Paul is an engineer, environmental justice researcher, and systems thinker working at the intersection of infrastructure, climate, and technology. She is a PhD student at MIT, where her research focuses on renewable energy, energy justice, and the electric grid. Sanjana is the co-founder of Rooted Futures Lab, a research and action collective advancing environmental justice in technology, and Earth Hacks, a nonprofit harnessing hackathons as a form of climate action. Her work has ranged from atmospheric science software engineering at NASA to passing decarbonization policy at the local level. She holds a BS in electrical engineering and physics, and a Master’s in City Planning from MIT.

Featured Speaker: Sarah Williams, National Wildlife Federation		Featured Speaker: Sharon Dorsey, SharInNature
Sarah Williams, ASLA, PLA, CPSI, is a Senior Director of Habitat Design and Planning at the National Wildlife Federation. She is passionate about creating outdoor environments that promote people of all ages outdoors in nature. She has over 15 years’ experience designing and delivering innovative and environmentally focused landscapes with wellness and nature in mind. She is passionate about the creation of spaces to connect all ages to nature where we work, live and play every day. She specializes in the use of native planting design, Nature Play Space design, and placemaking that support both people and wildlife. Her designs foster resilience, encourage biodiversity, education, and the creation of long-lasting meaningful experiences for all who interact with spaces both human and non-human alike.		Sharon Dorsey is a native of Baltimore, MD where she supports local minority-led nature-based organizations as a science educator and community connector. She received a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from George Mason University and a Master’s degree in Fish & Wildlife Conservation from Virginia Tech. Sharon is an ecologist with extensive experience in wildlife conservation, avian research, and community engagement, having worked within the private and federal sector since 2016. Sharon excels in storytelling and community outreach, contributing to projects like Black Birders Week, authoring a short story in the book "Been Outside: Adventures of Black Women, Nonbinary, and Gender Nonconforming People in Nature”, and publishing a children’s book titled “Shorebirds: A Compare and Contrast Book”. She is also the founder of SharInNature, LLC - which provides a wide range of services from community programming, career guidance, and conservation history.

Featured Speaker: Zach Zeller, Climate Analytics
Zach Zeller is a climate adaptation researcher, working on topics such as climate-health impacts, nature-based solutions, and urban heat management. He recently graduated from the University of Bayreuth, with an MSc. in Global Change Ecology. During his graduate studies, he was involved with the National Wildlife Federation first as a Climate Equity Collaborative Youth Advisory Council Mentor and then as a graduate student research fellow. He also serves as a communications coordinator for Generation Climate Europe, a coalition of youth-led networks on climate and environmental issues at the European level. His work covers climate research as well as youth empowerment and capacity development.