Contacts: Jennifer Myers
The Aspen Institute
(202) 736-2906
jennifer.myers@aspeninstitute.org
Beth Foster
National Geographic magazine
(202) 857-7543
befoster@ngs.org
Washington, DC, (June 1, 2012)––—The Aspen Institute and National Geographic are pleased to announce the list of scholars attending the fifth annual Aspen Environment Forum, to be held on June 22-25, 2012, in Aspen, CO. The Forum will explore the theme Living in the New Normal. Speakers, including Special Advisor to Mayor Bloomberg Rohit Aggarwala; Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs Sharon E. Burke; Oceanographer Sylvia Earle; Braddock, PA, Mayor John Fetterman; Dr. Heidi Cullen, Chief Climatologist for Climate Central and the author of The Weather of the Future; Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Hayes; and Pulitzer Prize-winning scientist E.O. Wilson, will discuss how the planet and its people are adapting to shifting environmental conditions and paradigms.
The Aspen Environment Forum Scholars Program is designed to bring diverse and accomplished leaders to the Forum who might not otherwise be able to attend. Scholars are selected on the basis of their experience, achievements, and interest in the issues pertaining to the focus of the Forum as well as their commitment and contributions to their field. Forum Scholars will be hosted in Aspen by the Aspen Institute and are invited to participate in the Forum’s extensive programming, including large plenary sessions, panel discussions, one-on-one interviews, multiple concurrent morning and afternoon sessions, luncheons, casual conversations, dinner events, and evening exchanges.
2012 Aspen Environment Forum Scholars:
- Jean-Christophe Amado, Climate Change Risk Manager, Acclimatise North America (Canada)
- Lawrence Berliner, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver
- Eva Čermáková, Assistant Executive Director, Zdeněk Bakala’s Global Non-Profit Programs (Czech Republic)
- Whitney Clark, Executive Dirtector, Friends of the Mississippi River
- Greg Costello, Executive Director, Western Environmental Law Center
- Catherine Craig, President, Conservation through Poverty Alleviation International
- Chester Culver, President, Chet Culver Group, former Governor of Iowa
- Jennifer Curtin, Attorney, Booz Allen Hamilton
- Cait Dmitriew, Adjunct Professor/Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Colorado- Boulder
- Luis Fernandez, Research Associate, Carnegie Institution for Science
- John Fialka, Editor, ClimateWire, E&E Publishing, LLC
- Stephanie Gripne, Director of the Initiative for Sustainable Development, University of Colorado
- Marce Gutierrez, Founder, Executive Director, Azul
- Jennifer Gooden, Director, Office of Sustainability, City of Oklahoma City
- Joshua Humphreys, Fellow, Tellus Institute
- Kate Knuth, Representative/Boreas Leadership Program Coordinator, State of Minnesota/University of Minnesota
- Daniel Lawse, Assistant Director of Campus Planning and Sustainability, Metropolitan Community Collge
- Allen Manser, Technology Investment Associate, Zouk Capital
- Melissa Ocana, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Fellow, Assistant to the Climate Change Policy Advisor, US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Brian Palm, Director of Environmental Stewardship, Brooks School
- Robert J. Phocas, Energy and Sustainability Manager, City of Charlotte
- Sarah Finnie Robinson, Founding Partner, Head of Social Programming, Practically Green
- Emily Rubenstein, Senior Policy Advisor, New York City Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability
- Hrishabh Sandilya, Vice-President, Anglo-American University
- Romeo Santos, Executive Director, WorkLand M&E Institute, Inc. (Philippines)
- Marco Seeman, Regulatory Affairs Analyst, Enel Green Power (Italy)
- Paul Spencer, Founder and President, Clean Energy Collective
- Kate Stephenson, Executive Director, Yestermorrow Design/Build School
- Kristen Painemilla Walker, Vice President, Social Policy and Practice, Conservation International
- Lin Wei, Director of External Affairs, China Securities Journal (China)
- Cherilyn Widell, Principal Investigator, Department of Defense ESTCP Project
- David Wright, Film Producer, Planet Earth Pictures
More information about the Aspen Environment Forum and a list of all confirmed speakers are available at http://www.aspenenvironment.org/. Updates will be posted throughout the Forum on Twitter @AIEnvironment and #AEF2012.
EDITORS’ NOTE: Media interested in obtaining a press pass for the 2012 Aspen Environment Forum can apply online at http://www.aspenenvironment.org/media.
The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society’s mission is to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 400 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.
The Aspen Institute mission is twofold: to foster values-based leadership, encouraging individuals to reflect on the ideals and ideas that define a good society, and to provide a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues. The Aspen Institute does this primarily in four ways: seminars, young-leader fellowships around the globe, policy programs, and public conferences and events. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.
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