Combating Climate Change

Name: Combating Climate Change
Start: February 27, 2020 7:30
End: February 27, 2020 9:00 am
Location: Hilton Downtown Minneapolis

Climate change is disrupting economies in every country, posing a severe ongoing threat to everyday life. Effects from climate change, such as flooding and wildfires, have already cost some companies millions. The success and failure of companies – and our environment – depends on the proactive measures we take right now to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change.

Join us for a discussion on how being a sustainable company is beneficial for both the environment and business, how climate change can be used as an opportunity for innovation, and what steps we can take to work toward a brighter future.

Panelists

Naomi Bartley

Chair and Founding Member of The Climate Reality

Trained by Founder and Chair, Vice President Al Gore, Naomi Bartley is a leader committed to the Climate Reality Project’s mission to catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every level of society. In this role, she serves as a chapter chair, chair and founder of Climate Reality’s Women and Girls Working Group and is a member of the Climate Business Working Group. Bartley is also a mentor for the Leadership Corps trainings and recently spoke as a panelist moderated by the Chair at the 2019 training in Minneapolis. Subsequently, she was invited to attend the first annual Climate Underground conference hosted by Mr. Gore where she participated in solution generating and educational sessions concerning soil, food, and community health.

Amy Fredregill

Managing Director at Minnesota Sustainable Growth Coalition

Having worked in the public, private and non-profit sector, Amy Fredregill has nearly 25 years of experience in policy and systemic approaches to energy, water and other sustainability efforts in both the Midwest and nationally. Since March 2018, Fredregill has been serving as the Managing Director of the Minnesota Sustainable Growth Coalition at Environmental Initiative (EI). The Coalition primarily represents Fortune 500 Companies headquartered in Minnesota that are leaders in corporate sustainability. Prior to EI, Fredregill was Xcel Energy’s Manager of Resource Planning and Strategy for External and State Affairs at NSP-MN.

Aimee Witteman

Program Director at the McKnight Foundation’s Midwest Climate & Energy program

Aimee Witteman leads the McKnight Foundation’s Midwest Climate & Energy program. In this role, she works with a diverse group of business, consumer, social justice, environmental, and labor organizations to advance transformative change on the climate crisis. Witteman also chairs the Midwest Clean Energy Funders group, and serves on the governing committees of the Climate Advocacy Lab and national Climate and Energy Funders Group.

Moderator

Tara Brown

Sustainability Manager for the City of Edina

Tara Brown is responsible for integrating sustainability principles and goals into all projects and programs for the City of Edina. In this newly created role, she acts as a resource and partner to all City departments on conservation and sustainability matters, creates policies and programs to meet the City’s sustainability goals. Previous to this role, Brown was in corporate sustainability program management.

Nonprofit recipient

Clean Energy Economy MN (CEEM) is an industry-led nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening Minnesota’s clean energy ecosystem. CEEM is focused on sharing the stories of clean energy businesses and employees and is committed to working across industries and political divides to support a prosperous economy for Minnesotans.