GBENN | 2024 GBENN Summit Speaker Bios

2024 GBENN Summit – Session Speakers

We look forward to hosting 2024 GBENN Summit on December 2 and 3 at the Ala Moana Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii!

We have a great line-up of speakers at this year’s 2024 GBENN Summit! We’re grateful to all of those that are sharing their expertise – it only makes the Network and the Summit that much more special.

The speakers below are organized by Summit day and session title. To view the full schedule, please visit our Summit webpage here.

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Day 1 – December 2, 2024

Summit Keynote: The Hawaii Green Business Program

Gail Suzuki-Jones is the Manager of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) for the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office with a focus on building and business operations and maintenance and Green Business and Green Building technical assistance and training. As a former contract manager of energy code for new construction and benchmarking projects for existing buildings, Gail has over 25 years of experience working for the State of Hawaiʻi. She collaborates and partners with other agencies, industry associations, and non-profit orginizations to promote and implement energy efficiency and green programs and projects. She feels it is essential to “walk the talk” and “lead by example”.

Jayla Thomas is currently an intern at the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office and a recent graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa focusing on Environmental Science and Sustainability. Her work includes providing technical assistance with the Hawaiʻi Green Business Program, 10 Entry Level Checklist for breweries and distilleries, drafting proposed reports for clean energy waste management, and has had federal grant experience. Throughout her last 4 years in Hawaiʻi, Jayla has gained knowledge and experience in project development, state policy and regulation, and mapping visuals through ArcGIS software.

Maintaining Engagement in our Green Business Programs Over Time

Randall Penn is with the University of Florida IFAS Extension – Sarasota County. He is also a Faculty Agent III – Waste Reduction and the Director of the Sarasota County Green Business Partnership Program. Randall is responsible for designing, coordinating a research-based education program that focuses on solid waste. In addition to implementing a comprehensive waste reduction program, the waste reduction program agent coordinates the Sarasota County Green Business Partnership. Through classes, volunteer engagement and other strategies, the waste reduction agent teaches residents about recycling and waste reduction, and is familiar with county, state and university initiatives, priorities and regulations.

Christy Chow is an Associate at Cascadia Consulting Group, based in Seattle, WA. Her professional focus areas include equitable circular economies, recycling and waste prevention, green business program management, and all things engagement. She is a member of the EnviroStars Washington Program Administration team and a member of Reuse Seattle. She is a graduate of Santa Clara University (BA/BS) and the University of Denver (MS). When not working, she likes to take her cat on hikes, though her cat does not share her enthusiasm.

Alyssia Chinda graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a degree in Environmental Studies. As a business sustainability professional, she previously worked at Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE) in Boulder County. She now continues her work by providing sustainability assistance and coaching to Colorado businesses as a Green Business Specialist for the Colorado Green Business Network, a statewide program housed in the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.

Max Ciarlone (he/him) is the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability BRITE Program. In this role, Max is responsible for the marketing of the program and working with businesses throughout the process to potentially receive grant funding. He also assists with report writing, coalition building, and training businesses on sustainability tactics. Max also has years of experience in community organizing and political advocacy.

Gabe Brenner is the coordinator of commercial solid waste programs for the City of Boise, where he leads initiatives across business, industrial, and multi-family sectors. A graduate of Western Washington University with a degree in Business and Environmental Sustainability, Gabe brings a holistic approach to waste management, blending environmental stewardship with practical business solutions. With 8 years of experience, Gabe began his career with Recology King County in Seattle, Washington, before transitioning to local government in beautiful Boise, Idaho. He has developed a passion for strengthening Boise’s circular economy and finding innovative ways to reclaim landfill-bound resources. Gabe is dedicated to creating meaningful partnerships within the Boise business community to reduce waste, increase resource recovery, and foster a more sustainable city.

New and Innovative Approaches to Reducing Emissions

Ricardo Magallon, Manager, Air Inspection Division and BRITE Program Lead, Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability. As a Loyola University Chicago graduate with degrees in Biology and Environmental Science, Ricardo has worked across the country in roles that helped develop his systems thinking, behavior change, leadership, and marketing and communications skills. Ricardo also holds M.S. degree in Environmental Management from the University of San Francisco focusing on Environmental Law & Policy and Sustainable Business.

Ricardo’s notable contributions to sustainability include his role as a Green Operations Specialist in the Environmental Operations division at San Francisco International Airport, where he managed both the Green Business and Construction & Demolition Debris Management Programs. During this time, he also supported various airport environmental programs and initiatives, including Zero Waste to Landfill, Green Cleaning, and Water Conservation for airport tenants.

Mr. Magallon was honored as a 2018 GreenBiz 30 Under 30 while working at San Francisco International Airport for his work on the Airport’s Zero Waste initiative. He is also a 2022 alumnus of the University of Chicago Civic Leadership Academy.

Currently, Ricardo manages the Air Inspection Division for Cook County’s Department of Environment and Sustainability where he is working to reduce air pollutants, such as greenhouse gas emission and criteria pollutants, from businesses that require air permits throughout the County. He is also leading a $10 million initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan Act to establish Cook County’s first Pollution Prevention Program for businesses, known as the BRITE Program.

Andrew Nowak is a senior environmental specialist in the new pollution prevention (P2) division of the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES). Currently, this P2 division is administering the BRITE Program, a pollution prevention program for small businesses that is comprised of free facility assessments and grant funding opportunities. This new division hopes to expand the BRITE Program as well as find new ways to educate and support businesses and residents within the County on ways to be more environmentally sustainable.

Before joining the P2 division, Andrew worked at Cook County DES in a compliance capacity, enforcing state and local solid waste and recycling permits. Prior to that, Andrew worked in the environmental consulting sector as a project manager and field technician, focusing on industrial wastewater testing. Andrew graduated with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2015.

Since 2011, Lamees Mubaslat has had the privilege of directing Dayton Regional Green, a Montgomery County initiative. One of her proudest achievements has been establishing and launching a highly successful Green Business Certification program, which has attracted over 1,000 participants to date. This initiative has played a pivotal role in promoting greener practices across the Dayton region.

Ditching Disposables – Reusable Foodware Programs for Businesses

Donna Walden, greenUP!, directs the Nevada Green Business Program; developing partnerships, supervising staff, and implementing the certification model and portal. Walden launched a green dining district in Nevada in 2019 and reusable takeout container program in 2022. Walden supports GBENN, helping to structure their organization, assists with strategic planning and the GBENN Summit. For 5 years, Walden was Regional Coordinator for the Western Sustainability & Pollution Prevention Network – R9.

As Co-Executive Director of the California Green Business Network, Lacey Raak serves communities throughout the State of California supporting community-level economic development and a sustainable and environmentally-responsive business sector.

Lacey began her career at the City of Monterey, supporting sustainable transportation and the development of their first Climate Action Plan. She then worked for 12 years in Higher Education Sustainability as the Director of Sustainability at UC Santa Cruz and CSU Monterey Bay, where she developed and supported innovative initiatives, integrated sustainability into long-term plans and policies and helped build a culture of sustainability within an institutional setting. She wrote the City of Seaside’s Municipal Plastic Ordinance in her role as founding Chair of the Seaside Environmental Commission.

Lacey holds a Master’s Degree in International Environmental Policy and Bachelor’s Degree in Global Studies. She recently completed a Chief Sustainability Officer credential from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was 2010 Fulbright Researcher in Indonesia.

Originally from Minnesota, Lacey now enjoys exploring the California Coast with her husband, 2 young kids and dog! She finds peace getting her hands dirty in the garden and laughing at all the crazy bits of life that shouldn’t be taken too seriously.

Jennifer Navarra is the Program Director of Zero Waste Hawaiʻi Island (ZWHI) and has been an active advocate for the zero waste movement in Hawai’i since 2019. With a background in anthropology and ecology, Jennifer takes a systems thinking approach to waste reduction, aiming to create both community-driven and systemic solutions to environmental challenges. As a founding member of ZWHI, Jennifer has been instrumental in advancing initiatives focused on reusable packaging systems. In collaboration with Perpetual, the County of Hawaiʻi, and the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program, ZWHI is a partner in the development and implementation of a reusable foodware demonstration project in Hilo, Hawai’i. This project aims to showcase the feasibility of large-scale reuse systems and serves as a model for other communities to adopt.

What’s the Buzz? Driving Businesses Towards Electrification

Cassie Carroll currently works at the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) at UIUC as the Marketing and Outreach Program Director. As she directs SEDAC’s outreach, marketing, and client recruitment efforts, Cassie helps customers move towards a more energy efficient future. She also manages multiple projects and has continued to grow sustainable business in Illinois through the Illinois Green Business Program. She is also the Director of the Green Business Engagement National Network (GBENN), helping green and sustainable business programs connect and share best practices that help reduce business environmental impacts nationally.

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Day 2 – December 3, 2024

Innovative Strategies for Engaging Businesses in Underserved Communities

Berenice El Gharamti is a passionate and visionary leader dedicated to advancing equity and sustainability across the public and private sectors. With over a decade of experience in environmental engineering, climate action, and Latino economic development, she has consistently delivered impactful and innovative solutions that benefit diverse communities and organizations.

As President and Co-Founder of Monarca Group, Berenice provides multicultural, triple bottom-line solutions, enabling partners to engage and communicate effectively with underserved populations. In her role as Buildings Equity Administrator for the City and County of Denver, she leads compliance assistance for Denver’s building performance and decarbonization policies, focusing on equity-priority buildings.

Berenice is a recognized advocate and expert in her field, with multiple honors and publications acknowledging her contributions. Driven by a mission to create a more inclusive and resilient future for all, she continues to be a leading force in promoting sustainable and equitable practices.

Jose Luis Ramos is a bilingual/bicultural software engineer with extensive experience in construction, entrepreneurship, education, and business ownership. He has worked for several large corporations, including HP, Agilent, and Seagate, performing software engineering and R&D management duties. José Luis has also made significant contributions to the community as a bilingual business specialist for the City of Fort Collins. He helped establish communication channels between minority-owned businesses and the government, creating the Multicultural Business and Entrepreneur Center. In addition, he founded the NoCo Latino Chamber of Commerce, supporting over 90 new companies in his two years with the City. He has also worked as a business consultant for the Minority Business Office and the Larimer Small Business Development Center, assisting various businesses in all business processes. In addition, he helped create the technical foundations program offered by the Minority Business Office. José Luis has owned a consulting company helping small businesses in Fort Collins for the last 19 years and has owned a restaurant for over ten years. He oversees the Sustainable Business Program (SBP) for the City of Longmont, where he works with several partners to help underserved businesses achieve their sustainability goals.

Expanding Statewide: Growing Reach and Impact Nationally

2022-11-03—Heather Navarro, Director, Midwest Climate Collaborative, Washington University in St. Louis.

Heather Navarro has served as the director of the Midwest Climate Collaborative since January 28, 2022, when the MCC launched. Heather most recently served as an Alderperson in the City of St. Louis where she spearheaded a host of climate-forward legislation, including the first building energy performance standard in the Midwest, solar-ready requirements, and an EV-ready building code. Heather previously served from 2013-2020 as the Executive Director of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, a state-wide environmental advocacy organization. In that role, she was actively engaged with the Mississippi River Collaborative, the Missouri Clean Energy Coalition, and many other collaborative efforts.

A Washington University graduate, Navarro earned both a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies in Arts & Sciences in 2001 and a JD from the School of Law in 2008. Her legal practice was primarily with a public interest law firm representing clients in racial and disability discrimination matters.

In addition to this experience, Heather was a fellow with the Public Leaders for Inclusion Council in 2021 and has served on the Missouri Municipal League Board as well as a variety of other local, state, and national boards.

Rayna Oliker joined CDPHE as the Colorado Green Business Network Administrator early in 2021. With 12 years of experience in operational sustainability as well as a Master’s in Education, Rayna’s focus is on providing exemplary service to the State of Colorado’s businesses while centering equity, engagement, and sustainability in the work that she does.

Oakley Jennings-Fast holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemical and Biological Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and began her career working for the chemical manufacturing industry. Inspired to shift her career, she founded her own consulting company, Level Up Planet, and served as the Director of Circular Economy for Smart Waste USA. She now is a Green Business Specialist for the Colorado Green Business Network.

GreenBizTracker Development Session

Julianne Rhodes has worked in both the public and private sectors developing specifications for on-site regulatory compliance of projects involving the assessment and removal of hazardous materials from 1987 to 1996. She gained extensive project, personnel, technology and contract management experience during her 12 years as engineering manager at Cruzio.com and subsequently earned a Masters in Applied Marine and Watershed Science from California State University Monterey Bay. She has developed Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) for both the municipal and industrial NPDES permit programs and led the implementation of the Short-lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy (SB 1383) requirements in three jurisdictions. Additionally, Julianne manages the development and maintenance of GreenBizTracker, a web-based platform designed to facilitate the operation of Green Business certification programs and report outcomes from the adoption of environmentally preferable practices. The platform serves over 10,000 businesses in CA and is leased to eight other states.

Maria Corona, or Corona, is a bilingual sustainability professional with extensive experience in community outreach, environmental justice initiatives, social media marketing, and design. She is Co-Executive Director and Equity Chair for the California Green Business Network. Passionate about advancing equity and sustainability, she collaborates with Community-Based Organizations to enhance participation from frontline communities, so that the Green Business advantage is uniform and equitable. She brings expertise in waste reduction and recycling through her implementation of SB 1383 organics recycling and food recovery programs across three jurisdictions, as well as her previous role as the Zero Waste Coordinator at CSU Monterey Bay.

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