WIU ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMIT SPEAKERS
2004
Roger Brown, Associate Professor, Department of Management, Illinois Institute for
Rural Affairs
Topic: “Wind Energy”
Current: Business Developer BP Wind Energy
John Curtis, Owner and operator of Barefoot Gardens—a local Organic Community
Supported Agriculture
Topic: “Local Agriculture”
Current: same as above
www.barefootgardens.org
2005
Al Goldfarb, President, WIU
Topic: Signed Talloire and delivered proclamation for sustainability and
environmental concerns.
Current: Retired and living in New York
2006
Chad Pregracke, Founder and President of Living Lands and Waters (LLW) in
Moline, Illinois.
Topic: “Cleaning Up America’s Rivers”
Current: same as above
www.livinglandsandwaters.org/
2007
Majora Carter, Founder and Executive Director, Sustainable South Bronx, Inc.
Topic: “Environmental Justice”
Current: same as above
Majoracartergroup.com
http://www.ted.com/talks/majora_carter_3_stories_of_local_ecoactivism.html
2008
Stephen Hamstra, Chief Technology Officer for Greensleeves
Topic: “Sustainability as a Magnet for Students, Staff, and Donors”
Current: Makes high performance energy efficient buildings cost less and developed
a technology that significantly reduces the cost of geothermal heat pump
heating/cooling systems
www.greensleevesllc.com
Thomas Hylton, Pulitzer Prize winning Journalist and author
Topic: “Save Our Land, Save Our Towns”
Current: Host of an hour-long public television documentary called Save Our Land,
Save Our Towns
http://www.saveourlandsaveourtowns.org/index.html
Enid L. Cardinal, Rochester Institute of Technology
Topic: “Sustainability: A Community Effort On and Off Campus”
Current: Internationally recognized as a leader in computer, engineering, imaging
technology, business, fine and applied arts, and education of the deaf, is a proud
sponsor of the Rochester Regional Business Plan competition and is committed to
promoting entrepreneurship within the greater Rochester region
www.rit.edu/president/profiles/cardinal_enid.html
2009
Sandra Steingraber, acclaimed ecologist and author
Topic: “Contaminated Without Consent: How Pollutants in Air, Food, and Water
Violate Human Rights and What We Can Do About It”
Current: Continues her quest for promoting human rights and cleaning the
environment
www.steingraber.com
2010
Ron Sherga, WIU alumnus and entrepreneur
Topic: “Recycling and Sustainability: Challenges and Solutions”
Current: Founder/owner of Sherresults LLC, consultant, and advisor.
www.ronsherga.com/
2011
Julian Keniry, Senior Director for Campus and Community Leadership National
Wildlife Federation
Topic: “Why Eco-Literate Students Will Lead the 21st Century”
www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/Media-Center/Faces-of-NWF/JulianKeniry.aspx
Current: Senior Director, Campus and Community Leadership Headquarters Reston, VA
http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/Media-Center/Faces-of-NWF/Juliankeniry.aspx
2012
Peter Schwartzman, Associate Professor, Knox College and chair of the school's
Environmental Studies program
Topic: “Living Green…It is Happening but It Could Happen in a Much Bigger Way”
http://www.countercurrents.org/schwartzman060411.htm
Current: Associate Professor and Chair of Environmental Studies, Knox College
http://www.knox.edu/profile-index/faculty/schwartzman-peter.html
2013
Cliff Thompson, Habitat for Humanity of Iowa
Topic: “The Greening Habitat in the 21st Century”
Current: same as above
http://www.linkedin.com/in/cliffthompson
Jean Harman, Food Security team Leader, U.S. Peace Corps
Topic: “Sustainable Food Security in a Peaceful 21st Century”
Current: same as above
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jean-harman/10/b18/957