FOCUS AREAS
Biomimicry, Biophilia, Built Environment, Design, Energy, Health & Wellness, Materials, Technology, Transportation, Urbanism, Waste, Water
For over a decade, the Net Zero Conference has been convening climate leaders to re-envision a decarbonized and net zero built environment.
We showcase the latest on:
Climate + Net Zero + ESG + Equity + Carbon + Resilience
Featuring content on: Biomimicry, Biophilia, Built Environment, Design, Energy, Health & Wellness, Materials, Technology, Transportation, Urbanism, Waste, Water.
World-class speakers from multidisciplinary backgrounds have held our conference stage. Previous Keynote speakers from XPRIZE, Edison International, NASA, Seventh Generation, Zero Hour, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and more.
1,500+ attendees. Past attendees from 56 countries and 45 U.S. states spanning all industries.
Are you an expert in your field at the intersection of carbon, climate, equity, ESG, net zero, or resilience? Submit an abstract by May 11, 2022 to speak at NZ22. There’s never been a more crucial time to lead the conversation on climate action towards a #NetZeroFuture.
Growth Lead, Cambio
Joel Cesare is a visionary trailblazer in the real estate/sustainability field known for challenging the status quo and executing game-changing projects. As Growth Lead at Cambio, Joel brings an action-obsessed, ROI-driven mindset to Cambio’s mission of decarbonizing buildings at scale using AI. Prior to Cambo he led the net zero program for Google real estate from 2021-2024, overseeing the roadmap to decarbonize thousands of global office buildings. As a development manager for the City of Santa Monica, he built what is widely considered one of the world's greenest buildings. He’s a Living Future Institute (ILFI) Living Future Hero (2019), ENR Magazine Top 25 Newsmaker (2018), USGBC-CA "First in the World" (2017) and Building Design + Construction Magazine 40 Under 40 (2017) honoree. A career spanning tech, construction, founder, consulting, government and non-profit leader, Joel’s mission is to dream, inspire and deliver. You can hear his provocative takes on the podcast he co-hosts about climate and entrepreneurship, Less Talk, More Action.
Environmentalist
Founder, The Hip Hop Architecture Camp
Michael Ford, AIA, NOMA, NCARB—widely known as The Hip Hop Architect—has dedicated his career to increasing diversity in architecture through culturally relevant education. He founded The Hip Hop Architecture Camp, a global program that uses Hip Hop to introduce underrepresented youth to design. As Founding Principal of BrandNu Design Studio, Ford leads projects like The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx. His work has been featured on Oprah Winfrey Network’s Super Soul Sunday, The TODAY Show, Rolling Stone, and Interior Design Magazine. Ford is a highly regarded speaker for his thought leadership at the intersection of design and culture. Some of his past keynotes include the American Institute of Architects National Conference, American Planning Association’s Planning Conference, The Toronto Interior Design Show.
Environmental Activist
At just 19 years old, Nalleli Cobo led a grassroots campaign resulting in the permanent closure of a hazardous oil-drilling site in her community in March 2020. This site, infamous for its toxic emissions, had inflicted severe health issues on Nalleli and her neighbors. Growing up in South Los Angeles, Nalleli became an activist at the tender age of 9, spurred by the foul odors emanating from the oil well across the street from her home. Enduring headaches, nosebleeds, and heart palpitations due to the pollution, she began attending meetings and rallies alongside her mother, delivering her first public speech on the matter at just 9 years old. Her natural oratory skills and unwavering dedication eventually positioned her as the leading voice advocating for the ban of oil extraction in Los Angeles. Co-founding initiatives like People Not Pozos and the South Central Youth Leadership Coalition, Nalleli's activism gained momentum. In March 2020, her tireless work culminated in the permanent shutdown of the AllenCo Energy drilling site, where she had spent her childhood. Furthermore, her advocacy led to criminal charges against AllenCo Energy executives for environmental violations. Despite facing personal adversity, including a cancer diagnosis at 19, Nalleli persisted. Recognized for her extraordinary contributions, Nalleli received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2022, and was on the 2022 Time 100 Next list.
Full access to the conference including all educational sessions, keynotes, and the Expo Hall. Coffee, breakfast, and lunch included.
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Enjoy benefits of the Conference Pass with a student discount. Must register with active institution email and provide proof of current student status.
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Provides access to the Expo Hall, where sustainability leaders will be showcasing their innovations. Includes Happy Hour in the Hall. A cash bar will be available.
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The Net Zero Conference abstract submission process is highly competitive as our speaking opportunities provide valuable access and visibility to leaders in the climate space.
Please follow the guidelines here to increase your chances of submitting a successful abstract
Submit by April 3, 2026
Do you know someone that would be an inspiring keynote for our Net Zero Conference? We’d love to open the floor for your suggestions for leaders and changemakers with an expertise in Climate, Net Zero, ESG, Equity, Carbon, or Resilience.
Contact us with any questions.
Nominations for 2026 are open.
Each year, the Net Zero Conference Trailblazer Awards celebrates interdisciplinary leaders making a positive impact on people and the environment. Do you know a leader in the climate space who is deserving of a Trailblazer Award? Share their information with our team for consideration.
Nominations for 2026 are open.
President, American Institute of Architects & Principal, HOK
Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, NOMAC, is the 2024 President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Dowdell is also a principal with global design firm HOK, serving as firmwide director of strategic relationships. In 2019-2020, Dowdell served as national president of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). Dowdell has devoted her career to laying foundations for architects to create positive social and environmental change on a local, national and global scale. She has intentionally connected a diverse array of built environment stakeholders to help advance her professional mission, which is “to improve people's lives, by design." At HOK, Dowdell co-chairs the firm’s Diversity Advisory Council (DAC) and co-founded HOK Impact, the firm’s social responsibility program. She also co-founded Social Economic Environmental Design (SEED), an organization that promotes design for healthy communities in 2005. Dowdell earned her Master of Public Administration at Harvard and her Bachelor of Architecture at Cornell, where she was elected by her fellow alumni to serve on the board of trustees in 2022.
CEO, 1% for the Planet
Kate Williams is CEO of 1% for the Planet, a global movement that inspires action and commitment so that our planet and future generations thrive. 1% for the Planet’s global network of thousands of businesses and individuals have donated $100s of millions to environmental partners to date. Kate has led significant growth in the community’s scale and impact, as well as deep work on best practices for implementing high impact giving strategies, growing a network brand, and operating as a thriving workplace with an incredible staff team. Kate earned a BA at Princeton University and an MS at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and has served on a variety of Boards throughout her career. Kate is a Mom, a trail runner and hiker with her dog, and a kitchen gardener.
Head of Worldwide Circular Economy, Amazon
George Bandy, Jr. currently serves as Head of Worldwide Circular Economy at Amazon. He believes that looking at opportunities to position environmental, economic and socially responsible solutions for customers can set the standard for other businesses to follow that will result in a brighter future for us all.
Executive Director, Honor the Earth
Winona LaDuke is a rural development economist and author working on issues of Indigenous Economics, Food, and Energy Policy. She lives on the White Earth reservation Minnesota, where she founded the White Earth Land Recovery Project, one of the largest reservation-based non-profit organizations in the country. She is the Executive Director of Honor the Earth (HtE), which she co-founded with the Indigo Girls to raise awareness of and money for indigenous struggles for environmental justice. In 1996 and 2000, she ran for vice president as the nominee of the Green Party of the United States, on a ticket headed by Ralph Nader.
In 2007, LaDuke was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. In 1994, LaDuke was nominated by Time magazine as one of America’s 50 most promising leaders under 40. She was awarded the Thomas Merton Award in 1996, Ms. Woman of the Year (with the Indigo Girls in l997), and the Reebok Human Rights Award. LaDuke was a co-founder and Board Co-Chair of the Indigenous Women’s Network for fifteen years, and maintains a significant role in international advocacy for Indigenous people. This has included numerous presentations at United Nations forums. A graduate of Harvard and Antioch Universities, she has written extensively on Native American and environmental issues. She is the author of six books.
CEO, Living Future
As CEO of the International Living Future Institute, Lindsay Baker is the organization’s chief strategist, charged with delivering on its mission to lead the transformation toward a civilization that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. Lindsay is a climate entrepreneur, experienced in launching and growing innovative businesses. Her introduction to the green building movement began at the Southface Institute in Atlanta, where she interned before entering Oberlin College to earn a BA in Environmental Studies. She was one of the first 40 staff members at the U.S. Green Building Council, working to develop consensus about what the LEED rating system would become. She then earned an MS from the University of California at Berkeley in Architecture, with a focus on Building Science, and spent five years as a building science researcher at the UC Berkeley Center for the Built Environment. Lindsay applied her experience around the study of heat, light, and human interactions in buildings to a role with Google’s Green Team, and later co-founded a smart buildings start-up called Comfy, which grew over five years to 75 employees and a global portfolio of clients. She was the first Global Head of Sustainability and Impact at WeWork, where she built the corporate sustainability team and programs from scratch. Lindsay is a Senior Fellow at the Rocky Mountain Institute, and a lecturer at UC Berkeley. She serves on several non-profit boards, and is an advisor and board member for numerous climate tech startups.
Founder, Living Building Challenge
McLennan is the creator of the Living Building Challenge, as well as a primary author of the WELL Building Standard. He serves as the Chairman of the International Living Future Institute and is the CEO of McLennan Design, his own architectural and planning practice. He is the recipient of the prestigious Buckminster Fuller Prize, has been called a “World Changer” by GreenBiz magazine, and has been selected as the Award of Excellence winner for Engineering News Record. He is the author of 6 books, including the Philosophy of Sustainable Design, which is considered the ‘bible for green building,’ and is both an Ashoka Fellow and Senior Fellow of the Design Future’s Council. He has been selected by Yes! Magazine as one of ‘15 people shaping the world.’ McLennan’s work has been published in dozens of journals, magazines, and newspapers around the world.
CEO, American Institute of Architects
Lakisha Ann Woods, CAE, is the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), a dynamic network of more than 94,000 architects and design professionals throughout 200 chapters committed to enhancing the built environment. Woods previously served as President & CEO of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) from 2018 to 2022. She led efforts to expand the organization’s programs and markets while growing and strengthening its membership base. Prior to joining NIBS, she was the Sr. VP & Chief Marketing Officer at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), where her team was responsible for all marketing and revenue-generating programs – including marketing the International Builders Show, sponsorship sales, and partnerships with major national companies. Woods is the author of the book Never Get Their Coffee: Empowering Fearless Leadership and currently serves on the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Board of Directors as Chair of the Foundation and Chair-Elect of the ASAE Board. She also previously served as Vice-Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council Board of Directors and is a global speaker. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland in College Park and lives with her husband and daughter in Howard County, Maryland.
Founder & CEO, Architecture 2030
Edward Mazria, FAIA, Hon. FRAIC is an internationally recognized architect, author, researcher, and educator. He is the founder of Architecture 2030, host of the AIA+2030 Professional Education Series, and inspiration for the 2030 Districts movement in North American cities. In 2014, Mazria presented the Roadmap to Zero Emissions at the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, calling for zero emissions in the built environment by 2050; he also drafted the 2050 Imperative, endorsed by professional organizations representing over 1.3 million architects in 124 countries worldwide. Recently, he developed Achieving Zero, a framework of incremental actions that cities and governments can put in place to ensure carbon-neutral built environments by mid-century, and the Zero Cities Project to implement the framework.
Vice President, Energy & Climate, XPRIZE
As leader of the XPRIZE Energy team, Marcius combines his experience in partnership building and strategy with his training in physics and engineering to help lead the transition to a clean energy future. This work includes leading the $20 million NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, a global competition to recycle CO2 into valuable products. Before joining XPRIZE, Dr. Extavour served as Director of Government and Corporate Partnerships in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. He has held positions at the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resource and at the Council of Canadian Academies. In the private sector, he has developed risk management software for North American electric power markets at Ontario Power Generation, and designed and fabricated optoelectronic devices at Nortel Networks Research Labs. Dr. Extavour received a PhD and MSc in Physics and a BASc in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto.
Earth & Climate Scientist, NASA
Dr. Miner is a Fellow at the Center for Climate and Security and Co-chair of the NASA HQ Interagency Forum on Climate Risks, Impacts, and Adaptation. She is a graduate of Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (MPA) and the University of Maine's Climate Change Institute (Ph.D.), where she was a Fulbright, Switzer, and Department of Defense fellow. She is a Black belt, certified Wilderness Firefighter and First Responder, and mom to a lively cattledog.
New York Times Best Selling Author & Founder, byta
Jedidiah Jenkins is a travel writer and public speaker. He has written two books, ‘To Shake The Sleeping Self’ a memoir about cycling 14,000 miles from Oregon to Patagonia, and ‘Like Streams to the Ocean,’ a collection of essays about love, family, friendship and career. He is Executive Editor of Wilderness Magazine. He is also co-founder of Byta, a travel mug designed to change the way we drink and promote a reusable economy.
Founder & Executive Director, Black Girl Environmentalist
Wawa Gatheru is a Kenyan-American climate storyteller passionate about cultivating a climate movement that is made in the image of all of us. In 2019, Wawa made history as the first Black person in history to receive the Rhodes, Truman, and Udall scholarships. She is the founder and Executive Director of Black Girl Environmentalist, an organization dedicated to addressing the pipeline and pathway issue for Black girls, women, and non-binary people in the climate sector. Under her leadership, BGE has grown as a trusted, national organization that has worked with 56 corporate and non-profit partners and hosted 43 events across 10 HUB cities - in less than a year. In 2023 alone, BGE has been recognized in Vogue, the New York Times, NPR, Forbes, Essence, Teen Vogue, Axios, and more.
A climate content creator with a following of over 90,000+ across platforms, Wawa has been named a Climate Creator to Watch by Pique Action and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
She sits on boards and advisory councils for the Environmental Media Association, Climate Power, Sound Future, National Parks Conservation Association, and EarthJustice. For her work, Wawa has been recognized as a Glamour College Woman of the Year, a 2020 Grist 50 fixer, a Young Futurist by The Root, a Young Changemaker at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards, and was featured on the January 2023 cover of Vogue alongside Billie Eilish.
Environmentalist
Global Director of Advocacy and Sustainability, Seventh Generation
As the Global Director of Advocacy and Sustainability for Seventh Generation, Ashley serves as a senior leader for the company’s mission at global and regional levels. She also leads the U.S.-based Corporate Consciousness team and all key facets of the work articulated in Seventh Generation’s mission – To Transform the World into a Healthy, Sustainable, and Equitable Place for the Next Seven Generations. She is responsible for the overall vision and strategy to achieve success against the company’s long- and short-term sustainability goals. Ashley serves on Seventh Generation’s senior leadership team, contributing to company policy development, direction, and sustaining a culture of mission-orientation. In 2010, she became the first President of the Seventh Generation Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to promoting social and environmental progress through education, conservation, research, and advocacy.
Founder, The Hip Hop Architecture Camp
Michael Ford, AIA, NOMA, NCARB—widely known as The Hip Hop Architect—has dedicated his career to increasing diversity in architecture through culturally relevant education. He founded The Hip Hop Architecture Camp, a global program that uses Hip Hop to introduce underrepresented youth to design. As Founding Principal of BrandNu Design Studio, Ford leads projects like The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx. His work has been featured on Oprah Winfrey Network’s Super Soul Sunday, The TODAY Show, Rolling Stone, and Interior Design Magazine. Ford is a highly regarded speaker for his thought leadership at the intersection of design and culture. Some of his past keynotes include the American Institute of Architects National Conference, American Planning Association’s Planning Conference, The Toronto Interior Design Show.
Climate Activist & Co-Founder, Zero Hour
Jamie Margolin is a Colombian-American climate justice activist, author, public speaker, and student. She is the co-founder of the international youth climate justice movement called Zero Hour that led Youth Climate Marches around the world. She has represented Zero Hour at international leadership events like the C40 Mayors summit and the UN Youth Climate Summit. In September of 2019, she testified before the US Congress alongside fellow youth activist Greta Thunberg, holding her leaders accountable to taking urgent climate action. She has been published in The New York Times, Teen Vogue, The Washington Post, TIME Magazine, DAZED, Refinery29, and The Guardian, and is the author of, “Youth To Power: Your Voice and How To Use It.” Jamie is one of Teen Vogue’s “21 Under 21” girls changing the world in 2018, One of People Magazines 25 women changing the world in 2018, Fuse TV’s Latina Trailblazer of 2018, one of The Today Show’s 18 under 18 Groundbreakers of 2019, MTV EMA Generation Change winner of 2019, and one of the BBC’s 100 most influential women of 2019.
Is your company’s work at the intersection of carbon, climate, equity, ESG, net zero, or resilience? Join the legacy and network of the Net Zero Conference as we work together to champion a #NetZeroFuture.
Los Angeles Convention Center, South Hall
1201 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90015
United States.
Since 2014, the Net Zero Conference has welcomed attendees from 56 countries and 45 U.S. states.
