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Meet the Cohort

Punchbowl News will bring together eight industry leaders for an open, robust and meaningful dialogue on sustainability. Cohort participants will include experts from Capitol Hill, the private sector and the nonprofit world, all recognized as leaders in their field.

Punchbowl News, in partnership with Google, is spotlighting four elected officials at the center of their state and local economies. The Leaders highlights their successes and the lessons they’ve learned along the way as they apply innovative approaches to job creation, economic growth and sustainability.

 

Read the third profile on Rep. Emilia Sykes, who is pitching Ohio as key to jumpstarting U.S. manufacturing.

What inspires you? “Action and scale, creative solutions that are better functionally as well as in terms of impact.”

Bridget Croke

Laura Gillam
“Everyone is investing in sustainability because businesses, communities and other stakeholders have realized the investments will save money and create economic opportunity.”

Laura Gillam

Caitlin Haberman headshot
What key words embody your work? “Connecting, learning, advocacy.” 

Caitlin Haberman

What has changed the most since you started your career? “The level of engagement from senior leadership and the investment community.”

Jack McAneny

Anna Palmer, Punchbowl News CEO and founder, will facilitate the conversation. She will guide participants through a candid discussion about their career experiences, including hurdles and advancements in their efforts to achieve a more sustainable world. In order to foster a sincere exchange of ideas and create a safe space for all opinions to be expressed, the Chatham House Rule will apply to the dialogue.

We will present topline themes and broad findings afterwards with the goal that Cohort participants and The Punch Up community walk away with concrete ideas for how the public and private sectors can work together to advance environmental sustainability.

Amanda Nusz
“The potential to drive positive impact and growth has never been more apparent, and demand for action has never been higher. It’s energizing to see so many working to meaningfully answer that call.”

Amanda Nusz

What key words embody your work? “Systemic transformation and social inclusion.”

Kishore Rao

Cristina Rohr
“Food transition is uniquely positioned to solve the two greatest contingent liabilities of our era – climate stability and healthcare.”

Cristina Rohr

Carla Walker
“I am inspired by those who add their voices, experience, time and energy to building the momentum of the environmental justice movement.”

Carla Walker

PUNCH UP PROFILE

Sandra Douglass Morgan

Sandra Douglass Morgan headshot
President, Las Vegas Raiders

Sandra Douglass Morgan is president of the Las Vegas Raiders, a position she has held since July 2022. Before becoming the first Black female president of an NFL team, Morgan had a dynamic, two-decade leadership career that included serving as city attorney for North Las Vegas and chair of the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Morgan is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, and the William S. Boyd School of Law at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 

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“What I really want to focus on in 2023 is reducing our carbon footprint and looking and thinking about more creative ways to do that – whether it be educating our customers, educating our fans that are coming to the stadium, and then leading by example.” 

PUNCH UP PROFILE

Ingrid Irigoyen

Ingrid Irigoyen headshot
Associate Director, Ocean and Climate, for the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program

Ingrid Irigoyen is the associate director, ocean and climate, for the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program. Irigoyen helps bring together public and private sector stakeholders to collaboratively address ocean and coastal sustainability. As part of that, Irigoyen serves as director of the Aspen Institute Shipping Decarbonization Initiative. She previously spent more than a decade at the Meridian Institute. Irigoyen is a graduate of Duke University and the University of New Hampshire.

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“We need the right ways to come together. We need the right mindset in coming together. And we need to keep the collective ambition as high as possible. And that allows me to get through the hard days and stay optimistic.” 

PUNCH UP PROFILE

Daniela Fernandez

Daniela Fernandez headshot
CEO and Founder, Sustainable Ocean Alliance

Daniela Fernandez was frustrated with older leaders focusing on the dire threats of climate change without developing solutions. So at just 19 years old, Fernandez founded Sustainable Ocean Alliance in an effort to unite young people and climate entrepreneurs to preserve the planet’s seas. Through SOA, Fernandez is helping startups scale to market and put innovation to work to protect the environment. Her advice for young people passionate about climate change: Roll up your sleeves and take matters into your own hands.

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“We can’t simply be angry at this moment. We truly have to be doers. Because the reality of our situation is that, yes, we’re upset. Yes, we are fearful of what’s happening to our planet. But simply pointing the finger at governments and corporations and demanding more isn’t going to cut it anymore. We need civil society to do their part. You need to ask yourself, ‘How can you contribute.’”

More from The Punch Up

Events

Punchbowl News HQ debuts at CBC Week

In honor of CBCF ALC week, we launched our first ever Punchbowl News HQ. Members of our team and the Congressional Black Caucus communities came together Thursday for thoughtful conversations on health equity, networking, music and food.

COMMUNITY

DIVERSITY ACROSS THE AISLE

Check out the “Diversity Across the Aisle” event where we served as a media sponsor earlier this year.