2025 Greater Houston Environmental Summit

Mobilizing The Eco-Movement

The Citizens Environmental Coalition (CEC) will convene 200 diverse stakeholders at our 2025 Greater Houston Environmental Summit – Mobilizing the Eco-Movement, to address Houston’s pressing local challenges that we face due to increased climate stressors, changes in the political climate, and financial constraints. Many of the Greater Houston area’s environmental leaders will participate along with business, political, and community leaders to review the 2024 Summit Calls To Action and the resulting Working Groups research to determine avenues for collaborative community wide programming in 2026.
This year’s summit calls for collective action in the face of accelerating environmental and climate crises. As environmental and societal challenges grow more complex, the need for deep collaboration across organizations and communities has never been greater. This year’s summit brings together local leaders, changemakers, and community voices to build shared power, align strategies, and drive real solutions.

THE TIME TO ACT BOLDLY AND TOGETHER IS NOW.

🗓️ Date: Friday, October 17th, 2025
⌚ Time: 8:00 am – 5:30 pm 
📍 Location: University of Houston – Downtown, Science and Technology Building

CEC Members

$100 Regular

Non-Members

$150 Regular
$15 Students (must have discount code)

Interested in volunteering?
Email brooke.campbell@cechouston.org.

Exhibitors

$50 CEC Member
$100 Non-Member

Limited to 10.

Includes:

  • 5-ft table and two chairs
  • 1 complimentary attendee registration
  • 1 complimentary parking pass
Attendee + Speaker Registration
Sponsor + Exhibitor Registration

View the sponsor packages ranging from $500 – $4,000.

Agenda

Meet the Voices Behind the Summit

 

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.                  BREAKFAST & NETWORKING
  Lobby 
  
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.             WELCOME & MORNING SPEAKERS
  Fondren Commons (Main Room)Welcome Plenary: Amanda Kuhl, President, Citizens’ Environmental Coalition (CEC)
 

Welcome Keynote Speaker: Council Member Sallie Alcorn, Houston City Council At-Large 5

 

Morning Keynote Speaker: Jackie Medcalf, Founder and CEO, Texas Health and Environment Alliance: Where a Toxic Legacy and Floodwaters Collide

  
9:35 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.                

PANEL PRESENTATIONS

  Fondren Commons (Main Room)

PANEL 1: Addressing the Increased Environmental Stressors in Greater Houston

 

Moderator: Ana Bueno, Environmental Reporter, Univision

 

Panel Members:

 

Andy Escobar, Campaign Manager, CEER (Coalition for Environment, Equity, & Resilience)

 

Denise Ma, Water Conservation Program Coordinator, Harris-Galveston Subsidence District

 

Dan Potter, Ph.D., Director of the Houston Population Research Center, Kinder Institute for Urban Research

 

Erica Villareal, Teacher, Channelview ISD

  
 

PANEL 2: Navigating the Changing Political Climate for Environmental Progress

 

Moderator: Doug Peterson, Advisory Board Member, Exploration Green Conservancy

 

Panel Members:

 

Daniel Cohan, Ph.D., Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University; author of Confronting Climate Gridlock

 

Jennifer Hadayia, MPA, Executive Director, Air Alliance Houston

 

Jarvis Johnson, Environmental Strategist, Black United Fund of Texas (BUFTX), former City Council Member and State Representative

 

Melanie Oldham, Founder and Executive Director, Better Brazoria: Clean Air and Water

  
 

PANEL 3: Overcoming Financial Hurdles to Achieve Environmental Goals

 

Moderator: Marina Badoian – Kriticos, Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Engagement, HARC (Houston Advanced Research Center)

 

Panel Members:

 

Elisa Macia Donovan, Vice President and General Counsel, Coastal Prairie Conservancy

 

Sara Martinez, Senior Director of Community Impact, Greater Houston Community Foundation

 

Mary Vazquez, Vice President, Community Outreach, United Way of Greater Houston

  
 

PANEL 4: New Tools in the Toolbox: Innovation for Environmental Resilience and Sustainability

 

Moderator: Alex McCray, Communications Education & Outreach, City of Houston

 

Panel Members:

 

Colley Hodges, Director of Sustainability, Houston Zoo

 

Stephanie Piper, Ph.D., Research Associate, Community Development and Resilience, HARC (Houston Advanced Research Center)

 

Deepa Poduval, Senior Vice President and the Global Sustainability Leader, Black & Veatch

 

Amanda Tullos, CEO and Founder, GreeNexus Consulting

  

12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.           

LUNCH

  Lobby & Atrium

Networking & Exhibits

  

1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.        

AFTERNOON SPEAKERS

  Fondren Commons (Main Room)

Welcome Luncheon Speaker: Council Member Letitia Plummer, City Council – At Large Position 4

 

Luncheon Keynote Speaker: Jim Blackburn, Professor in the Practice of Environmental Law and Co-director, SSPEED Center:  Facing the Political and Financial Storm in the Midst of Increasing Environmental Stressors

 Closing Luncheon Speaker: Council Member Abbie Kamin, Houston City Council District C
  
  

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.   

AFTERNOON ACTIVITY

  Fondren Commons (Main Room)

Mid-Day Energizer

  Meet in the Atrium

UHD Composting Demonstration Tour

  

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.   

CHARRETTES

  Fondren B

Storytelling: Co-Creating the Future of Story-Driven Advocacy

  2nd floor, Room 216

Resource & Data Hub: Converging a Houston Nexus

  3rd floor, Knowledge Hub

Build for Resilience: Crafting a Blueprint for Action

  Fondren A

Steering Through the Storm: Forging Calls to Action for Resilient Nonprofits

  

4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.   

BREAK / TRANSIT TIME

  

4:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.         

THE CONFLUENCE: Weaving our Strategies Together

  Fondren Commons (Main Room)

 
  
4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.                CLOSING REMARKS

  Fondren Commons (Main Room)

 
  

Sponsors

Panel Sponsors

Composting Demonstration Sponsor

 Michael & Anne Skelly

Black & Veatch

Kirksey Architecture

Breakout Session Sponsors

Asakura Robinson

Greenrise Technologies

P3I.GLOBAL

Sponsorship Opportunities

Mobilize the Eco-Movement

Partner with us to amplify your impact at the 12th annual Greater Houston Environmental Summit, taking place October 17, 2025, at the University of Houston–Downtown. As a sponsor, you’ll connect with mission-aligned organizations and civic leaders while building brand visibility in a values-driven community. Sponsorships include pre- and post-event recognition across social media, the CEC website, and newsletters, plus exclusive opportunities to engage directly with Summit participants.

Your support helps make the Summit accessible, inclusive, and action-oriented—fueling real progress on environmental issues that matter to Houston communities. 

View the sponsor packages ranging from $500 – $4,000.

Sponsor Registration

Questions? Contact Amanda Kuhl at amanda.kuhl@cechouston.org.

Partners

Social Media Toolkit

Media Partners

We welcome collaborative media partners to promote and provide coverage of the Environmental Summit. Health, equity, and environment are hot topic interest in our region. 

Media partners receive pre-event recognition through social media, website, and newsletter recognition plus post-event recognition through an email blast and recognition in next year’s sponsorship package.

To request a media pass email info@cechouston.org with your name, organization, and the hours you plan to attend.

Past Summits