Panel 1 | Beyond the Bin: Closing Loops, Opening Possibilities

Moving beyond traditional disposal models requires closing the loop across industrial supply chains, community organics, and resource streams. This session examines the full continuum of the circular economy—from high-tech material upcycling and advanced waste-to-energy pathways to municipal food waste diversion and biological degradation. Panelists will share actionable frameworks to reduce waste generation, elevate commercial recycling economics, and transform regional waste burdens into valuable regenerative feedstocks.

Moderator   
Stacy Richardson, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mobi Waste Inc.

Panelists
Lisa Prusak, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Maxari
Marshall Porterfield, Ph.D., Professor of Agricultural & Biological Engineering at Purdue University; Founder of MyCo
Felipe-Andrés Piedra, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
Vladimir Mancevski, Ph.D., Founder & CEO, Flash Hydrogen Corporation

Panel 2 | Microclimates of Resilience: Nature Based Solutions for Communities

As the Gulf Coast faces rising temperatures and compounding flood risks, integrating natural ecosystems into the urban fabric is a critical frontline defense. This discussion highlights high-impact nature-based interventions, focusing on selecting resilient native tree and plant palettes, deploying cool and permeable pavement technologies, and expanding urban canopy equity. Speakers will address how municipal policy, developer incentives, and community-led restoration can combine to lower ambient neighborhood heat and enhance regional resilience.

Moderator
Stephanie Piper, Ph.D., Director, Texas Community Resilience, American Forests

Panelists
Ed Pettitt, President, Friends of Columbia Tap
Alan Steinberg, President & CEO, West Houston Association
Carol Burton, Director of Permaculture, Urban Harvest, Inc.
Ana Tapia, Sr. Director of Environmental Projects, Houston Wilderness
Kyle Anderson, Senior Associate – Equity and Social Ecology Coordinator, Asakura Robinson

Panel 3 | Resilient by Design: Energy, Infrastructure, and Climate Readiness for the Gulf Coast

Houston’s resilience starts with the systems we depend on every day—from the power grid and critical facilities to our buildings, infrastructure, and environment. With more extreme heat, storms, flooding, and growing energy demands, how can we design and invest today for the challenges ahead? Leaders from resilience, engineering, utilities, healthcare, and finance will share practical approaches to keeping critical facilities operating, improving energy efficiency, strengthening the grid, designing for a changing climate, and financing needed upgrades through tools like C-PACE. Through a One Health lens—recognizing that human health, environmental health, and the systems we build are all connected—the panel will explore how better infrastructure decisions can help create a healthier, safer, and more resilient Houston.

Moderator
Marina Badoian-Kriticos, Vice President, Houston Area Research Center (HARC)

Panelists
Daniel Cohan, Ph.D., Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University
Ana Baskharone, Director of Energy Efficiency, CenterPoint Energy
James Cargas, Texas PACE Authority
Marissa E. Vasquez, AIA, CCM, CEM, LEED AP BD+C, Senior Director, Design and Construction Projects, Houston Methodist

Panel 4 | The AI Infrastructure Surge: Clean Energy, Cooling Demands, and Urban Resilience

The rapid proliferation of AI and enterprise cloud computing is driving unprecedented demand for mission-critical data center infrastructure across Texas. This panel explores the tension between rapid digital expansion and community resilience goals, focusing on massive electricity demand, water-intensive cooling systems, and grid capacity constraints. Speakers will examine how high-performance design, building energy codes, renewable microgrids, and forward-looking land-use planning can align next-generation data facilities with regional sustainability targets.

Moderator
Malachi Key, Climate Justice Coordinator, Air Alliance Houston

Panelists
Jim Broughton, Chair, USGBC Texas Working Group of the Greening AI Data Centers Coalition (GADCC
Beth Martin, Houston City Hall Advocate, Environment Texas
Randy Plumlee, Senior Manager for Building Performance, SPEER
Lucian Nesline, Project Director, Principal, Gensler