Anne is passionate about sustainability. She has an educational and professional background in creating strategy for and implementing sustainability initiatives in the non-profit, chemical, and energy sectors. Anne’s other big passion is sport. By pursuing her Ph.D. in sport and sustainability at Texas A&M University, she combines her two loves with the goal of helping sport organizations and events make strategic decisions for sustainable development. Anne is part of the Sustainability in Sport Lab at Texas A&M University, Sport Ecology Group, and the German think tank sportainable.
2022
Brian P. McCullough
Brian McCullough, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Sport Management and the Director of the Center for Sport Management Research and Education at Texas A&M University.
His research focuses on the environmental impacts of sport, organizational strategy and decision making, and stakeholder engagement campaigns.
He has written over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters, edited two books, authored one book, and presented his research over 130 times to national and international audiences. In addition, Dr. McCullough assisted in the United Nation’s Sport for Climate Action Framework and is the Director of the Sustainability in Sport Lab at Texas A&M and the Co-Director of the Sport Ecology Group.
Lew Blaustein
While working in high level roles in sports marketing, communications, and advertising sales, Lew Blaustein became passionate about the environment and climate change as a patriotic reaction to the 9/11 attacks. He turned that passion into a successful career as a sustainability-focused marketing, communications and business development consultant, helping a myriad of businesses and nonprofits build their green brands since 2005.
Blaustein married his passion for sports and the environment with the launch of GreenSportsBlog in 2013, the first media outlet in the nascent Green-Sports world, and later, GreenSportsPod.
Convinced that the sports world needs to do more to fight climate change, Blaustein launched EcoAthletes in April 2020 with the mission to “inspire and coach athletes to take and lead climate action”. The nonprofit does so by providing its growing global roster of 210+ EcoAthletes Champions — pros, Olympians, and NCAA student athletes — with the tools to advance from “climate curious” to “climate leader” so they can spark the #ClimateComeback.
Mark Burrows
Mark joined The FA in March 2016. Prior to joining The FA, Mark held senior finance roles with BSkyB, Virgin Mobile, the Iglo Group and most recently he was the Group CFO for Virgin Active. Mark qualified as a chartered accountant with PwC.
Christian Stamm
Christian Stamm is an international sustainability professional currently overseeing FIFA’s climate work and the sustainability programme for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand. Since joining FIFA in 2008, he has been developing and implementing measures to strengthen, expand, report on, and communicate FIFA’s approach to sustainability. Prior to this, he worked on development and educational projects in Europe and Africa. His academic background is in environmental protection and marine biology.
Dr. Allen Hershkowitz
Dr. Allen Hershkowitz is the official Sustainability Advisor to the NBA Green program and also serves as Environmental Science Advisor to the New York Yankees and to Major League Soccer, the first person to hold any of those positions. Working with former MLB Commissioner Allan “Bud” Selig, former NBA Commissioner David Stern, and with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Hershkowitz created the environmental programs at Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL. He also created the sustainability program at Major League Soccer and continues to serve as the sustainability advisor to that league. In 2008, at the request of Billie Jean King, he created the environmental program for the USTA.
In 2015 Sports Business Journal listed him as one of the “50 Most Influential People in Sports Business,” and in 2016 Worth magazine listed him as one of “The 60 Most Powerful People in Sports”. According to Green Sports Blog: “It is no exaggeration to say that Dr. Hershkowitz is the most consequential environmentalist in the history of North American sports,” and Yoga + Joyful Living magazine labeled him “The Godfather of Greening”. According to Greenwire, he “has long been among the most visible activists in the nation.” In 2022 Dr. Hershkowitz was listed by Sports Business Journal among its short list of “Executives To Know in Sports Sustainability.”
Dr. Hershkowitz is widely acknowledged to have created the movement to leverage sports to promote sustainability and, as the world faces its greatest climate emergency, he serves on the Steering Committee of UNFCCC Sport for Climate Action Framework. He led the effort to create the US-based Green Sports Alliance as well as Sport and Sustainability International, based in Switzerland. He also created the environmental program for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Oscars telecasts, as well as the environmental program for the Recording Academy’s GRAMMY Awards.
Dr. Allen Hershkowitz is an environmental scientist, visionary, activist, writer, lecturer and strategic sustainability advisor. For 26 years (1988 – 2016) he served as a Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and was the force behind some of the organization’s most effective and visible initiatives. Blending technical expertise with the influence of iconic cultural sectors, Dr. Hershkowitz leverages the cultural and market influence of sports and entertainment
Katerina Kolaciova
Katerina has joined the carbon markets in 2011 and is currently holding a position of Commercial Director, servicing Vertis clients in voluntary carbon offsetting, renewable energy certificates trading, sustainability advisory, carbon policy and other carbon related topics. Katerina is responsible for overlooking structured derivatives transactions and throughout her career advised and successfully concluded on carbon hedging strategies and transactions with hundreds of large industrial and aviation clients. Katerina holds a diploma in Economics and a Masters in Finance from CEU Business School.
Stian Køhn Berget
Stian Køhn Berget graduated BI Norwegian Business School holding an MSc in Business, and also holds a BSc in Business Administration and Economics from Oslo Metropolitan University. Majoring his MSc in strategy, he concentrated his studies on sustainable business models and business strategy, completing his studies with a dissertation focusing on sustainable business models, sustainable value creation, circular economy and implications of green washing. He joined Vertis Environmental Finance upon his graduation summer of 2021 and currently works as a Carbon and EAC Associate Trader.
Chris Hocknell
Lee Spivak
Lee is a Senior Manager with WM’s Advisory Services team and oversees the Sports and Entertainment Division that implements a diverse portfolio of sustainability programs at leagues, stadiums, and events, along with customers across other industries. With over a decade of experience in sustainable business management solutions, Lee helps major sports organizations and Fortune 500 companies develop comprehensive environmental programs and sustainable supply chains.
His recent work experience includes sustainability strategy development, greenhouse gas inventory and mitigation plan management, SBTi, impact benchmarking, zero waste validations, material minimization and diversion efficiency initiatives, sustainability certifications, video production, CDP and DJSI reporting, stakeholder engagement campaigns, environmental justice, purpose-driven sponsorships, environmental marketing, and corporate reporting.
Prior to working for WM, Lee received an MA in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies with a focus on energy and climate change. Hailing from Boston, he holds a BA in Psychology and Chinese from Bates College. Lee is also a WELL AP, LEED AP, and TRUE Advisor.
