Americas

Ethan is a professional rugby player (going into my seventh professional season) with a BSc in Natural Science from the University of Bath where he studied all things sustainable and delved into food production and GM. He is fixated on practical business solutions to climate change and wrote his dissertation on the use of biochar and its incorporation into building materials for overall carbon negativity.

Playing rugby gives him e a unique insight into the world of sport and have led him to appreciate the power of sport on the community and the impact everyone can have when they work with a common goal in mind.  He keenly appreciates the platform athletes have and how that might be used to influence change in the organisations they work for and on the fans that adore the game.

Augusto Capone leads communication and education at ECOFASA, is based in Europe and is a member of Protect Our Winters.

Juan Rodrigo Fernández member of ECOFASA and represents FASA in the FIS Sustainability Working Group, works in the European energy sector and is a former member of the Argentine national ski team

Emma Stewart, Ph.D. represents Climate Spring, a social enterprise supporting screenwriters and filmmakers globally to transform our cultural response to the climate crisis. Climate Spring provides script consultations as well as financing to grow the pipeline of compelling films and television series that reflect the transition to a clean economy, as well as the current climate and nature crises. Prior to that, she founded Netflix’s Sustainability Department as the Netflix Global Sustainability Officer, where she led the cross-company effort to decarbonize operations at speed, support creators who choose to represent sustainability in their film/series/games, and spotlight sustainability stories for the hundreds of millions of consumers who seek them.

Previously Emma founded Autodesk’s Sustainability Solutions department at design software giant Autodesk and consulted for Fortune500 companies from within global energy company ENGIE, venerable global think tank World Resources Institute, and corporate sustainability consultancy BSR. She has served on the Board of the U.S. Green Building Council (LEED) and software startup Ecomedes and was a member of faculty at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and Stanford Graduate School of Business where she created and taught “Intrapreneurship for Sustainability”. In 2010, she was selected as a Fellow of The Aspen Institute.

She holds a Ph.D. in environmental science and management from Stanford University and a B.A. Honours degree in human sciences from Oxford University.

Jen Cerullo is a sport event professional with over a decade of experience leading global sports events with a focus on environmental and social responsibility. As the Sustainability Manager at World Triathlon, she leads the international federation’s sustainability policies and programs, including their Sustainable Event Certification. Jen holds a master degree in environmental practice and is a passionate advocate for nature and outdoor spaces.

Brittany Saulsbury is the Director of Facility Operations & Sustainability for the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Quarter. With a keen focus on innovation and impact, Brittany leads comprehensive sustainability efforts spanning the Rose Quarter campus. Her strategic vision aims to not only reduce environmental footprints but also inspire sustainable practices among fans, forge strategic partnerships, and foster community engagement. Brittany is passionate about influencing change through the power of sports and working to promote a circular economy through innovative material management programs.

Irena Smetanová is CSR Manager at AC Sparta Prague and Chairwoman of the AC Sparta Prague Foundation. She joined the club in 2015 and has focused full-time on CSR and sustainability since 2018. In her role, she oversees AC Sparta Prague’s social and environmental impact agenda, connecting social responsibility, accessibility, community engagement and sustainability with the club’s day-to-day operations and fan experience. In addition to her role at Sparta, she serves as Chairwoman of the ESG Committee of the Czech League Football Association (LFA) and is a member of the CSR Committee of the Football Association of the Czech Republic (FAČR).

Her work includes initiatives promoting physical and mental wellbeing, community development, anti-discrimination, support for disadvantaged groups, and the club’s charitable activities through the AC Sparta Prague Foundation. She is also responsible for embedding sustainability principles into the club’s day-to-day operations.

A significant part of her work focuses on improving accessibility for supporters with disabilities. Her approach is based on finding practical solutions that expand access and equal opportunities while working within the constraints of an outdated stadium infrastructure and strict safety requirements. AC Sparta Prague’s work in this area received international recognition when the club was awarded the ECA (now EFC) Award for Away Fan Experience following a nomination by Liverpool FC, recognising the club’s efforts to provide an accessible and welcoming matchday experience for visiting supporters during Liverpool’s UEFA Europa League fixture in Prague.

Diane Henderson is a sport leader, athlete, and advocate for sustainable sport with over thirty years of experience in sport management and administration across the Caribbean and the Americas.

She serves as President of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) and the Commonwealth Sport Trinidad and Tobago (TTCS), currently in her fourth quadrennial term. In that capacity she has led delegations to some of the world’s most significant multi-sport competitions, serving as Chef de Mission at the Commonwealth Games Gold Coast 2018, the Pan American Games Toronto 2015 and Lima 2019, and the Pan American Junior Games Cali 2021 — as well as Assistant Chef de Mission at the Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014. She currently serves as a member of the Technical Commission of Pan American Sports.

As a signatory of the United Nations Sport for Climate Action (S4CA) Framework, Diane has championed environmental sustainability as a core institutional priority within the TTOC since 2023 — integrating climate action into the organisation’s governance, operations, and stakeholder engagement. It is this commitment that brings her to the Sport Positive Summit, and she is passionate about the role that National Olympic Committees and regional sport organisations can play in driving meaningful environmental change from the inside out.

A former competitive triathlete, Diane has completed two Ironman events — in 2010 and 2018 — and continues to practice as a Level 1 Technical Official in triathlon. She served on the World Triathlon Multisport Committee for a four-year term ending December 2024, and held the Chairpersonship of the Trinidad and Tobago International Marathon for fifteen years from 2009. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and an Executive Masters in Sport Organisation Management (MEMOS) and brings to every room she enters the qualities her sport instilled in her — resilience, discipline, and an unshakeable belief in what sustained effort can achieve.

James Karst is communications director at the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, a statewide nonprofit whose mission is to unite people in action to achieve a thriving, sustainable Louisiana coast for all. Prior to joining CRCL, he worked for 18 years at The Times-Picayune, where he was on the staff that won two Pulitzer Prizes for their coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. James also writes about jazz history and moonlights as an actor. He lives in New Orleans.

Isabella Burczak is the Cycling for All & Sustainability Manager at the UCI, where she has led global initiatives and partnerships since 2017 to promote cycling as an inclusive, safe and sustainable mode of transport. Her work focuses on supporting cities, regions, National Federations and institutions to embed cycling into urban mobility strategies, public policy and major events, notably through initiatives such as the UCI Bike City Label, UCI Bike City Pathway and the UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum. She oversees efforts to harness elite cycling events as drivers of broader social impact, participation and cultural change around cycling, and led the development of the UCI’s first sustainability strategy, aligning the UCI with international climate and nature frameworks. Prior to joining the UCI, she worked at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for ten years, contributing to international sport policy and the planning and delivery of multiple Olympic and Youth Olympic Games.