2026 Speakers

Yoan Noguier is a social entrepreneur whose career spans international sport, social business and inclusive entrepreneurship. After leading Procurement for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, he worked internationally on the social potential of major sporting events before co-founding Yunus Sports Hub with Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus, followed by Yunus France.

In this role has developed partnerships with the major players in the sport, sport business and sport for development sectors, built a global network of more than 5,000 experts and partners across 150+ countries and co-created the most succesful social procurement program for mega events. His work focuses on using business, sport and innovation to address poverty, unemployment and the climate crisis. He also lectures and speaks internationally on social innovation.

Aoife Burns is Head of Social and Environmental Sustainability at League of Ireland Club Drogheda United. She has been working and volunteering within the League for the last 7 years with roles including Child Welfare & Protection, Community Engagement and Head Coach for summer camps. In 2024 she moved into Social and Environmental Sustainability and in 2025 took on the role as Head of Social and Environmental Sustainability with current club Drogheda United. Aoife developed and published Drogheda United’s first Social and Environmental Sustainability Strategy Plan 2025-2029 which outlines the clubs’ commitments and measurable goals for the next five years.

Greta Bodino obtained a Master of Art in Translation from the University of Geneva. Starting from 2001, she embarked on a path in the field of Human Resources, where she held the position at BNP PARIBAS Group with increasing responsibility, until she became HR Project Leader – Vice Head of Training.

From 2007 until 2010, she joined Michael Page International, as HR Business Partner. Later on, her career continued in prestigious companies such as: Nyrstar Sales & Marketing AG, Coutts & Co. Ltd, TEAM Marketing AG (as Head of Human Resources) and ECA (European Club Association), in which she held the position of Director of Staff and Operations.

In August 2021, she joins Juventus in the role of “Chief People & Culture Officer”. Currently, she holds the position of Chief People, Culture and ESG Officer.

Aston Villa’s Social Impact and Community Director Guy Rippon has over 25 years of experience in the sports, community, and social responsibility industry. Early in his career held various management and leadership roles in local government before taking up regional manager positions with The Football Foundation and The Football League Trust.

In 2011 Guy moved into the work of football club Foundations, initially as Director at Coventry City’s Sky Blues in the Community before joining Aston Villa as Head of Foundation in 2016 where he has overseen a sustained period of growth and impact of the club’s community work.

Guy completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Aston University in 2024 and in early 2026 was appointed Social Impact and Community Director at Aston Villa FC. This newly created role sees Guy continue to oversee the clubs Foundation whilst shaping and leading the club’s wider ESG strategy and agenda.

Born in the vibrant city of Istanbul in 1968, Ebru Köksal’s journey from the bustling streets of New York to the heart of Turkish football is nothing short of inspiring. She kicked off her career as a financial analyst at Morgan Stanley, navigating the fast-paced world of finance with finesse. Her return to Turkey saw her rise through the ranks at Citibank, where she honed her skills as a senior manager.

In 1999, Ebru took a bold leap into the world of private equity with AIG, before making a game-changing move to Galatasaray Sports Club in 2001. As CFO, and later CEO, she steered the club through a transformative era of growth and international success.

Ebru’s influence extended beyond Turkey when she was appointed General Secretary of the Turkish Football Federation in 2011. Her expertise was sought after by FIFA and UEFA, where she served as a consultant from 2012 to 2018. She returned to Galatasaray as a Board Member, continuing to shape the future of football.

Today, Ebru Köksal is a Board Member and Business Development Director at J Stern & Co., Chair of Women in Football, UK, Board Director at A-Leagues Australia, INED at the Professional Footballers Association UK, and an INED at the International Tennis Integrity Agency. Her accolades include the Executive of the Year Award 2011 by Stadium Business Awards, the first-ever Making a Difference Award by HBS Executive Education in 2018 and the inaugural Leaders in Sport Trailblazer Award in 2024.

A graduate of Brown University with dual degrees in Economics and International Relations, and an alumna of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program, Ebru is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Ebru’s story is a testament to her unwavering dedication and pioneering spirit in the world of sports and finance. She has significantly impacted the representation of women in sports globally through her pioneering leadership and advocacy. She broke numerous glass ceilings, becoming the first woman on the Executive Board of the European Club Association and the first female General Secretary of the Turkish Football Federation. As Chair of Women in Football, she champions gender equality, creating opportunities and raising awareness about challenges women face in sports. Ebru’s journey inspires women and girls worldwide to pursue careers in sports, and her work with various organizations promotes diversity and inclusion, making her a key figure in creating a more equitable sports environment.

Gaia Pretner joined EFC in May 2023 as Head of Sustainability and launched ECA’s first sustainability strategy in April 2024.

She is a sustainability management expert with experience in different sectors from major events, MNCs, Federations and trade associations. Before joining ECA she worked as Sustainable Procurement Manager for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC, Sustainability and Circular Economy researcher and consultant for Bocconi University and as Sustainability expert for EXPO Milano 2015 and UNI

I have worked with ESG, sustainability and CSRD at F.C. Copenhagen since 2024. During this time, I have led the delivery of two CSRD reports and worked to strategically embed sustainability into the club’s everyday operations and initiatives, both as a football club and as a stadium.

Jeremy is the Head of Sustainability at ITV, the leading UK commercial broadcaster and international production group.

He drives all aspects of the environmental strategy for the company, including shaping the roadmap to net zero, ensuring business resilience by managing climate-related risks and engaging audiences on the sustainability transition through content and advertising.

He drives change across sectors through industry collaboration projects and currently sits on the Board of BAFTA albert.

He transitioned into sustainability roles in 2014 after a decade working as a sport TV producer and retains a great passion for the world of sport and its potential to be a force for good in the world.

I’m passionate about sports – especially about handball, running and, of course, soccer. At the same time I’m driving for a sustainable business transformation that respects planetary and social boundaries.

After my studies in Sports, Business & Law, I focused on sustainability management. But I soon found my way back to sports, starting as a sustainability manager at SV Sandhausen, a soccer club that played at that time in the second league.

Since 2023, I’m the sustainability manager of TSG Hoffenheim, which includes topics such as sustainable development, activation, reporting and communication.

I’ve been part of the GARFIELD project since the beginning.

Born in Barcelona, Jordi Portabella i Calvete holds a degree in Biology from the University of Barcelona and a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering. Since mid-2021, he has been Director of the Sustainability Area of Futbol Club Barcelona.

Previously, he developed his professional career as General Director of the Fundació Catalana per a la Recerca i Innovació, Director of the Research and Knowledge Area of the Fundació Bancària La Caixa, as well as Councillor and Deputy Mayor of the Barcelona City Council. Previously, he was also a member of the Catalan Parliament.

He has written many articles related to science and sustainability for educational centres, magazines and several media and has collaborated for five years in the supplement ‘Science and Life’ of La Vanguardia and in Catalunya Ràdio with his own space for popularising science. He participated in the board of directors and editorial board of the magazine ‘TOTS’ of the UNESCO Centre of Catalonia, published in four languages and distributed worldwide.

He has written the book ‘Històries de Can Fanga’ and has participated in several collective books.

He is an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Science and Art of Barcelona, Gold and Brilliant Medal of Tourism of Catalonia and Gold Medal of the Fira de Barcelona.

Cat Ainsworth leads the team at Protect Our Winters UK, mobilising the outdoor community to turn concern about climate change into meaningful collective action. Cat works to build alliances across the outdoor sector, amplifying trusted voices and pushing for the policies and decisions needed to create a fair transition to a low-carbon future.

A qualified ski instructor, Cat’s connection to the outdoors runs deep. Her career has spanned humanitarian response, international development and running a technology cooperative, giving her a distinctive perspective on how communities can come together to tackle complex systemic challenges. She believes individual action matters but that our biggest opportunity for change lies in using our collective influence to challenge the systems that threaten the places we love.

At POW UK, Cat is driven by a simple conviction: the future of our mountains, rivers, coastlines and winters will be shaped not by those who care, but by those who act.

Karishma Ali is a pioneering female footballer and the founder of the Karishma Ali Foundation, a women-led organization that uses sports and physical activities as strategies for social change and women empowerment, particularly in marginalized communities. Born and raised in the remote and conservative region of Chitral, Pakistan, Karishma Ali challenged social norms by taking up football at a time when few girls had the opportunity to play. She later founded the region’s first organisation dedicated to advancing girls’ and women’s participation in sport, creating pathways for thousands of young women to play, lead, and thrive.

Today KAF works directly with 1000+ young girls and 120 coaches from across different regions and communities of Pakistan. KAF combines sports training with mental health support, art therapy, climate education, awareness sessions on gender-based violence, and leadership development.

Karishma’s work has earned her numerous awards and recognition. In 2018, she was selected as the UNICEF Pakistan Adolescent Champion. In 2019, at the age of 20, she made it to the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 list and was appointed to Pakistan’s first National Youth Council. In 2020 her story won “Tell her story” organised by UC Berkley and Facebook. In 2022, she received the Pride of Pakistan Award and became a member of UN Women’s 30 for 2030. In 2024, she was honored with the Sports Positive Next Generation Trailblazer Award in the UK.

Rishi’s current position as Director of Impact, sees him being responsible for leading his organisation’s approach to sustainability through the lens of equality, diversity and inclusion and environmental sustainability.

Having worked in football for over 20 years, he has an expert understanding of successfully integrating strategy into businesses and ensuring positive change. Rishi is responsible for The Red Way; Liverpool Football Club’s holistic strategy that encompasses the clubs plans across all areas of business operations and ensuring that sustainability is embedded throughout. Rishi is a driving force for change and successfully works with colleagues and business leaders to ensure progress.

In 2022, Rishi presented at the United Nations in New York City at the launch of the UN’s Game Plan: a document implementing a plan of action to counter hate speech through engagement with sport. He has continued to work in partnership with the United Nations and multiple international organisations to implement this work across the US, UK and beyond, as well as featuring at multiple COPs and New York Climate Week.

In 2023, Rishi was named on the Pride Power List, and has previously been named on the Global Diversity List as a Top 20 Diversity Professional. His work led has to wide-ranging recognition at the European Diversity Awards, North West Football Awards, Inclusive Companies Awards, Sport Industry Awards and most recently, from Front Office Sports. In 2024, his work has been recognised externally no less than six times with recognition from inside and outside of sport, including at the Global Sustainability and ESG Awards where The Red Way was named as ESG Programme of the Year. He has worked consistently to lead the organisations he’s worked for to be awarded with the Premier League Equality Standard Advanced Level on multiple occasions, and the internationally recognised ISO20121 standard.

Prior to joining his current role, Rishi has held roles at Manchester United, Kick It Out and The FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board, where he has worked throughout his career to make a positive impact across society.

Julia Pallé is a leading expert on sustainability in motorsport and the international elite sport industry.

In her role at the world’s first all-electric motor racing series, Julia certified the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship net zero carbon since inception – the first sport in the world to achieve the standard.

While developing and implementing the sustainability strategy at Formula E, Julia has overseen a range of significant achievements that establish Formula E’s credentials as a leader of sustainability in tier-one sport.

Julia is also Sustainability Advisor for Extreme E, the all-electric SUVs series, bringing electric racing to some of the most remote corners of the planet to highlight the climate change challenges faced by different ecosystems.

Before joining Formula E, Julia was the Sustainability Executive at Michelin Motorsport.

Sébastien Klotz joined UEFA in 2015 and is currently Senior Sponsorship Manager, leading sponsorship activities across UEFA Men’s National Team Football and UEFA Women’s Football competitions. He is responsible for developing and executing commercial strategies that maximise the value and attractiveness of UEFA’s sponsorship programmes.

In his role, Sébastien oversees sponsorship sales activities, manages key partner relationships, and leads account management across UEFA’s sponsorship portfolio. He played a central role in the development of UEFA’s first dedicated sponsorship strategy for Women’s Football, contributing to a tripling of revenues and significant growth in the commercial value of the competitions.

His responsibilities also include shaping long-term sponsorship strategies, managing collaboration with UEFA’s exclusive commercial agencies, driving revenue growth, enhancing partner satisfaction, and leading multidisciplinary teams across commercial sales and account management functions.

Hannah Mansour is Director of ESG at Arsenal Football Club, where she leads the club’s environmental sustainability strategy and drives the integration of ESG across the organisation. She has played a key role in developing Arsenal’s sustainability programme, including achieving the world’s first Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-validated net zero target for a football club and delivering initiatives that engage fans, staff and partners in climate action. With a background in sustainability, innovation and business transformation, Hannah is passionate about the power of sport to accelerate environmental progress and create lasting positive impact for our communities. 

Bob Ramsak is the Head of Sustainability at World Athletics, the global governing body for track and field and long distance running, a journalist who has covered the sport globally for more than two decades and a long-time advocate for environmental, economic, and social justice.

Evelyn Holderbach is a Senior Sports Business Executive with over 20 years of experience across sports, media and lifestyle sectors. She joined UEFA in June 2025 and currently serves as Senior Sustainability Commercial Expert. Prior to this, she spent over five years at RB Leipzig — primarily as Director Sales & Business Development, later leading Sustainability & International Development — where she built the club’s first ESG strategy. She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Heidelberg and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Montpellier, and has completed executive education at Cambridge, Oxford, INSEAD and Stanford.

General Manager at Real Betis Balompié Foundation since 2018, with experience in policy design, institutional coordination and field interventions in Asia, Central America, Europe, and United Nations global events. Specialising in environmental issues, sports, youth employment, social inclusion of vulnerable groups of people, within the framework of Corporate Sustainability.

Prince Osisiadan is a Lawyer, Engineer, and Sustainability Expert with extensive experience across mining, oil & gas, construction, finance, transport, hospitality, tourism, and sport. He has previously worked with global industry leaders, including AngloGold Ashanti and Newmont Corporation.

He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Sustainable Urban Development at the University of Oxford, and is an alumnus of KNUST, GIMPA, the University of Twente, and the University of Cambridge.

Prince is a member of the Ghana Bar Association and the Ghana Institution of Engineering, and holds professional certifications as an ISO 14001 Lead Auditor and a Sustainability and Climate Risk Professional (GRI & GARP). He is also a GRI-certified trainer in sustainability reporting.

He is the CEO of SUCCA Africa Ltd, and serves as a Board Member (African Region) of the Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers, a member of the International Bar Association, a Steering Committee Member for Sport20, and an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.

Inês Ribeiro is a Quality and Environmental Manager in the Sustainability Department at FC Porto. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health and a Master’s degree in Occupational Health and Safety in Organizations.
Passionate about sustainability and organizational improvement, her work bridges environmental management, quality systems, and sustainable development. In addition to her professional experience, she has contributed to academic research through publications in international scientific journals, including Safety and Sustainability, with a particular focus on sustainability in higher education.
Through both practice and research, Inês seeks to promote innovative and impactful approaches to sustainability across different sectors.

Nicolas Bonneau coordinates Decathlon’s landmark study on the environmental impact of sports practice, alongside his role leading the Digital Transformation of Sports. An engineer by background, Nicolas spent a decade in consulting, leveraging digital and data to optimize low-carbon railway mobility across France. Four years ago, he brought his expertise to Decathlon to drive digital sustainability initiatives, building automated and reliable carbon accounting across its entire value chain.
A passionate trail runner, hiker, and daily bike-commuter, Nicolas is driven by a deep connection to natural ecosystems. He combines data rigor, digital innovation, and sustainability expertise to help the sports ecosystem transition toward a low-carbon future

Joanna Czutkowna is CEO of 5THREAD, a consultancy specialising at the intersection of sports, sustainability and apparel. She has extensive experience in product innovation and global supply chains. With over 20 years of international experience, including a decade based in China, she has led global sourcing strategy and innovation departments for some of the world’s largest apparel brands. Working across every part of the product development and production process, she has extensive hands-on industry insight into systems change, which she uses to support organisations’ transition towards more circular business models. Joanna is also a doctoral researcher completing a PhD on the circular economy in sports apparel, host of the 5THREAD Podcast and founder of the Sustainable Sports Apparel Charter.

Julien Pierre is a former international rugby player and an entrepreneur committed to the responsible transition of the sports sector. Following a career spanning over fifteen years at the highest level—highlighted by appearances for the French national team and several national titles—he founded Fair Play For Planet in 2020. This was the first eco-responsible certification label dedicated to sports organizations. Through this initiative, he helps clubs, federations, event organizers, and sports facility managers reduce their environmental impact and strengthen their societal role by providing a universal tool to structure, measure, and showcase their comprehensive sustainability efforts. Today, more than 130 organizations across 15 different sports disciplines and four countries (France, Belgium, Spain, and Switzerland) have committed to the Fair Play For Planet process.
Convinced that sport can be a powerful driver of transformation, he regularly works with organizations to share his experience and raise awareness among industry stakeholders about environmental and societal issues.
Fair Play For Planet: https://www.fairplayforplanet.org/

Thomas Bulitta joined Lidl International (Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG) in 2022 and is currently Head of Partnerships Sport, leading the strategic direction and overall management of all international sports sponsorships with a strong focus on football, handball, and active lifestyle. He is responsible for developing and executing the global sponsorship strategy to sustainably sharpen brand positioning and engage new target audiences.
In his role, Thomas oversees the data-driven identification of relevant sports platforms, specifically focusing on finding partnerships that enable Lidl to make a genuine impact in their respective fields.

Caroline Meaby is Head of Programmes & Engagement at OKRE, the entertainment impact charity that brings research, lived experience and creativity together so that people understand the world and each other better. At OKRE, Caroline works across partnerships, creative development and industry engagement, helping to support entertainment projects that combine social impact with compelling storytelling.

Caroline has had over 20 years’ experience working in and with the creative industries. After a decade in production at the BBC, she moved into heading up programmes and partnerships at organisations including the Edinburgh TV Festival and British Council Arts, where she oversaw a diverse portfolio of international collaboration projects involving professionals from across the arts and creative industries.

At OKRE, Caroline is currently overseeing a range of initiatives including ‘Laughing Matters’, which explores how comedy can help audiences engage with climate and health issues in fresh, accessible and emotionally resonant ways. This work has included connecting academic researchers to a range of sitcoms in development through the ‘Laughing Matters Fellowship’, and “Twenty Twenty Six” (Expectation/ BBC), the sitcom starring Hugh Bonneville which imagined the work of the organising committee of a major global football tournament.

Dr Arouge has been a technical lead in Sustainability for more than 15 years, with a diverse background in research, innovation and industry, managing comprehensive Sustainability/ESG programmes with a typically transformative and developmental focus. Dr Arouge has worked across various sectors ranging from research and academia, energy and utilities, oil and gas, to finance and investing, metals, engineering services and venues. She currently heads the Sustainability function at Ethara, leading efforts across a portfolio of venues, events and sports.

Henrique is a management specialist with extensive experience in marketing and sales across sports activities, telecommunication services, FMCG, and the publishing industry. With highly developed problem-solving, leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills, he is now focused on Sustainability at Sport Lisboa e Benfica — acting, leading by example, and influencing behaviours. At the end of the day, brightening the future

Marcus Bocklisch is a Waste and Recycling Management Expert at PreZero. After nine years shaping Risk and Compliance at Lidl, Marcus shifted focus to circular economy initiatives within the Schwarz Group in 2019. In 2020, he led the DIN consortium to develop the DIN Spec 91436, the standard for circular resource and waste management. Having successfully guided international zero-waste transformation projects for Lidl and Kaufland, Marcus spearheaded the world’s first certification of a soccer stadium (TSG Hoffenheim) under this new standard in 2022. Today, he is expanding the “Road-to-Zero Waste” framework for sports, event, and corporate clients globally.

Dom Winter turns outdoor passion into systemic climate action. Operating at the intersection of environmental policy and the outdoor economy, Dom brings deep technical expertise and an authentic connection to outdoor sport communities.

Over a decade driving policy campaigns, Dom has spearheaded major initiatives including POW UK’s Clean Miles, Send It for Climate, and Divest the Dirt. He specializes in translating complex challenges into accessible, high-impact campaigns that mobilise coalitions and influence decision-makers.

As a certified Carbon Literacy Trainer, Dom has personally guided over 250 individuals to certification, empowering brands, sports groups, and individuals to build lasting climate habits. An avid snowboarder, mountain biker and hiker with a Master’s degree in systems engineering, Dom blends front-line advocacy with practical problem-solving to drive systemic environmental change.

Shubham Jain is a business and human rights lawyer working at the intersection of sports policy & governance, human rights law, inclusion, safeguarding and remedy, environmental and transformative justice, and climate resilience. He is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Cambridge, Research Fellow at the Centre for Sport & Human Rights, and Editor of the Routledge Sport and Human Rights Book Series.

Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu leads business engagement in climate action at UN Climate Change, mobilizing companies and industry leaders to deliver ambitious climate action. She has developed landmark initiatives such as the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action and Sports for Climate Action, and brings extensive experience in international diplomacy, stakeholder engagement, and climate policy. Lindita’s academic background combines electrical engineering, international relations, and energy and climate policy.

Matt Bailey is Head of Strategy at The Desert Vipers, the Avram Glazer owned cricket franchise playing in the DP World International League T20 in the UAE. Matt began his career at IMG, where he was involved with the creation of the Indian Premier League, and has since worked with various businesses in sport and technology, including a stint as Head of UK & Europe at Cameo. Matt oversees the commercial and sustainability functions at Desert Vipers, embedding social and environmental considerations at the heart of business operations.  

Laura Lahiff is Sustainability Lead at Munster Rugby, where she has spent five years working alongside leadership to embed sustainability into the culture, decisions and the story of one of European rugby’s most storied clubs.

In 2025, Munster’s Sustainability Report won the Sport Positive Award for Report of the Year, travelling from pitch to classrooms to international climate forums – cited in the updated UN Sport for Climate Action Framework. It still ripples because it was honest, took people on the journey, and borrowed the emotional arc of a sport season – the highs, lows, setbacks and comebacks – to make sustainability feel like something they already knew.

With a background spanning engineering, construction project management, and post-disaster recovery across New Zealand and England – alongside an MSc in Environmental Sustainability – Laura brings a technical and practical eye to sustainability. The balance she navigates: being honest about where things stand, while staying clear-eyed about where they could go.

Driven by curiosity and creativity, she is passionate about sport’s ability to drive change at scale, and believes this isn’t a stretch from sport’s identity, but a return to it. The work is translation: bringing sustainability into the language sport already speaks – resilience, performance, legacy, connection – and trusting that when those conversations come alive, something shifts.

Ann developed Golf Ireland’s Sustainability Action Plan for 2024-2027 and this was formally launched at Golf Ireland’s National AGM in March 2024.

Since then Ann, together with the Board, Senior managmenet the National Sustainability Committee at Golf Ireland have been leading, supporting and assisting both the organisation and its 379 affiliated clubs on their sustainability journeys.

Ann has over 30 years business experience and is a business and finalnce speicalist from Killarney, who brings a wealth of business and sustainability experience with her and was part of the first cohort of executives to complete a Masters in Sustainability Business Development at Trinity College. She has also qualified as a non-executive director with the Institute of Coporate Governances and gained a distinction in a diploma in Sustainable Finance from UCD/IOB.

Dr Jan Breitsohl is Associate Professor in Digital Marketing at the University of Glasgow, with 13+ years’ experience researching social media conflict, online harms, digital wellbeing, brand purpose, and values-led communication. He helps sport organisations understand how sustainability and social value messages are received online, why they sometimes trigger fan criticism or Fan-to-Fan conflict, and how to respond in ways that protect wellbeing, credibility, reputation, and commercial outcomes. Jan works with brands, charities, football clubs, and governing bodies to develop science-based tools for campaign pre-testing and backlash response. Using social media analysis and experimental methods, he measures real effects beyond likes and sentiment, helping organisations communicate their values with confidence and harmonise rather than polarise.

Ioannis is currently an FNS researcher at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland and has worked in research roles at the University of Innsbruck and ETH Zurich. He is, also, a sustainability advisor at Sportad, Founder of The Sports Footprint, a sustainability consultancy that has been awarded the Prince’s Trust Global Sustainability Award for Europe, having a notable and diverse list of clients from the sports industry. Ioannis is a Board Member at the European Association for Sport Management (EASM) responsible for safeguarding and sustainability and has also, developed several educational courses in sport and sustainability for organisations such as the Football Business Academy, the International Olympic Academy and the Athens University of Economics and Business. He has taught across sport management degrees in various universities and institutions across Europe.

Damian Foxall is a sustainability strategist and professional offshore sailor working across sport and the marine sector to advance environmental stewardship. A winner of the Volvo Ocean Race and one of Ireland’s most accomplished offshore sailors, Damian has competed in many of the world’s leading ocean races over a career spanning more than 30 years.

As Director of Foxall Munro, Damian works with sporting organisations to develop sustainability strategies and leads the Marine Mammal Advisory Group, an international initiative focused on reducing the risk of vessel strikes with marine wildlife. He is also Co-Founder of The Toolbox, a free sustainability platform providing open-access tools and resources to help organisations accelerate sustainability action.

Raphaella Gordon-Saker is Senior Sustainability & Social Impact Manager at Formula E – the world’s first B-Corp-certified global sport – where she works at the intersection of sustainability, social impact and major-event delivery across the championship’s global host-city portfolio.

Named to the edie 100 list of leading UK sustainability professionals in 2026, Raphaella established Formula E’s global Theory of Change and developed the Better Futures Fund, evolving the championship’s approach to charitable giving into a locally focused grant programme. The Fund supports organisations in Formula E host cities, connecting global impact ambitions with locally identified priorities and creating a more structured approach to community investment and impact.

Her work focuses on how global sport can move beyond standalone initiatives to embed social impact into how events are planned, partnerships are built, and host-city relationships are developed. She also leads major STEM education partnerships and helps shape Formula E’s approach to gender equity, including FIA Girls on Track and the All-Women’s Test.

Raphaella is now focused on developing more participatory, community-led approaches to major-event delivery – exploring how sport can use its platforms, partnerships and convening power to create lasting opportunities for people and communities beyond just event weeks.

James is responsible for driving forward the club’s environmental sustainability and the community strategies, making positive impact across the organisation and advancing action across our staff, players, fans and in our wider community. 

Julie is an experienced sustainability professional with a particular focus on challenging strategies, management and strategic social, environmental, economic and ethical advice for a wide variety of international projects. She has led teams in several offices and oversees initiatives in other areas where innovative solutions are provided to resolve particularly challenging strategies and projects. She has worked on numerous projects abroad including in Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Oceania, North America, South America and the Bahamas.

Julie has worked, and continues to work, on a series of high-profile and complex bespoke corporate strategies, as well as more specialised research-focused projects, where her ability to protect and enhance a strategy or policy as well as co-ordinate and review a wide range of technical inputs linked to an aptitude to both lead and manage multi-disciplinary teams, has promoted and then successfully delivered such projects.

Julie has facilitated workshops and been invited as a guest speaker at international conferences and has facilitated strategic meetings with government officials, NGOs and opinion formers. She works as an existing relationship manager with UN Agencies and has a thorough understanding of how societies and their institutions, economies and environments interact to influence sustainable development and the adaptability of livelihoods and communities to both environmental and political change.

Julie has a particular focus on leading the delivery of net zero strategies within highly complex environments and organisations.

Claire is the CEO and Founder of Sport Positive, supporting the global sports industry to increase action and ambition on climate change, sustainability, biodiversity and environmental justice; through direct support, community creation, the annual Sport Positive Summit, Sport Positive Leagues and The Climate of Sport podcast.
Sport Positive Summit is the annual award-winning, leading global meeting place for sports effecting positive environmental impacts, in collaboration with UNFCCC and the International Olympic Committee. Sport Positive Leagues rank and highlight environmental sustainability efforts of top flight sports organisations, to drive industry progress.
In 2017 she was cited as doing ‘more than anyone alive to mobilize convocations for sustainability advocates throughout the sport world’ and in 2022 she appeared on Sport Business Journal’s ‘Influential Executives To Know in Sports Sustainability’ list. Her views and work have been covered by BBC Sport, Sky Sports News, The Mirror, BT Sport, Euronews, The Independent, Reuters, The Times, The New York Times, The Nikkei, The Japan Times, Forbes, The Athletic, Rouleur, Euractiv, Ecolospot and more. She is a frequent keynote speaker and chairperson at industry conferences.
Additionally Claire is an Advisory Board Member for Ecoathletes, Athletes of the World and The Sport Ecology Group; Advisory Committee Member for The Council for Responsible Sport’s Standard for Organisations and IWBI’s WELL Advisory on Sports and Entertainment Venues. She sits on the UEFA Environment Steering Group and is also part of the albert Sports Consortium, for sports broadcasters to tackle their environmental footprint.

Amy Munro is a sustainability strategist working across sport to drive social and environmental change. As Director of Foxall Munro, she supports organisations in developing sustainability strategies and delivering social impact projects, and is Co-Founder of The Toolbox, a free sustainability platform providing open-access tools and resources to accelerate action.

Amy’s background includes sustainability strategy development and implementation for high-performance sailing campaigns, including the British Challenger for the 35th America’s Cup and 11th Hour Racing Team ahead of The Ocean Race 2022–23. She also serves on the World Sailing Sustainability Commission and as a jury member for the DAME Design Awards.

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.

Felipe Llorente is the President of the River Plate Foundation. He also serves Club Atlético River Plate as 1st Vice President of Public Relations and as a representative for club members. He holds a degree in Political Science from the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina (UCA) and is currently pursuing master’s degrees in International Relations (Austral University) and Political Leadership (CIAS University Institute). He has received international training in the United States, the European Union, China, and India, and has worked for various public sector bodies, including ANSES, the Superintendence of Occupational Risks, and the Government of the Province of Buenos Aires.

Rishin Tandon is an ESPY Award winner, a winner of the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award as one of just three National Honorees, and the winner of the American Climate Leadership Award (Youth Category) by ecoAmerica. He is the 17-year-old founder of the patent-pending Youth Eco Sports Scorecard (YESS), a first-of-its-kind digital platform that functions like a FICO-style score for youth sports sustainability, using behavioral science, community-generated data, and youth leadership to measure, benchmark, and accelerate climate action.

Rishin was also one of six recipients of an Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program grant supporting innovative work in sport and social impact. He has delivered mainstage talks at the Green Sports Alliance Summit in Miami, became the youngest two-time global speaker at Play the Game in Tampere, Finland, and has been a guest speaker at NC State University and the University of Washington Bothell.

His work grew from original research examining sustainability across the 2018, 2022, and 2026 FIFA World Cups, including interviews with 12 global experts spanning sport, sustainability, academia, and World Cup organizing committees. He translated lessons from global mega-events to the grassroots through YESS, which turns everyday decisions from transportation and waste to extreme heat and air quality, into measurable climate actions, behavioral nudges, and data that can reveal where change is most needed.

Rishin’s work sits at the intersection of climate action, behavioral science, environmental justice, public health, and sport. His broader goal is to democratize climate leadership by giving young people the tools, data, and agency to drive systemic change through the teams and communities they already belong to.

Dr. Sasha Sutherland is the Executive Director of the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization (RADO). In her role she manages teams in the 18 Caribbean RADO member countries to strengthen their anti-doping frameworks. She is also a lecturer at The University of the West Indies and serves as a Director of the Barbados Olympic Association Inc., where she is Chair of the Education Commission, a member of the Governance Commission and Sustainability Lead.

With a desire to increase awareness around issues of gender (in)equality, governance and doping in sport, she has published work on menstrual health, Sport for Development, sexism and sport impacts on girls and women, and gender and race in sport. She is also Chair of the Barbados Girls Cricket Club- the first of its kind in the Caribbean. Here she is committed, with her team, to provide safe spaces for girls to participate in and thrive in and through sport.

She is a former triple-discipline athlete of Lawn Tennis, Football and Hockey and enjoys Open Water Swimming who brings her knowledge of being athlete, administrator and academic together to inform the world in any way she can.

Annie Horn is Associate Vice President, Social Impact & Inclusion and Sustainability at the NBA, where she leads the league’s environmental sustainability strategy across the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League and Basketball Africa League, working across league operations, events and partners to integrate sustainability into the business of basketball, in addition to NBA’s health and wellness platform, NBA Total Health. She has guided the NBA’s climate commitments, including becoming the first professional sports league in North America to sign the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework, and led the league’s first carbon footprint assessment and public greenhouse gas emissions disclosure.

Her work focuses on helping the league measure, reduce and report its environmental impact while advancing practical sustainability initiatives across marquee events and year-round operations. Through collaboration with teams, venues, corporate partners and industry stakeholders her work advances scalable solutions strengthening both sustainability and fan engagement. She is passionate about harnessing the power of sport to create positive social and environmental impact.

Attorney, author of the book Compliance in Football, specialist in Compliance, Anti-Corruption Law and Public Administration Control from FDV, and in Regulatory Compliance from Penn University.

He currently serves as Compliance, Data Protection & ESG Officer at Atlético Mineiro SAF, President of the Ethics Council of the Brazilian Triathlon Confederation, and Professor in the Graduate Program in Governance, Risk Management and Compliance at FDV.

He previously served as President of the Compliance Committee of the Brazilian Bar Association – Espírito Santo Section, and as Undersecretary of Internal Control and Audit for the Municipality of Vitória/ES. Named one of the most admired compliance professionals in Brazilian companies by the Compliance On Top Awards.

As NASCAR’s Head of Sustainability, Riley Nelson develops, directs and champions the motorsports league’s first comprehensive environmental sustainability strategy, including oversight of 15 racetracks, seven office locations, 1200+ employees, and 20+ events that draw millions of attendees annually. She was a leading voice behind the sport’s first public-facing sustainability goal – net zero operating emissions by 2035 – and the formation of NASCAR IMPACT. Additionally, she helped secure the company’s first NASCAR IMPACT partnership in global electrification leader ABB; published the sport’s first IMPACT report; launched composting, reuse and expanded recycling programs across events; and built the renewable energy strategy for 60K+ MWh of electricity per year. She was named to Sports Business Journal’s 2024 class of New Voices Under 30 and was included on SBJ’s Ones to Watch in Sustainability list in 2023. Based in Denver and originally from Boston, Nelson received her MBA in Sustainable Innovation from the University of Vermont and BA in Sport Management from the University of Michigan.

Julia Vergueiro is a Brazilian entrepreneur and sports industry leader dedicated to advancing opportunities for girls and women through sports. She is the co-founder of Nossa Arena, Latin America’s first women-dedicated sports complex, and co-founder of the Instituto Nossa Arena, a nonprofit organization that uses sports as a tool for empowerment, health, and social inclusion in underserved communities. For over a decade, she has led initiatives that combine sports, education, and community development, creating pathways for thousands of girls and women to access opportunities both on and off the field.

Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist who studies how climate change impacts us and how we can effectively respond. She is globally recognized as a United Nations Champion of the Earth and an Oxfam Sister of the Planet, and has been named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, Foreign Policy’s 100 Leading Global Thinkers, and FORTUNE’s World’s Greatest Leaders.

Katharine is known for her ability to translate complex climate issues into accessible public discourse. She publishes a weekly Talking Climate newsletter, hosted the PBS Digital Series, Global Weirding, and writes for broad range of outlets, from TIME to Good Housekeeping. Her TED talk, “The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it” has more than 4 million views and her most recent book is “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World.”

Currently, she is the Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy and holds the positions of Horn Distinguished Professor and the Political Science Endowed Professor in Public Policy and Public Law at Texas Tech University. Katharine earned her B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Toronto and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from the University of Illinois. She is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, and the American Scientific Affiliation, and serves on advisory boards for organizations such as Netflix, UBS, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. In recognition of her contributions to science communication and engagement, she has received a number of awards and four honorary doctorates.

Zach Ruiz is the Sustainability Manager for the Miami HEAT and Kaseya Center, where he leads organization wide environmental strategy. His leadership has earned recognition across waste reduction, energy efficiency, water efficiency, ESG strategy, and community engagement.

Since joining the HEAT, the arena has increased its annual waste diversion rate from ~6% to more than 50%. Initiatives include expanded recycling and compost programs, reduced fan-facing single-plastic and back-of-house sorting.

In addition to waste reduction, Zach champions community impact and resiliency through new regional environmental initiatives. This past season the Miami HEAT and Kaseya Center have supported local community partners that work with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, coral reef restoration, green space restoration, sea turtle conservation and food waste education.

Danielle Doza is the Vice President of Sustainability and Environmental Services for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rock Entertainment Group, the first dedicated senior level sustainability position in the NBA. At the Cavs, Danielle works across the company on sustainable operations, procurement, and reporting, supporting the marketing and communications teams, and integrating sustainability into partnership development. Danielle was previously recognized by Sports Business Journal as “One to Watch” for women in sports and sustainability and as a “Notable Leader in Sustainability” by Cleveland Crain’s Business.

Prior to joining the Cavs, Danielle was a corporate sustainability consultant as the co-founder of a small firm, where she helped manufacturing and consumer product companies with sustainability strategy development, reporting, and project-based challenges.

Danielle is a graduate of The Ohio State University and Cleveland State University College of Law. She received an executive certificate from the University of Pennsylvania Center for Social Impact Strategy.

Ashley Gladney serves as the Sustainability Program Manager for Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, where she leads initiatives that advance environmental sustainability across the organization’s operations and venues, including Spectrum Center and NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Becky Dale is the Vice President of Sustainability at LA28, managing the development and execution of sustainability plans for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. Prior to joining LA28, Becky held corporate sustainability leadership roles at Amazon and AEG. Becky’s experience developing and implementing sustainability strategies at global companies has positioned her to drive progress towards a more sustainable events industry. She also sits on the advisory board of LA Cleantech Incubator’s Transportation Electrification Partnership. Becky holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a BA in Public Policy Analysis and History from Pomona College.

Dr. Jessica Murfree is an Assistant Professor of Sport Administration and the Hyde Family Foundation Fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she directs the Action on Climate Change and Environment in Sport Studies (ACCESS) Research Lab. She also serves on the Leadership Team of the Sport Ecology Group. Her research studies the effects of climate change on sport through societal implications of climate risks and environmental disparities. Among others, her work has been featured in Sports Illustrated, Scientific American, The Athletic, ABC, The Guardian, The Television Academy, and The Weather Channel.

At UNC, Dr. Murfree developed and teaches the university’s first course on Sport Ecology, advises the university through the Carolina Sustainability Council, and is an affiliated researcher with the Institute for the Environment. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree in Sports, and she earned Yale University’s School of Public Health Certificate in Climate Change and Health

Brianna Treat is the Vice President of Sustainability for Climate Pledge Arena and the Seattle Kraken, where she leads the organization’s sustainability strategy and works to advance one of the world’s most progressive and sustainable sports and entertainment venues. She oversees initiatives spanning carbon accounting, zero waste, sustainable operations, and strategic partnerships that demonstrate how live events can drive meaningful environmental impact.

With more than a decade of experience in sustainability, Brianna’s expertise includes large-scale waste reduction, ESG reporting, green building certifications, carbon accounting, and sustainability strategy. She is passionate about turning ambitious environmental goals into practical, measurable results and helping shape the future of sustainability in sports and entertainment.

Shaun Hoyte is a sustainability leader with over 20 years of experience in the energy and utilities sector, with a growing influence at the intersection of sustainability, sports, and entertainment. He began his career at Con Edison as an electrician building the infrastructure that powers New York City, and has since administered more than $250 million in energy efficiency and building electrification incentives while leading strategies to advance an equitable clean energy economy.

At Columbia University, where he earned his master’s degree, Shaun is an adjunct professor and advisor. He created and co-teaches Columbia’s first course on Sustainability in Sports, translating academic theory into practice across the industry. He is also the founder and director of SEEN Media, a Columbia Climate School initiative leveraging entertainment and culture to advance climate action. Shaun has been recognized for his leadership with multiple industry and public service honors.

Sam Mattis is a 2x Olympian in the discus throw for Team USA. He grew up in New Jersey, and after tripping over a hurdle in his first race, found the discus and hasn’t put it down yet.

After graduating cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, he turned down an offer to work on Wall Street to pursue his dream of becoming an Olympian. Since becoming a professional athlete, he has made two Olympic teams (Tokyo and Paris, with his best finish being 8th in Tokyo), won multiple national championships and just broke the American record this year.

Off the track, he’s gone from working odd jobs, to working for start-ups, to starting a small business himself, and has become passionate about sustainability. After a wake up call reading David Wallace-Well’s Uninhabitable Earth, he has decided to use his platform as an athlete to advocate for sustainability and to dedicate his second act to a career in sustainability. He is an EcoAthlete’s Champion, a World Athletics Champion for a Better World, a member of World Athletics’s Sustainability Management Review Steering Group, and has spoken at COP about the impact that athletes can have in the fight against climate change.

He also recently joined The Long Game as the Athlete Relations Lead to amplify athlete voices to help drive sustainable behaviors, lifestyles, and cultural change. He’s currently training to make his third Olympic team and learning as much as he can to transition to a career in sustainability once his athletic career ends.

Dr. Maddy Orr is an Assistant Professor of Sport Ecology at the University of Toronto. She is best known for her work on climate adaptation in the sport sector, and as founder of The Sport Ecology Group. She’s been named a Future of Canada Fellow, a Top 30 Under 30 Environmental Educator, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 awardee. In 2022, she was the lead author on UNEP’s Sports for Nature report and her 2024 book Warming Up: How Climate Change is Changing Sports was named a Top 5 Sports Book of the Year by The Guardian. 

Damian Foxall is a sustainability strategist and professional offshore sailor working across sport and the marine sector to advance environmental stewardship. A winner of the Volvo Ocean Race and one of Ireland’s most accomplished offshore sailors, Damian has competed in many of the world’s leading ocean races over a career spanning more than 30 years.

As Director of Foxall Munro, Damian works with sporting organisations to develop sustainability strategies and leads the Marine Mammal Advisory Group, an international initiative focused on reducing the risk of vessel strikes with marine wildlife. He is also Co-Founder of The Toolbox, a free sustainability platform providing open-access tools and resources to help organisations accelerate sustainability action.

Meg Reilly is an independent consultant specializing in strategy, communications, partnerships and sustainability, with a focus on the maritime and sporting industries. After leaving a career on Madison Avenue to pursue her dream of sailing around the world, she went on to win the 2013/14 Clipper Round the World Race. Today, she serves as Program Development Consultant for Foxall Munro and Director of Strategy & Partnerships for the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

Meg’s sustainability work includes co-authoring the Marine Megafauna in Sailing Guidelines, recognized through the Sport Positive Awards Biodiversity shortlist, and developing The Magenta Project’s mentoring curriculum, which received the World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award. Her work combines strategic thinking, communications and sustainability to help organizations create meaningful impact.

Eve Turow-Paul is founder and Executive Director of BITE: Building Impact Through Eaters and a globally-recognized thought leader on food culture and lifestyle trends.

Her latest book is Hungry: Avocado Toast, Instagram Influencers and Our Search for Connection and Meaning (BenBella, 2020).

Through her nonprofit and thought leadership, she explains the ‘why’ behind todays biggest trends.

Turow-Paul has worked with some of the largest foodservice and CPG companies in the world, along with city governments and agriculture groups, to help them deliver solutions that are better for people and the planet. She has appeared in various media outlets to discuss her insights into the changing landscape of food culture.

She views food culture as a key lever for improving mental, physical, and environmental health around the world.

Brazos Barber is the Director of Sustainability at the PGA TOUR. In this role he oversees the environmental impact of the TOUR’s owned tournaments, golf courses, and offices across the globe. His focus in these areas is to reduce the waste, water, and emissions that are a byproduct of conducting and hosting large scale golf events.

Brazos graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Sports Management. Before joining the PGA TOUR, he was an account manager at various tech and finance companies in the Jacksonville, Florida area, where he still lives with his wife Kara, kids Brooks and June, and dog Tally.

Bill is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and served on active duty as a naval aviator for 12 years before joining the Naval Reserves. Bill retired from the Naval Reserves as a Commander after 24 years of service.

In 1987, following active duty in the United States Navy, Bill entered the sports and entertainment facilities and events management industry. He has held top-level positions with the following facilities:
Yankee Stadium (old), Giants Stadium (two tours), Huntington Bank Field (Cleveland Browns), ESPN Wide World of Sports

Bill is a Past President of the Stadium Managers Association, which has members from the National Football League, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the Canadian Football League, universities/colleges, and other facilities, both national and international, that host sports and entertainment events.

Bill has a consulting business specializing in sports and entertainment facilities and event management. Bill also works as an expert witness in lawsuits involving sports teams and venues

Bill is the Chief Venues Officer for the FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey Host Committee. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, will host eight matches, including the final.

Norman Vossschulte is originally from Berlin, Germany. His culturally rich background included 10 years living abroad in Africa, Iraq and Spain before moving back to Germany to finish his Abitur. He studied Biology and Physical Science before deciding to move to New York City in 1996 to attend the Herbert Berghof Institute for Fine Theatre Arts and Drama.

Norman’s work experience is as eclectic as his upbringing. He has worked in the hotel industry, the non-profit industry, as well as both sports and entertainment industries. Twenty-five years of practicing customer and client relations have given him an overview of which techniques consistently enhance guest experiences. Norman has over 20 years of staff training and team leadership experience working with The Walt Disney Company and currently the Philadelphia Eagles.

In 2014, Norman became the Eagles’ official GO GREEN spokesperson. During his tenure leading the “green team,” the Eagles have obtained LEED Platinum certification and were the first sports team in the
world to reach ISO 20121 certification. He organized and later re-branded the program, which included a new slogan “Innovate. Sustain.” and committee (ECO – Engagement, Communication, Operations).

The Eagles are also the first sports team to offset their carbon emissions through seagrass and mangrove restoration efforts, a partnership formed in June 2021 with The Ocean Foundation. Most recently, Lincoln Financial Field became the first stadium in the world to have an onsite hydrogen production and fueling station to power its fleet of maintenance vehicles.

Eve Joseph is Head of Social Impact at British Triathlon, where she leads the organisation’s strategy on Sustainability and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I). She is responsible for embedding social impact across the sport, from grassroots to elite performance, with a focus on creating inclusive environments and driving environmental stewardship.

Before transitioning into the sports sector, Eve spent 15 years at Microsoft, working at the intersection of business and ESG across both UK and global markets. Her career has been defined by turning strategic ambition into tangible, high-impact programmes—bridging the gap between corporate intent and real-world change.

Eve and British Triathlon are co-founders of the Clean Water Sports Alliance, which now represents 11 national governing bodies and over 450,000 recreational water users. The Alliance has been recognised for its pioneering work, winning the SJA Sport for Change Award in 2024.

She also serves on the Sport England External Reference Group for Sustainability, contributing to the sector-wide strategy for environmental responsibility and climate action in sport.

Driven by authenticity and inclusion, Eve is passionate about using her platform to amplify voices that are often overlooked—especially those of nature and underrepresented communities.

Rodrigo Lois is a sports journalist from media group Globo (Brazil). He works as reporter and TV producer, specialised in international football. Rodrigo runs a section on the show “Redação”, from TV channel “sportv”, called “Clima em Jogo” (Climate in game). This section is about how sports, specially football, relates to climate change.

Rodrigo Lois has more than 15 years of experience covering the sports industry, mainly football. He was a TV correspondent in Berlin in 2014, for “sportv”. He has covered FIFA World Cups, Olympic Games and other sports great events. The journalist also did articles and lives transmitions about Chapecoense’s air tragedy, Covid-19 pandemic and burnings at Pantanal.

Lucía de la Vega is Executive Director of the River Plate Foundation. Lucia holds a degree and a teaching qualification in Literature (UBA). She holds postgraduate qualifcations in education, corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and leadership (FLACSO, Di Tella, San Andrés, UCEMA). She has been working in the social sector since 2001 and currently serves as Secretary of the Group of Foundations and Companies (GDFE).

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 then 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 280+ EcoAthletes Champions — pros, Olympians, and NCAA student athletes — with the tools to advance from “climate curious” to “climate leader” so they can use their massive social influence to help spark the much-needed Climate Comeback.

Naoko Imoto is an Olympic swimmer and a leading advocate for climate action and sustainability in Japanese sport. She is the Founder and Executive Director of SDGs in SPORTS, where she works with athletes, sports organisations, leagues and businesses to accelerate climate action and gender equality and advance sustainability across the sports sector in Japan.

A former competitive swimmer, Naoko represented Japan at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, finishing fourth in the 4x200m freestyle relay, and won gold medals at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima.

Following her sporting career, she spent almost two decades working in international development, specialising in education, peacebuilding and humanitarian response with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Europe. Drawing on her experience across elite sport and international development, she now focuses on mobilising sport as a force for climate action and wider social change.

Rhydian Cowley is a three-time Olympian in racewalking from Australia, and a Bronze Medalist at the Paris 2024 Games.

Rhydian’s commitment to giving back for the future of sport shines through in his off-field commitments. He is an EcoAthletes Champion, a World Athletics Champion for a Better World, and is also a member of the Athletes’ Committees at both Australian Athletics and at the Victorian Institute of Sport.

Contributions to a range of initiatives including the 2024 Rings of Fire report into heat risks at Olympic Games, the development of the Carbon Literacy Project’s Sport module, and joint open letters of advocacy to governments and international sporting bodies have seen Rhydian earn recognition as a passionate and authentic voice in the climate action in sport space. In 2024, Rhydian was the BBC Green Sports Awards World Athlete of the Year, and an IOC Athletes for Good grant winner.

Away from sport, Rhydian works at nature conservation NGO Bush Heritage Australia as a part of their fundraising and engagement team, and is treasurer at his local community garden. Rhydian is also an avid birdwatcher, with this hobby helping to recharge his batteries and to keep him connected to the natural world he is committed to protecting.

Masaki Hamaguchi is the Board Director at Kashima Antlers overseeing the club’s sales division and leading its sustainability strategy. Background includes extensive experience in corporate strategy, ESG initiatives, and new business development across the corporate and consulting sectors.

Alisa Torgersen is the Education Lead at Yachting New Zealand and leads the national RŪNĀ education programme, connecting schools, sailing clubs, and communities through sustainability and ocean-focused learning. A qualified teacher with experience in New Zealand and Australia, Alisa is passionate about creating meaningful opportunities for young people to engage with sport, environmental action, and community wellbeing.

Kim Crane is the Chief Executive Officer of Paddle Australia, guiding the organisation through a bold new era where elite performance, community connection, and system-wide innovation come together to define the future of paddling in Australia.

Kim brings over 30 years of experience in high-performance sport and leadership, underpinned by a deep personal connection to paddling. Growing up in Torquay, Victoria, she was immersed in water sports from a young age – yet Kim went on to represent Australia as a Hockeyroo – before rediscovering her passion for paddling through outrigger canoeing and long-distance ocean racing, including competing in the iconic Molokai Challenge.

Her professional journey spans senior executive roles at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS), NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS), Surfing Australia, and Hockey Australia. She has led Olympic and Paralympic campaign strategy, national high-performance systems, talent development pathways, and major structural and cultural reform. Her leadership of Paddle Australia’s High Performance Programs contributed to the nation’s most successful Games campaign in the sport’s history.

Abby Freney is the National Club Experiences Manager at Golf Australia, where she leads national initiatives designed to support golf clubs across the country — including the development of Golf Australia’s Environmental Sustainability Framework and the newly launched Golf Australia Club Governance Program. Abby joined Golf Australia as an intern four years ago, fresh out of her studies in sport management, and has since been championing new perspectives in her role within the sport. Abby and her team are focused on strategic planning and modern governance that drive sustainable, lasting outcomes for golf clubs nationwide.

Rita Nehme is the Head of Sustainability at the AFL, where she leads the organisation’s sustainability strategy, climate reporting, and key initiatives, embedding sustainability across one of Australia’s largest sporting organisations. Her work spans climate action, circular economy, social impact, and industry collaboration, with a focus on delivering practical solutions that create lasting environmental and community outcomes.

Before joining the AFL, Rita led sustainability and social impact at the Richmond Football Club and served as Sustainability Venue Manager for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023. She has delivered sustainability and social impact initiatives across Lebanon, the United States, and Australia.

Mikio Yoshimura is Senior Sales Manager, Japan, for Liverpool Football Club, where he is responsible for developing strategic partnerships with Japanese and Asian corporations and supporting the club’s commercial growth across Asia. As part of Liverpool FC’s Global Partnerships team, he advises leading brands on how to leverage the global reach of elite sports to accelerate international business growth, strengthen brand equity, and engage audiences worldwide.

With more than two decades of experience in international sports business, Mikio has worked across the NFL, Boston Red Sox, Fenway Sports Management, and Liverpool FC. Having spent over a decade living and working in the United States before returning to Japan, he combines deep knowledge of both Western and Japanese business cultures. His expertise spans global sponsorship strategy, international brand expansion, cross-border partnerships, and sports-led business development.

Originally from Kyoto, Japan, Mikio holds a Bachelor’s degree from Tokai University and a Master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of Connecticut. He also serves as a Board Member of the Japan Society of Boston, a NPO, supporting business and cultural exchange between Japan and the United States.

Pragnya is an elite triathlete and IOC Young Leader from India who has made significant strides in both sports and sustainability. Starting her athletic journey at age 8, she became a national champion and led India’s triathlon debut at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She is also a Chartered Accountant and a TEDx speaker, showcasing her multifaceted talents.

Pragnya’s innovative project, “Ek Beti, Ek Cycle” (One Daughter, One Cycle), addresses educational barriers by providing bicycles to rural girls who travel long distances to attend high school. This initiative promotes recycling and environmental sustainability by refurbishing unused bicycles from urban students. Since 2023, her project has distributed hundreds of cycles, with a goal of reaching 1,000 girls by the end of this year.

Her work has inspired change at multiple levels, from mobilizing local volunteers to influencing national policies and connecting with global changemakers through the IOC Young Leaders program. Pragnya’s dedication to promoting gender equality, education, and sustainability exemplifies her leadership and commitment to making a positive impact.

Jamie’s thirteen-year rugby career saw him captain his country on the international stage. He has played fifty-nine international sevens tournaments for Scotland and is their second highest try scorer of all time. He won Twickenham Sevens back to back in 2016 and 2017, has been to two Commonwealth Games and two World Cups and is a European Games silver medalist with Team GB. He has also played for Cambridge University in the Varsity match.

Alongside playing, Jamie is a leading voice in the sport and sustainability space. He co-wrote a letter to World Rugby demanding environmental action signed by hundreds of professional players and gaining international media attention. He then worked with his own union to galvanise sustainability action and helped set up an ESG group which baselined current activity and workshopped sustainability aims from which to write a sustainability plan. Jamie’s research at Cambridge University has focussed upon sport’s role in influencing the uptake of sustainable technology amongst fans in the transition to a net zero economy, and he has used his platform to speak about sport’s responsibility in light of the climate crisis and the positive impact it can and should be having.

He has spoken at COP28, Global Sports Week, Sport Positive, COG-X, and at the Hong Kong sustainability summit. He has also spoken on podcasts such as High Impact Athletes, Emergency on Planet Sport, the ESG engagement podcast and has co-presented an hour-long BBC radio show on sustainability at the Rugby World Cup. Jamie has picked up awards as the International Olympic Committee Sustainability Ambassador award winner, Mastercard’s Future XV of those shaping the future of rugby, and is sustainability ambassador for Scottish Rugby and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games

Takayuki Tsujii was born in Tokyo in 1968. He discovered soccer in London, during a one year stay in 1977, and went on to play for Waseda University and in Japan Regional Football League, equivalent to the 3rd division. After retiring as a player, he completed a master’s degree at Waseda University Graduate School of Social Sciences, specializing in the philosophies of Japanese nature conservation. At the age of 30, he joined the California-based outdoor apparel company, Patagonia, as a part-time staff member. After working at the Tokyo/Shibuya store, he became a full-time employee, gaining experience in marketing and wholesale. He served as the General Manager of Patagonia Japan from 2009 to 2019. He became a board member of the J. League in 2022 and since 2023 has been an executive officer in charge of sustainability. He dedicates most of his time to surfing and snowboarding while he is out of the office.

Melanie is the Senior Director of Ballpark Operations for Major League Baseball (MLB). In this role, she works with all thirty Major League Clubs and 120 Minor League Clubs in the following disciplines: security, guest services, concessions, and environmental sustainability. An important part of this position is to understand the balance and overlap between these different focus areas. Responsibilities also include special event operations and planning, best practice sharing, ballpark assessments, and MLB security initiatives such as the SAFETY Act application. Melanie is on the leadership committee for both the MLB Asian and Pride Employee Resource Groups.

Prior to joining MLB in July 2015, Melanie has worked for various sports organizations including Madison Square Garden, the New York Mets, the Barclays Center, and the Detroit Red Wings. Melanie stays active in various industry organizations serving on the ALSD PX Global Council and the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) Professional Advisory Committee.

Melanie has her Masters in Homeland Security from Northeastern University and is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan, where she earned her BA in Sports Management.

Tatsushi Furuta is Senior Managing Executive Officer responsible for Corporate Planning and Motorsports, and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) at Honda Mobilityland Corporation, the operator of Suzuka Circuit and Mobility Resort Motegi.

Since 2007, Furuta has been engaged in the motorsports division at Suzuka Circuit, where he has held a number of leadership positions including General Manager of the Business Promotion Office and Head of Motorsports Business Management. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in the strategic development and management of major motorsport events and business operations.

In 2024, he was appointed Chief Sustainability Officer and Chairperson of the Sustainability Committee. In this role, he leads the company’s ESG management strategy, driving the integration of sustainability into corporate governance, business planning, motorsport operations, and stakeholder engagement across the organization.

Furuta is committed to creating long-term value through sustainable business practices and advancing the role of motorsport as a platform for positive environmental and social impact. Under his leadership, Honda Mobilityland continues to strengthen its commitment to sustainability while enhancing business resilience and supporting the transition to a more sustainable future.

Matthew Nicholas has been with Tennis Australia for over 12 years. Originally a lawyer, Matt has been Director of Sustainability since 2022, leading delivery of Tennis Australia’s climate action strategy: “Maximum Play, Minimum Footprint”.

Tennis Australia owns and operates the Australian Open, one of four global tennis Grand Slams. The 2026 Australian Open was attended by 1,368,043 fans.

Nicola Barr is the number one draft pick and current player for St Kilda Football Club in the AFLW, and a recognised voice at the intersection of sport, leadership and climate action.

Nic works with FrontRunners, where she leads projects and stakeholder engagement across the sporting industry to mobilise broader climate action. Her work focuses on harnessing the cultural power of sport to shift mindsets, influence leadership and activate communities. She brings together athletes, clubs, sponsors and governing bodies to drive meaningful change across the sector.

Alongside her professional and playing career, Nic is a regular MC and panel facilitator, known for her ability to translate complex sustainability challenges into accessible, engaging conversations. She contributes to discussions across sport, business and the environment, bringing authenticity as both an elite athlete and a leader working to embed sustainability across the sporting landscape.

Nic recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability at the University of Sydney, strengthening her academic grounding in climate and environmental systems.

Her commitment to this work extends well beyond her professional life. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, Nic can most often be found cycling, hiking, surfing or swimming — drawing energy and perspective from the natural environments she is driven to help protect for future generations.

Daesung Choe is General Manager of the ESG & Performance Management Department at the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO), Korea’s principal public institution for the promotion of sport, established on the legacy of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. Over more than two decades at KSPO, he has led work across corporate strategy, Olympic legacy, and large-scale operations, and now directs the Foundation’s ESG and performance-management agenda. His international experience includes directing the Seoul Olympic Legacy Forum 2022.

Joanne Bowen is CEO of Cricket for Climate, a player-led movement founded by Australian Test Captain Pat Cummins to build resilience for communities and the game.

Working at the intersection of sport, energy, climate resilience and community engagement, Joanne has led the design and scaling of innovative programs that help community sport and sporting venues reduce costs, cut emissions and build resilience. Since becoming CEO in 2024, she has led landmark programs including influencing and leading the Australian Governments $50 million investment into clean energy and climate resilience solutions across community sport venues, Australia’s first ever clean energy power hub, and development of a connected energy ecosystem across multiple sporting venues with high sport and broader community benefits.

Joanne pioneered the Cricket for Climate Academy, developing athletes, administrators, media professionals and community leaders as trusted climate and energy advocates. She is recognised for her ability to bring together diverse stakeholders across sport, government, business and communities to create shared value and drive collective action.

2003–2004: Gunma FC Horikoshi (Kanto League / JFL)

2005–2006: Fortuna Düsseldorf Reserve Team (Player)

2008–2020: Fortuna Düsseldorf Japan Desk (Front Office)

2020–2021: V-Varen Nagasaki (Executive Officer)

2021: Regional Connect Nagasaki (Executive Officer)

2022–2024: Mito HollyHock (Executive Officer, Business Strategy / Corporate Planning Office)

2025–Present: Mito HollyHock (Director & Executive Officer / General Manager of Business Operations / Assistant General Manager)

Other Roles

2014–2024: SETAGS GmbH (German Limited Liability Company) – Representative

2015–2019: U-19 Düsseldorf International Soccer Tournament – ​​Japan Desk

2016–2019: U-16 Düsseldorf International Soccer Tournament – ​​Advisor

2016–2024: Chuo University Institute of Business Research – Visiting Researcher

2025–Present: Chuo University – Visiting Lecturer

Meg Reilly is an independent consultant specializing in strategy, communications, partnerships and sustainability, with a focus on the maritime and sporting industries. After leaving a career on Madison Avenue to pursue her dream of sailing around the world, she went on to win the 2013/14 Clipper Round the World Race. Today, she serves as Program Development Consultant for Foxall Munro and Director of Strategy & Partnerships for the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

Meg’s sustainability work includes co-authoring the Marine Megafauna in Sailing Guidelines, recognized through the Sport Positive Awards Biodiversity shortlist, and developing The Magenta Project’s mentoring curriculum, which received the World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award. Her work combines strategic thinking, communications and sustainability to help organizations create meaningful impact.

Kristi Wilson is a communications and sustainability professional with more than 15 years of experience working across the international sailing industry. As Project Manager at Foxall Munro, she leads communications strategy, social impact initiatives, and

sustainability implementation projects, helping sporting organisations translate strategy into practical action.

Kristi is also Co-Founder of The Toolbox, a free sustainability platform providing open-access tools and resources to help organisations accelerate sustainability action. Her work focuses on stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, and the delivery of collaborative projects that drive meaningful environmental and social impact

For over 20 years, Dr. Sheila Nguyễn has championed the protection of our planet through the power of sport. Her impact has been recognized globally — named the inaugural Regional Leader (Oceania) by Sport Positive, awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership by BASIS (2022), and listed among the Australian Financial Review’s Top 100 Women of Influence (2019).

As Head of Sustainability for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, she led groundbreaking initiatives to embed sustainability into one of the world’s biggest tournaments. She also co-founded the Sports Environment Alliance, uniting sport and planet leaders to protect the places where we play.

Kevin is a professor at the Department of Kinesiology of National Tsing-Hua University, Taiwan, R. O. C. He specialises in sports marketing, event management, and sports policy. He has been intensively involved in international multi-sport events, including the Kaohsiung World Games 2009, Taipei Deaflympics 2009, and the Taipei Universiade, and now is helping the World Master Games 2025. He and his team are also deeply passionate about environmental sustainability and committed to
taking concrete actions to mitigate climate change.