Meet the 2024 Net Zero Conference Trailblazer Award Nominees

Presented annually as part of the Net Zero Conference, organized by Verdical Group, the Trailblazer Awards celebrate interdisciplinary leaders making a positive impact on people and the environment. Demonstrated changemakers in six categories will be announced as Trailblazer Awardees at the Trailblazer Gala on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California.

This year’s award categories include Industry Leadership, Community Impact, Innovation, Creator, Emerging Leader, and Net Zero Accelerator. “The Net Zero Conference Trailblazer Awards nominees represent an incredible group of people who are truly changing the world,” says Verdical Group and Net Zero Conference founder and CEO, Drew Shula. “We hope sharing the accomplishments and stories of these heroes inspires others to to take action toward solving the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. We’re all better off because of their efforts.”

Meet this year’s exceptional class of 2024 Net Zero Conference Trailblazer Award nominees:

Mia Lehrer
Studio-MLA / Los Angeles Department of Water & Power

Mia Lehrer was appointed to the Board of Water and Power Commissioners by former Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti on September 24, 2020. Lehrer is president and founder of Studio-MLA, a landscape architecture, urban design, and planning practice dedicated to advocacy by design with a vision to improve quality of life through landscape.

She has served as advisor to numerous public agencies, including the US Fine Arts Commission under President Obama, the LA Cultural Heritage Commission, and the LA Zoning Advisory Committee. Lehrer was a member of the team that delivered the LA River Revitalization Master Plan and the 2020 Upper LA River and Tributaries Master Plan. She also serves on the board of Southern California Development Forum and in 2010 was elevated to Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Lehrer holds a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University and Master of Landscape Architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Vicki Worden
Green Building Initiative Inc.

As an entrepreneur, sustainability professional, and president and CEO of the Green Building Initiative (GBI), Vicki Worden has supported myriad industries, corporations, government agencies, and international nonprofits to advance sustainability goals while increasing ROI.
GBI owns the global rights to the Green Globes® building certification and its new Journey to Net Zero program. Through Green Globes, GBI has supported owners in certifying more than 650 million square feet of space throughout North America.

In her previous role as president of Worden Associates Inc., Worden provided sustainability consulting and strategic planning expertise for a diverse range of industries including solar, wind, parking, furniture, mattress, composites, wood products, and rainwater harvesting. She is a member of Women Executives in Building and a former chair of the National Institute of Building Sciences Consultative Council.

Ben Stapleton
U.S. Green Building Council California

U.S. Green Building Council California (USGBC-CA)’s executive director Ben Stapleton brings a creative mind and consultative approach to a wide range of projects with a focus on building teams and designing programs to deliver impactful results. In his time at USGBC-CA, he has developed and delivered a portfolio of community engagement and education focused programming centered on climate justice, high performance buildings, occupant health, corporate sustainability, and regional resilience.

Previously, he managed the La Kretz Innovation Campus in Downtown LA and led operations, finance, and major program initiatives for the LA Cleantech Incubator (LACI). His other work has included real estate advisory, energy efficiency consulting, facilities operations, site selection, and project management as well as business and strategy development.

He serves on several boards and is a recipient of JLL’s distinctive Da Vinci Award for Innovation, the Los Angeles Business Council’s Community Impact Award, Stratiscope’s Impact Maker to Watch Award, and CoStar’s Power Broker designation in the Los Angeles market.

Community Impact

Christopher Galarza
Forward Dining Solutions

Chef Christopher Galarza is the president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Culinary Federation, bestselling author, distinguished chef, sustainability consultant, and foremost expert in commercial electric kitchens. Galarza has been featured in many outlets such as Time, CNN, Bloomberg, and NOVA’s documentary “Chasing Carbon Zero.” As the founder of Forward Dining Solutions LLC, he champions the integration of green technologies and sustainable methods in the food service sector.

With years of culinary expertise, Chef Galarza melds his kitchen mastery with a fervent dedication to sustainability. He has steered prestigious kitchens, trained under Certified Master Chefs and Culinary Olympians, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Culinary Management. A captivating speaker and consultant, Galarza partners with chefs, governments, and institutions to introduce sustainable initiatives. Through his writing, advisory roles, and activism, he aspires to lead a transformative wave in conscious hospitality.

Stacy Smedley
Building Transparency

Stacy Smedley is the executive director of the nonprofit Building Transparency, where she inspires broad and swift climate action across the building design and construction industry, facilitating the reduction of embodied carbon through open access to sustainability data and tools.

Smedley leads the Building Transparency team in managing the continued development and implementation of their Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) and tallyLCA. She also facilitates high-level industry collaboration through the nonprofit’s programs like materialsCAN, ownersCAN, and contractorsCAN, which unite leaders to boost awareness of embodied carbon, support carbon-related policies, and advocate for action to decarbonize the building sector.

Smedley is also a leader in climate policy advocacy, partnering with local, state, federal, and global policymakers to inform and support low-carbon procurement and buy clean policies. She serves on the GSA’s Acquisition Policy Federal Advisory Committee and as an Industry Advisory Group Member for the Bureau of Overseas Building Operations, governed under the Federal Advisory Committee Act. 

Anne Therese Gennari
The Climate Optimist

Anne Therese Gennari is a TEDx speaker, educator, and author of The Climate Optimist Handbook. As a workshop host and communicator, Gennari focuses on shifting the narrative on climate change so that we can act from courage and excitement, not fear. She believes that climate optimism has the ability to change not just the world, but lives, families, and organizations. It’s an act of healing and self-empowerment that drives curiosity and solutions-thinking, leading to positive change, innovation, and growth.

For more than a decade, she has been promoting climate optimism to help people cope with climate change and make decisions to create the climate-just future she believes awaits us. She has brought her message to schools, companies, and organizations, including Harvard, City College of New York, Columbia University, BMW, and Tetra Pak.

Innovation

Lance Blair
Liquid Death

Lance Blair is a people-first and results-driven professional specializing in business and HR management, employee benefits, nonprofit and community partnerships, and DEI.

In his role as the senior benefits and employee engagement manager at Liquid Death, he is working to align the company’s environmental strategy with their DEI strategy. Liquid Death’s tagline, #DeathtoPlastic, represents its vision to serve canned mountain water in infinitely recyclable aluminum cans.

His background includes nearly three years at Liquid Death, five years at Science (a startup incubator and VC firm), and two years managing people operations at Cloud Imperium Games (a global video game studio). Blair got his career start managing red carpet and transportation logistics for events like The Grammys and Oscars. His guiding motto has always been, “I’m here to help.”

Eric Corey Freed
CannonDesign

Eric Corey Freed is an award-winning architect, author, global speaker, and LEED Fellow. As principal and director of sustainability for CannonDesign, he leads the health-care, education, and commercial teams toward low-carbon, healthy, regenerative buildings for over 30 million square feet a year. For two decades, he was founding principal of organicARCHITECT, a visionary biophilic and regenerative designer.

His past roles include vice president of the International Living Future Institute and chief community officer of EcoDistricts, both nonprofits pushing innovative new paradigms for deep green buildings and communities. He serves on the board of Design Museum Everywhere, whose mission is to bring the transformative power of design to all.

Freed is the author of 12 books, including Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies and Circular Economy for Dummies. In 2012, he was named one of the 25 “Best Green Architecture Firms” in the United States, and one of the “Top 10 Most Influential Green Architects.” In 2017, he was named one of Build’s American Architecture Top 25.

Nicky Arthur
Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics North America

Nicky Arthur is the energy anagement and sustainability specialist at Lush Cosmetics, North America, working within the Global Earthcare team to Leave the World Lusher Than We Found It.  Her areas of focus include energy management and procurement, emissions reduction, and electrification strategy design and implementation. 

Arthur led Lush’s global review of renewable energy options and implementation for the brand’s “100% renewable energy everywhere” goal for electricity. In North America, she also leads emissions tracking, benchmarking and reporting across manufacturing and 260+ retail shops. When it comes to new locations, Arthur works closely on the development of green lease documentation to ensure alignment with Lush’s sustainability goals wherever possible in terms of energy, water data sharing, and waste diversion opportunities, along with development of the Construction Materials Design Guide, which ensures retail projects align with Lush’s ethics through materials sourcing and equipment selection.

Creator

Nava Rose
@thenavarose

Nava Rose is a Los Angeles-based creative who has earned a reputation as the go-to creator for DIY fashion, showcasing her talent in upcycling upscale pieces; transforming a Louis Vuitton handbag into a two-piece outfit or repurposing her dad’s old clothes for a night out.

Drawing from her love for fashion and commitment to the environment, Nava initially embarked on her journey as a thrift flipper. Over time, she discovered a passion for recycling unconventional materials into unique pieces, cultivating a dedicated TikTok following through her short-form content showcasing outfit transformations. By exploring ideas and engaging in upcycling DIY endeavors, Rose effortlessly infuses her unique personal style. Whether she’s dancing or illustrating the transformation of a vintage bag into a fashionable top, her goal is to motivate others to adopt sustainable fashion practices, discovering confidence in their individual sense of style.

Nelson ZêPequéno
Sustain Creative Studio / @BlackMenWithGardens

Nelson ZêPequéno is a Ghanaian American artist and founder of Black Men with Gardens, a digital platform that highlights the connection Black men cultivate with nature through agriculture and the arts. His work with Black Men with Gardens has attracted a community of nearly 150,000 followers on Instagram and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times’ “Plant PPL” series.

With a background in entertainment and event tech, ZêPequéno has always viewed creative production as an avenue for exploration. Awarded Artist Disruptor by the California Arts Council, his current body of works offer a fresh perspective on sustainable contemporary design as he explores cultural identity and environmental stewardship through his Los Angeles-based studio, Sustain Creative. Honing his creative practice as a production designer, he now works with companies and nonprofits to design, build and install art for activations, workshops, and events.

Danni Washington
@danniwashington

Danni Washington is a renowned TV personality and science communicator with over 15 years of experience. She made history as the first African American woman to host a nationally syndicated science series, Xploration Nature Knows Best, which aired in nearly 95 million homes on FOX.

Standing at the intersection of science, sustainability, and public engagement, Danni’s portfolio includes shows like “Deadly Sharks of Paradise” on Discovery’s Shark Week, “Ocean Invaders” on PBS Nova, and “Mission Unstoppable” on CBS. She cofounded the nonprofit Big Blue & You and authored the book Bold Women In Science. She has also spoken in front of thousands of people around the world, sharing her adventures and insights at high-level gatherings including EF Summit, International Society for Technology in Education, and the Ocean Race Summits. Affectionately known as the “Mocha Mermaid,” Washington continues to educate the public on the importance of ocean conservation, STEM innovation, and environmentalism using mediums that acutely connect science, arts and media.

Emerging Leader

Amir Smith
The Political Environment Inc. / United Nations

Amir Smith is the founder of The Political Environment, an environmental and social justice organization focused on reducing environmental inequality and gentrification, reducing poverty and homelessness, and promoting quality education through legislation and action. He is currently gathering signatures to introduce rent stabilization and anti-gentrification legislation into the Texas State House. At the age of 15, he became the youngest delegate and consultant at the United Nations.

Smith pioneered a proposal for the U.N.’s first binding climate agreement and U.N. mandated sustainability education under the Declaration on Future Generations. He also delegated to write an amendment for a neutrality clause on Saudi Arabia’s newly adopted resolution for 3.2B communities and farms globally at the 6th session of the U.N. Environmental Assembly. He has presented and delegated at over 10 UN conferences and meetings, in addition to the world’s largest Earth conference, EarthX Expo.

Chelsi Tyron
Willscot Mobile Mini

Chelsi is the director of ESG for Willscot Mobile Mini, the largest North American temporary storage and office space provider. in her current role, she is establishing emission reduction efforts and circular economy practices across all 280+ branches.

With over a decade of experience leading integrated projects, she has worked in-house and as a consultant advising clients on how to develop strategic sustainability roadmaps, implement custom waste solutions across multiple industries including retail, health care, and manufacturing, and enhance sustainable solutions in the luxury hospitality industry. As a mentor for the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and Arizona State University (ASU), she enjoys collaborating and cultivating altruistic change management initiatives. Tyron is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and is on the Board of Directors for Stardust Building Supplies.

Manuela Zoninsein
Kadeya

Manuela Zoninsein is a serial climate entrepreneur focused on digitizing the world’s most fundamental industries. She previously launched two businesses in the agritech space, one a data service in China, which was acquired by a partner, and one in Brazil, where she was born and now that country’s largest online marketplace for smallholder farmers.

Most recently, she worked at Palantir Technologies in international business development focused on CPG. Before business, Zoninsein spent the first part of her career as a correspondent in China, where she lived for eight years, reporting on climate and infrastructure for Newsweek and The Engineering News-Record.

Zoninsein holds an MBA from MIT-Sloan, a Master of Science from the University of Oxford, and a BA from Harvard University. She is a proud Brazilian immigrant fluent in Mandarin-Chinese, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Net Zero Accelerator

U.S. Green Building Council California’s Net Zero Accelerator program is focused on piloting projects with real world, trackable implementations to rapidly drive the adoption of net zero solutions. They pair companies with experts to encourage scalable solutions, promote awareness of their solutions to the right audience, and place technology pilots with building partners that support a net positive future. Of their 2024 cohort, the following two organizations have been nominated to receive a Trailblazer Award.

Evelyn Tickle
Grow Oyster Reefs

With more than 20 years of experience in the concrete fabrication industry, Tickle invented Grow Oyster Reefs’ biophilic concrete mix. Educated as an architect, with a specific interest in biomimicry, Tickle’s concrete oyster reef restoration products have established Grow as an internationally recognized leader in the fields of coastal resilience and aquatic ecosystem restoration.

Grow Oyster Reefs’ patented biomimetic concrete mix and substrate prototypes have been validated in coastal and estuarine waters from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico, underwater for periods of more than one year. Partners are currently funding increased production capacity, output, and reef building with Grow products specifically designed to support and protect submerged aquatic vegetation for multiyear testing of carbon burial and nitrogen reduction potential. Grow Oyster Reefs’ products have been installed in the U.K.’s first biomimetic coastal defense infrastructure, delivering remarkable results.

In recognition of her work, Tickle has been selected as an MIT Solver in 2019 and a RISE Innovation Fellow in 2020.

Neel Vasavada
Overdrive Energy Solutions

Neel Vasavada is a driving force in the movement to bring green technology to the events industry. His engineering background and experience with both sustainable energy and live entertainment led him to found Overdrive Energy Solutions, a leader in sustainable energy systems committed to developing cost-efficient, reliable, and clean energy systems for live events.

Overdrive has become a leader in sustainable energy for live events. In 2023, a partnership with the sustainability nonprofit Reverb.org resulted in the two largest solar-powered stages in U.S. history. The first was Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion, which reduced fossil fuel use for stage power by 95 percent. In August, Overdrive made history with the largest temporary solar field ever for a U.S, festival, powering parts of Billie Eilish’s headlining set at Lollapalooza Chicago. Overdrive has also provided power at notable events and venues such as Coachella, South by Southwest, Google’s I/O developer conference, and Dodger Stadium, deploying over 10 MWh of energy.

Vasavada founded Overdrive with a background in mechanical engineering, experience as founder of Apex Speed Technology (a company focused on control systems and engineering consulting for prototype, research and development vehicle projects with customers like early-stage Tesla, Zero Electric Motorcycles, and the US Department of Energy), and a deep understanding of the live event equipment market.