Meet Our Speakers
David Akana
David Akana is the Director of Programs at Mongabay Africa, where he leads the outlet’s expansion across the continent and builds partnerships with newsrooms and development actors. He previously held roles at the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the African Union Commission, and CORAF. David holds advanced degrees in business, international relations, and mass communications. A long-standing advocate for sustainability, he serves on the Steering Committee of the Global Commons Alliance, co-chairs the Strategic Communications Group of the UN Ocean Decade, and is a member of the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Advisory Group on Ocean Communications. He has also served on the Advisory Committee of the Pulitzer Center’s Rainforest Journalism Fund and on the editorial committee for Our Planet on Earth Report 2020.
Sadie Babits
Sadie Babits is the Senior Supervising Climate Editor at National Public Radio, where she helps lead and guide coverage on one of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change. She’s the author of Hot Takes: Every Journalist’s Guide for Covering Climate Change.
Before joining NPR, Babits was a professor of practice at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where she taught and mentored aspiring environmental journalists in the school’s professional program, Cronkite News. In addition to her work as a journalist and editor, Babits served for two years as president of the board of the Society of Environmental Journalists.
Babits is an award-winning journalist whose reporting has been heard on national programs, including NPR shows Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Her stories have taken her overseas to report on water conflict and scarcity in Kenya, where Babits received an award from the Society of Environmental Journalists for her reporting. She’s a recipient of the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative journalism and a former Ted Scripps Environmental Reporting Fellow at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Bella Burnworth
I’m a senior at Rutgers University - New Brunswick, with a major in biology and a minor in marine science. I’m interested in veterinary science, scientific technical writing, and microbiology. I’ve been working on the ‘Mysteries of 9 North’ project for the past 3 years. During this time I’ve had the opportunity to learn many skills such as video editing and most recently animation.
Dr. Nesenga Burton
Dr. Nsenga Burton (She/Her) is an award-winning journalist, media scholar, and professor whose work sits at the intersection of media, culture, and social impact. With extensive experience in both academia and the media industry, she has written and produced content for major outlets, bringing critical insight to issues of race, representation, and digital culture. Nsenga is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire, which covers news of the African Diaspora. She recently produced a BBC podcast (Arts Hour on Tour: Atlanta) and a television documentary for BBC's The Travel Show exploring travel in Georgia and Alabama 60 years after the passage of the U.S. Civil Rights Act. Nsenga is a regular contributor to CNN and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and serves as an expert on NPR (WABE), Court TV, CNN, and other media outlets. As a professor of communication and film, Dr. Burton is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of storytellers, equipping students with both the theoretical foundation and practical skills needed to thrive in today’s evolving media landscape. Dr. Burton’s work bridges scholarship and practice, amplifying diverse voices while advancing meaningful conversations in journalism and media. She currently serves as professor and assistant chair of Communication at Tuskegee University.
Mario Castroviejo
I am a journalism student at the University of Navarra in Spain. I love video editing and audiovisual storytelling. As a person who grew up in the Basque Country, a region full of environmental diversity and natural beauty, I have a deep interest in how journalism can bridge local environmental stories and global sustainability policy.
Dr. Imani M. Cheers
Dr. Imani M. Cheers is an award-winning digital storyteller with a passion for moving the planet forward. Dr. Cheers is originally from Chicago but grew up in post-apartheid South Africa. That's where her love for the environment started, growing vegetables in her home garden. Having traveled to over 40 countries on six continents, Dr. Cheers is passionate about taking students out of their comfort zone and pushing the boundaries of visual communications. When she's not filling up her passport with her son Isaiah, you can find her preparing the next generation of storytellers for careers that don't exist yet.
.png)
Ben Clark
Director Ben Clark is a seasoned explorer and adventure filmmaker dedicated to stories of human resilience and environmental stewardship. His latest feature documentary, Preserved, offers a hopeful look at ecosystem restoration at the landscape level, focusing on a 558,000-acre expanse in Northern New Mexico. The film is currently screening across the country.His previous work includes the acclaimed documentary The Snowman Trek, which chronicled the collaboration between Bhutanese locals and world-class ultrarunners to set the country's first speed record on the world's hardest trail. The film reached a wide audience with screenings in over 400 theaters.A former Himalayan ski mountaineering pioneer—and still the youngest person to lead a successful Everest expedition on the North Side—Ben’s perspective is shaped by decades of observation in high altitudes—and how they have changed. A native of Tennessee, Ben is a member of the Protect Our Winters Creative Alliance.
Russell Conti
Hello relatives, I am an Ecology Masters Student at Montana State University, studying how increased urban development in a historically pristine mountain environment has altered the nutrient dynamics of a stream and its aquatic food web through time and space. I grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Black Hills are considered some of the most culturally and spiritually significant lands to the Oglala Lakota Sioux people, whose blood I share. I was privileged to be raised in my traditional homeland surrounded by relatives from past to present, which helped to instill in me the lessons of being a good steward and relative to the earth. As an ICP fellow, I look forward to growing my ability to tell stories with my peers in this program. Through this experience, I hope to effectively tell the story of the watershed I am studying.
Hello relatives, I am an Ecology Masters Student at Montana State University, studying how increased urban development in a historically pristine mountain environment has altered the nutrient dynamics of a stream and its aquatic food web through time and space. I also earned my Bachelors in Land Resources and Environmental Sciences from MSU. During undergrad, I conducted research on cyanobacterial blooms in alpine lakes and helped identify the tributary streams contributing the largest nutrient load to a local river, which was recently listed as impaired due to elevated nutrient levels. I grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota and am a part of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe. As an ICP fellow, I look forward to growing my ability to tell stories with my peers in this program. Through this experience, I hope to effectively tell the story of the watershed I am studying.
Leah Douglas
Leah Douglas is a Washington-based award-winning journalist with more than a decade of experience covering health, food and agriculture policy, ranging from the farm bill to MAHA. For Reuters, Leah has reported on several federal agencies including the USDA, FEMA and the CDC. They have broken news on topics from bird flu to worker safety to international aid, with a focus on enterprise reporting that tells the national story of Washington decision-making. Previously, Leah was a staff writer and editor at the Food and Environment Reporting Network.
Kristy Drutman
Kristy Drutman, otherwise known as “Browngirl Green” is a speaker, consultant, media producer, and environmental educator passionate about working at the intersections between media, diversity, and environmentalism. As an entrepreneur and climate communications expert, Kristy has educated hundreds of thousands of people across the globe about modern-day environmental issues through speeches and media content as well as facilitates workshops centered around environmental media and storytelling in cities across the United States. She has been invited to the White House multiple times as an on-ground reporter, was featured in Teen Vogue, NY Times, Refinery 29 among many other publications, is a Grist 50 under 50 recipient and a Create and Cultivate Top 100 creator. Kristy is also the Co-Founder of the Green Jobs Board, a climate tech start-up bridging the equity and inclusion gap within the green economy through conversations, resources, and pathways to bring more diverse talent into the environmental field.
Mariel Flint
Hello! My name is Mariel, and I am an undergraduate student at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. I major in Environmental Studies, concentrating in policy, planning, and law. My dedication to environmental justice and sustainability has driven my career goals and sparked a passion for environmental storytelling. Writing, journalism, and digital media have become a medium for me to convey my experiences within my education and advocacy.
Darcy Gentleman, Ph.D.
Darcy J. Gentleman, Ph.D., is a science communications expert with nearly 20 years of
professional experience. As the Education Lead at Planet Forward, Darcy is the head
liaison with Planet Forward Member schools and spearheads programming strategy for science communications programming. Previously, at the American Chemical Society (ACS) from 2008-2018, Darcy was the managing editor for Environmental Science & Technology, the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, and contributed to the establishment of ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. He then ran ACS’s Science & the Congress briefing series, with 55 events across various science policy topics from 2011-2017. Simultaneously, Darcy created and managed the Chemistry Champions contest, empowering younger chemists to present their research to live and online audiences. He also contributed to various public engagement efforts including "ACS Reactions” on YouTube, social media strategy, and scientist-media interactions. At the US Pharmacopeia from 2020-2024, Darcy launched half of USP’s Convention stakeholder engagement “Sectors,” specifically Dietary Supplements, Excipients, and Innovation. He also prepared several executives’ public presentations, including the CEO, Chief Scientist, and Senior Vice President for Digital & Innovation.
Presently, in addition to his Planet Forward work, Darcy provides various science communications consulting services to public and private sector clients. His research background includes environmental/planetary science, analytical chemistry, bio-nanotechnology, and developing novel STEM educational methods and resources. Darcy has a Ph.D. and M.S. in analytical Chemistry from Arizona State University (2003, 2001), and a Hon. B.Sc. in Planetary Science and Chemistry from the University of Toronto (1999).
Cameron Glymph
Cameron Glymph is a senior at Florida State University, majoring in English and Political Science. She serves as the editor in chief of the FSView & Florida Flambeau, FSU’s student-run, independent newspaper, and is a correspondent and Storyfest finalist for Planet Forward. Glymph’s interests include writing about how the environment intersects with topics like public health and economics.
Derrick Gonzales Morena (Deersinger)
As a Native of the Tohono O'odham, Pascua Yaqui, and Piipaash tribes that reside in Arizona. He is a student of life currently attending Tohono O'odham community college and working towards his Associates in Science and Life Science in the field of public health. He is influenced by the natural world while combining art and science as well as including his perspective of being an indigenous individual.
He wants to help in any way possible to develop understanding and bridge gaps through Infographics, Artwork and Graphic Note Taking. These are skills that he strengthened throughout the years and these are ways to tell a story to all ages and there's always a message involved.
He cares about the elements, the next generation and the relationship we all have with nature. With his talent, knowledge and continuation of learning. He showcases that connection we have with every living thing, plant life and animal life alike. He also wants to encourage, inspire, and motivate that growth within each of us. As well as spark that light within ourselves to understand we're all capable of doing great things especially when we use our talents. Have a great day
Thank you so much for your interest.
Iitoi, Creator, God, Tanatakam, Tokashila, Akua,
S-Ape'O, Chiokoe Uttesia, Wopila, Hoka, Mahalo Nui.
Justin Ángel Knighten
Justin Ángel Knighten is a nationally recognized communications executive and storyteller who has led communications strategy at the highest levels of government, business, and public life. Known for building and leading world-class teams, he brings deep expertise in crisis communications, executive positioning, brand strategy, and stakeholder engagement — with a track record of shaping reputations, driving change, and moving communities and institutions forward on the issues that matter most.
Knighten believes that effective communication is the connective tissue of change. In an increasingly information-rich and complex environment, communications is a dominating and leading force in how organizations reach audiences, build and maintain trust, manage reputions, shift behavior, and avoid pitfalls. Advancing a sustainable future requires the ability to deliver messaging that resonates, build coalitions, bridge partisan divides, engage communities authentically, and translate complex ideas into action across sectors and levels of government. That is the expertise he brings to the Alliance.
From 2021 to 2025, Knighten served as Associate Administrator for External Affairs at FEMA, leading all communications, public engagement, intergovernmental and Tribal affairs, and external partnerships during the nation's most complex emergencies — including historic hurricanes, wildfires, and the COVID-19 response. Before FEMA, he served in the Newsom Administration where he helped design and co-chair Listos California, a groundbreaking $50 million disaster preparedness initiative that transformed how government reaches and equips historically vulnerable communities for climate-driven disasters.
Across his private sector career, Knighten advises corporate, philanthropic, media company, and nonprofit leaders on high-stakes communications challenges. He has led successful campaigns spanning clean energy, renewable energy, sustainability, biotechnology, health care, education, tourism, and entertainment. He launched his career in environmental policy at the California Environmental Protection Agency, contributing to the implementation of AB 32 — the nation's first comprehensive climate law.
He's co-founder of a national public affairs firm and an advisor to a Los Angeles-based media and communications firm. In 2024, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) named Knighten its national Public Relations Professional of the Year. PRWeek recognized him in 2021 as a "40 Under 40" innovator reshaping the communications field.
He also serves on the National Advisory Council of the Climate Risk Lab at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business and is a former Pritzker Fellow at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics. A California native, proud grandson of Mexican immigrants, and a graduate of California State University, Sacramento, he is based in Washington, DC.
Colby Koutrakos
I am a junior in Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, where I've also been lucky enough to be a member of the Immersive Learning through Science Storytelling Lab for over two years. I've been a member of the team working on the Mysteries of 9° North feature-length film and have gone on to edit a short-form social media series following a team of plant scientists and basil breeders.
Ben Lerner
I am a junior at Rutgers University—New Brunswick studying philosophy and environmental policy. I am especially interested in making art inspired by philosophy and informed by science. I have edited two scenes for Mysteries of 9° North, a feature documentary in progress.
Sven-Olof Lindblad
Sven-Olof Lindblad is the Founder and Co-Chair of the Board for Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc.
Lindblad was born in Switzerland and traveled extensively with his father, renowned adventure-travel pioneer Lars-Eric Lindblad, who led some of the first non-scientific groups of travelers to Antarctica (1966), Galápagos (1967), and many other regions of the world.
For six years, Lindblad lived in East Africa photographing elephants and wildlife in Kenya and assisting filmmakers on a documentary about the destruction of African rain forests. His early exposure to nature and wildlife taught him the importance of maintaining natural resources and understanding the cultural background of remote regions of the world.
In 1979, Lindblad launched Special Expeditions (now Lindblad Expeditions), an innovative travel company offering marine-focused expeditions aboard small ships. Lindblad has built his company around a core tenet: To provide travelers the opportunity to discover for themselves the natural, cultural, and historic regions of the world and to provide thoughtful approaches that make such travels enriching, responsible, safe, fun, and memorable.
Lindblad formed a multifaceted strategic alliance with National Geographic in 2004, which combined the strengths of the two pioneers in global exploration with the goal of further inspiring the world through expedition travel. This mission, coupled with the company’s longstanding commitment to conservation, positioned Lindblad Expeditions at the forefront of environmentally sensitive expedition travel and resulted in numerous travel and environmental awards.
In 2006, Lindblad received international recognition for his distinctive and successful model of tourism in a ceremony hosted by HRH, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg at the Grand-Ducal Palace. He also had a newly discovered endemic species of moth in the Galápagos Islands, ‘Undulambia lindbladi,’ named in honor of his years of conservation work in the archipelago. The United Nations Environment Programme also recognized Lindblad’s accomplishments, naming him to their Global 500 roll of honor.
Lindblad is a member of the General Assembly of the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galápagos Islands; serves on the Board of The Safina Center and on the Board of Trustees of RARE; is a founding Ocean Elder of the non-profit organization, Ocean Elders, which brings together global leaders to pursue the protection of the ocean’s habitat and wildlife; and serves on the Board of Advisors for Pristine Seas.
An avid photographer, Lindblad’s photography has appeared in Smithsonian and National Geographic, and he has produced photography books on Alaska, Baja California, and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park published by Rizzoli.
Lindsey Maillard
Lindsey Maillard is a queer, multidisciplinary artist born and raised in the subarctic region known to her people as Cheno’, Alaska, better known as Fairbanks, Alaska. Lindsey grew up spending time taking care of her family’s fish camp across the river from Fairbanks; on snowmachines, snowshoes and by river boat, hauling wood, eating traditional foods and harvesting plants. She has a deep love for traditional foods and medicines and has been helping organize culture camps in her neighboring village of Nenana, Alaska for the past three years. When she’s not creating her art, she is skiing with her dog, cooking with her loved ones and enjoying live music.
Lindsey’s art reflects her deeply personal and spiritual journey living as an Indigenous femme in Alaska; where colonialism, climate change and capitalism are consistently altering her, and her family’s daily lives. Lindsey’s deep love for traditional foods, her matriarchs, the land and the animals permeate everything she creates. Her mediums include pottery, printmaking, photography and painting. Lindsey is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico with a focus on painting, mostly with acrylics.
Alexia Massoud
Alexia is a senior and student-reporter at The George Washington University, double-majoring in Journalism/Mass Communications and International Affairs with a concentration in International Politics. Alexia loves introducing others to composting organic waste and highlighting issues pertaining to food and water access in often overlooked communities. She has previously interned at Bloomberg Law and The Brazilian Report, and she is also a metro reporter for the GW Hatchet. She will be a Dow Jones News Fund Intern at the San Antonio Express-News this summer before she heads to New York City to pursue her Master of Science in Journalism at Columbia University.
Andrew McCabe
Andrew McCabe is an environmental conservation photojournalist and videographer currently based in Washington, D.C. While growing up in New Jersey, Andrew developed a deep passion for nature and its inhabitants, a passion that has translated into almost all of his work. To encourage a more sustainable coexistence with the planet and to spread a meaningful appreciation for wildlife is the ultimate goal of Andrew's work.
Jenna Outcalt
I am a senior journalism major at the University of Connecticut and look forward to using journalism to make the world a better place! I am the news editor at UConn's Daily Campus and have been writing for the paper since my freshman year. I also intern for a local news station at home in Philadelphia. I love being in nature and have had the privilege of seeing its beauty up close throughout my life, so I am passionate about environmental justice and spreading the benefit of a good relationship with our environment through my writing.
Dan Reed
Dan Reed is Associate Director of the Center for Climate Change Communication (Mason 4C) at George Mason University. Dan is the chief operating officer at Mason 4C, and oversees communication, program strategy, operations, and development efforts for the Center’s research and programs. He is an experienced communication professional and higher education leader with a history of developing creative content, programs, partnerships, and public events that elevate the conversation around science, sustainability, and our planet.
Prior to joining George Mason University, Dan was director of Planet Forward at The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs, where he elevated the program into a recognized media and educational platform that trains and empowers young environmental storytellers. A practitioner and educator, his work has been seen on PBS and Bloomberg Television, and he has taught environmental storytelling and digital media production courses at George Mason, GW, and Middlebury College’s School of the Environment. He currently serves as advisory council chair of Planet Forward. At MasonCOMM, he teaches COMM 208: Intro to Media Production and COMM 397: Environmental Storytelling.
Clair Sapilewski
Clair Sapilewski is a student at American University studying photography, journalism and environmental science. She is passionate about multimedia science journalism and has previously worked with PBS and the National Park Service. Clair is especially passionate about marine and arctic science.
Matt Scott
Is a storyteller, speaker, podcaster, and changemaker, and serves as the Director of Storytelling and Engagement at the nonprofit climate solutions guide Project Drawdown. He is the founding director of Drawdown Stories, where he helps everyday people connect with climate solutions. He also hosts Drawdown’s Neighborhood, a climate solutions docuseries, highlighting local climate heroes across the U.S. He is also the Vice Chair of Planet Forward's Advisory Council and an alum of The George Washington University.
Previously, Matt led global community engagement for NASA’s Space Apps Challenge, the world’s largest problem-solving hackathon, earning three NASA team excellence awards while also collaborating with organizations including the UN, USAID, Nike, and the Obama White House. Matt’s work has been featured by The Weather Channel, National Geographic, Grist, PBS, FEMA, NOAA, the Society of Environmental Journalists, the Hollywood Climate Summit, and more. In addition, he is the founder of Let's Care, through which he created the film 20s & Change: San Francisco, recognized at three film festivals worldwide.
Frank Sesno
Frank Sesno loves stories. He's been telling them all his life. In high school, through his student newspaper. In college, on the radio. In his 21 years with CNN, through pictures, interviews, and documentaries. As CNN White House correspondent, anchor, and Washington Bureau Chief, Frank reported on events and people from around the world. He witnessed epic challenges and inspiring resilience. He told stories about threats to the planet along with scientific discoveries and breakthroughs driven by human ingenuity.
Frank is now the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the GW's School of Media and Public Affairs (SMPA) and the Executive Director of the George Washington University Alliance for a Sustainable Future. The Alliance is a broad pan-university initiative to amplify the university’s teaching, research, convening and impact relating to global challenges around climate change, environmental justice, and sustainability. Frank was SMPA's Director for 11 years, where he focused on the next generation of storytellers and on the future of journalism in a chaotic world. In 2009, during his tenure as director, he started Planet Forward to both launch the next generation of environmental storytellers and highlight ideas that can be transformative.
Frank's love for the world around us started before college, on horseback in the Colorado Rockies. He rode and camped. He experienced beauty and balance. Which is why today, amid all the challenges we face, Frank believes that the story of how we can move the planet forward is more compelling and more urgent than ever.
Kayla Smernoff
Kayla Smernoff is a graduate of Howard University’s journalism program, where she built a strong foundation in reporting, multimedia production, and visual and written storytelling.
She is currently attending Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and is pursuing a master’s degree in sociology.
Originally from the Bay Area, she grew up with a passion for nature and is now interested in how journalism and social science can work together.
Ellen Stofan
Ellen Stofan is the Under Secretary for Science and Research at the Smithsonian Institution, where she oversees the Institution’s science research centers as well as the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.
Her work focuses on advancing the Institution’s research on life on a sustainable planet and unlocking the mysteries of the universe. Previously, she served as the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Air and Space Museum (2018–2021), leading the launch of its seven-year renovation and the landmark 50th anniversary celebration of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
Before joining the Smithsonian, Stofan spent more than 25 years in space-related organizations and built a distinguished career in planetary geology, including serving as NASA’s chief scientist from 2013–2016. She holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from the College of William & Mary and master’s and doctoral degrees from Brown University. Widely published, she has received numerous honors, including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and recognition by CNN as one of its “Extraordinary People of 2014.”
Ivey Camille Manybeads Tso
Ivey Camille Manybeads Tso is an award-winning queer Navajo filmmaker. She was a fellow with the Firelight Media Documentary Filmmaker Lab, and the 4th World Indigenous Media Lab. She started making films at the age of 9, through the Native youth media project Outta Your Backpack Media. At the age of 13 she made the award-winning Docu-drama film In the Footsteps of Yellow Woman, based on the true story of her great-great-great grandmother Yellow Woman, who lived through the Navajo Long Walk of 1864-1868. The film screened in over 90 film festivals internationally and won 11 awards. Ivey Camille continued to refine her filmmaking craft with a full scholarship to Idyllwild Arts Academy in California. She later returned home to work on films in her community of Navajo Nation. At the age of 19, Ivey Camille began work on Powerlands, her first feature. Powerlands has screened internationally and won several festival awards including the The 2022 Rigoberta Menchú Grand Prize.
Abby Vervaeke
Abby Vervaeke is a D.C.-based journalist and coordinating producer on NBC News’ short-form video team. She helps lead the strategy and production of original vertical video across social and direct-to-consumer platforms, translating complex, high-impact stories into concise, compelling content for digital audiences. She's a graduate of Simmons University in Boston.
Colton Young
Colton Young is a student at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry where he’s pursuing a bachelors in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Communication and Society. Being able to communicate environmental issues and possible solutions to communities will be the key to adapting to climate change. It will be essential to communicate both the issues and solutions in a way that’s digestible and effective to a vast audience.
Nicholas Aquirre Zafiro
Nicholas is a born and raised New Mexican and class of ‘25 GW Alum. He enjoys filming pieces on the the intersection of agriculture, culinary craftsmanship, and environmental conservation. Nicholas hopes to continue to tell the stories of the southwest and inspire viewers to lead more intentional lives through engaging with nature and community.