Opportunity Green Conference 2008 Speakers

Rick Ridgeway

VP of Environmental Programs and Communication, Patagonia
Rick Ridgeway is currently Patagonia's Vice President of Environmental Initiatives and Special Media Projects. Rick develops, implements and promotes the second two of the company's three-part mission statement to make the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
Read Rick Ridgeway's Full Bio.
Michela O'Connor Abrams

President/Publisher, Dwell
Michela O'Connor Abrams is the President and Publisher of Dwell, the award-winning design and lifestyle media company. In 2006, Dwell hit the coveted Adweek HotList as well as the Advertising Age A-List, and was a Cappell's Circulation Top Ten Performer for the second consecutive year. In 2005, Ms. O'Connor Abrams helped see Dwell to its first major award when the magazine won General Excellence at the National Magazine Awards.
Read Michela O'Connor Abrams' Full Bio.
Adeo Ressi

Founding member, The Funded
Trustee, X Prize Foundation
Adeo Ressi is Founding Member of TheFunded.com, an online community of entrepreneurs to research, rate, and review funding sources worldwide. Adeo also serves as a Trustee of the X PRIZE Foundation, which inspires radical human achievements through competition. TheFunded.com is the seventh start-up that Adeo has founded or built, four of which were acquired and three of which are still operating. The last company, Game Trust, Inc., was acquired by Real Networks, Inc. (RNWK) at the end of 2007.
Read Adeo Ressi's Full Bio.
Josh Dorfman

Host/Author, "The Lazy Environmentalist"; Founder & CEO, Vivavi
Josh Dorfman is an environmental entrepreneur, author, speaker, and radio personality. He is the founder & CEO of Vivavi, a provider of contemporary, eco-friendly furniture and furnishings, working with over 40 of today's leading edge sustainable designers. In 2006, he launched ModernGreenLiving.com, Vivavi's companion resource that helps consumers find green homes and green building experts throughout North America.
Read Josh Dorfman's Full Bio.
Marc Alt

President, Marc Alt + Partners
Marc Alt is president of Marc Alt + Partners, a design, research and brand strategy agency dedicated to sustainable innovation. Current clients include MINI USA, Bloomberg LP, The Green Electronics Council, The Consumer Electronics Association, and Lippincott Mercer. As an advocate of business transformation, Marc develops conferences that attract the leading minds in the fields of sustainable development, corporate social responsibility and social innovation.
Read Marc Alt's Full Bio.
Alissa Walker

Writer, Gelatobaby
Alissa Walker writes for a myriad of publications including Good, Fast Company, I.D., and ReadyMade, and is the assistant editor of the California Architect's Newspaper. She can be found on your iPod as the associate producer of the KCRW show "DnA: Design and Architecture," hosted by Frances Anderton.
Read Alissa Walker's Full Bio.
Michael Besancon

President, Whole Foods Market/Southern Pacific Region
Michael Besancon, an entrepreneur and environmental advocate, has spent most of his career in the business of providing natural and organic foods to a population craving a healthier lifestyle. Michael chairs Whole Foods Market's National Green Mission Task Force and has helped the Company lead the charge for environmentally sustainable practices which range from promoting sustainable agriculture and creating farm animal treatment standards to store recycling and composting programs.
Read Michael Besancon's Full Bio.
Rand Waddoups

Senior Director of Strategy and Sustainability, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Before working in this division, he spent several years in merchandising for Wal-Mart where he managed everything from orange juice to potato chips. As a buyer, he received recognition from Wal-Mart as Buyer of the Year and from the food manufacturing community as one of the nations Top 5 Buyers of Frozen and Refrigerated Food.
Read Rand Waddoups' Full Bio.

Lorrie Vogel

General Manager, Considered Products, Nike
Currently Lorrie is the General Manager for Nike's Considered team. Considered is the team responsible for introducing sustainable products and business models. Prior to becoming the GM Lorrie was the Innovation Director for Nike Footwear, Apparel and Equipment. Her innovative thinking has lead to several new product technologies with patents to prove it. Her passion for design, innovation and sustainability brought her to the role as a leader in bringing sustainability to all facets of Nike product.
Read Lorrie Vogel's Full Bio.
Joshua Onysko

Founder and CEO, Pangea Organics
Joshua Onysko's commitment to social sustainability launched Pangea Organics six years ago. He envisioned an institute to aid corporations to be more socially responsible and environmentally sound, and heeded a friend's suggestion to make soap to fund the project.
Read Joshua Onysko's Full Bio.
Zem Joaquin

Founder/Editor In Chief, Ecofabulous
Inspired and mentored by William McDonough and a cadre of deep, but optimistic, environmental thinkers, Zem has developed a lens that makes it impossible to view products as She once did. As a board member of Global Green, Healthy Child, Healthy World and Teens For Safe Cosmetics and applies her knowledge in her eco-consultancy business, as green contributing editor at Domino Magazine, on television and radio spots and, most emphatically, on www.ecofabulous.com.
Read Zem Joaquin's Full Bio.
Tom Szaky

CEO, Founder, Terracycle
Tom Szaky is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of TerraCycle, Inc., producer of the world's first products made from and packaged in waste. TerraCycle has won the Home Depot Environmental Stewardship award twice, and been named by multiple organizations as the most eco-friendly products in Mass Distribution.
Read Tom Szaky's Full Bio.
Andy Funk

CEO and Chairman, Funk Ventures
Andy J. Funk believes that businesses can and should make significant contributions to people, society or the environment. As an accomplished entrepreneur turned venture capitalist, Andy embodies the Funk Ventures philosophy by expertly combining his passion for business and investing with an altruistic vision to impact the world for good.
Read Andy Funk's Full Bio.
Boise Thomas

Host, Alter Eco
Although he resides in California, Boise is building an eco-oasis with his wife in Kansas where he hopes to educate even more people about the importance of sustainability. Boise formerly served as the face of G Living,a modern green lifestyle network, where he wrote, produced and hosted over 100 environmentally focused shows. He has a passion for the environment and enjoys communicating that message through education. Boise focuses on sustainability and the eco-chic lifestyle while encouraging people that, they too, can achieve a balance between their lifestyle and the environment.
Sonya Chawla

General Manager, Advertising, Slide
Sonya is the General Manager of Advertising at Slide, where she is responsible for executing Slide's advertising strategy, building the sales organization, and managing agency relationships. Prior to Slide, Sonya led U.S. and UK sales for mobile video advertising leader Rhythm NewMedia. She also managed WhenU's reseller program, which accounted for 70 percent of the company's revenue, and successfully executed sales and partner programs for Prio, which was acquired by Infospace for $1 billion in 1999. Sonya started her professional career in the Technology Group of Prudential Securities' investment banking division. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from University of California at Berkeley and a Masters degree in International Affairs from Columbia University.