2022 Agenda
Day 1 – Monday, November 14th
Continental Breakfast & Registration (7:00 am – 8:00 am CST)
Welcome Speeches (8:00 am – 8:15 am CST)
- Andrew Velasquez III, First Deputy Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA)
- Justin Barkowski, VP Regulatory Affairs, American Association of Airport Executives
Session 1: Communication & Engagement: Panel (8:15 am – 9:15 am CST)
Influential sustainability leaders in Chicago and abroad will discuss how they build enthusiasm and inclusion into their efforts to grow their organization's impact. They will share inspirational stories and offer lessons in communication and resilience during times of uncertainty.
- Jeffrey Denno (Moderator), Director of Sustainability, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- Marion Town, 2022 Recipient of the James M. Crites Pioneer in Sustainability Aviation Award
- Monica Eng, Chicago Reporter, Axios
- Stephanie Katsaros, Founder & CEO, Bright Beat
- Liam Donnelly, Founder & CEO, WasteNot Compost
- Carter O'Brien, Assistant Commissioner, Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation
Break (9:15 am – 9:45 am CST)
Session 2: Waste Management & Plastic Reduction (9:45 am – 10:45 am CST)
Waste reduction and diversion rates can vary greatly depending on local and national regulations, but stakeholder engagement and education are universal. Panelists will focus on partnerships, passenger and staff communications, and efforts beyond mandates.
- John Bradley (Moderator), Director of Engineering Services, LaGuardia Gateway Partners
- David McPhie, Manager, Climate and Environment, Vancouver International Airport
- Morgan Turner, Owner, Airport Zero Waste Consulting LLC
- Gregoire James, Commercial Director, International Aviation Waste Management Association
- Evelyn Ferreira, Zero Waste and Compliance Lead, San Francisco International Airport
Session 3: Electrification (10:45 am – 11:45 am CST)
As more end uses continue to electrify, airports face unique challenges in managing the increasing energy demand across large campuses. Energy experts and airport practitioners will discuss important considerations and emerging technologies that enable electrification.
- Carter Atkins (Moderator), Environmental Specialist, Los Angeles World Airports
- Evelyn Ferreira, Zero Waste and Compliance Lead, San Francisco International Airport
- Chaz Teplin, Principal, Carbon-Free Electricity, RMI
- Diana Sharpe, Vice President of Large Customer Operations, ComEd
Keynote Luncheon (11:45 am – 1:00 pm CST)
A plated lunch is served in the scenic the Wolf Point Ballroom. Following the meal, our distinguished guest, FAA Associate Administrator for Airports, Shannetta Griffin, will give the keynote speech on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Session 4: Decarbonization - Alternative Fuels (1:00 pm – 2:15 pm CST)
Two alternative fuels will be discussed in detail: hydrogen and renewable natural gas. Hydrogen has been used in zero-emissions ground fleets and research is underway for hydrogen powered aircraft. Renewable natural gas derived from organic waste can offset carbon emissions from natural gas usage and methane leaks. Industry experts and end users will discuss the technology, availability, and future of these alternative fuels.
- BJ Carpenter (Moderator), Sustainability Program Coordinator, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
- Karl Gnadt, Managing Director, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District
- Hao Cai, Group Leader, Material Life Cycle Analysis, Argonne National Laboratory
- Ted Barnes, Senior Director, Mobility, GTI Energy
Break (2:15 pm – 2:45 pm CST)
Session 5: Airlines & Sustainable Aviation Fuel (2:45 pm – 3:45 pm CST)
Airlines and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producers come together to discuss decarbonization efforts and the airports' role in supporting their goals. The panel will explore the different partnerships, regulations, and market structures that have formed to incentivize and increase the use and availability of sustainable aviation fuel.
- Darline Terrell-Tyson (Moderator), Director, Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability, Maryland Aviation Authority
- Thea Junt, Environmental Sustainability Consultant, Southwest Airlines
- Lana Van Marter, Commercial Development Manager, Neste US, Inc.
- Jason Hazen, Director of Fuels & Logistics, LanzaJet, Inc.
Session 6: Resilience & Climate Change (3:45 pm – 5:00 pm CST)
Climate change is rapidly accelerating disruptions and the need for resilient planning and responses. The introduction will feature a climate researcher's summary of recent developments regarding climate change impacts. Resilience planners and practitioners will then share successes, challenges, and best practices in embedding resiliency in projects.
- Chad Reese (Moderator), Environmental Affairs Manager, San Diego International Airport
- David Archer, Professor, Department of the Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago
- Amity Wilczek, Statistician, US Department of Transportation Volpe Center
- Eric Caplan, Sustainability & Resilience Director, Tampa International Airport
- Jaime Pabón, Senior Airport Operations Manager, San Juan Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport
- Lakshminarayanan Sankaran, VP Engineering & Maintenance, Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru
Networking Reception with Exhibitors (5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CST)
Day 2 – Tuesday, November 15th
Continental Breakfast (7:00 am – 8:00 am CST)
Session 7: Takeaways from the FAA (8:00 am – 8:30 am CST)
Kevin Welsh, Executive Director of the Office of Environment & Energy at the FAA, will provide a recap of the developments from the 41st Triennial ICAO Assembly and the FAA's Aviation Climate Action Plan. Guests will be able to ask questions in a moderated discussion following the presentation.
Session 8: Embodied Carbon (8:30 am – 9:30 am CST)
Experts will discuss embodied carbon and low carbon policies that help institutions reduce greenhouse gas emissions from project materials, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal.
- Todd Cavender (Moderator), Director Environment & Sustainability, Indianapolis Airport Authority
- Donald Horn, Deputy Director, Office of Federal High-Performance Buildings, U.S. General Services Administration
- Alex Ianchenko, R&D Staff, The Miller Hull Partnership (presenting on behalf of SEA)
- Nishant Garg, Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Break (9:30 am – 10:00 am CST)
Session 9: Water Stewardship (10:00 am – 11:00 am CST)
Climate change affects water resources in ways that challenge existing infrastructure and operations around the world. Airport managers will describe their role in water conservation and share strategies that helped them provide social, environmental, and economic benefits.
- Wendy Avis (Moderator) Acting Director, Climate & Environment, Vancouver International Airport
- Marty Piette, Airport Director, Green Bay-Austin Straubel International Airport
- Yann Le Bihan, Technical Director, Salvador Bahia Airport
- Veronica Blette, WaterSense Program Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Session 10: Making Green Seen (11:00 am – 12:15 pm CST)
Millions of passengers and employees pass through airports every day. With sustainability initiatives ranging from the highly visible LEED certifications to less visible pre-conditioned air systems, environmental managers from airports and other large operations share how they break through the noise and raise awareness of all green initiatives.
- Scott Morrissey (Moderator), Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Denver International Airport
- Aaron Durnbaugh, Director of Sustainability, Loyola University Chicago
- Jamey Berg, Environmental Capital Planner, Port of Portland
- GiGliola Valero, Communications Director and Corporate Relations, Bogota El Dorado International Airport
Airports Going Green Awards℠ Luncheon (12:15 pm – 1:30 pm CST)
Exceptional people, projects, and programs are recognized in this year’s Airports Going Green Awards. A record-breaking 14 AGG Awards and 7 Honorable Mentions were presented to nominees from across the glove.
- Aaron Frame, Deputy Commissioner of Planning, Noise, & Environment, CDA
Session 11: Green Concessions (1:30 pm – 2:45 pm CST)
Concessionaires and the airport concessions managers gather to discuss sustainability initiatives with vendors. Airports can gain insight into resources that can enable success and effective in program communication elements.
- Jonathan Matheny (Moderator), Manager Environmental & Sustainability, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
- Ann Fondersmith, Sr. Director, Sustainability, HMSHost
- Doug Bradley, Vice President of Culinary, ASM Global Savor at McCormick Place
- Todd Bell, Sr. Program Manager, Food Service Technology Center, Frontier Energy
- Jodi Smith Westwater, Sr. Manager, Dining Operations, Microsoft Corporation
Break (2:45 pm – 3:15 pm CST)
Session 12: Decarbonization - Buildings & Utilities (3:15 pm – 4:30 pm CST)
Projects utilizing heat pumps and heat recovery systems at airports will be explored. Airports will discuss other large-scale, electric central utility plants planned for the future.
- Brian Sinnwell (Moderator) SVP and COO, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport
- John Bradley, Director of Engineering Services, LaGuardia Gateway Partners
- Arnold Garza, Assistant Vice President of Energy & Infrastructure, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
