Since 2015, the Forum has brought together global leaders and innovators, trailblazers and changemakers to address and take action on the most urgent issues facing our times. COVID-19 is that issue. The 2020 Sun Valley Forum was a platform for immediate action and long-term vision for more resilient communities and economies. The 2020 Sun Valley Forum helped to unlock the solutions we need right now.
The Forum is global in vision, participation and impact, but a community with a local heart. We are looking forward to continuing to come together, whether in Sun Valley or online, to accelerate solutions that make our homeplaces more resilient, and create models for global resilience. The Forum has always included local solutions as key to global change. This year, we are expanding and deepening that commitment. This current challenge is an opportunity; to make a bigger impact, mobilize more capital and work on the projects that our community and communities around the globe need right now.
A New Format and New Focus on Critical Topics
Wellbeing and Equity
Leadership for well-being
Building resilient systems through diversity and opportunity
Ensuring the Security of Our Food and Farms
The power of food to empower communities and strengthen economies
The future of food: vision, innovation, investment
Spark Project: Regenerative agriculture capital project
The Role of Business and Capital in Rebalancing the Human Relationship with Nature
Climate Finance Risk & Opportunity
Corporate leadership for a circular economy
Nature-based and Indigenous Solutions
Nature’s role in a resilient future
Indigenous insights to reset the human-nature relationship
Placed-based education: cornerstone of a relationship with nature
With the shift to a virtual platform, the Sun Valley Forum focuses on addressing local needs with global resources and the rapid advancement of selected projects that have the potential to scale for near-term impact, the Sun Valley Spark Projects. Together, Forum participants gathered expertise and resources around these “shovel-ready” initiatives to accelerate their success. The projects for the Summer Series focused on solutions for building resilience in our communities and beyond.
These intensive working sessions were complemented by inspiring keynotes and panels from those taking the lead on developing resilient communities around the world. The Forum also featured Local to Global conversations that made connections between the work of our local community and global change.
2020 Resilience Now Summer Series Speakers
Mitch Anderson
Founder, Executive Director
Amazon Frontlines
Dr. George Basile
Senior Sustainability Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, ASU
Georgie Benardete
Co-Founder & CEO ALIGN17
Johan Bergenas
Senior Director for Public Policy at Vulcan
MARK BRAND
CEO – MB Inc. & A.B.L.F.
Exec Chef – American Refugee Committee
Prof. of Innovation – USC
AIMEE CHRISTENSEN
Founder, Sun Valley Institute
CEO, Christensen Global Strategies
Kristin Coates
Senior Director, SecondMuse
Daniel Dart
Founder & CEO
DEC Projects
Ellen Dorsey
Executive Director
Wallace Global Fund
AMANDA ELLIS
Executive Director
Hawaii & Asia-Pacific, ASU Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability
Sara Farley
Managing Director, The Rockefeller Foundation’s Food Initiative
Hilary Franz
Commissioner of Public Lands
State of Washington
Ron Finley
Founder, Ron Finley Project
Sherri Goodman
Senior Advisor for International Security, Center for Climate and Security
Secretary General of the International Military Council on Climate and Security
PETER HORTON
Writer / Director
Producer / Actor
Ruby HORTON
Sun Valley Youth Council
Mark Hyman, MD
Founder and director of The
UltraWellness Center, the Head of Strategy and Innovation of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine
MAGGIE KAPLAN
Founder, Executive Director Invoking the Pause
Kellie Lauth
CEO, mindSpark Learning
Dan Lutkenhouse Jr.
President and Executive Director at Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden
AMY MATTIAS
Co-director, Local Food Alliance
Lindsay Mollineaux
Executive Director, Environmental Resource Center
NATE MOOK
CEO, World Central Kitchen
Nemonte Nenquimo
Co-founder, Ceibo Alliance
ROBYN O’BRIEN
Vice President
rePlant Capital
TERRY O’CONNOR, MD
Blaine County/ Sawtooth Regional EMS Director
Idaho EMS Physicians Commission
Emergency Physician, St Lukes Wood River Hospital
LILA PRESTON
Partner, Generation Investment Management
LOUIE PSIHOYOS
Photographer & Filmmaker
“Racing Extinction”, “The Cove”
Julia Pyper
Contributing Editor Greentech Media & Host, Political Climate Podcast
GEOF ROCHESTER
Founder
Geof Rochester Consulting
BRUNO SARDA
President
CDP North America
Peter Seligmann
CEO, Nia Tero
Chairman, Conservation International
Dr. Jessie Senko
Senior Sustainability Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, ASU
Shawn Shepherd
Director of Development &
American Farmland Trust
EAMONN STORE
Founder & CEO
FairShare
BARNEY SWAN
International Director
ClimateForce
Jonathan Webb
Founder & CEO
AppHarvest
LISA WING RN
2019 Speakers
Mitch Anderson
Founder, Executive Director
Amazon Frontlines
Richardson Antoine
Haiti Country Manager
at Thread
Kathy Araújo
Director, Energy Policy Institute
Associate Professor, Boise State University
JOHN BAILEY
Founding Partner
Hawaiian Cloud Forrest Coffee
VIC BARRETT
Co-Plaintiff, Juliana v. The United States of America & Action Fellow, Alliance for Climate Education
JON BONANNO
CXO, New Energy Nexus
California Clean Energy Fund
JODI BOND
Executive Vice President, Head of Global Government & Industry Affairs
Chubb Limited
MARK BRAND
CEO – MB Inc. & A.B.L.F.
Exec Chef – American Refugee Committee
Prof. of Innovation – USC
ISAAC BROWN
Executive Director
Business Coalition for Conservation and Climate
JAY BRUNS
Senior Climate Policy Advisor Commissioner Mike Kreidler
Washington State Insurance Commission
TOM CHI
Founding Member
GoggleX
AIMEE CHRISTENSEN
Founder, Sun Valley Institute
CEO, Christensen Global Strategies
MARTIN CHUNGONG
Secretary General
Inter-Parliamentary Union
CHRISTI COOPER
Director/Producer
YOUTH v GOV (a Barrelmaker Production’s Film)
DANIEL DART
Founder & CEO
DEC Projects
Amy Davidsen
Executive Director
The Climate Group, North America
Julie Davitz
Head of Impact Solutions
BNP Paribas/Bank of the West
Noah Deich
Executive Director
Carbon180
Susan B. Eirich, Ph.D.
Co-founder & Executive Director
Earthfire Institute
AMANDA ELLIS
Executive Director
Hawaii & Asia-Pacific, ASU Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability
MEAGAN FALLONE
CEO and Founder
Barefoot College International
FRANCESCO FEMIA
Co-CEO
Council on Strategic Risks
DANIELA V. FERNANDEZ
Founder & CEO
Sustainable Ocean Alliance
Hilary Franz
Commissioner of Public Lands
State of Washington
David Gelber
Co-Creator, Executive Producer
YEARS OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY
ANAKE GOODALL
Chair
Hillary Institute of International Leadership
JEFF GOODELL
Contributing Editor
Rolling Stone
Sherri Goodman
Senior Advisor for International Security, Center for Climate and Security
Secretary General of the International Military Council on Climate and Security
JONAH GOTTLIEB
Executive Youth Director
National Children’s Campaign
Dayna Gross
Senior Corporate Engagement Advisor
The Nature Conservancy
STEPHENNE HARDING
Senior Campaign Director, Campaign for Nature
National Geographic Society
PETER HORTON
Writer / Director
Producer / Actor
Kristen Hull
Founder & CEO
Nia Impact Capital
Brandon Hurlbut
Co-Founder & Partner
Boundary Stone Partners
Dune Ives
Executive Director
Lonely Whale Foundation
ELLEN JACKOWSKI
Global Head of Sustainability Strategy & Innovation
HP
DIRK JAMESON
Retired Lt. General
U.S. Air Force
DON JERGLER
Western Region Editor
Insurance Journal
KELSEY CASCADIA ROSE JULIANA
Lead Plantiff, Juliana v.
The United States of America
HOLLY KAUFMAN
Founder
Environment & Enterprise Strategies
JENN KENNING
CEO & Co-Founder
Align
Ksenia Koban
Vice President, Municipal Strategist
Payden & Rygel
MIKE KREIDLER
Insurance Commissioner
State of Washington
BONNI LEI
AI for Earth Project Manager
Microsoft
Laura Liswood
Secretary General
Council of Women World Leaders
DAVID LIVINGSTON
Deputy Director for Climate & Advanced Energy
Atlanatic Council
RENSKE LYNDE
Co-Found & CEO
Food System 6 Accelerator
JAMIE MARGOLIN
Founder Co-Executive Director
Zero Hour, Youth Climate March
LIZ MCCARTNEY
Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer
SBP
CRISTINE MORGAN, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer
Soil Health Institute
JENNIFER MORRIS
President
Conservation International
EMILY S. NIEHAUS
Mayor, City of Moab
Founder, Community Rebuilds
TYLER NORRIS
Chief Executive
Well Being Trust
ROBYN O’BRIEN
Vice President
rePlant Capital
DARREN PARRY
Chairman
Northwest Shoshone Nation
JOHN PIOTTI
President
American Farmland Trust
MARK PRAIN
Founding Director
Hillary Institute of International Leadership
TIM PROFETA
Director
Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University
LOUIE PSIHOYOS
Photographer & Filmmaker
“Racing Extinction”, “The Cove”
Julia Pyper
Contributing Editor Greentech Media & Host, Political Climate Podcast
Ted Robb
Co-Founder
New Barn Organics
GEOF ROCHESTER
Founder
Geof Rochester Consulting
HENK ROGERS
Founder
Blue Planet Foundation
BRUNO SARDA
President
CDP North America
ASHLEY SCHULTEN
Managing Director, Head of Responsible Investing
Global Fixed Income at BlackRock
AUSTIN SHELTON
Director
Center for Island Sustainability
SHANE SKELTON
Partner
S2C Pacific
KIRK SIEGLER
Correspondent
NPR’s National Desk
OLAF SLEIJPEN
Director of Insurance Supervision
De Nederlandsche Bank N.V. (DNB)
ERIK SNYDER
Co-Founder
The Drawdown Fund
NATHANIEL STINNETT
Founder & Executive Director
Environmental Voter Project
EAMONN STORE
Founder & CEO
FairShare
NAINOA THOMPSON
President
Polynesian Voyaging Society
BENJAMIN VON WONG
Artist/Activist
TATJANA VUJIC
Director of Biogas StrategyDuke University
MATTHEW WEATHERLEY-WHITE
Co-Founder, Managing DirectorCaprock
DR. BURTON WEBB
President
University of Pikeville
CAITLIN WERRELL
Co-CEO Council on Strategic Risks
JUSTIN WINTERS
Executive Director Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
STEVE WYSMULLER
Global Lead Meteorologist
IBM
The Host: Sun Valley Institute
The Forum is the signature event of the Sun Valley Institute, which was founding in 2015 with a bold mission: to be a catalyze for lasting quality of place: SVI builds economic, ecological and social resilience by pioneering transformative solutions, driving awareness, and convening leaders and innovators for impact. The Institute addresses risks and turns them into opportunities, while serving as a resource to others: a think- and do- tank for our changing world. For more information, please visit: www.sunvalleyinstitute.org and follow the Institute on Twitter @SunValleyInst #SunValleyForum, on Instagram @SunValleyInstitute and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/sunvalleyinstitute/.
Speakers
From government and business leaders to innovators and entrepreneurs, from adventurer-advocates and educators to photographers, authors and filmmakers, past speakers include U.S. Senator Cory A. Booker, visionary Paul Hawken and Artic explorer Sir Robert Swan, as well as business leaders from BNP Paribas/Bank of the West, Generation Investment Management, HP, Microsoft and The Weather Company/ IBM and media including The Economist, The New York Times and Rolling Stone.
The Location
The Forum will be hosted at the Argyros Theater in Ketchum, Idaho home to the storied Sun Valley resort.
2020 Resilience Now Summer Series Partners
Past Forum Sponsors
