Authors
Discover the voices behind the content, each sharing unique insights and expertise.
Sandra Leyva
I am a results-oriented Sustainability Director and former Product Management Leader, known for igniting transformative change. In my current role I collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and launch sustainable products and solutions that reduce environmental impact and enhance customer value at scale. In my previous experience, I led global initiatives and teams of a world-class provider of intelligent automation solutions. There, I established and developed the global sustainability strategy and reporting framework, leading the path forward for decarbonization for scope 1, 2 and 3. I built and managed teams of sustainability subject matter experts in different parts of the organization, such as Global Execution (Operations) and Global Products and Solutions. I hold a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León and an Executive Sustainability Leadership certificate from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. I have multiple certifications and honors in sustainability, lifecycle assessment, circular economy and I am fluent in both English and Spanish. I am passionate about fostering an economy that harmonizes the well-being of individuals and the planet, and seizing the opportunity to shape a future where sustainable practices drive profitability and create a profound positive impact on society. I thrive on challenges, embracing them as opportunities to push boundaries, redefine what's possible, and make a lasting impact. I am eager to connect, collaborate, and unleash our collective power to create a future where sustainable practices drive transformative change.
Antonio Vizcaya Abdo
Corporate sustainability consultant focused on integrating environmental, social and governance considerations into strategy, long-term value creation and organizational transformation. Experience includes advising companies on sustainability strategy design, double materiality assessments, ESG reporting, decarbonization planning and stakeholder engagement. My work centers on strengthening decision-making by aligning sustainability priorities with business objectives, regulatory expectations and evolving market trends. This includes developing strategic roadmaps, improving disclosure quality, building internal capabilities and supporting companies as they transition toward a regenerative, low-carbon and inclusive economy. Serve as a professor of corporate sustainability, contributing to academic and executive education programs on sustainability integration, governance, climate strategy and responsible business. Teaching emphasizes analytical thinking, practical application and clarity to build capacity for future leaders in sustainability. Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice in sustainability, sharing frameworks, analyses and insights on materiality, reporting standards, corporate sustainability practices and global sustainability trends. Content prioritizes clear explanations, structure, strategic context and technical depth, aligning with the platform’s focus on relevance, expertise and audience value. Participate as a speaker in forums and events on sustainability, disclosure, governance and climate action, highlighting the importance of moving beyond compliance toward strategic integration. The focus is on promoting better decision-making, accelerating sustainability adoption and supporting organizations in addressing the environmental and social challenges shaping business and long-term performance.
Wesley Herche
I help companies and organizations turn sustainability commitments into operational reality. As Director of Energy and Sustainability at Prologis, I advance decarbonization strategies for enterprise clients including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Tesla, Maersk, CEVA, DSV, and others, deploying on-site solar, battery energy storage systems (BESS), EV charging infrastructure, and low-carbon construction materials (LCCM) across industrial supply chains. My work focuses on the gap between boardroom net-zero pledges and ground-level implementation, where most sustainability initiatives fail. I've spent 20+ years in strategic planning and identifying what separates companies that achieve measurable emissions reductions from those stuck in sustainability theater. This includes my PhD research at Arizona State University on energy systems, strategy consulting at Boston Consulting Group, and Scope 3 supply chain decarbonization and renewable energy at Amazon/AWS. I also served as a Senior Intelligence Officer with deployments in Baghdad, London, and Tokyo, experience that taught me how to turn complex, ambiguous situations into executable plans. The climate crisis demands action, not aspiration. I work with organizations ready to move beyond positioning statements to actual decarbonization. My approach combines technical rigor (I've published research in scientific journals), business pragmatism (I understand P&Ls), and operational execution (I know what it takes to deploy physical infrastructure). If you're navigating the gap between executive sustainability commitments and operational constraints, let's connect. I share actionable frameworks and insights from working in the trenches of corporate decarbonization.
Gigi Zapata
🌍 I’m a Sustainability Program Manager and a former McKinsey expert with a superpower of influence: I get people moving fast for decarbonization, circularity, and responsible supply chains. Across 25+ global companies in 10+ industries and 100+ sites, I’ve led transformations that improve EBITDA by 15% by: • Reducing GHG emissions by 10-30% and cutting costs by 8% • Driving change management in procurement and operations to achieve sustainability targets • Adding circularity and ethical sourcing into core operations and product development • Translating complex technical work into executive buy-in, digital tools, and award-winning ESG reports Earlier in my career, I worked in battery metals and mining in the DRC, Chile, Peru, and the U.S. This shaped how I understand responsible minerals and their impact on human rights. It taught me the challenges of decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors. And made me obsessed about regenerating what I once helped extract. 🌱 I’m also building Re-Fuse, a side project rooted in a simple but radical idea: we don’t need more to live well or grow a business. Sometimes, enough is the smartest choice. I help brands rethink how they design, produce, and communicate in ways that ease the pressure overproduction puts on both people and the planet. 📣 Open to: → Consulting and advisory for companies and consumers rethinking how they consume → Speaking, partnerships, or brand collaborations through Re-Fuse 🤩 It bothers me when LinkedIn feels too serious. I care about making friends. I love non-sense and WhatsApp stickers. I sing, I dance, and I eat a lot. Let's connect! 🗣️ Sharing my own perspectives here. Not speaking on behalf of any employer.
Nik Baumann
The next 25 years will be a highly disruptive period in industrial history. Net Zero, ElectroTech and Artificial Intelligence will reshape cost structures, energy systems and competitiveness. How can industry achieve Affordable Net Zero - the hardest unsolved problem in industrial strategy? Affordable does not mean simple. It means navigating the complex real-world triangle of cost, carbon and change in an invest-to-save transition. That is where companies struggle. After 20 years in senior global roles in Finance and General Management at Mazda, Merck, Aggreko and QIAGEN, I now work with decision-makers at this intersection. My role is to help leaders move through complexity - turning climate ambition into economically viable pathways and decisions. Here is the lens that shapes my work and contributions: I. It is crunch time for Net Zero. We have ~25 years left to reach 2050 targets. The insurance industry is already warning what failure looks like. Disruption is guaranteed. The only question is who thrives and who falls. II. Net Zero crunch time and the dawn of the AI age now collide. AI brings breakthroughs and optimizations from data to grid to materials and more. It also brings rapidly growing power and cooling loads from data centers. AI disruption will also create winners and losers - with implications for which companies can still focus on Net Zero and who cannot. III. Welcome to the ElectroTech Revolution. Solar, wind, batteries, electrification and digitalisation are at tipping points. Up to half of emissions can be reduced in cost-competitive ways. But grids have become a key bottleneck, which means decentralisation, microgrids and on-site power will rise fast. IV. We still need a Net Zero tech stack beyond ElectroTech. ClimateTech must scale and reduce the green premium. First-of-a-kind (FOAK) projects remain a major bottleneck. Phasing out fossil fuels will create more strategic disruption across industries. V. Companies will need to execute it. This includes credible and cost-effective Climate Transition Plans, empowered sustainability teams with cross-functional leadership and fairness across value chains with, procurement and sales & marketing fully engaged. VI. And people will need to cope with the disruption. Resources are limited, so we must be smart and cost-effective. We will need great conversations, strong collaboration across systems and quality decisions at every step. This is why I do this work. If you are facing bottlenecks on the road to Affordable Net Zero, let's connect. (Views are my own.)
Nikki Maginn
When smart people struggle to communicate, collaborate, and lead under pressure, technical & engineering organizations break down. And when that happens, you see it everywhere. In missed deadlines, stakeholder friction, managers burning out, and top performers quietly job-hunting. But when the human systems inside an engineering or technical org are working, - Top performers want to stay. - Leaders stay calm instead of reacting. - Teams move faster with fewer misunderstandings. - Stakeholders get visibility without micromanagement. That’s the real return on emotional intelligence in technical environments: - Less friction - Higher output - Healthier people My work sits at the center of that intersection. I’ve spent 15+ years across product, engineering, and operations - from startup chaos to enterprise bureaucracy - leading technical teams while navigating the very human dynamics that drive them. Being a nuclear engineer, I know first hand that engineering minds don’t respond to fluffy leadership theory. We respond to logic, neuroscience, systems, and step-by-step processes. So I built an EQ framework designed specifically for analytical thinkers: practical language, repeatable tools, and zero filler. Today, I consult with engineering organizations and universities, support executives on workforce development strategy, and advise individual engineers and managers who want to lead with clarity and confidence without sacrificing authenticity. Whether it’s culture design, leadership development, or 1:1 advising, the through line is the same: helping technical minds lead humans, not just projects. If this resonates and you’re curious what it could look like for your team, or for your own leadership, reach out anytime. I love a DM, and there’s a link in my Featured section to book a call. I can't wait to build better engineering & tech cultures with you!
Gary Dirks
https://search.asu.edu/profile/1471405 Gary Dirks is senior director, Global Futures Laboratory, and director of LightWorks®, an Arizona State University initiative that capitalizes on ASU's strengths in solar energy and other light-inspired research. From 2013-2019, he was the director of ASU's Wrigley Institute. He is also the Julie Wrigley Chair of Sustainable Practices, professor of practice in the School of Sustainability, and distinguished sustainability scientist. Before joining ASU, Professor Dirks was the president of BP Asia-Pacific and the president of BP China. During his presidency, BP grew from an operation with fewer than 30 employees and no revenue to more than 1,300 employees and revenues of about $4 billion in 2008. He received China's "Friendship Award" in 2003 and received an honorary Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George from the United Kingdom in 2005. In December 2008 he was recognized by the People's Daily as one of the 10 most influential multinational company leaders of the last 30 years of China's economic development. In 1999 he received the CLAS Leaders Award for his extraordinary leadership skills while driving positive change locally and internationally by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University. Professor Dirks received a Ph.D. in chemistry from ASU in 1980. He was the first doctoral student to work in the Center for the Study of Early Events in Photosynthesis (now the Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis). Education Ph.D. Chemistry, Arizona State University 1980
Prerana Tirodkar
My name is Prerana, and I go by Pre. I help organizations translate sustainability and decarbonization goals into measurable business outcomes by improving access to reliable, transparent ESG and operational data. My work bridges enterprise technology, sustainability strategy, energy management, and finance to make climate actionable, auditable, and scalable. Over the past 7+ years, I’ve partnered with Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, REITs, and asset managers representing multi-billion-dollar AUM to measure and manage climate, capital, and compliance risk across diverse asset classes and value chains. I’ve led enterprise-wide implementations of sustainability software, built ESG data workflows, conducted double materiality assessments, developed GHG Protocol–aligned inventories, modeled financed emissions (PCAF), and leveraged automation and analytics to quantify Scope 3 and value-chain emissions across complex portfolios. This work strengthens data coverage, identifies carbon-intensive areas, and informs decarbonization pathways that align with financial performance, regulatory expectations, and long-term value creation. Building on that experience, I architect audit-ready solutions and Power BI dashboards that benchmark energy performance across portfolios using Energy Use Intensity (EUI), Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), and ENERGY STAR metrics. These tools provide executives and investors with actionable insights to evaluate asset performance, plan clean-energy procurement, and assess opportunities to improve net operating income (NOI). In parallel, I design governance frameworks and data controls that ensure readiness and investor-grade assurance for reporting frameworks and investor benchmarks like CSRD, CDP, GRESB, Building Performance Standards (BPS), and California SB 261/253. With a foundation in Software Engineering (Mumbai University) and a Master’s in Sustainability Management (Columbia University), I turn net-zero ambition into operational strategy. I believe real progress comes from bold ideas, radical innovation, data-driven decisions and intentional collaboration. I love building systems and partnerships that help teams make sustainability accessible and impactful for everyone. Grateful to be one of those lucky people, who gets to do for a living, what I'd do anyway! https://preranatirodkar.com/
Sotiria Anagnostou
I'm a climate executive and career strategist driving meaningful climate initiatives and helping sustainability professionals build careers that meet their financial goals — without losing themselves in the process. After 15+ years spanning finance, real estate, and sustainability — including roles at the highest levels of corporate ESG — I learned firsthand how toxic environments, misaligned incentives, and chronic stress don't just burn you out. They change who you are. Along with being the CEO of Arizona Sustainability Alliance and founder of Soana Climate Consulting, I write and create content about leadership, career strategy, and the neuroscience of building a career that actually holds up — financially and mentally. If you're building a meaningful career and navigating the tension between ambition and wellbeing, you're in the right place. DM me for speaking engagements, consulting opportunities, brand partnerships, and coaching inquiries. http://www.azsustainabilityalliance.com
Gabrielle Lewis
I’m a Strategic Operations leader with over a decade of experience helping organizations turn strategy into execution—especially in complex, global environments where clarity and alignment matter most. At my core, I focus on building the systems that make execution possible: operating models, business rhythms, and performance frameworks that allow teams to move with purpose, accountability, and speed. I’ve led cross-functional initiatives across global supplier networks exceeding 60,000 partners, delivering measurable outcomes including $30M+ in operational efficiencies, $145M in identified revenue risk, and meaningful improvements in operational visibility and compliance performance. I’m known for simplifying complexity—bringing structure to ambiguity and helping leaders see clearly where to focus, how to measure progress, and how to drive results. My work sits at the intersection of operations, strategy, and analytics, and I partner closely with leaders across operations, finance, legal, and technology to enable better, faster, and more informed decision-making. I’m also deeply motivated by work that has broader impact. Whether through social responsibility initiatives or building scalable systems that improve outcomes for others, I’m most energized when operational excellence directly supports something meaningful.
Bridget Ferrari
Action-focused Sustainability leader. I help companies and industries turn climate ambition into action—through practical solutions and systems thinking. Proven track record of delivering transformative solutions through stakeholder collaboration. Committed to advancing sustainability agendas while driving organizational success and global impact.