Symposium Speakers

Bill McKibben
Featured Speaker
Bill is an American environmentalist and writer who frequently writes about global warming and alternative energy and advocates for more localized economies.
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M. Duane Nellis
President of the University of Idaho
M. Duane Nellis is President of the University of Idaho.

As the University’s chief executive officer, President Nellis provides robust and engaging leadership for the University of Idaho. He provides support to 42 statewide extension offices and University center locations in Boise, Coeur d’Alene and Idaho Falls. He is also engaged with the University alumni, friends, donors, faculty, staff and students around the world to create a University that is more entrepreneurial, sustainable, international, interdisciplinary and diverse.

President Nellis has been recognized nationally and internationally for his research and teaching, has given more than 100 professional presentations, and has been invited to speak at more than 60 universities and related settings internationally.

Dr. James Eflin
James Eflin stresses research and teaching in the interface between environment and society, with an underlying theme of sustainability. His research has recently focused on industrial ecology, eco-industrial development, and sustainable campuses.

He helped found the Ball State University Field Station and environmental Education Center (FSEEC), which integrates 420 acres on five off-campus properties that are managed for educational outreach, research and instructional programs for the university.

Paul Rowland
Executive Director of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Prior to taking this position Paul was the Dean of the College of Education at the University of Idaho and also served as Dean of the School of Education at The University of Montana. At Northern Arizona University, was the Director of the Center for Environmental Sciences and Education and Coordinator of Environmental Education. He also served as the Director of Academic Assessment at NAU.

While serving as a professor in curriculum and instruction and environmental sciences he was one of the founders of the Ponderosa Project – a faculty development project focused on integrating sustainability throughout the curriculum. He has written numerous articles and book chapters on science and environmental education particularly as they related to diverse populations.

Randal Arendt
Randall Arendt is a landscape planner, site designer, author, lecturer, and an advocate of "conservation planning."

He received his M. Phil. degree in Urban Design and Regional Planning from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he was a St. Andrew's Scholar. He is currently the Senior Conservation Advisor at the Natural Lands Trust in Media, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Arendt is the country's most sought-after speaker on the topic of creative development design as a conservation tool. He has presented slide lectures in 47 states, five Canadian provinces, and Europe.

Nathan Jones
Nathan Jones is a founder of the Northwest Institute for Community Enrichment (NICE) and pioneered the NICE Consulting program.

Nathan is currently working with a local team in Portland, OR, to coordinate the Sabin Neighborhood Enrichment Program and is helping coordinate the national Summer of Solutions program through his work with Grand Aspirations.

Nathan loves to learn and be creative, especially when it comes to developing innovative ways to organize for social change. He has trained and organized with hundreds of student organizers as an integral member of youth climate organizations such as the Sierra Student Coalition and the Cascade Climate Network.

Chelsea Thaw
Chelsea Thaw’s love for student activism stems from her interest in provoking students' passions, questions and solutions to social and environmental issues. She made her entrance into the activist world through an activist leadership camp put on by the Sierra Student Coalition called Sprog (google it!).

She is currently living in beautiful Bellingham, WA studying social and environmental justice and playing Frisbee. Chelsea is interested in bridging the gap between the environmental and social justice movements, as well as learning how to play the banjo.

Jeremy Blanchard
Jeremy Blanchard found his way into the world of activism after attending a free weekend conference in Seattle put on by the Cascade Climate Network. After attending multiple conferences and trainings, he realized his own power to create change and has since organized many campaigns, founded a student group at the University of Oregon, and given dozens of trainings to help empower others.

He is currently the program leader for a "solutionary" neighborhood engagement program in Eugene, OR. In his free time, Jeremy enjoys programming sweet web applications for activists and giving free hugs.

David Holmes
David Holmes, a Montana native and engineering graduate from Montana State University, is responsible for managing renewable energy research and development for Avista. He has held a number of engineering and operational management positions within Avista including start-up companies Avista Advantage and Avista Laboratories. As a loaned executive, David provided leadership for Washington State Universities Applied Science Laboratory and the Institute of Systems Medicine. David has three grown children and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the States of Washington and Idaho. Dave is an avid pilot and can usually be seen flying in formation over Spokane in his 1942 Stearman Biplane.

Gail Feenstra
Gail Feenstra is the Food Systems Analyst at the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP) and the Agricultural Sustainability Institute (ASI), based in Davis, California. Feenstra coordinates SAREP's Food Systems Program which encourages sustainable community development and local food systems that link farmers, consumers and communities. Feenstra's research and education efforts include: direct marketing, farm-to-school and farm-to-institution evaluation, regional food system distribution models, food systems indicators, urban agriculture, food security, food policy, food system assessments and most recently, carbon footprint analysis in the food system.

Bruce Bouton
Bruce Bouton is a systems architect and an Associate Technical Fellow of the Boeing Company. He currently works in the Enterprise Strategic Growth and Architecture Development and Transition teams of the Boeing Company’s Research and Technology group. In that role he provides architecture and leadership service for numbers “new business” pursuits. He is a graduate of the College of Idaho in 1981 with a B.A. in Business Administration, the University of Idaho in 1985 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, and the University of Southern California in 2004 with a M.S. in Systems Architecture and Engineering.