The Next Frontier: Advancing the Green Economy
Panelist: Senyo Ador (Eco Solutions Enterprise), Dr. Anne Evens (Elevate), Michelle Carr (Evergreen Climate Innovations) and Brenda Palms (North Lawndale Employment Network). Moderated by Andrew (Andy) Beideman (Pritzker Traubert Foundation)
Wednesday, Dec 11, 2024
Doors Open at 11:30 am / Event Begins at 12:00 pm
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$695.00 Half Sponsor Table (5 seats)
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Location
Maggiano's Banquets
111 W. Grand Avenue
Chicago, IL 60654
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Join us for an insightful panel discussion on advancing the green economy. The long-term work to advance the green economy began well before the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and will continue through efforts like the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA). The transition to a sustainable future creates opportunities for workers, homeowners, entrepreneurs, and business leaders alike. Regardless of future developments, the IRA has generated momentum that, through collaboration, can drive lasting progress.
Speakers
Senyo Ador
Senyo Ador is an energy sector professional with experience in the United States and Global markets. In his 17 years in the industry, he has worked closely with reputable international development firms in promoting rural electricity access and clean energy projects in Sub Saharan Africa.
Leveraging his background in distributed energy solution design, development, and integration Senyo brings fresh perspectives to back to his native Illinois in the form of his company Sesenergi Eco Solutions Enterprise LLC based in North Lawndale on Chicago’s west side. Sesenergi supports projects and workforce development in a suite of end to end energy efficiency, solar energy, solar street lighting, agrivoltaics and hybrid system solutions for the residential, commercial-industrial and government markets.
Michelle Carr
Michelle Carr is the Chief Executive Officer of Evergreen Climate Innovations which finds, funds and grows early-stage climate technology companies in the Greater Midwest, contributing to local economic development and job creation. Evergreen pioneered the 501vc® Investment Fund model to align philanthropic and corporate contributions to deliver environmental, economic and social impact in tackling the climate crises.
Prior to leading Evergreen, Michelle was the Illinois Director for The Nature Conservancy (TNC), a global science-based conservation organization with operations in all 50 states and 70 countries. While at TNC, Carr bridged the gap between conservation and economic decisions to influence solutions at a regional and global scale. Prior to TNC, Michelle was an advisor at Goldman Sachs for 16 years where her clients included entrepreneurs, chief executive officers, families, foundations and endowments.
Carr graduated from St. Louis University with a B.A. in history and economics and holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University. From 2008 through 2012, she was a member of President Obama’s National Finance Committee and she currently serves on the boards of Northwestern University’s Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy and the Cook County Land Bank. Carr is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and lives in Chicago with her husband and three children.
Anne Evens
Anne Evens, M.Sc., Ph.D., is the Chief Executive Officer of Elevate, a nonprofit organization based in Chicago. Elevate works to promote equitable access to clean, healthy, safe, and affordable heat, power, and water for people in their homes and communities — no matter who they are, or where they live. Elevate designs and implements housing upgrade programs that reduce costs, protect people from the health effects of climate change, and ensure that the benefits of clean and efficient energy use reach those who are most in need. In doing this work, we create revenue for diverse small businesses and jobs for people in their communities.
Brenda Palms
Brenda Palms, President and CEO of the North Lawndale Employment Network, an urban workforce development agency, and founding social entrepreneur and CEO of Sweet Beginnings, LLC, a social enterprise using urban beekeeping to create jobs for those with significant barriers to employment, has served as President and CEO of NLEN since its founding in 1999. She launched NLEN’s wholly owned subsidiary social enterprise, Sweet Beginnings, in 2004 to ensure justice-impacted job seekers could secure upskill and secure good jobs and a pathway to long-term sustainability. Under Brenda’s leadership, NLEN has grown from two to 59 employees and generates an annual budget in excess of $7.2 million.
Today, NLEN serves more than 1,200 people per year. Sweet Beginnings has expanded from a cottage industry to distribution at more than 43 Mariano stores, both O’Hare and Midway airports, and has been awarded and retired one of the first Benefit Chicago social impact investment loans. NLEN has received numerous awards, including one of the first MacArthur Foundation Awards for Creative and Effective Institutions (2006) and the prestigious Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award (2015), the 2023 and 2018 Citi Foundation Community Progress Makers, 2019 Google Impact Challenge award, and the 2021 American Banker Association Equity Leadership Award in partnership with Wintrust Bank. Brenda has raised the national profile of NLEN, Sweet Beginnings, and the plight of people with barriers to employment through extensive media coverage, including CNN, the NBC Today Show, CBS Evening News, American Express, a TEDWomen Documentary, and Lifetime. Brenda has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Chronicle in Philanthropy, and in JPMC’s stakeholders Letter by Jaime Dimon in 2018, appeared on ABC7 Windy City Live as a 4-Star Chicagoan.
In recognition of her innovation and commitment to helping those in need, Congressman Danny Davis awarded Brenda the Cardiss Collins Trailblazer Award (2013). Brenda is a graduate of Harvard’s Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management program and the Chicago Urban League’s Next One entrepreneurship program, which included classes at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She holds a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from the Spertus Institute in Chicago.
Andrew Beideman
Andy is Chief Strategy Officer for the Pritzker Traubert Foundation, where he leads the Foundation’s workforce strategy and supports a wide range of investments focused on building economic opportunity in Chicago. Andy joined the Foundation as a Program Officer in 2018 and led design and launch of the Chicago Prize, a $45 million commitment to support impactful community-led development activities on the city’s south and west sides. Prior to joining the Foundation, Andy was a Manager at RW Ventures LLC, a Chicago-based firm focused on innovative inclusive growth projects. Before coming to Chicago, Andy worked on large federal research grantmaking programs with Booz Allen Hamilton and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC. Andy co-chairs the Board of Directors for One Million Degrees, a non-profit supporting community college students on their paths to degrees and careers. He received his BA from American University and MPP from the College of William & Mary. He was accepted as a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow in 2021. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Andy lives in Chicago with his wife and two children.
Upcoming events
Mayor Brandon Johnson
City of Chicago
Tuesday, Dec 3, 2024
Doors Open at 11:30 am / Event Begins at 12:00 pm
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