Future Forward: Accelerating Change Together
AEC professionals play an important role in advancing climate action and addressing the impacts of the built environment.
However, there is a critical need for substantial and collective progress. We must apply our learning towards actionable solutions that are simple, scalable, wholistic, and forward-looking. How do we drive change and positive outcomes in our practice and communities? How do we galvanize around a shared vision of the world we want to live in? This year’s climate summit will explore practical solutions in the built environment that promote adaptation, resilience, equity, and overall well-being for communities and ecosystems now and into the future. Sessions will examine the interconnectivity of 1) nature and green infrastructure; 2) community-based practices; and 3) building-scale decision-making.
Join us online, April 15-16, 2024, 9am-2pm both days, for AIA Seattle’s 2024 (Virtual) Climate Summit: Future Forward: Accelerating Change Together!
Speakers
Baja (she/ki) is an energy rooted in empathy, love, and compassion. She coaches, facilitates, and leads workshops, retreats, and trainings that nurture heart-centered self- and collective-liberation while supporting deeper connectivity to nature’s genius and with other species. By vocation, Baja is the Senior Director of Direct Support & Innovation with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) and in that role is responsible for identifying, leading, and supporting innovative projects that actively transform local government processes, shifts power to community, and centers racial and environmental justice. She holds a Masters of Urban Planning and a Masters of Science from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Biomimicry from ASU. In 2016, she was recognized by the Obama Administration as a Champion of Change for her work on climate and equity. She is also a certified breath worker who supports the energetic shift into more heart-centered wisdom, liberation, and collective care.
Sudha, a leader with over 20 years of cross-sector experience, is a champion for climate justice and democratizing power. As CEO of SVPI and founder of Reimagine Giving, Sudha transformed a global philanthropic network to prioritize funding grassroots leadership. She founded Seattle’s Equity & Environment Initiative, fostering frontline community-led environmental decision-making. Sudha serves as the inaugural Board Chair of Sunrise Project Inc and Board member of Taproot Earth, two global entities focused on advancing a just climate future. In her leadership, Sudha champions an ecosystem approach to advancing justice amidst complexity. Her enduring vision is to create the conditions for joyful connection and power sharing, fostering systemic transformation while embodying curiosity, collaboration, and collective learning for community and personal transformation. Sudha remains steadfast in her focus on fostering audacious efforts for climate justice, power-shifting governance, and community-driven philanthropy.
Special Thanks to Our Planning Task Force
- Justin Schwartzhoff, AIA LFA, Associate + Carbon Research Lead | LMN Architects
- Emily Evenson, Sr Associate + Sr Project Architect | Weber Thompson
- Sarah Moore, MEP Principal | Buro Happold
- Erin Ishizaki, AIA, AICP, Partner | Mithun
- Gina Ciganik, CEO | Healthy Building Network
- Lylianna Allala, Climate Justice Director | City of Seattle, Office of Sustainability & Environment
- Patrice Carroll, Strategic Advisor | City of Seattle, Office of Planning and Community Development
