NEW YORK, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.
You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network – it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/alertswire
EXPERT ALERTS
- Evangelical Support for Trump Greatly Exaggerated
- Glowing Protein Found in Jellyfish Useful in Medicine, Cell Biology and Molecular Biology
- Violence Prevention and the Green Dot Program
- New Study Reveals Academic Stress Can Cause ADHD in Children
EXPERT ROUNDUP: Earth Day (33 experts)
MEDIA JOBS
- Director of Photography – Dallas Morning News (TX)
- Reporter – Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)
- Reporter, New Jersey Courts – Law360 (NJ)
OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES
- Tax-Filing Tips for Freelancers
- Giving a Good TV Interview, Part Two: Preparing
- Expert Spotlight: Temple Grandin, Activist and Author
EXPERT ALERTS:
Evangelical Support for Trump Greatly Exaggerated
Darren Guerra
Associate Professor of Political Science
Biola University
"When looking at Super Tuesday exit polls in the southern states, several things are striking. First of all, while Trump often, but not always, carried a plurality of evangelical voters, the data shows that 74 percent of evangelicals voted for someone other than Trump. Indeed, a majority (51 percent) voted collectively for either Rubio or Cruz instead of Trump. Furthermore, when one takes a closer look into the numbers, it becomes clear that to those voters whom the religious faith of the candidate matters most (and presumably their faith matters most to them as well), Trump does not come out on top."
Guerra's book, "Perfecting the Constitution," was published in 2013 by Lexington Books. His writings have appeared in "First Things" and "The Federalist." He is based in Los Angeles.
Bio: https://www.biola.edu/directory/people/darren-guerra
Website: http://www.biola.edu
Contact: Jenna Loumagne, jenna.loumagne@biola.edu
Glowing Protein Found in Jellyfish Useful in Medicine, Cell Biology and Molecular Biology
Marc Zimmer
Professor of Chemistry
Connecticut College
"In the last 10 years, green fluorescent protein (GFP) has changed from a nearly unknown protein to a commonly used tool in molecular biology, medicine, and cell biology. GFP is used as a biological marker. It is particularly useful due to its stability and the fact that its chromophore is formed in an autocatalytic cyclization that does not require a cofactor."
Zimmer teaches general chemistry, molecular science and environmental chemistry. He is the author of "Glowing Genes: A Revolution in Biotechnology," published in 2005 by Prometheus Books. Zimmer is based in New London, Conn.
Bio: http://www.profnetconnect.com/marczimmer
Website: http://www.conncoll.edu
Contact: Kerry Meehan, kmeehan@conncoll.edu
Violence Prevention and the Green Dot Program
Darcie Folsom
Director of Sexual Violence Prevention & Advocacy
Connecticut College
"More than anything, Green Dot is about someone's own confidence in their ability to step in when they see problematic behavior. We all have barriers that keep us from intervening -- whether they are personal, peer influence or general bystander dynamics -- and the training provides us all with the opportunity to address those barriers and discuss options to overcome the things that hold us back. The training is about each of us as individuals and how we see ourselves as part of the solution in our greater culture change."
As the director of sexual violence prevention and advocacy at Connecticut College, Folsom works to promote a greater awareness of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking through prevention and intervention education; fosters a safe environment where survivors are empowered to access resources; and provides advocacy and support to survivors. Under her leadership, Connecticut College became the first institution in the state to implement the Green Dot program, which trains students in bystander intervention.
ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/darciefolsom
Website: http://www.conncoll.edu
Contact: Kerry Meehan, kmeehan@conncoll.edu
New Study Reveals Academic Stress Can Cause ADHD in Children
Dr. Janet Lintala
Founder
Autism Health, Pllc.
"From time spent studying to enrolment rates in pre-primary programs, academic stress on younger children to be over-achievers has increased over the last 40 years. Not surprisingly, we've also seen ADHD diagnoses double during that time."
Lintala is the author of "The Un-Prescription for Autism: A Natural Approach for a Calmer, Happier, and More Focused Child." She has a B.S. in genetics, and graduated as a Doctor of Chiropractic, Salutatorian, summa cum laude, from The National University of Health Sciences. She is the mother of three boys with a variety of issues, such as Asperger's syndrome, Tourette disorder, OCD, anxiety and ADHD.
Bio: http://www.loveautismhealth.com/staff/
Book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Un-Prescription-Autism-Natural-Approach/dp/0814436633
Contact: Ryan McCormick, ryan@goldmanmccormick.ccsend.com
EXPERT ROUNDUP: Earth Day (33 experts)
Agriculture, Soil Nutrient Management
Dr. Howard Brown
Director of Nutrient Management and Environmental Stewardship
GROWMARK, Inc.
"Improved nutrient stewardship is not just about accountability, it is about profitability. Nutrients lost to the environment are an added expense to crop production. Improved nutrient stewardship will not be achieved with a focus on reducing nutrient use; it will be achieved with a focus on utilization of what is applied. There's nothing wrong with M.O.M.: Minimizing environmental impact of nutrient use by Optimizing harvest yield and Maximizing nutrient utilization."
Dr. Brown is available to discuss agriculture, soil nutrient management, water quality, and farming. His mission is to help improve environmental stewardship within the GROWMARK system of member cooperatives by working with the GROWMARK System of member cooperatives and divisions and by working with other organizations focused on nutrient stewardship at the farm gate. He received his B.S. degree from Southern Illinois University, his M.S. degree from Purdue University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. He has served production agriculture in various positions throughout his career. He has served as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Illinois for the past 15 years, instructing courses such as Soil Fertility in Cropping Systems and Nutrient Management and Environmental Stewardship in the off-campus master's program. He is a past chair of the International Certified Crop Adviser Board and serves on many other advisory groups and committees involved in agriculture production and nutrient stewardship.
Contact: Matt Wettersten, mwettersten@growmark.com
Air Quality
Ziv Lautman
Co-founder and CMO
BreezoMeter
Lautman is co-founder and chief marketing officer of BreezoMeter, a company recently named one of the 20 most promising startups in the world. BreezoMeter's mission is to improve the wellbeing of billions of people worldwide by changing the way smart cities and businesses of the future think about their control over the air we breathe. In 2008, after hiking all over the world and seeing massive environmental degradation, Lautman refocused his passion on studying environmental engineering at the Technion, Israel's Institute of Technology. After graduating summa cum laude in 2012, Lautman joined the Ministry of Environmental Protection, interning at the office of the senior deputy to the Director General's office, as part of the Milken Institute Fellows program. Towards the end of the fellowship, Lautman received a phone call from a colleague who had a problem: finding the healthiest place to live in Israel. Lautman's solution: BreezoMeter.
Contact: Deana Cardona, breezometer@antennagroup.com
Climate Change
Cameron P. Wake, Ph.D.
Research Professor in Climatology and Glaciology
Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space
University of New Hampshire
Wake is available to discuss climate change, health impacts, sustainability as it relates to climate change, and the importance for preparedness and building community resilience. He leads a research program investigating regional climate and environmental change through the analysis of ice cores, instrumental data, and phenological records, with a focus on the northeast United States, the Arctic, and central Asia. His collaborative research on several regional climate assessments in the northeast United States has been shared with state and federal agencies and representatives, has been covered widely in the media, and has been cited by several as motivation for policy action. His recent involvement in climate change research looking at the New Hampshire seacoast had him commenting that "New Hampshire's climate is already changing and having an impact on people's lives. It's hotter and wetter, there are more extreme precipitation events, our sea levels are rising and our health is being affected." Wake is also the Josephine A. Lamprey Fellow in Climate and Sustainability at UNH's Sustainability Institute, and the director of Climate Solutions England (CSNE New).
Contact: Robbin Ray, robbin.ray@unh.edu
Eco-Friendly Lifestyle
Alba Garcia
SunKissAlba
Garcia, aka "SunKissAlba," is a social media celebrity whose content focuses on living a healthy, non-toxic lifestyle. The motto of all content produced by Garcia is "Where Beauty Meets Health." On YouTube, the SunKissAlba channel has over 661,000 subscribers and has received over 34 million total video views. She is widely known by the millennial, young adult audience, and can serve as a great expert for Earth Day on pieces related to the importance of recycling and how it relates to beauty and living an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Contact: Brooke Franco, bfranco@adcouncil.org
Eco-Friendly Toys
Jeff Freeland Nelson
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
YOXO
Nelson, inventor of the YOXO sustainable building sets, is a part-time carpenter, designer, electrician, musician, sculptor, painter and restorer of old barns. He has 20 years of leadership experience in creative and executive roles across the for-profit, non-profit and government sectors, including the Minnesota Children's Museum and American Public Media. He was recently recognized as Catalytic Leader of the Year by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and as one of the Twin Cities' most successful professionals under age 40 by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal. He holds a BA in theater from Hamline University and an MPA from Harvard University. He is available to discuss eco-friendly toys for kids.
Contact: Stacy Duke, stacy@lolared.com
Energy Awareness and Sustainability
Mitch Moore
Marketing and Outreach Manager
Energy Upgrade California
Moore is marketing and outreach manager for Energy Upgrade California, a state initiative to help Californians take action to save energy and conserve natural resources, help reduce demand on the electricity grid, and make informed energy management choices at home and at work. He promotes energy awareness and sustainable practices to California residents and small business owners through retail programs, mobile events, and partnerships.
Contact: Casey Brogan, casey.brogan@allisonpr.com
Energy Efficiency
David Cohen
Manager Programs & Partnerships, Statewide Marketing, Education and Outreach
Energy Upgrade California
Cohen leads the planning, coordination and implementation of integrated statewide marketing, education and outreach (ME&O) for seven Financing Pilot Programs designed under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA) to facilitate the uptake of energy efficiency and demand response upgrades. These pilot programs are marketed in coordination with the Energy Upgrade California statewide marketing, education and outreach program and in coordination with local and regional programs and program partners, including the investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and contractors and other affiliated partners. Cohen leads the implementation of this plan to include such tasks as oversight of training of contractors and affiliated professionals, development of educational information and tools for contractors and consumers, and ongoing support to contractors and financial institutions through a variety of channels such as cooperative marketing campaigns.
Contact: Casey Brogan, casey.brogan@allisonpr.com
Energy Reduction and Climate Change
Pamela Wellner
Senior Outreach Manager, Statewide Marketing, Education and Outreach
Energy Upgrade California
As senior outreach manager for the Center for Sustainable Energy, Wellner provides strategic communications and brand management for Energy Upgrade California, a state initiative to help Californians take action to save energy and conserve natural resources, help reduce demand on the electricity grid, and make informed energy management choices at home and at work. She engages with and educates residential and small-business consumers about energy concepts and stimulates their interest in demand-side energy management. She is also the program manager for the CoolCalifornia Challenge, a statewide program that encourages residents and communities to work together to achieve California's energy reduction and climate change goals through a statewide city-to-city competition and collaboration.
Contact: Casey Brogan, casey.brogan@allisonpr.com
Energy Use in Buildings
David Underwood
President
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
ASHRAE is a non-profit organization with over 50,000 members worldwide who volunteer their time to develop standards of energy efficiency and indoor air quality for the built environment. Underwood, a practicing engineer from Canada, can speak about energy use in buildings. ASHRAE's energy standard serves as the basis for the U.S. energy code, and its focus is saving energy in commercial and institutional buildings. Buildings use 40 percent of the energy in the United States -- more than transportation or any other sector. Finding ways to reduce that energy use should be part of any conversation on Earth Day.
Contact: Jodi Scott, jscott@ashrae.org
Energy/Water Usage
Michael Quinn
CEO
AM Conservation Group
AM Conservation Group has facilitated some of the largest and most effective conservation programs, products and consulting in U.S. history, working with major utilities, government agencies, energy contractors and municipalities. Quinn can discuss: 1) types of gadgets for a home that will significantly reduce utility bills this winter (as a third-party source); 2) lifestyle changes that are easy to implement, yet proven to decrease energy and water usage; 3) how and why utilities are encouraging Americans to use less energy and water and, contrary to popular belief, do not benefit from peak seasons; 4) what we can expect in energy and water demands in 2016 and how it will affect the everyday consumer.
Contact: Laura Fiala, lfiala@fishmanpr.com
Environmental Science
Dr. Monty Hempel
Professor, Environmental Studies
University of Redlands
Hempel is available to discuss environmental science, environmental politics, sustainability concepts and practice, environmental documentary filmmaking, climate disruption, climate science, policy and ethics, Maine environmental studies, global environmental governance strategies, human population stabilization, solar energy policy, international coral reef protection, sustainable community development, and solar energy development.
Hempel joined University of Redlands in 1999 and has served as chair of the Environmental Studies Department. Before his appointment to Redlands, Hempel directed the graduate program in public policy at Claremont Graduate University for 12 years. He has a Ph.D. in Government – Environmental Policy, Claremont Graduate University; an M.A. in International Environmental Policy, Claremont Graduate University; and a B.A. in Ecology and Public Policy (joint degree UWW, 1974), University of Minnesota. He teaches a broad set of courses including marine environment studies, global environment, climate disruption and environmental policy.
Contact: Jennifer M. Dobbs, jennifer_dobbs@redlands.edu
Environmentally Conscious Living
Logan Strenchock
Environmental and Sustainability Officer
Central European University
"Environmentally conscious living begins and ends with consuming less: use less, buy less, use all of what you have throughout its functional lifetime, fix what is repairable, get new life out of what you already have, and then, if you are really left with the dilemma of making a purchase, buy something directly from the person who made it while being able to confirm their socially and environmentally responsible principles through personal contact."
Strenchock is available to discuss recycling, upcycling, conscious farming and consumption, reducing energy consumption, and sustainability. He is the environmental and sustainability officer at Central European University, the recipient of first BREEAM environmental certification for a higher education institution in Central/Eastern Europe for new campus design.
Bio: https://people.ceu.edu/logan_strenchock
Contact: Colleen Sharkey, sharkeyc@ceu.edu
Fracking and Climate Change
Lance Simmens
Politician, Educator and Author
Simmens is a Washington political insider, author, lecturer, and environmental activist. He was summoned by Vice President Al Gore to be a climate change messenger, and has spoken to organizations, corporations and colleges throughout the country on how we can be proactive in slowing global warming and bettering the planet. Simmens is releasing a new book called "Fracktured" (March 2016), a fictional tale based on factual events that occurred during his time serving Governor Ed Rendell and dealing with the water crisis in Dimock. "Fracktured" summarizes the disastrous effects fracking has on the environment, as fracking becomes more and more widespread and its effects are now beginning to surface with the recent Porter Ranch Gas leak. Simmens would love to share more on this man-made crisis, the negative effects of fracking and what we should do about it to invoke positive change.
Simmens has spent nearly four decades involved in public service at all levels of government: federal, state and local. He most recently served as the California State Director for Gasland Grassroots, an organization devoted to public education on the issue of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and promotion of the current HBO documentary "Gasland 2," and was California State Director for the Citizens' Trade Campaign, organizing efforts to defeat the Trans Pacific Partnership. He has served two presidents, two U.S. senators, two governors, the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He also served as senior advisor on the President's Council on Y2K Conversion in 1999, and was appointed by President Clinton to help establish the federal government's first Office of Sustainable Development in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1993. Over the years, he has written extensively, drafting statements for the Congressional Record and Committee publications, op-ed articles, and speeches. He has published nearly 180 articles in Huffington Post; co-authored an article for the Loyola Entertainment Law Review; and is regularly quoted in newspapers and magazines. He has also appeared in several political documentaries, including "14 Women," "Electile Dysfunction" and "Gasland 2."
Website: http://www.lsimmens.com
Contact: Dana Lewis, dana@valerieallenpr.com
Green Living
Paige Wolf
Author, Green Living Expert
Paige Wolf Media and Public Relations
Wolf is a publicist, author, and green living expert who uses her media savvy and personal moxie to promote manageable eco-chic living. Her firm, Paige Wolf Media and Public Relations, is a B Corporation certified eco-friendly PR firm focused on sustainable clientele. She is the author of "Spit That Out! The Overly Informed Parent's Guide to Raising Healthy Kids in the Age of Environmental Guilt." She regularly appears on television as a green living expert, and she has been featured in publications including Boho, People.com, MSN.com, and Forbes.com. She frequently speaks at green living conferences and expos and has written about green living for several publications. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, two children, and an American Hairless Terrier.
Blog: www.spitthatoutthebook.com
Contact: paige@paigewolf.com
Greenhouse Gas (Methane) Emissions
Ruth K. Varner, Ph. D.
Associate Professor in Biogeochemistry
Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space and the Department of Earth Sciences
University of New Hampshire
Varner was part of a team of researchers that looked at data from previously reported measurements of emissions and found that naturally occurring emissions of methane, a more effective, or potent, greenhouse gas from far northern bodies of water may be larger than previously thought. The research, published earlier this year, shows that freshwater lakes and ponds at high northern latitudes are one of the largest natural sources of methane and they estimate that annual emissions from the over 700 northern bodies of water included in the study were a dominant source and will increase by 20 to 54 percent before the end of the century if ice-free seasons are extended by 20 days. Says Varner: "Much of the focus of methane emissions in these regions has been on the wetlands, but this review puts the spotlight on the lakes and ponds. The naturally occurring methane being released from these northern lakes and ponds is significant and should be taken into account when talking about understanding climate change."
Varner's work also includes carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide exchange using autochamber technology in terrestrial ecosystems: boreal (BOREAS, NASA), temperate and tropical forests (LBA, NASA). Currently, her research focus is on the measurement of trace gas emissions from agricultural and wetland ecosystems with funded projects from the USDA, USGS and NSF. Ruth is also the director of the Northern Ecosystems Research for Undergraduates program, an NSF-funded REU site. She is available to discuss methane emissions, greenhouse gases, climate change (as it relates to emissions).
Contact: Robbin Ray, robbin.ray@unh.edu
Light Pollution
Dr. Tyler Nordgren
Astronomer, Associate Professor of Physics
University of Redlands
Nordgren is available to discuss astronomy, space exploration, national parks, light pollution, night sky events, NASA and Mars exploration. He earned his BA in Physics from Reed College and an MS and Ph.D. in Astronomy from Cornell University. Before coming to the University of Redlands, he was an astronomer at the U.S. Naval Observatory and Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona where he helped build a new type of telescope to directly observe the size and shape of such household stars as Pollux and Polaris (the North Star). In 2004, he was part of small team of seven astronomers and artists who converted the Spirit and Opportunity Mars Rover camera calibration targets into functioning sundials and saw them land safely in Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum. He continues to be involved in scientific research and outreach to the public. All told, this work has taken him from Alaska to Australia and the Hopi Reservation to the downtown streets of Rome. Since 2007 Tyler has been a member of the National Park Service Night Sky Team working closely with astronomers and park rangers around the country to protect our park's dark skies and promote astronomy education through their continued enjoyment. In 2010, he wrote "Stars Above, Earth Below: A guide to astronomy in the national parks." In 2015, he was invited to design the poster for the White House Astronomy Night and visit the White House to participate in the event.
Contact: Jennifer M. Dobbs, jennifer_dobbs@redlands.edu
Making Wastewater Solids Safe for Re-use
Jennifer Becker
Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Michigan Technological University
Research being done under a Water Environment Research Foundation award could help small-town water resource recovery facilities inactivate disease-causing viruses and bacteria, making the organic solids from wastewater treatment safe for other use.
News release about the research: http://goo.gl/ceZr6V
Bio: http://www.cee.mtu.edu/becker/
Contact: Jennifer Donovan, jbdonova@mtu.edu
Organizational Sustainability
Jennifer deHart
Chief Sustainability Officer
Unity College
deHart can weigh in on a host of issues pertaining to organizational sustainability. Prior to coming to America's Environmental College in 2015, deHart led sustainability efforts on college campuses throughout the country, including Harvard University and her most recent post as sustainability coordinator for Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va., where she engaged diverse audiences in sustainability initiatives. She also has served as an industrial program associate for the Consortium for Energy Efficiency in Boston. She is certified in the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) program; accredited by the Green Building Council; an energy manager in the association of Energy Engineers; and a member of other recognized environmental and sustainability organizations. She holds a Master of Science in Facilities Management from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy; a Master of Arts in Teaching from the School of Professional Studies in Business and Education at Johns Hopkins University; and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Swarthmore College.
Contact: Bob Mentzinger, bmentzinger@unity.edu
Organizational Sustainability
Alan France, CS-P, CSR-P
Director of Sustainability, Environmental Services
ABM Industries
France can share advice for businesses on how they can be more environmentally conscious. He has helped design, plan, and manage sustainability efforts for many ABM clients, including AEG, Staples Center, Levi Stadium, Kings Stadium, and Hudson Yards. He can speak to sustainability, green cleaning programs, and LEED-certified commercial space programs.
Contact: Donna St. Jean Conti, dconti@stconticommunications.com
Organizational Sustainability
Ann Calamai
Director of Sustainability
Optoro
"Businesses can make a more concerted effort to be environmentally conscious by measuring their impact on the environment. From there, they can begin to strategize ways for reducing that impact through various methods like increasing recycling or adjusting the energy supply. Since environmentally conscious changes often require an investment -- both with time and money -- it's important to present decision-makers with something measurable to help them understand what that investment is worth in the long run, including potential cost savings down the line."
Calami is available to discuss retail supply chain sustainability, circular economy, challenges and opportunities around recycling e-waste, engaging employees around sustainability, and more. She leads Optoro's efforts to build out environmental impact models for clients, to help quantify sustainability benefits that retailers can achieve with the Optoro solution. Prior to joining Optoro, Calamai worked at the EPA's Office of Research and Development on the hydraulic fracturing task force. Her earlier research focused on natural resource taxation, renewable energy subsidies, and regulatory frameworks for nanotechnology. She graduated from Lewis and Clark College with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and earned an M.S. in Environmental Policy from Bard College.
Contact: Shamiram Barooshian, optoro@launchsquad.com
Physiological Ecology
Dr. Lei Lani Stelle
Associate Professor, Biology
University of Relands
Stelle is available to discuss physiological ecology and behavior of marine mammals, marine biology, gray whales, marine mammals, river otters, whale watching, anthropogenic effects on marine mammals. She joined the department of biology at the University of Redlands after spending six years as an assistant professor at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. She has taught both non-majors and majors courses in introductory biology, along with upper-division courses in comparative animal physiology, animal behavior, marine biology, marine mammals, and research. She is an advocate for study abroad and has led her own travel courses to Mexico, the Pacific Northwest, and Canada. Her research interests are the physiological ecology of aquatic mammals. Her current projects focus on the genetics and behavior of river otters utilizing marine habitats and the distribution and diving physiology of gray whales. These projects require technologies such as remote field cameras, PCR, theodolites, SCUBA, and GIS analysis. She includes students in her research locally along the California coast and on expeditions to Baja, Mexico and British Columbia, Canada. She recently partnered with a master's graduate student to develop Whale mAPP, an app for users to track and document whale sightings.
Contact: Jennifer M. Dobbs, jennifer_dobbs@redlands.edu
Recycling and Community Beatification
Jennifer Jehn
President and CEO
Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful is the nation's leading nonprofit that inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. In her role as CEO, Jehn is tasked with providing the expertise, programs and resources to help people end littering, improve recycling, and beautify America's communities through Keep America Beautiful's national network of more than 600 community-based affiliates. She has also held several leadership positions within Dow Jones & Company. She currently serves on the board of governors for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, and board of directors for Trinity Café and RENEW International. She is an associate board member of the University of Wisconsin Memorial Union and a trustee of Northland College. She is available to discuss recycling importance and best practices, as well as community beatification and the positive impact of greening programs.
Contact: Brooke Franco, bfranco@adcouncil.org
Renewable Energy, Fracking
Dr. Tim Krantz
Professor, Environmental Studies
University of Redlands
Krantz is available to discuss renewable energy systems, endangered species, physical geography, natural history, birds, wines, flora of San Bernardino mountains, endangered species of the San Bernardino mountains, endemism, Salton Sea, physical geography, restoration efforts, natural history of French Polynesia, invasive species issues in French Polynesia, endangered species of California and Hawaii, biogeography of birds of the world, sustainability, environmental impact, green energy, renewable energy. He is a recognized authority on flora of the San Bernardino Mountains; as well as the geography of the Salton Sea, where he served as the Salton Sea Database program director for eight years, overseeing a $4.7 million federal-assistance grant to develop a regional geographic database for the area. He served on the Salton Sea Science Subcommittee, an inter-agency panel established by then-Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt; is the senior editor of the Salton Sea Atlas, and author of several encyclopedia entries on the Salton Sea and related topics. More recently, he has been speaking and writing about the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," in California.
Contact: Jennifer M. Dobbs, jennifer_dobbs@redlands.edu
Solar Energy
Suvi Sharma
CEO
Solaria
An industry thought leader in solar PV innovation, Sharma is responsible for overseeing the growth of Solaria and leading its strategic expansion as it extends the applications of its technology. He joined Solaria in 2003 and recruited a world-class management team, developed partnerships with industry-leading solar companies and raised close to $200 million from strategic financial investors. He is a seasoned entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in company formation, fundraising, talent recruitment, business development and global operations of innovative companies in renewable energy, information technology and private equity. He started his career as an associate at the venture capital firm Geocapital Partners, a $500 million international private equity firm; and founded and ran IVUS, an outsourced CRM provider. Prior to his life in technology, Sharma worked in rural development in India, with an emphasis on political development. He founded COMPASS, a volunteer organization that trains college students to teach in inner-city schools. He holds a B.S. in Statistics from Northwestern University.
Contact: Susan DeVico, SusanDV@aol.com
Solar Energy
Dan Shugar
CEO
NEXTracker
Shugar has spent over 28 years advancing solar and renewable energy industry. Before founding NEXTracker, Shugar was the CEO of Solaria. Prior to taking the reins at Solaria, Shugar was president of SunPower Corporation, Systems. Prior to that, during his tenure as president of PowerLight (acquired by SunPower), Shugar oversaw revenue growth from less than $1 million to over $800 million and was responsible for the completion of approximately 500 solar projects serving commercial, industrial, and utility clients worldwide, including FedEx, Lowe's, Target, Toyota, Johnson and Johnson and the U.S. military. Shugar has invented various PV system applications, holds multiple U.S. patents and has published over 50 technical papers. He holds a BS in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and MBA from Golden Gate University. He has been active in solar power and environmental protection since 1988.
Contact: Susan DeVico, SusanDV@aol.com
Solar Energy
Joshua Pearce
Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Michigan Technological University
With a focus on solar energy, Pearce's interdisciplinary research into materials and electrical systems shines when it's put to use. Embracing 3-D printing and open source in his Michigan Tech Open Sustainability Technology Lab, he wants to make solar better and available to more people and businesses.
Contact: Jennifer Donovan, jbdonova@mtu.edu
Supply Chain Sustainability
Toby Brzoznowskik
Co-Founder and Executive Vice President
LLamasoft, Inc.
"The supply chain landscape is constantly changing, and while the U.S. is beginning to expand into areas such as Cuba or even in dealing with moving goods through areas that have experienced natural disasters or political unrest, there are pretty intense effects on the environment to consider. One of the most important, almost instant ways businesses can both save money and cut down on environmental impact is by modeling their supply chain for CO2 emissions."
Brzoznowskik can share some real-world examples of what this type of modeling looks like, as well provide real-world examples of how organizations have done so to decrease emissions and increase savings. LLamasoft is a provider of supply chain design, analytics and optimization solutions for major brands worldwide.
Website: http://www.llamasoft.com
Contact: Liz Erk, liz@jaxsongroup.com
Sustainability and Resource Effectiveness
Betsy del Monte, FAIA, LEED BD+C
Founding Principal, Transform Global
Adjunct Professor, SMU Lyle School of Engineering
As a registered architect, del Monte's experience and expertise includes high-performance building design, sustainable and resilient community design, and fully integrated project delivery. She was formerly a principal architect and director of sustainability for The Beck Group. She helped create and teaches a Master of Sustainability and Development course at the Lyle School of Engineering of SMU. She has been a visiting lecturer at University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Arlington, Rice University, University of Virginia, and Boston Architectural College. She is past president of AIA Dallas and North Texas Green Building Council. She sits on the boards of Habitat for Humanity, bcWorkshop and The Trinity Commons Foundation. She is involved at national, state and local levels with the ULI, AIA and other groups focused on sustainable environments. She has been named a Fellow by the AIA and a Senior Fellow in the Design Futures Council. She is a national instructor of volunteers for ULI's Urban Plan exercise. Del Monte received her Bachelor of Science degree in architecture from the University of Virginia, and a Master of Architecture degree from Rice University. Her experience includes work at architecture firms in Atlanta and Houston, as well as nine years with Philip Johnson and John Burgee in New York. She founded Transform Global to engage communities through collaboration, advocacy and education, while protecting the environment and natural resources. She is available to discuss efficiency, sustainability, resource effectiveness and resilience.
Contact: b2delmonte@gmail.com
Sustainable/Impact Investing, CSR
Lisa Woll
CEO
US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment
Woll can discuss topics related to sustainable, responsible and impact investing, such as the growth of SRI (up 76% to $6.57 trillion, according to US SIF data, or one out of every $6 under professional management in the U.S.), how to get started and types of investments. She can also discuss environmental, social and governance issues, such as corporate social responsibility and corporate diversity, and their impact on investors. US SIF is a Washington, D.C.-based professional organization that advances sustainable, responsible and impact investing through research and policy initiatives. US SIF members include investment management and advisory firms, mutual fund companies, research firms, financial planners and advisors, broker-dealers, community investing organizations, nonprofit associations, and pension funds, foundations and other asset owners.
Contact: Michelle Manoff, mmanoff@rubensteinpr.com
Sustainable Packaging, Recycling
Elisabeth Comere
Director, Environment and Government Affairs, U.S./Canada
Tetra Pak Inc.
Comere is available to discuss sustainable packaging, recycling (with a strong focus on carton recycling), renewable resources, responsible sourcing of paperboard and sugar-cane, bio-based plastics, climate change (post-COP21, etc.), life-cycle assessments, circular economy, bio-economy, low carbon economy, and disruptive/environmental innovation. She serves as director, environment at Tetra Pak US and Canada. Tetra Pak is the world leader in packaging and food processing solutions. She joined the company in 2006 as environment manager for Europe where she helped define and drive Tetra Pak's environment strategy and contributed shaping recycling for cartons in Europe. Since 2010, she is based in the U.S., focusing on advancing Tetra Pak's commitment to sustainability and recycling in the U.S. and Canada. She is a founding member and board member of AMERIPEN and a member of The Sustainability Consortium, U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development (USBCSD) and PAC. She is also contributing in the rollout of the recycling strategy developed by the Carton Council in the U.S. and Canada serving as vice president, government affairs. Prior to this, she served as a political adviser to a member of the European Parliament in Brussels, and headed the environment department of Food & Drink Europe, a European trade industry organization in Brussels. She was educated in France, the UK and Belgium. She graduated from Law School of Bordeaux University in France and Cardiff Law School in the UK (LLM) and earned an Environmental Sciences Master from Brussels University.
Website: www.tetrapak.com/us
Contact: Kendall Huber, khuber@golin.com
Sustainable Winegrape Growing
Aaron Lange
Elected Chairman
California Association of Winegrape Growers
Lange is also the head of Viticulture Operations for LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards, which was awarded the 2014 Botanical Research Institute of Texas Award of Excellence for Sustainable Winegrowing and was the first recipient of the California Leopold Award for Environmental Conservation and Dedication in 2006. He is an expert on sustainable winegrape growing in draught-ridden California; endangered species recovery; resource conservation; sustainable pesticide regulation.
Contact: Jessica Glackin, Jessica.glackin@edelman.com
Textile Waste/Recycling
Tony Shumpert
Vice President of Sustainability
Savers
Behind big oil, the fashion and textile industries are quickly becoming some of the largest polluters in the world. This Earth Day, consider the environmental impact of textile waste. Shumpert leads supply chain operations for Savers, an international thrift store chain with 330+ stores. Among other related topics, he can speak to: what consumers can do to reduce textile waste; why choosing to shop and donate thrift is one of the easiest ways to be green this Earth Day, and every day; how Savers keeps 650 million pounds of reusable goods out of landfills each year.
Shumpert has 15+ years of experience managing supply chain operations with a focus on textile reuse, and is an active member of national associations and councils that promote high standards and best practices for reducing solid waste through the reuse and recycling of textiles.
Contact: Nick Stubberfield, coresavers@edelman.com
Turning Trash Into Environmental Treasure
Gerard Caneba
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Michigan Technological University
As a chemical engineer, Caneba knows how to take trash -- whether bauxite tailings, rust or oil spills -- and turn them into something useful. His work through the Sustainable Futures Institute focuses on materials with multiple uses and emphasizes their environmental impact.
Contact: Jennifer Donovan, jbdonova@mtu.edu
****************
MEDIA JOBS:
Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/
- Director of Photography – Dallas Morning News (TX)
- Reporter – Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)
- Reporter, New Jersey Courts – Law360 (NJ)
*****************
OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:
Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at profnetalerts@prnewswire.com
- TAX FILING TIPS FOR FREELANCERS. To the outside world, it would appear freelancing offers many advantages -- you get to be your own boss and set your own schedule -- but the reality is that there's a ton of discipline that goes along with this lifestyle, and at no other time is this more apparent than tax season. We spoke with some professionals about what freelancers must remember to avoid costly mistakes come April 15: http://prn.to/1QILljI
- GIVING A GOOD TV INTERVIEW, PART TWO: PREPARING. Anyone who's been interviewed on TV knows it takes work to make it look easy. If you've never been interviewed and have a producer knocking on your door for the first time, what do you do? In our multi-part series on how to give a good TV interview, we look at all the details that will make your TV interview the best it can be. Last week, we broke down the importance of appearance. This week, we look at how to prepare for the interview: http://prn.to/1WXerk6
- EXPERT SPOTLIGHT: TEMPLE GRANDIN, ACTIVIST AND AUTHOR. With Autism Awareness Month around the corner, this edition of Expert Spotlight features the world's most famous person with autism, Temple Grandin, Ph.D. You likely know Dr. Grandin from the 2010 Emmy-winning HBO biopic about her life. She speaks internationally on autism and has transformed people's perception of autism spectrum disorders. What you might not know about Dr. Grandin is that she is also renowned in the world of animal science. A professor and advocate for the humane treatment of animals, she has helped improve our understanding of how animals should be handled humanely and has designed many of the largest animal handling facilities in the world. Read more about Dr. Grandin: http://prn.to/templegrandin
****************
PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150604/220954
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/profnet-experts-available-on-earth-day-violence-prevention-academic-stress-more-300233466.html
SOURCE ProfNet
