GatherVerse Climate Summit
Schedule
| 8:00 AM PST | Opening: Climate Summit |
| 8:05 AM PST | Fireside Chat: Christopher Lafayette and John Brooks: The End Game |
| 8:10 AM PST | Roundtable Discussion: Bioengineering: Using Science, emerging technologies and creativity to Restore Natural Ecosystems Moderator: Andrea Camargo Panelists: Lynn Gitau, Jason Gilbert, Thomas Herman, Margarita Samsonova, Andrea Silva |
| Onyi Okafor: Accessibility, Inclusivity & Climate Change Action | |
| Emily Wright: Mind and Climate: A Feedback Crisis | |
| 9:10 AM PST | Roundtable Discussion: Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change: Opportunities and Ethics Moderator: Christopher Lafayette Panelists: Sharron McPherson, Aric Dromi, Katarina M.V. Galic, Paige Dansinger, Felipe Benitez |
| Leena Joshi: Climate Change and the Vital Role of the Circular Economy | |
| 10:10 AM PST | Roundtable Discussion: It’s too late… for business as usual: “what we “still” can do…” Moderator: Jens Kull Panelists: Matt Hoffman, Alex Lee, Mary Collins, Andrea Silva, Eva Pascual, Alexander Rivest |
| 11:00 AM PST | Closing: Climate Summit |
Speakers
Andrea Camargo: Bio
Andrea is a visionary at the intersection of biology and business.
With a background in veterinary medicine and a passion for innovation, she’s leading the charge in applying biomimicry principles to create sustainable and regenerative business models.
Join her to explore the exciting world of nature-inspired entrepreneurship.
Roundtable Discussion:
Bioengineering: Using Science, emerging technologies and creativity to Restore Natural Ecosystems
Speaker Card:
John Brooks: Bio
John Brooks graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in wildlife biology in 1981 being the first American of African descent to receive a wildlife biology degree from this university.
He began work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the wildlife refuge manager series in Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota. He later transferred into the Division of Law Enforcement as a wildlife inspector and later, a special agent.
John’s career as a special agent saw him stationed in five different states, including three years as a senior special agent for international affairs in Washington D.C. He later received training as a computer forensic specialist and also served as an augmented U.S. Air Marshal in 2001 – 2002.
John hobbies have always included musical studies, foreign languages book writing, international travel, and filmmaking.
John Brooks retired from federal service in 2008 and formed the Nepal Tiger Project. A presence/absence study for signs of tigers in Nepal’s Himalaya foothills and Climate Con to bridge the tech community with environmentalists in addressing the climate crisis.
Fireside Chat:
Christopher Lafayette and John Brooks
Session Topic:
The End Game
Fireside Chat Card:
Speaker Card:
Katarina M.V. Galic: Bio
I come from an entrepreneurial family with 4 generations of successful business owners.
At the age of 15, I started my first business venture in Europe, and subsequently established businesses in Singapore, Canada, and in Portugal. I had a tremendous opportunity to help, support and advise more then 5,000 entrepreneurs and SMEs. My true passion is supporting and empowering entrepreneurs to understand impact, qualities and benefits of sustainable operations – enabling start-ups to scale, expand and grow as they create a long term impact. I enjoy helping start-ups and SMEs develop strategies for advancement, build foundational partnerships, and drive change with a purpose to create global impact.
Most of all, I love supporting women in tech and all start-ups that leverage sustainable technology for the benefit of mankind. Sustainability is ingrained in our mindset, it’s the way we live our lives.
Currently I am PhD candidate in Sustainable Energy Systems @ MIT Portugal and Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon. I am proud to be part of the Instituto Superior Técnico family, the most reputed school of Engineering, Science and Technology, and Architecture in Portugal.
After many years of living around the world, I have come back home, to Europe, and currently live in beautiful Lisbon with my family.
https://linktr.ee/katarina.m.v.galic
Roundtable Discussion:
Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change: Opportunities and Ethics
Speaker Card:
Thomas Herman: Bio
Tom is the CEO of Meta Carbon Inc. He has been building Utility NFTs since 2018 when he launched DeedLock, to lock and transfer real estate deeds using NFT smart contracts.
He has spent the last 3 years building blockchain solutions to address climate change including at AirCarbon Pte Ltd where he built an ERC20 based Carbon Trading Exchange.
Tom sold the first Carbon Offset Backed NFTs in April 2021 to support endangered animals and their habitats.
Tom has more than 20 years of experience with startups and product development and is a frequent guest lecturer and speaker.
Roundtable Discussion:
Bioengineering: Using Science, emerging technologies and creativity to Restore Natural Ecosystems
Speaker Card:
Lynn Gitau: Bio
Lyn Gitau is an entrepreneur, Founder MetaVersations, an organization that evangelizes, educates and creates immersive Metaverse experiences through meaningful collaborations with Metaverse builders.
She is the COO of the first African Metaverse DAO that seeks to preserve and showcase African culture and heritage in the metaverse. Her educational background has gained her proficiency in PR and Mass Communications.
She is an advent aficionado of exploring global biodiversity and sustainability at the intersection of emerging technologies. Lynn has spoken in major conferences focused on DeFi, Metaverse and other Web 3 concepts.
Currently, she is one of the most sought-after experts in the realm of the Metaverse in Africa and has been featured in popular business articles and shows.
Roundtable Discussion:
Bioengineering: Using Science, emerging technologies and creativity to Restore Natural Ecosystems
Speaker Card:
Christopher Lafayette: Bio
Christopher Lafayette is an emergent technologist and humanitarian deeply engaged in the sectors of the metaverse, AI, medtech, education, Web3, and applied sciences. His contributions and influence extend from Silicon Valley to the international stage, as he passionately advocates for a more equitable culture in technology.
Gatherverse, a brainchild of Christopher Lafayette, is an inspired response to an age of unprecedented technological growth. Christopher saw a critical need for going beyond the technical aspects of creating the metaverse and emerging technologies to include humanity itself in the conversation about the intertwining of technology and the human experience. In this ethos, every pixel and protocol is infused with the values, aspirations, and needs of the very individuals they aim to empower, positioning Gatherverse as a luminous guidepost in the terrain of our shared digital future.
Christopher Lafayette stands at the helm of the BTMP and C-TAP programs. He guides both served and underserved communities in offering their best contributions to innovation. He strongly adheres to the principle that everyone, irrespective of color or gender, should have the opportunity to shape the fabric of technology.
In addition to his many roles, Christopher founded HoloPractice, a medical immersive incubator, bridging the gap between healthcare and technology.
His advisory and collaborative roles span prestigious organizations, including Google, Meta, NFL, Merlin Entertainments, European Commission, Nikko Hotels, NBA, Linux Foundation, Cisco, Microsoft, Salesforce, Verizon, Stanford University, Duke University, San Jose College of Engineering, and UCLA, among others. Additionally, his influence has reached renowned chefs, musicians, and hundreds of startups.
Sitting on various advisory councils and boards, Christopher is actively shaping the future of the metaverse and emerging technologies. His mission is to bring thousands of communities and millions of people into this new frontier, ensuring that humanity remains at the core of technological advancement.
Roundtable Discussion:
Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change: Opportunities and Ethics
Speaker Card:
Andrea Silva: Bio
Social entrepreneur by nature with more than 11 years of experience in interdisciplinary urban and architectural projects, that merge indigenous knowledge and nature based technologies as tools to bridge communities together.
Roundtable Discussion:
It’s too late… for business as usual: “what we “still” can do…”
Speaker Card:
Aric Dromi: Bio
Rooted at the intersection of policymaking, technological innovation, and societal change, my work is both a reflection and catalyst of transformative shifts. In an era of rapid technological advancements and evolving human behaviour, I provide guidance, ensuring organizations and policymakers grasp these shifts and position themselves strategically for sustainable rejuvenating growth.
Harnessing the power of groundbreaking technologies like AI, IoT, and quantum computing, I delve into their vast potential for reshaping both businesses and societies. From streamlining operations to revolutionizing customer journeys, my role is to help decode and elucidate their transformative impact.
My keynotes are designed not just to share knowledge but to ignite curiosity, kindle inspiration, and illuminate future pathways. When you collaborate with me as an advisor, it’s not merely a transaction of insights; together, we embark on a meaningful journey towards a brighter, technologically enriched future.
Roundtable Discussion:
Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change: Opportunities and Ethics
Speaker Card:
Sharron McPherson: Bio
Sharron McPherson, an innovative leader with recognized expertise in climate and development finance, brings a global perspective to designing and deploying financial solutions to mobilize private capital for climate-smart development. She specializes in bridging public finance with capital markets and institutional and impact investors to effect the transformation to a low-carbon future that we need.
An accomplished former banking and financial services executive, and attorney with the firm Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, Sharron has over 30 years of experience starting, building, and navigating businesses through competitive and complex regulatory environments. She is co-Founder and former Executive Director of the Centre for Disruptive Technologies, an affiliate of the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business where she serves as a Senior Adjunct in Project Finance. She is a member of the faculty of Singularity University based in Mountainview, California where her focus is on advancing technologies for a climate resilient future. She has served as a strategic advisor on high impact resilience investing for a number of global corporations including the Shell Foundation, Chevron and Alexander Forbes. Her development finance and government advisory work includes the World Bank & IFC, the African Development Bank, the Development Finance Corporation and the governments of Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania and South Africa. More recently she advised the United States Federal Government on the sustainable job creation aspects of the Inflation Reductions Act of 2022 and in 2023 she was awarded a Senior Non-Resident fellowship with the Loomis Council of the Stimson Center, a bi-partisan think tank based in Washington, D.C.
An experienced relationship manager with a track record in business development and structuring transactions, Sharron has worked in partnership with development finance institutions, commercial banks, asset managers, corporates, climate funds, philanthropic foundations, and governments. She is also a frequent moderator and speaker on topics of climate finance, the global legal and regulatory framework of ESG, climate technology, and mobilizing private capital.
Sharron earned a Doctorate in Jurisprudence (Columbia University School of Law), Honors in International Trade & Finance (University of Toulon), Bachelor of Arts in Economics (The College of William & Mary), and Post-Doctoral Studies in Exponential Technologies (Singularity University).
She serves as a Non-Executive Director, as well as Strategic Advisor, to a number of publicly traded and private companies. She is a member of the South African Institute of Directors (IOD) and the National Association for Corporate Directors in the United States.
Roundtable Discussion:
Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change: Opportunities and Ethics
Speaker Card:
Jason Gilbert: Bio
Founder of TV Feeder and inventor of supercomputing telecommunications. TV Feeder is the new mobile smart tv system for apps, websites, streaming, and video games for phones, tablets, computers, tvs, smart glasses, and vehicles. The future will be maxiweb3 where phones, computers, and power plants are obsolete and the internet will be a source of unlimited renewable energy and fresh water.
Ed sees modern digital domes as “digital temples of transformation” for their ability to deliver compelling immersive journeys, live performances and art experiences with positive impact while serving as local creative placemaking centers.
Roundtable Discussion:
Bioengineering: Using Science, emerging technologies and creativity to Restore Natural Ecosystems
Speaker Card:
Emily Wright: Bio
Emily Wright is a rising voice in Generation Z, with an eclectic background encompassing child care, education, marketing, and management, to name a few, and they have assisted in the establishment and growth of multiple small businesses.
As a writer, their first book, ‘The 100 Days of Colour: Celebrating Frequetic Beauty,’ is a firm look at the connection between algorithmic and subconscious bias, and discusses the psychology behind discrimination and how we can make positive progress in light of our biases.
Their second book, ‘My Brain: Explained, A Modern Conversation of the Mind,’ explores the relationship between the Conscious and Subconscious Minds in more detail, as well as Mind Management and Thought Organisation to facilitate a happier and more productive Life.
Emily’s brand, It’ll be alwright®, is the foundation of their multifaceted endeavours that focus on cultivating individual potential to facilitate collective healing.
Session Topic:
Mind and Climate: A Feedback Crisis
Speaker Card:
Jens Kull: Bio
Jens is a multidisciplinary Media Artist and aspiring Polymath who uses emerging technology in serendipity driven and extraordinarily imaginative ways.
Jens has a track record of leading and unifying creative teams that consist of all possible walks of life and focuses on collaborations with foundations and non profit organizations. The more it has to do with taking care of Earth’s Water, the better…
Roundtable Discussion:
It’s too late… for business as usual: “what we “still” can do…”
Speaker Card:
Onyi Okafor: Bio
Onyi is an Investment and Analytics leader with a wealth of experience across North America, Europe, and Africa. Currently, she is the President of Greenaider, where she is responsible for defining and executing the company’s organizational strategy to enable its mission of empowering organizations of all sizes and their people to achieve net-zero emissions faster.
In addition to her role at Greenaider, Onyi is an advisor at Carbon13 and Klump. Previously, she held various strategy, investment, and financial management roles at Microsoft, The Coca-Cola Company, and Willis Towers Watson. Onyi holds a degree in Land Economy from the University of Cambridge.
Session Topic:
Accessibility, Inclusivity & Climate Change Action
Speaker Card:
Matt Hoffman: Bio
Matt Hoffman is an interdisciplinary enterprise leader with 20+ years experience in IT transformation. His VR work bridges “serious games” in the enterprise and impactful consumer VR.
His creations are designed to entertain, educate, and inspire new thoughts and new perspectives.
He is the founder of Dizzy Magnolia VR Studios and creator of PULSAR, an award-winning virtual reality experience that immerses the player in an awe-inspiring interpretation of a 6-year-old’s final birthday wish to experience the wonders of space.
Roundtable Discussion:
It’s too late… for business as usual: “what we “still” can do…”
Speaker Card:
Paige Dansinger: Bio
Top 25 Women in the Metaverse, Paige Dansinger is the founder of Better World Museum, Horizon Art Museum, and Women in Horizon.
Our programs empower members through world building, summits, and community events.
She prioritizes women, diversity, initiatives for good in the metaverse. Paige currently works at Third Academy as VP of metaverse development.
Roundtable Discussion:
Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change: Opportunities and Ethics
Speaker Card:
Alex Lee: Bio
Alex is co-founder and CFO of Aetherium Acquisition Corp a Nasdaq listed (GMFI) SPAC focused on bringing the next generation of technology driven enterprises to U.S. public markets. He has been in the tech industry since 1999 in various roles and engagements ranging from product development to C-suite executive functions and also as an entrepreneur and investor. His career has spanned the U.S. and Asia with 13 spent living and working in China.
Since 2018, Alex has been involved in blockchain and crypto with a specific focus on how these technologies impact and shape financial markets and socio-economic changes in how people think of, earn and use money.
Alex has degrees in Sociology and Cultural Anthropology from Northeastern University and earned his Mandarin Chinese credentials from Peking University in Beijing, China. A recent transplant from Silicon Valley, he now resides in Southern California.
Roundtable Discussion:
It’s too late… for business as usual: “what we “still” can do…”
Speaker Card:
Mary Collins: Bio
I’m a multimedia professional and hypnotherapist dedicated to fostering positive global change in personal growth and mindset.
With a background in media, I leverage the power of storytelling and communication to connect with people worldwide and inspire transformation.
As a therapist, I provide support and guidance to help individuals overcome challenges, develop resilience, and cultivate a growth-oriented mindset.
My mission is to empower individuals to reach their full potential and contribute to a more enlightened and compassionate world.
Roundtable Discussion:
It’s too late… for business as usual: “what we “still” can do…”
Speaker Card:
Alexander Rivest: Bio
Alex Rivest is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology-trained PhD Neuroscientist. Having worked alongside Nobel Prize winner Dr. Susumu Tonegawa, his research has been published in two of the most highly renowned scientific journals, Science and Nature Neuroscience.
Alex grew up in an environment where curiosity and question-asking were highly valued, and he has dedicated his life to helping teach others about the wonders of the world.
As an educator, he received the Angus MacDonald Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching at MIT, and founded the non-profit Blue Kitabu, which built a sustainable primary school in central Ghana.
As a science filmmaker, Alex’s videos have accumulated over 70 million views online, and have been featured everywhere, from billboards in Times Square to installations in science museums and even in an opera production of “Das Rheingold.” CANARY is his directorial debut.
Roundtable Discussion:
It’s too late… for business as usual: “what we “still” can do…”
Speaker Card:
Eva Pascual: Bio
Eva Pascual is a visionary of futuristic solutions possible today, where inner peace and life force upliftment are commonly prioritised in a playful way.
She revealed the unconscious by mapping and color-coding the Structure of Thought, a science replicable as a universal language, which solves the perceptual error of separation.
After a lifetime of studying the source of creation and how to augment happiness and life force, she is motivated to integrate these powers into a conscious society that believes in impacting legacy.
She currently works on the dissemination of ancestral knowledge and new science creating immersive analog and digital experiences.
Eva designs evolutionary “paradigm shift” content to update holistically; entertainment, pedagogy, art, policy making, governance and architecture.
She has recently integrated her body of work about the impact of the invisible through an immersive installation in the building of the University of Industrial Design of Barcelona.
Her intention is to share knowledge in a playful and experiential way, to facilitate transcendental processes that cooperate with evolution and intelligent acts based in inseparability and recognition of teh energy unified field where we are all immersed.
To create a legacy of impact and generate a future for young people where kindness and awareness are the fuel of every relationship. And where creativity is in service of blooming of all life forms.
Roundtable Discussion:
It’s too late… for business as usual: “what we “still” can do…”
Speaker Card:
Felipe Benitez: Bio
Felipe Benitez has more than 20 years of experience designing and implementing strategic communications programs to enhance and protect the reputations of organizations, governments, companies, and brands.
Through his prior work with leading organizations like United Way Worldwide, Fenton Communications, and Ogilvy Public Relations, Benitez has designed and implemented communications and outreach strategies for advocacy campaigns worldwide, from protecting the fundamental rights of indigenous groups in the Amazon to fighting climate change to helping protect the rights of immigrants in the United States.
Roundtable Discussion:
Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change: Opportunities and Ethics
Speaker Card:
Leena Joshi: Bio
Leena Joshi is a social entrepreneur, climate advocate and author. She’s the founder and executive director of Ethereal, a youth-led nonprofit, with 9000 volunteers in 40+ countries. She has sat on boards and advisory councils for several organisations. She has been a member at Harvard Business Review Ascend Select and has provided insights to editorial, marketing and product teams of HBR and has contributed to research projects by HBR Ascend.
Leena’s work has been featured by World Bank Group, Girl Up, United Nations Foundation, International Universities Climate Alliance, Climate Reality Project, Her Campus Media, Next Generation Fellows, Medium, GrasshoppHer. She was previously a Member at Global Leadership Challenge at Oxford University. She has been an Ambassador for organisations including World Bank Group, GreenPeace USA, 4ocean, Beni and the Climate Initiative.
Leena is a prolific public speaker who has spoken at events across the world including Conferences of Youth, RCOY, Girl Up Global Leadership Summit, GatherVerse Summit, YOUNGO at UNFCCC and even at the High Commission of Canada. She has authored books including ‘The Climate Awakening’ and ‘Ethereal’ and writes poetry about social impact.
Session Topic:
Climate Change and the Vital Role of the Circular Economy
Speaker Card:
Margarita Samsonova Bio
Experienced environmental content creator using my platform MarGreen, with a demonstrated history of collaborating with sustainable brands, companies and organisations worldwide to magnify their work and ensure positive environmental news is being spread.
Skilled in public speaking, storytelling with over 15 years experience in content creation, filmmaking and documentary work through social media as an environmental educator.
Founded Behind the Greens, an environmental media company with 7 social media channels on 5 platforms with an expanding professional team focused on capturing a behind-the-scenes overview of environmental organisations striving for a greener future.
Lead retreats and online training programs ‘Creative Greenpreneur Adventure’, “mastering the art of GREENfluencing” aimed at skills development related to sustainable living, wildlife conservation, mindfulness tasks and how the use of social media can be used as a conservation tool.
Roundtable Discussion:
Bioengineering: Using Science, emerging technologies and creativity to Restore Natural Ecosystems
Speaker Card:
