GUEST SPEAKERS

SESSION ONE
CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW

Margaret Lowman, Ph.D.
Director of Environmental Initiatives, New College of Florida 

Meg Lowman pioneered the science of canopy ecology. For 30 years, she has designed hot-air balloons and walkways for treetop exploration to solve mysteries in the world’s forests, with special expertise on the links between insect pests and ecosystem health. Meg is affectionately called the grandmother of canopy research as one of the first scientists to explore this “eighth continent”. She relentlessly works to “map” the canopy for biodiversity and to champion forest conservation in Florida as well as around the world. Her academic training included Williams College (BA, Biology); Aberdeen University (MSc, Ecology); Sydney University (PhD, Botany); and Tuck School of Business (Executive Management).

Meg facilitates policy solutions using science education as a tool, drawing upon a lifetime of research and conservation. Her international network and passion for science have led her into leadership roles where she seeks best practices to solve environmental challenges. She currently serves as Vice President of The Explorers Club; Vice President of the Ecological Society of America; Treasurer of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation; Executive Director of Florida’s TREE Foundation; and Cluster Chair for the Sarasota Economic Development Corporation. She frequently speaks about her science adventures to groups ranging from elementary classes to corporate executives to international conferences. Her numerous awards include the Margaret Douglas Medal for Excellence in Conservation Education from the Garden Club of America; Girls Inc. Visionary Award; Mendel Medal for achievements in science and spirit; Lowell Thomas Medal for discoveries in the canopy; and election as a Kilby laureate and an Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow. Carolyn Shoemaker of the US Department of Interior named an asteroid after her. Meg has authored over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications, and her first book, Life in the Treetops, received a cover review in the New York Times Sunday Book Review. Working tirelessly on sustainability initiatives at home and abroad, she recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Conservation from Sarasota County.

“Canopymeg” is currently Director of Environmental Initiatives and Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at New College of Florida. Previously she has served as CEO of The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at Williams College, and co-managed a sheep and cattle station in outback Australia. Meg is married to attorney Michael Brown. They are the proud parents of Eddie, research associate at Environmental Defense working on urban environmental policy; and James, applied math major at Princeton University who is modeling forests as global carbon sinks. Reflecting her love for linking kids to nature, Meg’s personal mantra is no child left indoors.

Stephen Mulkey, Ph.D.
Climate Change Science Advisor, Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida

Stephen Mulkey is an evolutionary ecologist with specialization on Neotropical plants using physiological and functional morphological responses of plants in variable environments to understand plant distribution and abundance.   

Stephen P. Leatherman, Ph.D.
Chair Professor and Director of FIU Int'l Hurricane Research Center & Coastal Research Lab

Steve Leatherman has been lead force in research and response strategies for sea level rise for the past quarter century; his work on vulnerability of US beaches to sea level rise has led to his becoming the foremost authority on state of US beaches. With EPA support, he led international studies of potential sea level rise impacts resulting in special issue of Journal of Coastal Research; he has spoken extensively on sea level rise at US and international conferences; his film, Vanishing Lands, has documented inundation already underway in the Chesapeake Bay region. And most recently he has headed the International Hurricane Research Center at Florida International University making it a leader in developing effective strategies for mitigating impacts of severe storms.

Tim Wagner
Nebraska Director of Insurance and Co-Chair of Climate Changes and Global Warming Task Force of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
Prior to his appointment at the Nebraska Department of Insurance, Director Tim Wagner was vice president of government relations for Central States Indemnity Co. of Omaha. His insurance experience includes various positions with other insurers. He was a rate analyst with the Nebraska Department of Insurance 1966-1970. Director Wagner graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University with a bachelor of arts degree in history, political science and business. 

Kenneth R. Locklin
Principal, Clean Energy Group

Mr. Locklin brings to the fund 25 years of investment banking and venture capital experience, with a 15 year focus on clean energy enterprise investment, development, management, and finance.

Mr. Locklin also serves as a Principal with the Clean Energy Group, the private organization which supports and advises clean energy efforts worldwide, including the Clean Energy States Alliance, the consortium of 15 US clean energy funds that is directing $4.5 billion of investment and support to the US renewables industry. Mr. Locklin is also a founding member of the Steering Committee of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE).

Mr. Locklin served as a Partner with ElF Group, the oldest and largest power investment management firm in the U.S. ElF manages over $1 billion in power sector funds for dozens of leading strategic investors, financial institutions, endowments and foundations. Mr. Locklin worked with ElF's Clean Energy investment interests across all its investment funds. In this capacity, he was the developer and lead manager of the $65 million Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund, which targeted investments in national, regional and local scale renewable energy and energy efficiency opportunities in emerging markets worldwide.

Mr. Locklin is a graduate of Yale University.

Keith Allan
British Consulate-General, stationed in Miami

Keith Allan was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1968. Following a brief spell with the Ministry of Defense he joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1988, serving in London before being assigned to the British High Commission in Botswana in 1990. Between 1993 and 1995 he traveled extensively with the Foreign Office, including to the USA, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Kenya, Iran and Libya.  

In 1996 he returned to London to work in the Counter Terrorism Policy Department, where he handled the response to the kidnapping of UK nationals overseas. In 1997 he was posted to the British Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan as Deputy Head of Mission. During this period, he was responsible for security and counter narcotics issues, as well as heading the UK’s commercial efforts.

Keith returned to London in 2000 as head of the political section in Central and Northwest European Department dealing with relations with Switzerland and Norway. In January 2002, he spent one month working as Consul in the British Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan following the reopening of the mission after 9/11. On his return from Kabul he took up the position of Deputy Director for Africa and the Middle East in UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). In early 2003 he was asked to establish a new Iraq Unit in UKTI. He worked closely with the US Embassy in London and organized a major UK/US conference for companies looking to get involved in the reconstruction process in Iraq. He accompanied UK government Ministers to Cabinet meetings and on visits to Washington.  

In July 2003 Keith was posted to Trinidad and Tobago as Deputy High Commissioner. His role has largely been working with UK and local agencies to tackle the serious crime problem in the country and also efforts to counter the flow of narcotics from South America.

Keith has been married to Marja since 1996. They have one son and two daughters.  Keith enjoys playing and watching most sports, including tennis, squash, football and golf. He is keen to learn more about US sports.  He enjoys reading (when the children allow) and working on improving his Spanish language skills.

Michael Bowman
National Steering Committee Member, 25x25 Coalition 

Mike is a fifth-generation native of Colorado, born and raised on the family’s Yuma County farm that produces winter wheat, corn and alfalfa in Wray, CO.  

Mike is a national steering committee member for the Ag Energy Working Group 25x25 Coalition, and leads the 25x’25 state alliance formation nationwide. He was a member of the Trans-Atlantic Dialogue on Climate Change and Agriculture in 2006, presenting on American agriculture in Brussels, steering committee member for the Colorado Apollo Alliance and was Summit Chair for the 2006 Intermountain Harvesting Energy Network Conference – a regional effort to promote energy from agriculture in the Intermountain West. Mike is a member of the Steering Committee for Colorado Renewable Energy Forum; Rural Chair of Colorado Agricultural Energy Task Force, the Colorado Agriculture and Rural Leadership program and is a Bighorn Fellow.  

“25x25” is a national, agriculturally-led alliance that seeks to bring change to the energy future of the United States. 25x25 Vision: By 2025, America's farms, forests and ranches will provide 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States, while continuing to produce safe, abundant, and affordable food, feed and fiber.