Building our sustainable future. Together.

Kelly Dittmann has 25+ years of experience working with Fortune 500® and non-profit organizations on the development and execution of their growth strategies. With expertise spanning M&A, enterprise strategy, ESG, sustainability, social innovation and business transformation, Kelly’s corporate and consulting experience ranges across a wide variety of sectors, including financial services, healthcare, education, agriculture, private equity, technology, manufacturing, life sciences, utilities, and energy. 

In her current role as Founder, President and CEO of Envira Global Ltd., a women-owned advisory and capital firm; Kelly is known as a ‘trusted advisor’ to C-Level clients and responsible for leading initiatives that unlock social, environmental, and economic value. Kelly partners with investors, advisors, and institutional capital partners to identify, structure and execute complex commercial projects with over $5B+ in investments, 5+GWs of energy and 100K+ of development acres across North America. Kelly is partnering with private investment groups to design and build Net-Zero Master Plans: Sustainability Campuses of The Future – the first of its kind – that leverages solar, hydrogen, geothermal, and wind as renewable energy sources to power green data centers and water desalination plans. She is also leading coal-to-solar programs that involve land acquisition, facilitating public engagement and incentives, and securing corporate off-take agreements (VPPAs) from committed corporations. 

As a firm, Envira Global Ltd. is dedicated to developing and funding smart city initiatives, building communities and powering sustainable transformation across organizations. Envira Global Ltd. is a matchmaker between purpose-driven investors with mission-driven projects, accelerating our global transition. At our core, we are your trusted advisors. 

Kelly previously served as Chief Commercial, Head of ESG and Sustainability for Hitachi Ltd. Environmental Business Division, North America, and Tokyo. She led client engagements in renewables, decarbonization, energy forecasting and capital projects for both the private sector and government entities. Kelly has held senior executive roles at Hitachi Vantara, Baton Global Advisory, Principal Financial Group, and Wells Fargo & Co. As trusted advisor and consultant, she proudly served clients including: The Walt Disney Company, Citibank, Wells Fargo, American Heart Association, The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB), BASF, Bayer, United Nations, Office of Prime Minister of UAE, Dubai, World Health Organization, The Rockefeller Foundation and beyond. 

Kelly is committed to her community. She currently serves on the Executive Council of Advisors for The Executives’ Club of Chicago; Board Member of American Lung Association; and Board Member of Education Leadership. Kelly has also previously held leadership positions with the United Way of Central Iowa; Board Member of Make-A-Wish, raising millions for philanthropic outcomes and research; Board Member of Iowa Homeless Shelter; Vice Chair, Commission for The Village of North Barrington and Advisory Board Member for Saint Anne Catholic Community in Barrington, Illinois. 

Kelly holds a B.S. from Purdue University, an MBA in Executive Leadership and Finance from Drake University, and completed Advanced Strategy and Economics, from The University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.

Michelle Ortega is a seasoned executive and consultant with over 25 years of experience leading transformative growth, sustainability, and organizational change management (OCM) initiatives for Fortune 500® companies and high-growth mid-market businesses. As Chief Operating Officer and Head of Delivery and Transformation at Envira Global, she delivers high-impact advisory services, steering strategic projects that drive operational excellence, promote sustainability, and maximize enterprise value. Her leadership ensures efficiency, scalability, and superior client experience across sectors including technology, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and energy.

An innovative strategist, Michelle, has a strong history of guiding organizations through complex transformations while embedding sustainability and OCM principles to deliver significant ROI. Her expertise spans advising on sustainability-focused operational restructurings, implementing green technologies, and leading high-stakes service delivery initiatives, always with a focus on profitability, environmental impact reduction, and stakeholder engagement. She integrates OCM best practices to ensure the seamless adoption of new processes and technologies, empowering employees and mitigating risks associated with change. Her global experience includes partnerships with clients across North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, providing her with insights into cultural, regulatory, and market dynamics that influence sustainable business practices.

In addition to her corporate roles, Michelle brings entrepreneurial experience, having founded and led multiple businesses, including a professional motorcycle racing team. This background has equipped her with practical insights into managing business operations, optimizing resources, and driving growth under varying economic conditions.

Michelle’s leadership skills were shaped by her time in the U.S. Marine Corps, where she earned the rank of Sergeant in under four years. This experience fostered a purposeful mindset and a relentless commitment to delivering value, including sustainability and OCM outcomes, even in high-pressure situations.

She holds an MBA from Benedictine University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Michelle is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), actively involved in the Project Management Institute, Scrum Alliance, and the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP). Her advisory approach blends rigorous analysis with sustainability-focused strategies, offering clients solutions that drive growth while aligning with environmental and social governance (ESG) standards.

Miel Johnson is a strategic leader with more than 20 years of experience as a chief of staff and executive advisor. Her expertise spans strategy, business development and go-to-market strategy, consulting practice strategy and operations, pursuit management, account strategy and management, relationship development, M&A, and communications leadership.

In her current role as Chief of Staff for Business Development, Miel leads the strategic initiatives and operations that drive the growth and market presence of Envira Global, Ltd. In addition to developing and implementing pragmatic, market-focused go-to-market strategies, and approaches, Miel oversees the management and growth of the $50M+ opportunity pipeline. Her role also includes managing the Business Development Team to ensure guidance and support for identifying clients, assessing their needs, and coordinating account strategy and management. Miel also plays a key role in establishing and enhancing the Envira Global brand in the market. She works directly with Envira Global executive leaders to translate the company’s vision into actionable outreach and marketing to ensure market-facing efforts are aligned with the strategic vision and long-term goals of the organization.

Miel previously led operations-focused programs for a private-held healthcare company working directly with the CHRO and COO to improve patient and customer experience. She also had an extensive career with Deloitte as a chief of staff for multiple global businesses focused on business development and go-to-market strategy and as a member of the Office of the Global CEO.

Miel is active in the community as a volunteer for the local chapter of League of Women Voters. She held various leadership roles in the chapter including President and board member. She also volunteers with her sons’ school and has held various leadership roles in the Parent-Student Organization including President, Vice President, and board member. Miel holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Susan McLeod is a Senior Executive with over 20 years of experience in the Technology sector. Her expertise spans Digital Innovation and Transformation, Professional Services, Customer Success, and Cybersecurity. She has significant global experience in emerging markets and within the Financial and High-Tech Sector.

Most recently, Susan was the Global Senior Vice President of Customer Success and Support and served on the Executive Committee for Hitachi Vantara, a $4B+ Global Data Infrastructure and Digital/IoT product, services, and solutions provider. She had responsibility for global Customer Success, overseeing a $1B+ renewals/maintenance P&L and managing over 1,000 employees globally.  She led her team with a laser focus on customer excellence and profitability. She drove the organization’s transformation from 2019 to 2024, leading to over $40M in cost savings, while maintaining high customer satisfaction and preparing the company for a shift to Subscription-based offerings and SaaS.

In her role at Hitachi Vantara, she frequently presented at Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings, where she provided insights into both customer experience and security risk management as part of overseeing a significant P&L. She was a key contributor to the Location Strategy board, aligning her organization with emerging markets, including India and China, where Cybersecurity and Risk Management are top priorities. As an Executive Sponsor for many of Hitachi’s Platinum Financial clients, Susan played a critical role on the Digital Infrastructure Leadership committee, driving both innovation and security resilience in digital infrastructure.

Susan also has a strong background in Cybersecurity, Risk Management, and Compliance. As a Professional Services leader at Symantec, she focused on managing large-scale Cybersecurity initiatives for global clients. Her experience included developing strategies to safeguard organizations from evolving cyber threats and leading teams implementing advanced cybersecurity solutions in diverse markets.

Her experience in global dynamics includes her time as Global Brand Manager at IBM for the Intel-Based Server line early in her career, where she drove successful product launches and managed the intersection of technology, cybersecurity, and market readiness.

Throughout her career, Susan has supported programs related to equity for women and minority groups in technology, including serving on Talent Equity boards.

Susan graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with an Industrial Psychology focus. She is an NACD Corporate Member since 2022 and is currently working through the NACD Accelerate program. Susan resides in North Carolina with her husband and is passionate about sustainability, conservation, and global water protection initiatives.

Ashu Suvarna is a distinguished Executive Leader with over 26 years of unparalleled experience in driving innovation, strategic planning, and comprehensive program and product management. He has a proven history of expanding markets and optimizing global business operations for portfolios up to $150M. Ashu excels in new business incubation, digital solutions innovation, and go-to-market (GTM) strategies, with a deep commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. His ability to foster team development and leadership has been demonstrated in various leadership roles with prominent organizations like SPL Consulting, Hitachi, Tech Mahindra, HCL, SAP, ESRI & Eicher, as well as his entrepreneurial ventures co-launching several startups.

Renowned for his expertise, Ashu is a sought-after speaker on technology innovations, having presented at prestigious forums such as Reuters, Financial Times, ACT Expo, International Battery Seminar, AI & IoT World, Manufacturing Leadership Council, and MESA. His global experience spans across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas, where he has adeptly navigated diverse business environments. Currently, he serves as a fractional CXO for CREST Foundation, Envira Global, Lynx Digital, and 3S LLC. Ashu’s academic credentials are equally impressive, with ongoing PhD and master’s studies in IT from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA in Strategy from Purdue University, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, complemented by numerous prestigious certifications.

Todd Lukesh is a results-oriented project management professional with over 22 years of experience in building science and digital transformation within the built environment. Proven history in PropTech, ConTech, master planning, portfolio management, development, design, construction, sustainability, health and wellness, research and development, and innovation throughout the project delivery lifecycle. Expertise in managing large-scale, high-performance projects, including LEED and Zero Net Energy applications, data centers, and various commercial projects globally. Proficient in utilizing Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), design-build, and joint-venture contracting to successfully manage and deliver complex projects.

His primary focus is on Digital Real Estate that leverages Digital Twin technologies throughout the Digital Building Lifecycle to incorporate innovation, R&D, building simulation AI/GenAI, Machine Learning, IoT, building science and advanced analytics to optimize project lifecycle throughout the Digital Thread. This includes project delivery, hardware, software, commissioning, calibration, and handover to optimize operational performance and increase ROI, all while integrating a decarbonization strategy across a Common Data Environment.

Todd has held multiple positions and roles in global architecture firms, commercial scale general contractors, venture capital firm specializing in innovative sustainable product development, global consultancy firms and building simulation technologies all with the common underlying goals of optimizing the built environment performance. His multidisciplinary background gives him the ability to think like a full stakeholder project team with the concept of designing with the end in mind to optimize building performance throughout the lifecycle.

Todd studied at the California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo for bachelor’s in architecture and construction management. He studied systems energy engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, achieved multiple leadership certificates from Harvard University and awarded a Technical MBA in Innovation, Technology and Business Leadership from Hult International Business School (issued through his experience previously at Ernst & Young (EY). Todd held multiple university professor roles developing and instructing on Sustainable Design and Construction Management at both University of Southern California (USC) and San Francisco State University (SFSU).

With a wealth of experience in sustainability, accounting, and finance, Vern Broders holds a CPA, an MBA from Chicago Booth, and an FSA level 2 designation. He combines his analytical skills, strategic thinking, and data-driven approach to create enterprise value from sustainability opportunities. Throughout his career, Vern has led strategic planning, budgeting, financial reporting, and talent development for various organizations, including those in the healthcare, valuation, and technology sectors.

Vern’s expertise spans executive leadership, sustainability analysis, financial reporting, risk management, planning and budgets, investment portfolio reports, and non-profit strategy. His passion for the interrelated progress of people, planet, and profits is evident in his work. On the advisory front, Vern develops, executes, and finds funding for sustainability initiatives, creating sustainable organizations and communities. He matches purpose-driven investors with mission-driven projects.

Vern’s educational background includes an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In addition to his FSA credentials and CPA certification in Illinois, he is also a Certified Cash Manager with the Association for Financial Professionals.

Deeply committed to civic leadership, Vern has held several prominent positions in the community. He has served as a Board Member and Chair of the Alumni Finance Roundtable for the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, President of the Gold Coast Neighbors Association, and Board Member and Development Committee Member for the Grant Park Music Festival. His other roles include Treasurer and Board Member for Chicago Lights, Finance Committee Chair at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Officer of the Treasury Management Association of Chicago, and Board President of ArtsBridge.

Outside of his professional life, Vern has completed fifteen marathons and participated in numerous charity running events with the Chicago Area Runners Association. He is also a member of the Great Lakes Dredge and Philharmonic Society, a men’s holiday chorus that performs at senior centers and hospitals. Known for his amiable nature and community-mindedness, Vern continually expands his diverse network across Chicago’s corporate, civic, and social landscapes.

Randy Spires has 30+ years of experience working with Fortune 500, US Federal and International Agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) in developing, planning, managing, and measuring their technology transformations. With experience and expertise spanning enterprise strategy, sustainability, environmental and social technology innovation and business transformation, Randy’s consulting experiences span across a wide range of sectors including aerospace, agriculture, automotive, defense, energy, environment, government, industrial equipment, and private equity.

As a Solution Architect, Randy is responsible for leading the assessment, design, and implementation of sustainable transformation roadmaps that integrate and maximize the technological, organizational, environmental, and social value for clients and their stakeholders. Randy also consults and mentors environmentally friendly technology startup companies regarding how their innovations can benefit the shareholders, targeted markets, clients, and respective stakeholders. These technology startups include advanced analytics, alternative energies, artificial intelligence, cloud and quantum computing, and clean water solutions.

Randy previously authored a white paper on strategic environmental management in 1994, which focused on the sustainability of the impacted ecosystems and zones. This published white paper became the basis for a US Federal Grant pilot project in sustainability with the Bad River Chippewa Nation and other North American Native American Tribal Governments. The focus of the grant was to develop a sustainability model that accounted for legacy waste sites, current operations, and planned development by determining the bio-geo-chemical processing capacity of the impacted ecosystems and zones. The basis for the bio-geo-chemical processing capacity was the impacted ecosystems’ biodiversity depth and breadth. Randy also provides expert witness services to those transformation initiatives that go into arbitration.

Randy’s commitment to ESG and sustainability is regularly demonstrated in his personal life, investments, and continuing education. He owns and manages an off-grid, sustainable home and ranch in Colorado. Randy’s investment portfolio is dominated by renewable energy, clean water, and other innovative technology solutions that will help companies and communities become more self-reliant and sustainable. Randy serves as an advisory board member to a number of clean technology companies as well as a few professional associations and boards.

Randy holds a B.S. from the University of South Carolina, a Circular Economics program from Cambridge University, an ESG Investing program from Columbia University, and professional certifications that include Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Agile, Program, and Project Portfolio Management.

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Ruben Abarca held several leadership roles in the wireless industry, including key positions at Ameritech Cellular and AT&T. In addition to his corporate experience, Ruben successfully owned and operated multiple businesses, such as a real estate investment firm and a mortgage company.

Since 2009, Ruben has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies, distinguishing himself as a leader in higher education by forging impactful corporate partnerships. His efforts have led to the enrollment of hundreds of students at prestigious institutions. Ruben has developed and executed successful enrollment strategies for universities such as the University of Chicago, DePaul University, Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, UIC, Illinois Tech, DeVry University, and the University of Phoenix.

Currently, Ruben serves as the Head of Partnerships at the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI), a tech-focused nonprofit startup affiliated with the University of Illinois System. In this capacity, he spearheads initiatives to attract, develop, and deploy diverse, often underrepresented, talent to leading employers in Chicago’s tech ecosystem.

Beyond education, Ruben is passionate about sustainability, leveraging his extensive network to connect leaders in this sector. He plays a pivotal role in guiding sustainability professionals towards achieving their goals through collaborations with Envira Global Ltd.

Ruben also serves on the boards or advises several influential organizations, including High Impact Tutors, LULAC, the Associated Colleges of Illinois, LatinX Digital Leaders, and the Membership Council for the Executive Club of Chicago.

Vikrant (Vik) Viniak is an operations focused strategic executive with over two decades of experience in delivering value for clients. In his recent role, he was Accenture’s North America Sustainability Services Lead and was part of the North America Leadership Team (NALT). He oversaw delivery of discrete sustainability services as well as the integration of sustainability into all client work for the firm’s largest geographic market. Currently he is serving on the Board of Kairos Mobility Ventures.

As a trusted advisor to Chief Executive Officers and other C-suite executives across a wide range of industries, Vik has helped clients create business value and impact through idea to execution. His work includes transforming industrial and high-tech companies through new business models and finding new markets for various vectors of growth – Digital revenue, Digital Manufacturing, Innovation, Data monetization, XaaS, Pivot from product to platform, energy efficiency, etc. He also has a strong foundation in supply chain, manufacturing and global business services. At present he is engaged with several companies with the acceleration of their transformations and serving on profit and non-profit boards.

Vik is a sought-after speaker and has appeared on stage at events including Climate Week NYC’s Sustainable Development Goals summit, UN, the Mobile World Congress, and the Consumer Electronic Show. He has been published and quoted in multiple business and trade journals including Infoworld, TriplePundit, TechTarget, IOT agenda, Information Week and Supply Chain Management Review.

Vik started his career as a mechanical engineer for Whirlpool and moved to become a supply chain consultant before joining Accenture and focusing on C-suite advisory. Vik is an avid runner and fitness enthusiast who likes to push his physical and intellectual boundaries. He is committed to going the extra mile in supporting, mentoring, and coaching people to achieve their goals. He is enthusiastic about using technology and human ingenuity to drive impact in his professional and personal lives.

Vik serves on the Board of Back on My Feet (BoMF), an organization that helps people to break free from the cycles of poverty, homelessness and addiction through fitness, community support and employment resources, as well as the Board of the Quinlan School of Business. Vik was also involved with the Industry Advisory Board for MIT Sustainability and Climate Consortium and on steering committee for Berkeley Corporate + Climate Summit until recently.

He holds an MBA from the Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University in Chicago, and a BE in mechanical engineering from NIT Trichy, India.

Terry Maddox is a results-driven leader with more than three decades of experience in energy generation and plant operations, specializing in innovative and sustainable solutions. In his career he has served utilities across the United States from natural gas and battery storage to renewable energy sources like solar and hydroelectric power. In his most recent role, Terry served as the Principal Manager for Generation for Southern California Edison.

Terry has held key management positions at DTE Energy, AES, GENON, and Energy, where he demonstrated a talent for operational improvement and team leadership. He successfully led initiatives such as implementing Six Sigma training, optimizing plant performance through balanced scorecard methodologies, and enhancing employee engagement. His strategic efforts have consistently resulted in improved safety compliance, increased capacity, and operational efficiency across various facilities. His leadership extends to compliance with environmental regulations at all levels, collaboration with regulatory agencies, and effective management of long-term service agreements with equipment manufacturers.

In his early career, Terry gained valuable experience with major companies such as Alliant Energy, Smurfit Westrock, and NiSource, where he managed engineering, maintenance, and operations teams. His direct approach and commitment to excellence allowed him to lead critical upgrades, execute multi-million-dollar projects, and develop cross-functional collaborations that enhanced the overall performance of each facility. His focus on continuous improvement and his ability to identify and address operational deficiencies have been instrumental throughout his professional journey.

Terry holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Missouri University. His technical expertise, combined with his leadership skills, has equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of plant operations and asset management. He is known for fostering positive work environments, developing talent, and driving sustainable growth through a combination of strategic insight and practical application.

A dedicated and articulate leader, Terry Maddox remains committed to advancing energy generation technologies while ensuring the operational excellence of every facility he manages. His passion for innovation and quality assurance continues to make a significant impact on the energy sector, aligning his professional achievements with the evolving needs of the industry.

Mackenzie Swartz is a student at the University of North Carolia at Chapel Hill majoring in Economics. She is passionate about exploring the intersection of economics and environmental studies. Her academic work in both fields provides her with a unique perspective on sustainable development, fueling her desire to create positive change in the world.

Mackenzie is active in the sustainability community at UNC-Chapel Hill supporting the UNC CleanTech Summit as a student intern. This annual event brings together professionals in business, government, and academia for discussions, workshops, mentoring, and networking and is the largest University-hosted event of its kind in the United States. Mackenzie also serves as the President of the Business Cares Club supporting local nonprofits through fundraising and volunteer opportunities.

Emma Hedinger is a third-year student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and studies Public Policy and Environmental Sustainability Studies with a minor in Data Science. She is enthusiastic about the use of sustainability in corporate and social governance across communities, programs, and enterprises.

Emma has previously served as a sustainability intern for Orange County, NC County Commissioner’s office. In the summer of 2024, she was one of four UNC students chosen for the University of Gothenburg’s annual Summer School for Sustainability in Gothenburg, Sweden. While there, she researched climate migration, with a focus on the 2023 Australia-Tuvaluan security and environmental resiliency treaty. As Emma continues her education at Carolina, she is conducting a research internship with UNC’s Center for the Study of the American South, where she studies the impacts of poverty on healthcare access in rural North Carolina.

Outside of the classroom, Emma is an employee of the university’s New Students and Family Programs Office and a member of the environmental honors co-ed-fraternity, Epsilon Eta, of
which she is the current Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Following her undergraduate degree, Emma plans to begin a career in sustainability consulting or policymaking, before pursuing law school. She is interested in sustainable practices with food
systems and justice efforts, particularly the role that public policy and corporate responsibility can play in these transitions.