First Annual SI-MBA Learning & Connection Summit
We are thrilled to invite you back to Burlington and the University of Vermont campus for a special celebration of the first decade of the Sustainable Innovation MBA program, its 12th graduating cohort, and the retirement of Dean Sanjay Sharma
This event will take place June 12–13, 2026 to offer an inspiring and engaging opportunity where alumni, faculty, and business leaders will come together to learn, connect, and shape the future of sustainable business.
We can’t wait to welcome you back and celebrate this milestone together!
Event Details
Schedule
Day 1 | Friday, June 12
Silver Pavilion; Alumni Hall, 61 Summit St, Burlington, VT 05401
5:00 - 6:30 PM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Networking Reception
Day 2 | Saturday, June 13
Kalkin Hall, 55 Colchester Ave, Burlington VT 05405
- 8:30 AM | Breakfast & Registration
- 9:20 AM | Welcome, State of the School, & Dean's Recognition
- 9:40 AM | Keynote Speaker: Kyle Clark of BETA Technologies
- 10:20 AM | Networking Activity
- 11:00 AM | Three Optional Career Resource Sessions
- 11:30 AM | Buffet Lunch in 3 locations
- 12:30 PM | Climate Tech & Clean Energy Innovation or Career Pivots & Portfolio Careers
- 1:25 PM | Impact Investing & Sustainable Finance or Deep Tech, AI & The Future of Work
- 2:15 PM | Break + Remarks from incoming Dean, Vikas Anand
- 2:40 PM | A conversation with Jeff Hollender
- 3:30 PM | Applied AI + Sustainability Workshop
- 4:35 PM | SI-MBA Reflections
- 5:15 PM | Closing Remarks + Reception
Accommodations
Hotel Recommendations
DoubleTree by Hilton Burlington
Rates:
6/11: $154 UVM rate
6/12 & 13: $199
To secure rooms contact Nick Fisher at Nick.Fisher2@Hilton.com or 802-865-6693.
Rates:
6/11: $209 UVM rate
6/12 & 13: $439
To secure rooms call the Marriott at 802-864-4700 and ask for the front desk.
Note: All the above rates do not include applicable taxes and are based upon availability.
Transportation & Parking
Burlington International Airport (BTV) is just 10 minutes from campus.
Parking will be available at Votey Hall (55 Colchester Ave, Burlington, VT 05405 – first come, first serve, and at UVM visitor lots.
Local transportation options include rideshare, taxis, and Green Mountain Transit buses.
FAQs
Dress Code
Business casual is recommended for all sessions and networking events.Dietary Needs
We aim to provide inclusive meal options. Please indicate any dietary restrictions during registration.
Other questions? Check back here for updates or reach out to John Kim at john.kim@uvm.edu, 802-636-7314 (m) or on LinkedIn.
Explore our Panels
Impact Investing & Sustainable Finance
12:30 PM in Kalkin 004
Panelists:
Jackie Nutter (2021) – Analyst, ESG Investing, Thornburg Investment Management
Alyssa Stankiewicz (2019) - Principal, Fund Research, Morningstar
Emily George (2022) - BCG Expand
Chani Guthrie (2024) - Program and Communications Manager, Levine Impact Labs
Career Pivots & Portfolio Careers
12:30 PM in Kalkin 007
Panelists:
Jeff Lue (2019) - Operations & Finance Manager, Council Fire
Madeline Brumberg (2018) - Chief of Staff, Sustainable Credit Partners
Vanessa Chumbley (2022) – Manager of Strategy, fello.
Emily Listowich (2025) – Associate Brand Manager, Seventh Generation
Climate Tech & Clean Energy Innovation
1:25 PM in Kalkin 004
Panelists:
Jared Alvord (2020) - Global Director, Renewable Energy & Sustainability Advisory at World Kinect
JD Popp (2022) - Sales Strategy Manager at Greencrown Energy (commercial energy management)
Elias Pereira (2024) – Energy Innovator, Green Mountain Power
Laury Saligman (2016) - Managing Director, Clean Energy Venture Group
Deep Tech, AI & The Future of Work
1:25 PM in Kalkin 007
Panelists:
Tim Silman (2015) – Program Director at Lonely Whale + Startup Advisor
Emily Vogt (2019) – Director of Venture Development, Venture Partners at CU Boulder
Carly Joos (2022) – Head of Community, Suffolk Ventures
Register for a Career Resource Session
Personal Branding Session
Catlin (Cat) O’Shaughnessy Coffrin, Founder & CEO Captivating Consulting Explore how to clearly articulate your personal brand and elevate how you present your experience and impact.
LinkedIn Review Session
Emily Battistoni, Graduate Student Services Coordinator, Grossman School of Business. Receive actionable feedback to strengthen your LinkedIn profile and better reflect your professional goals.
Please bring a laptop or other digital device to access your LinkedIn profile.
Resume Review Session
Sue Schlom, Founder + Career Coach, The Targeted Resume
Gain insight from a recruiter’s perspective and learn how to tailor your resume for today’s job market.
Please bring a printed copy of your resume.
Speaker Bios
Jared Alvord ‘20
Jared Alvord ‘20, Global Director, Renewable Energy & Sustainability Advisory at World Kinect
Jared is the Global Renewable Energy and Sustainability advisory business at World Kinect, delivering renewable energy and sustainability advisory services to corporate clients through a team of 29 energy executes located in NA, EMEA, APAC and Australia.
With over 15 years in renewable energy and sustainability, he has held leadership roles in origination, business development, M&A, and finance across technologies and solutions such as solar, storage, EV infrastructure, and clean fuels. He has supported the origination of over $1B of project value, and has developed, financed, and built over 250 MW of clean technology projects.
Prior to World Kinect, he held roles at Nextera Energy, Skyview Capital, and Conergy, and founded Mad River Solar, a solar and storage development firm. He holds an MBA in Sustainable Innovation and a BS in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont. He is also active in his local community, serving as a volunteer firefighter and EMT.
Hear them at Panel 1: Climate Tech & Clean Energy Innovation
Madeline Brumberg ’18
Madeline Brumberg ’18, Chief of Staff, Sustainable Credit Partners
Madeline Brumberg is an operations and impact professional with experience across program management, climate finance, entrepreneurship, and environmental consulting. She currently is the Chief of Staff at Sustainable Credit Partners, a green commercial mortgage start up, where she helps to scale the company, underwrite loans, and build the systems. Madeline is also involved with Generalist World, helping convene and celebrate multidisciplinary professionals who thrive across functions, industries, and ambiguous problem spaces in the Boston area. She brings a strong background in stakeholder engagement, data-driven program design, and creating clarity in complex, fast-moving environments.
Hear them at Panel 2: Career Pivots + Portfolio Careers
Vanessa Chumbley ’22
Vanessa Chumbley ’22, Manager of Strategy, Fello.
Vanessa Chumbley is a strategic operator with 15 years of experience bridging high-level strategy and systems thinking with on-the-ground tactical execution. Her career started with an immediate pivot – after 12 years dedicated to classical music and earning a BFA in Violin Performance, she pivoted to stage management, spending almost 10 years as a stage manager for some of the country’s top performing arts organizations, including The Juilliard School, Santa Fe Opera, and Houston Ballet. Her second career pivot came in the wake of the COVID pandemic, leading her to SI-MBA in the fall of 2021. After graduating, Vanessa was hired as the inaugural Project Manager for Rare’s Center for Behavior & the Environment, the world’s first center dedicated exclusively to behavioral science and behavior-centered design for the environment. She currently works as the Manager of Strategy for Fello, a leading disability services organization serving communities across Maryland. Vanessa lives in Baltimore with her husband and their 15-year-old black lab mix, Max.
Hear them at Panel 2: Career Pivots + Portfolio Careers
Emily George ’22
Emily George ’22, Project Leader, BCG
Emily George is a Project Leader at BCG, a global strategy and management consultancy, based in New York City. She works at the intersection of sustainability and finance, helping banks, private equity firms, and multilateral development banks tackle financed emissions, climate strategy, and ESG benchmarking. Emily helped establish and scale climate-focused capabilities within BCG’s financial benchmarking business, including work on the ESG Data Convergence Initiative in private equity and building carbon accounting foundations in emerging markets. Outside of work, she enjoys soccer, art, travel, and exploring New York’s food scene.
Hear them at Panel 3: Impact Investing and the State of ESG
Chani Guthrie ’24
Chani Guthrie ’24, Program & Communications Manager, Levine Impact Lab
Chani's role centers on bringing together the different components of LIL's programming, including the annual retreat, virtual workshops, communications, and grant management. She brings a wealth of experience in nonprofit program management, events, operations, and finance. Chani is passionate about building resilient communities, conservation, sustainable food systems, and clean energy. Having worked in both the nonprofit sector and small businesses in Vermont, she loves finding creative solutions to make a positive impact. When she's not working, you can find her outside with her dog, traveling, or enjoying quality time with friends and family.
Hear them at Panel 3: Impact Investing and the State of ESG
Carly Joos ’22
Carly Joos ’22, Head of Community, Suffolk Technologies
Carly Joos is Head of Community at Suffolk Technologies, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in construction, real estate, and infrastructure technology. In this role, she leads marketing, events, public relations, and external engagement -- building an ecosystem of support for the firm's portfolio companies. She also founded Boston Built Week, a decentralized annual gathering that brings together built world industry leaders and innovators each November. Before Suffolk Technologies, Carly led partnerships for Cleantech Open Northeast, an early-stage climate tech accelerator, and was the first sales hire at LearnLux, an early-stage fintech startup. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from Northeastern University, and an MBA focused on sustainable innovation from the University of Vermont.
Hear them at Panel 3: Impact Investing and the State of ESG
Emily Listowich ’25
Emily Listowich ’25, Senior Assistant Brand Manager, Seventh Generation
Emily Listowich is a Brand Manager on the Laundry team at Seventh Generation, where she helps lead portfolio strategy and innovation -- partnering cross‑functionally across R&D, supply chain, marketing, sales, and agency teams to turn purpose‑led strategy into commercially competitive products.
A 2025 graduate of the SIMBA program, Emily’s background is rooted in nonprofit development and fundraising, as well as adventure and documentary film production. She brings that mission‑driven, execution‑focused lens into her work in CPG, and is energized by roles at the intersection of brand strategy, execution, and purpose.
Hear them at Panel 2: Career Pivots + Portfolio Careers
Jeff Lue ’19
Jeff Lue ’19, Operations & Finance Manager, Council Fire
A systems designer, financial steward, and operations leader, Jeff has helped grow businesses from the ground floor and bridged the gap between strategy and execution across industries ranging from management consulting to circular sanitation. He is currently the finance and operations manager for Council Fire, where he spends his time creating operational systems and financial tools while fostering a fun, human-centered and empathetic work culture. Simultaneously, he is actively building his portfolio career around his various skillsets and interests.
Hear them at Panel 2: Career Pivots + Portfolio Careers
Rochelle March
Rochelle March, Co-Founder & Principal, PPWA + Part-time Lecturer, SI-MBA, Grossman School of Business
A sustainability expert, eco-quant, and presenter on ESG and data science topics, Rochelle has over a decade of experience calculating impact, designing sustainability strategies and applying machine learning to ESG products for a range of clients worldwide, from the largest tech companies to financial start-ups. Career highlights include creating one of the first datasets regarding corporate impact on the United Nations SDGs and being issued her first patent on an ESG ranking methodology. She is an MBA adjunct professor at University of Vermont, S&P Global alum and former Dun & Bradstreet Global Head of ESG Product.
Hear them at Panel 3: Impact Investing and the State of ESG
Jackie Nutter ’21
Jackie Nutter ’21, ESG Analyst, Thornburg Investment Management (previously)
Jackie began her career after the SIMBA program at Thornburg Investment Management, a $45B AUM investment management firm in New Mexico, where she supported the implementation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing strategy across the firm including their fixed income, equity and multi asset portfolios. Her work spanned both technical and strategic initiatives, including client reporting, regulatory and policy alignment, customizable portfolio development, ESG data analysis, as well as process education and enhancement. Jackie is a sustainability generalist with a strong foundation in stakeholder engagement and cross-functional problem solving. Outside of her professional pursuits, Jackie is a long-distance runner, avid reader, and skier.
Hear them at Panel 3: Impact Investing and the State of ESG
Elias Pereira ’24
Elias Pereira ’24, Energy Innovator at Green Mountain Power
Elias Pereira is an Energy Innovator at Green Mountain Power, where he works with commercial and industrial customers on clean energy projects, electrification, pilot programs, and new ways to make the grid more flexible and resilient. He has spent his career exploring how business, policy, and technology can work together to move climate solutions forward. Outside of work, you can usually find him shooting hoops or exploring Lake Champlain.
Hear them at Panel 1: Climate Tech & Clean Energy Innovation
JD Popp ’22
JD Popp ’22, Business Development Manager, Greencrown Energy
As Business Development Manager at Greencrown Energy, I lead growth initiatives that help multi facility commercial and industrial organizations take control of energy costs, reduce consumption, and drive decarbonization.
I focus on building strategic relationships, identifying market opportunities, and translating complex energy challenges into clear, executable energy management plans. My role sits at the intersection of energy strategy, client advisory, and partner development, ensuring Greencrown delivers measurable financial and operational value to every engagement.
Hear them at Panel 1: Climate Tech & Clean Energy Innovation
Laury Saligman ’16
Laury Saligman ’16, Managing Director, Clean Energy Venture Group; Part-time Lecturer, Impact Investing, SIMBA, Grossman School of Business
Laury Saligman, a proud graduate of the second SIMBA cohort in 2016, currently teaches Impact Investing in the program. She is also a Managing Parnter of Clean Energy Venture Group and a Venture Partner with its sister fund, Clean Energy Ventures.. She is active in the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem, mentoring with several accelerators and incubators. Previously, she worked in the government, non-profit, and private sectors, including two start-ups and a Fortune 500 company. In addition to her MBA, she holds an MS in Environmental Health Sciences from Harvard University and a BS in Physics from Georgetown University.
- Panelist: Climate Tech & Clean Energy Innovation
- Facilitator: Impact Investing and the State of ESG
Tim Silman ’15
Tim Silman ’15, Director, Innovation Programs at Lonely Whale + Startup Advisor
Tim Silman is Program Director at Lonely Whale, a US-based NGO focused on market-based ocean conservation and innovation. Most recently, Tim led Lonely Whale’s Unwrap the Future program, which included the TOM FORD Plastic Innovation Prize and Accelerator, focused on scalable and biologically degradable alternatives to thin-film plastic. Prior to leading the prize, Tim was a Senior Manager at XPRIZE focused on strategic partnerships and innovation design, and worked as a researcher and consultant for government, philanthropic, and private sector clients for over a decade.
- Panelist: Impact Investing and the State of ESG
Alyssa Stankiewicz ’19
Alyssa Stankiewicz ’19, Principal, Fund Research, Morningstar
Alyssa Stankiewicz is a Principal of Fund Research at Morningstar, where she leads and supports qualitative due diligence on more than 300 asset managers around the globe. She also serves as the lead researcher and spokesperson for sustainable funds in the US. She regularly publishes short- and long-form research in addition to representing Morningstar to the media, regulators, clients, and asset managers.
Outside of working hours, Alyssa can be found studying for the CFP certification®, playing fetch with dogs Meadow and Scooter, skiing, or throwing teapots on the pottery wheel, and she is always looking for ways to support economic empowerment for individuals.
Panelist: Impact Investing and the State of ESG
Emily Vogt ’19
Emily Vogt ’19, Director of Venture Development, Venture Partners at CU Boulder
Emily is the Director for Venture Development within Venture Partners at CU Boulder. She oversees a comprehensive series of training programs for university researchers designed to help researchers to develop entrepreneurial and business skills while evolving their ventures from ideation to traction with investors, partners, and the market. Emily joined CU Boulder Venture Partners from her work catalyzing local startup investment with Rockies Venture Club. Through RVC, one of the largest angel investing groups in the country, she managed education and community events, led the Women's Investor Network, and managed a venture capital fund investing in early-stage startups across industries.
Prior to her work with Rockies Venture Club, she worked for a number of startups and small businesses in the tech and outdoor travel industries. She then completed her MBA with a focus on sustainability and impact investing at the University of Vermont's Sustainable Innovation MBA program, where she worked on a number of sustainable investing projects creating impact strategies in public and private markets. She also founded the school’s Women in Business group to promote women in sustainability leadership.
Emily is a graduate of Brown University and University of Vermont Grossman School of Business
Panelist: Impact Investing and the State of ESG