The initial speakers for the 14th annual Earth Day Celebration and Congress of Conferences have been announced by Dallas-based EarthX, bringing together a variety of global leaders and changemakers to engage with the latest environmental solutions at the event April 21-25 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas.

“EarthX is a global environmental non-profit founded to create a unique forum that bridges ideological and disciplinary silos,” EarthX CEO Rajan Singh said in a statement. “Our initial Earthx2025 speakers demonstrate our commitment to engage with difficult subjects like the environmental impact of armed conflicts around the world, the importance of ocean science in informing our response to the climate crisis, opportunities presented by new advances in nuclear energy, and the need to continue to pilot innovative strategies for expanding collaboration around pragmatic solutions to our planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.”

EarthX said that the featured speakers include retired four-star general and former CIA Director David Petraeus, a globally recognized military and intelligence figure; Susan Eisenhower, a nuclear policy strategist, consultant, and granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower; Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, the well-known guitarist for Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers, now also a defense and nuclear energy consultant; Tim Gallaudet, a former U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and former NOAA administrator and leader in oceanography and environmental science; Hap Klopp, founder of The North Face and a leader in the outdoor industry; Simon Mainwaring, author and CEO of We First, a leader in brand purpose and social impact marketing; and Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin, former executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and an oceanographer, climatologist, and founder of the UN Ocean Decade.

Discussion topics

Earthx2025 will feature four main conference tracks, three invitation-only summits, and several partner conferences and side events that convene leaders around a broad-range of environmental topics and initiatives.

Those tracks include The Future of Energy, the Circular Economy in Action, Ocean Conservation and the Blue Economy, and Conservation “Texas-Style:” Private Sector Solutions for Strengthening Wildlife and Habitat Ecologies.

EarthX2025 also will host the Ninth Annual E-Capital Summit, which brings together global investors, innovators, and policymakers to catalyze positive environmental investments; the Family Office Summit, an exclusive gathering for high-net-worth individuals exploring sustainability-focused philanthropic opportunities; and the Island Resilience Summit, which convenes island leaders to forge public-private partnerships aimed at achieving climate resilience goals.

The organization said that for the second year, EarthX’s Ocean Conservation and the Blue Economy Conference will be co-organized with Ocean Exchange, a global ecosystem whose mission is to accelerate the adoption of innovative solutions for healthy oceans and the sustainable blue economy.

Ocean Exchange has given more than $2 million in non-dilutive grants to startups as seed funding, typically at pre-revenue stage. The ongoing Ocean Exchange partnership is a good complement to the E-Capital Summit. EarthX said that since its launch in 2017, innovators that have participated in the E-Capital Summit have raise more $5.5 billion in follow-on funding.

“As a Texas-based, business-friendly, optimism-driven organization, we are unique in our approach,” Singh said. “We design a conference experience that bridges perspectives, leverages expertise, and fosters multi-partisan collaboration that drives tangible innovation, investment, and progress.”

Other partners and ‘Climate war ceasefire’

Earthx2025 said it also will include partner conferences organized by the PVBLIC Foundation, Green.org, Rotary Club International, Agencia Espacial Mexicana (AEM), the Island Resilience Partnership, Sea to Sky, Green Light, and other partners to be announced soon.

EarthX said those conferences will expand the event’s offerings of engaging conversations around pertinent environmental topics such as sustainable business practices, trans-national collaboration on nearshoring and green supply chain infrastructure, regenerative agriculture, and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through philanthropy and investment.

EarthX2025 intends to continue the 2024 declaration of a symbolic “ceasefire” in the Climate War, signaling a shift from entrenched and polarized debates toward a collaborative, pragmatic approach that bridges business and environmental interests.

Earthx2025 said it will continue that effort via its Congress of Conferences that brings together diverse sustainability advocates, corporate leaders, and policymakers to identify both marketplace and policy solutions to advance ocean and habitat conservation, climate action, the clean energy transition, adaptation of the circular economy, regenerative agriculture, and other sustainable practices.

Conference features and benefits

The nonprofit said that Earthx2025 will feature:

• Diverse Attendees and Subjects: EarthX designs a conference experience that cuts across industry and political silos.
• Enhanced Networking: Attendees can connect with key figures from various sectors, including energy, finance, technology, and policy, as well as world leaders, investors, founders, and innovators through multiple curated and organic networking experiences throughout the week.
• Radical Collaboration: EarthX establishes a forum for respectful, good faith engagement across political divides, creating an environment that brings together capitalists and activists, conservatives and progressives.
• Investment and Innovation: From the E-Capital Summit to a unique gathering of impact-focused Family Offices, Earthx2025 provides numerous opportunities for attendees to discover groundbreaking environmental solutions powered by market-driven strategies.
• Regional Impact: Our kick-off North Texas Day conference spotlights solutions in own backyard, this annual convening is a critical resource for local environmental advocates and decisions makers.

Other speakers

In addition to the featured speakers, other Earthx2025 speakers include:

• Bettina Hausmann: President and CEO of UNA-USA, leading efforts to promote the UN’s mission in the U.S.
• Keefe Harrison: CEO of The Recycling Partnership, spearheading recycling and sustainability efforts in the U.S.
• Christina Chang: Chief Marketing Officer at Adore Me, leading innovative strategies in sustainable fashion and retail.
• Chris Wirth: Chief Development Officer at The Recycling Partnership, driving partnerships and funding for sustainability initiatives.
• Mark Murray: Executive Director of Californians Against Waste, a key figure in advancing recycling legislation.
• Jon Smieja: VP of Circularity at Trellis Group, leading sustainable business practices and circular economy initiatives.
• Victor Lee: CEO of Edison XFC, innovating in energy storage and ultra-fast charging batteries.
• Ashleigh Ross: Carbon capture and storage expert at Carbon America, focusing on scalable carbon management solutions to mitigate climate change.
• Meir Rabkin: Founder of Blue Vision Capital, focused on impact investing and financing sustainability-driven ventures.
• Joy Martinello: Founder of Wild Nectar Immersive Travel, specializing in luxury eco-friendly travel experiences that support conservation and sustainability.
• Michael Vessley: Founder of Tanzle, pioneering advancements in data visualization technologies.
• Lucus Evans: Environmental advocate and entrepreneur, focusing on innovative sustainable solutions in the green economy.
• Morris Beegle: Advocate for the hemp industry and founder of the NoCo Hemp Expo, driving sustainable agricultural practices and innovation in hemp.
• Peter Kou: Political strategist and business leader with roles in SIAS International and the Republican Party of California.
• Dr. Thomas English: Environmental policy expert, known for contributions to California’s air quality regulations.
• Marko Kärkkäinen: Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at RiverRecycle, working on plastic pollution solutions.
• John McCrea: Leader at American Promise, advocating for campaign finance reform and reducing money’s influence in politics.
• Steve Tsuruda: Founder of Gemini, leading clean energy and waste reduction projects.
• Ann Drummer: Key advocate for civic engagement and environmental sustainability at American Promise.
• Mike Hennig: Leader of Rotarians for Civic Engagement, promoting civic responsibility and voter engagement.
• Dave Rice: Leader in UNA-USA, advancing UN initiatives at the grassroots level.
• Andrew Siegel: Environmental Commission Representative for Dallas, advising on local climate action and sustainability.
• Don Bender: Senior Advisor for Rotary Global Service Club’s Democracy in a Box, promoting civic literacy and engagement.
• Paul Cutt: Executive at Tanzle, driving innovation in data visualization for various sectors.
• Zachary Weaver: Rotaract leader, advocating for youth engagement and community service.
• Kathy Hattori: Founder of Botanical Colors, promoting sustainable fashion and natural dyeing techniques.

EarthX is a global environmental nonprofit that was created to inform, inspire, and drive impact towards securing a sustainable future for the planet. We apply an integrated and interdisciplinary approach, creating events, media, education, and public advocacy initiatives to galvanize awareness and action around key ecological and economic challenges. EarthX was founded in 2010 as Earth Day Dallas in an effort to increase environmental awareness in the local community.

From 2010 to 2023, EarthX convened EarthX EXPO, the world’s largest green gathering in the days surrounding Earth Day in April.

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