The Next Frontier: Advancing the Green Economy

Senyo Ador is an energy sector professional with experience in the United States and Global markets. In his 17 years in the industry, he has worked closely with reputable international development firms in promoting rural electricity access and clean energy projects in Sub Saharan Africa.

Leveraging his background in distributed energy solution design, development, and integration Senyo brings fresh perspectives to back to his native Illinois in the form of his company Sesenergi Eco Solutions Enterprise LLC based in North Lawndale on Chicago’s west side. Sesenergi supports projects and workforce development in a suite of end to end energy efficiency, solar energy, solar street lighting, agrivoltaics and hybrid system solutions for the residential, commercial-industrial and government markets.

Michelle Carr is the Chief Executive Officer of Evergreen Climate Innovations which finds, funds and grows early-stage climate technology companies in the Greater Midwest, contributing to local economic development and job creation. Evergreen pioneered the 501vc® Investment Fund model to align philanthropic and corporate contributions to deliver environmental, economic and social impact in tackling the climate crises.

Anne Evens, M.Sc., Ph.D., is the Chief Executive Officer of Elevate, a nonprofit organization based in Chicago. Elevate works to promote equitable access to clean, healthy, safe, and affordable heat, power, and water for people in their homes and communities — no matter who they are, or where they live. Elevate designs and implements housing upgrade programs that reduce costs, protect people from the health effects of climate change, and ensure that the benefits of clean and efficient energy use reach those who are most in need. In doing this work, we create revenue for diverse small businesses and jobs for people in their communities. 

Brenda Palms, President and CEO of the North Lawndale Employment Network, an urban workforce development agency, and founding social entrepreneur and CEO of Sweet Beginnings, LLC, a social enterprise using urban beekeeping to create jobs for those with significant barriers to employment, has served as President and CEO of NLEN since its founding in 1999. She launched NLEN’s wholly owned subsidiary social enterprise, Sweet Beginnings, in 2004 to ensure justice-impacted job seekers could secure upskill and secure good jobs and a pathway to long-term sustainability. Under Brenda’s leadership, NLEN has grown from two to 59 employees and generates an annual budget in excess of $7.2 million.

Today, NLEN serves more than 1,200 people per year. Sweet Beginnings has expanded from a cottage industry to distribution at more than 43 Mariano stores, both O’Hare and Midway airports, and has been awarded and retired one of the first Benefit Chicago social impact investment loans. NLEN has received numerous awards, including one of the first MacArthur Foundation Awards for Creative and Effective Institutions (2006) and the prestigious Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award (2015), the 2023 and 2018 Citi Foundation Community Progress Makers, 2019 Google Impact Challenge award, and the 2021 American Banker Association Equity Leadership Award in partnership with Wintrust Bank. Brenda has raised the national profile of NLEN, Sweet Beginnings, and the plight of people with barriers to employment through extensive media coverage, including CNN, the NBC Today Show, CBS Evening News, American Express, a TEDWomen Documentary, and Lifetime. Brenda has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Chronicle in Philanthropy, and in JPMC’s stakeholders Letter by Jaime Dimon in 2018, appeared on ABC7 Windy City Live as a 4-Star Chicagoan.

In recognition of her innovation and commitment to helping those in need, Congressman Danny Davis awarded Brenda the Cardiss Collins Trailblazer Award (2013). Brenda is a graduate of Harvard’s Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management program and the Chicago Urban League’s Next One entrepreneurship program, which included classes at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She holds a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from the Spertus Institute in Chicago.

Andrew Beideman is the Chief Strategy Officer of the Pritzker Traubert Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation, Andrew was a Manager at RW Ventures LLC—a leading national economic development firm focused on the design and launch of innovative market-based economic development projects in neighborhoods and regions. He also helped spearhead the creation of the Regional Growth Innovation Network, a national practitioner innovation organization, and has written extensively on a variety of subjects related to economic transformation, inclusive growth, and governance.

Prior to joining RW Ventures, Andrew worked for Booz Allen Hamilton delivering project management, marketing, and evaluation consultation to large mission-driven federal research and development programs. Andrew has also worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, supporting the management of a flagship environmental health research initiative. He received his dual BA in International Policy and German from American University and his Master of Public Policy degree from the College of William & Mary. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Andrew lives in Chicago with his wife.