Advisors

Center for Sustainable Business Advisors

Lee Ballin	Lee Ballin Lee Ballin is the Head of Business Development for Sustainability at Bloomberg. The program integrates sustainability considerations into all firm operations and leverages the Bloomberg Professional service to evaluate sustainability-related investment risks and opportunities for its 300,000 customers. Lee graduated from Penn State University and received his MBA from New York University Stern School of Business. Lee is an alumnus of CORO Leadership New York and a Fellow in the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program.
Jake Berlin	Jake Berlin Jake Berlin is a Principal of Distributed Energy Resources at ICF, where he works with clients, including utilities, regulators, and government agencies, to help plan and prepare for a changing electric grid and the emergence and adoption of new energy technologies. Prior to this role, he was the Managing Partner of the Rethink Energy venture fund, held a variety of positions with the New York Power Authority, helped establish energy efficiency program management firm Willdan Energy Solutions on the East Coast, and worked to launch the distributed generation start-up Rentricity. He has also served on a number of non-profit boards, including, currently, the Center for Humans and Nature. Jake has an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business and a BA from Brown University.
Casey Clark	Casey Clark Casey Clark, CFA is the Head of ESG Investments at Rockefeller Capital Management. He leads the firm’s ESG research and engagement efforts across the asset management division, managing a team of dedicated ESG analysts that supports investment analysis across equity, fixed income, and dedicated ESG strategies. Prior to joining Rockefeller, Casey worked as Managing Director and Director of Sustainable and Impact Investing at Glenmede, where he helped launch and build Glenmede’s sustainable and impact investing business. He is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, earned his MBA from Stern and retains the Charter Financial Analyst® designation.
John Cusack	John Cusack John Cusack is the Founder/President of Gifford Park Associates (GPA), advising firms on integrating sustainability into business around the globe. Previously, he was startup CEO of Innovest Strategic Value Advisors; served as Chief Sustainability Officer of Light Green Advisors; and was a senior P&L leadership executive of new clean tech subsidiaries of Asea Brown Boveri, where he managed green R&D funding and commercialization projects. He has an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and an MCE in Environmental Engineering & Science and BCE in Civil Engineering, both from Manhattan College.
Jorge Fontanez	Jorge Fontanez Jorge founded Marca Studio in 2015, a brand and marketing strategy consultancy, serving for-profit social enterprises and nonprofits. He is a First Mover Fellow of The Business & Society Program at The Aspen Institute. Jorge brings the mindset of an intrapreneur to his work, having dedicated his private sector career focused on stakeholder engagement at the intersection of marketing, technology and sustainability. His perspective on business as a driver for social change was formed by his experiences in leadership roles at Alcoa, Colgate-Palmolive, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. Jorge received his MBA from Stern in 2007.
Jennifer Gootman	Jennifer Gootman Jennifer Gootman is the Vice President of Social Consciousness and Innovation at West Elm, where she oversees the brand’s commitments around supply chain transparency, artisan sourcing and sustainability. Jennifer also serves as the Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for West Elm’s parent company, Williams Sonoma, Inc., leading social labor compliance and programming across the company’s eight brands. Prior to West Elm, Jennifer spent more than a decade working with non-profits and social enterprises in New York, Nicaragua and India, connecting artisan businesses with larger markets and identifying innovative ways to link economic development and the arts. Jennifer holds a BA from Harvard College and an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business, and is a recent fellow in the Aspen Institute’s First Movers program. She has been invited to present her work at the Aspen Institute, United Nations, Fast Company Innovation Festival, Columbia Business School Social Enterprise Conference and Fair Trade Federation Conference and sits on the board of Chicago-based ethical fashion company Mata Traders.
Jonathan Halperin	Jonathan Halperin Jonathan Halperin is founder and President of Designing Sustainability. He creates and executes initiatives with nonprofit and commercial organizations that lead to systemic change. Passionate about the power of hybrid organizations and effective story-telling to drive social innovation, he has more than 30 years of experience in international affairs, food security, and climate change. He is also the Head of External Affairs at Greyston; designer of TeachFood! at Mundo Verde; a trustee of The Marcus Foundation; and on the President’s Council at Ceres.
Markus Kalina	Markus Kalina Markus Kalina is the Managing Director of Atalo Capital, a boutique asset manager focused on value investing. Prior to starting Atalo Capital, he worked at Deutsche Bank in New York focusing on institutional consulting and equity sales. He is a CFA Charterholder who received his BA from Occidental College and his MS in Financial Engineering from Claremont Graduate University. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School.
Thomas Kamei	Thomas Kamei Thomas Kamei is an Investor on Morgan Stanley Investment Management’s Growth Team. He joined the team in 2010 and covers the internet and technology sectors. The Growth Team manages long-only global portfolios for institutional clients and in his role, he evaluates public and private companies as potential investments for the portfolios. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Thomas researched private companies with emerging technologies for Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in Silicon Valley. He was a Fellow in the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program in 2015. Thomas studied design and received his BS from the USC School of Architecture.
Paula Luff	Paula Luff Paula joined Inherent Group in 2017 where she is the Director of Sustainability and Impact, working across the investment team to integrate ESG into the firm’s investment process and engaging with companies on financially-material ESG issues. From 2007 through 2015, Paula was vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility for Hess Corporation where she established and led the global social responsibility function for the company and integrated key ESG issues into operations. She also led engagement efforts on a range of sustainability efforts with host governments, NGOs, investors and other external stakeholders. Prior to joining Hess, Paula was senior director of strategic health partnerships for Pfizer Inc where she set global access strategy and led the design and implementation of global health programs and policies for the company and its foundation. Paula holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and master’s degrees from New York University and the New School University. Paula is a member of the Aspen Institute’s Long-term Strategy Group and is a former member of the Business Leaders Forum.
Graham Macmillan	Graham Macmillan Graham is the President of the Visa Foundation where he is responsible for developing and executing the Foundation’s grantmaking and impact investing strategy in support of its mission to help low-income and financially-underserved small businesses around the world. Previously, Graham was Senior Program Officer for Mission Investments at the Ford Foundation. His primary work focuses on strengthening institutions and applying technologies to change how capital markets’ allocate investment to be more long-term and sustainable. Previously, Graham was Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Partnerships at Citi where we worked with Citi businesses to drive economic and social impact with clients and other key stakeholders while contributing to Citi's broader Citizenship reporting requirements. Graham joined Citi as the Senior Program Officer for Financial Inclusion where he managed the Foundation's international grantmaking program in nearly 90 countries while also leading investments in innovation, thought-leadership and research. Graham received his BA from Colby College, MSc from NYU Wagner, and MBA through a joint program at NYU Stern, London School of Economics and HEC Paris School of Management.
Ozgem Ornektekin	Ozgem Ornektekin Ozgem Ornektekin is founder and president of KO2 Consulting providing strategic sustainability and energy planning, implementation and management services for large public and private organizations. Prior to founding KO2 Consulting, she served as Chief Energy Management Officer (Deputy Commissioner) of the City of New York, Director of Office of Sustainability at New York University and first Director of Sustainability at NYC Department of Education. Before her leadership roles at the City and NYU, Ozgem was mechanical/energy engineer and project manager at Parsons Brinckerhoff and AECOM. Ozgem is adjunct faculty at New York School of Interior Design teaching building system courses. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and Bachelors of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Denver.
Kyung-Ah Park	Kyung-Ah Park Kyung-Ah Park is a managing director and the head of Environmental Markets at Goldman Sachs. In that capacity, she oversees and supports the global environmental initiatives of Goldman Sachs including environmental risk management and works closely with the businesses on environmental market opportunities. She also heads the Center for Environmental Markets, which partners with corporates, nongovernmental organizations, and academic institutions to further market-based solutions to environmental issues. Kyung-Ah serves on the Firmwide Physical Commodity Review Committee. Prior to joining the firm, Kyung-Ah worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. She earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea. Kyung-Ah serves on the Board of Directors of Girls Inc. of NYC.
Lawrence Pratt	Lawrence Pratt Lawrence Pratt is Senior Lecturer at INCAE Business School in Alajuela, Costa Rica where from 2010 to 2015 he was Director of the Latin American Center for Competitiveness and Sustainable Development (CLACDS). He is founder and director of the Ecobanking Project and the Sustainable Markets Intelligence Center. Lawrence is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Master’s degree from the Yale School of Management.
Zac Russell	Zac Russell Zac Russell founded Russallo in 2013, a consulting practice focused on turning story into strategy for business development and communication plans. Zac is passionate about his community and serves as a community mediator with the New York Peace Institute. He also is an outspoken advocate for the next generation of leadership in foundations and new models for changing the world. He serves on the board of the foundation started by his grandparents.
Tommy Stadlen	Tommy Stadlen Tommy Stadlen is a technology entrepreneur. He is the bestselling author of Connect: How Companies Succeed by Engaging Radically with Society. He is a former McKinsey consultant and previously worked for President Obama.
Beth Steinberg	Beth Steinberg Beth has spent her career in financial services, first as an investment banker, and for the last several years in alternative investments. She is currently a Managing Director at Wesley Capital, a New York based investment manager/family office that specializes in real estate investing in both the public and private markets. Beth is actively involved in both the professional and philanthropic communities and serves on various boards of both for profit and nonprofit entities. Beth has been a passionate agent of change throughout her life and at the age of 18, she founded the first comprehensive rape treatment center in Israel at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center outside of Tel Aviv. Beth graduated summa cum laude from Barnard College of Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics.
Suma Swaminathan	Suma Swaminathan Suma is Vice President, Private Equity at Developing World Markets, a U.S. based impact investment manager that has disbursed over $1.7 billion in over 60 emerging and frontier market countries. Prior to DWM, Suma worked in business valuation and technology. She also has experience working with partner weaver cooperative societies in the handloom industry in India to promote strategies for financial self-sufficiency. Currently, Suma is a Steering Committee member of the Refugee Investment Network, a collaborative designed to create long-term solutions for global forced migration. Suma received her MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business, where she was designated a Faculty Scholar for Social Enterprise, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India.
Jim Tolisano	Jim Tolisano Over the past 25 years, Jim has designed and implemented natural resource and biodiversity conservation projects in more than 40 countries and integrated applied work in sustainable finance, conservation planning, conservation biology, and environmental education. He is also Adjunct Professor of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Studies at New York University.
Lorraine Spradley Wilson	Lorraine Spradley Wilson Lorraine is the Director of Investment Products at JUST Capital. She oversees the business development and marketing strategy for JUST Capital within the investor and financial community. With the goal of driving and accelerating the flow of investment capital towards more just companies, JUST Capital’s presence within the financial services and investment management industry is a critical element of its mission and strategy. Lorraine is focused on driving adoption of new investment products, indices and ideas, and investor tools based on the JUST Capital rankings and analysis. Lorraine has over 13 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining JUST Capital, Lorraine was Vice President, Exchange Traded Fund Product Manager at Merrill. Lorraine also held institutional sales roles at Third Avenue Management and Goldman Sachs Asset Management in New York. Lorraine earned an M.B.A. in finance and economics from New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a B.A. in government from Georgetown University.

Center for Sustainable Business | Advisors

Center for Sustainable Business Advisors