2025 Theme: Sustainable Stories
​The 12th annual Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit will be held at the Sharonville Convention Center (15 miles north of Cincinnati, OH).
Stories have the power to reframe the past and shape the future. They connect us, inspire us, and motivate meaningful change. Stories communicate our values, our dreams, and our tangible impact. And they are a vital tool to bridge complex data and personal experiences, align collaborative partners toward shared goals, and create opportunities for transparency and accountability.
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Every organization and individual has stories to tell that communicate the impact they have and the vision they aspire to. We use them to market our products and services, to influence decision makers, or to get donors and grants. To effectively convey the power of our actions we must be strategic about the narratives we craft, how we share them, who tells them, and who is listening.
At this year's Summit, we invite sustainability leaders from across the Midwest to share the stories of their impact and successful partnerships. Join us to make new connections and celebrate climate solutions as we each find our place in the movement to secure a resilient, equitable, and thriving future!​
EARLY REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
(ticket prices increase 4/1)
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2025 Keynote Speaker:
Lyla June Johnston
Dr. Lyla June Johnston (aka Lyla June) is an Indigenous musician, author, and community organizer of Diné (Navajo), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) and European lineages. Her multi-genre presentation style has engaged audiences across the globe towards personal, collective, and ecological healing. She blends her study of Human Ecology at Stanford, graduate work in Indigenous Pedagogy, and the traditional worldview she grew up with to inform her music, perspectives and solutions. Her doctoral research focused on the ways in which pre-colonial Indigenous Nations shaped large regions of Turtle Island (aka the Americas) to produce abundant food systems for humans and non-humans.
Learn more at https://www.lylajune.com/
Lunchtime Plenary
The Power of Sustainable Stories:
Inspiring Change Through Climate Narratives
Stories have the power to reframe the past and shape the future. They can drive us apart or connect us, inspire action, and foster collaboration. To effectively create meaningful change we must be intentional about the narratives we craft, how we share them, who tells them, and who is listening. How can we make climate solutions both accessible and compelling to everyday people?
This year's plenary panel delves into the transformative power of climate storytelling and its role in shaping a sustainable future. Our keynote speaker will be joined by experts from diverse media backgrounds who will share innovative and impactful initiatives that amplify climate stories, highlight the tangible benefits of solutions, and inspire widespread adoption. Drawing from their experiences, the panelists will offer valuable insights into crafting narratives that resonate with diverse audiences and inspire individual and collective action. Join us to explore how storytelling can be harnessed as a catalyst for bridging divides and creating a resilient, equitable future!
Dr. Lyla June Johnston
Indigenous Scholar, Author, and Musician
Dr. Lyla June Johnston (aka Lyla June) is an Indigenous musician, author, and community organizer of Diné (Navajo), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) and European lineages. Her multi-genre presentation style has engaged audiences across the globe towards personal, collective, and ecological healing. She blends her study of Human Ecology at Stanford, graduate work in Indigenous Pedagogy, and the traditional worldview she grew up with to inform her music, perspectives and solutions. Her doctoral research focused on the ways in which pre-colonial Indigenous Nations shaped large regions of Turtle Island (aka the Americas) to produce abundant food systems for humans and non-humans.
Erika Street Hopman
Co-Founder - ChavoBart Digital Media
Erika Street Hopman is co founder of ChavoBart Digital Media, an audio and video production firm with a focus on environmental media. ChavoBart Digital Media contributes original reporting, audio production, and distribution to the Climate Connections radio program and podcast. Erika has diverse experience that includes work in radio, video, and print. She is the director of The Orange Story, an award-winning multimedia project that educates students about the history of Japanese American incarceration during WWII. Before founding CBDM, Erika worked at Finger Lakes Productions, where she oversaw the writing and production of radio series, including the EnvironMinute and Animal Instincts. Erika holds a BA in biology from Cornell University and MFA in film production from Boston University.
Tory Stephens
Climate Fiction Creative & Brand Partnerships Manager - Grist
Tory Stephens publishes climate fiction, weaves networks, and builds relationships to forge partnerships that expand Grist’s reach and further its mission. As the Creative Manager of Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors, Tory curates and publishes climate fiction, to help people envision green, clean, and equitable futures. His work is rooted in the belief that stories have the power to transform perspectives, build bridges, and spark meaningful conversations about the future we share.
Becca Costello
Local Government Reporter - Cincinnati Public Radio
Becca Costello is WVXU’s Local Government Reporter, focusing primarily on Cincinnati City Hall. She recently reported, produced, and co-hosted the Backed Up podcast about Cincinnati’s complicated sewer system; The Atlantic named it one of the best 20 podcasts of 2024. Becca has worked at Cincinnati Public Radio for about four years, and previously worked in public radio and television in Lincoln, Nebraska and in Bloomington, Indiana. Becca has a bachelor's degree from Cincinnati Christian University, where she studied Biblical studies and communications, and a master's degree in journalism from Indiana University. Becca grew up listening to WVXU from her home in Clermont County. She enjoys crochet, listening to audio books, and fostering dogs from the local animal shelter. Becca lives in Price Hill with her husband Nathaniel, who teaches English at Holmes High School in Covington.
Our Call for Participation is now open!
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SPEAKERS: We invite proposals for 50-minute discussion panels, 50-minute interactive workshops, and 5-minute short talks that explore this year’s theme. The submission deadline for speakers has passed - stay tuned for our full slate of program announcements in April!
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ARTISTS & PERFORMERS (deadline extended to 4/1): We seek inspiring visual and performance art that aligns with the Summit theme. Our art show features paintings, drawings, photography, sculptures, and interactive installations. And our program integrates spoken word, music, and dance performances! Learn more here.
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POSTER SESSION (deadline extended to 4/1): We invite scholarly and practitioner posters that focus on professional work or academic research that aligns with the showcases climate solutions and innovative or impactful sustainability efforts. Learn more here.
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AWARD NOMINATIONS (due 4/1): We welcome nominations recognizing individuals, organizations, businesses, and communities that have made outstanding strides in the areas of Impact, Innovation, and Leadership. Award winners will be honored at the Summit. Learn more here.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT
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The Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit is the largest sustainability conference in the Midwest, bringing together 650 passionate and visionary leaders to share inspiring, forward-thinking, and solution-oriented ideas that propel us toward a healthier, more resilient, sustainable, and equitable future.
Join Fortune 500 powerhouses, innovative entrepreneurs, government officials, sustainability directors, academic, non-profit, and community leaders committed to solving some of the region’s toughest environmental problems while creating a positive economic impact.
SPONSOR THE SUMMIT
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Give your organization prominent brand recognition as a champion of sustainability by becoming a Summit sponsor! We offer a variety of options that enable you to reach a diverse and dynamic coalition of leaders committed to making our region more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable.
Make your commitment early to get the most out of it and be included in all our marketing and event communications.
