Breakout Sessions
As we make sense of this moment and where to focus our energies, we will explore where effective change has happened across various sectors, tease out lessons for future work, and make connections to strengthen our next steps.
Our Breakout Sessions on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning will allow time for more fluid conversations around some of the areas we’ve seen climate action happen, and where it might go from here.
Breakout Session schedule
BiHall 216
International Policy
Facilitated by Angela Izi ‘24, MIIS ‘26, Mira Hartmann ‘29
COP30 is underway. It is the 30th year. Is it working? In this session, we will explore questions around what climate leadership looks like on the international stage. We will hear from current Middlebury Institute students who are at COP30 on what they are experiencing. Are you interested in ways you can become more engaged? Join this conversation and learn about the recent launch of the Middlebury Global Climate Policy Network.
BiHall 219
Science
Facilitated by Erich Osterberg ‘99, Dan Kane ‘09
As climate science has solidified, it has also been politicized, challenged, and dismantled. At this moment in time, how can we bolster our scientific inquiries, validate the work of scientists, and explore new opportunities? What does it look like to chart a scientific path going forward?
BiHall 216
Education
Facilitated by Reilly Isler ‘25, Mez Baker-Medard, and Will Hinkle ‘26
Here at Middlebury, we’ve worked to ensure that climate change is prioritized in the educational mission, as well as in operations and administration. What does it look like for educators to leverage our institutions for climate engagement? Where might Middlebury and other schools and groups go from here?
BiHall 219
Private Sector
Facilitated by Tanja Vujic and Bonnie Frye Hemphill ‘08
We’ve seen various shifts in corporate and entrepreneurial leadership on climate change - from obstruction to embrace. Where are we seeing real leadership come from now? What is happening behind the scenes as more and more companies see the risks and needs climate change poses? What does it look like to advance climate solutions from inside organizations?
BiHall 338
NGO and Philanthropy
Facilitated by Lucas Lépinard ‘22.5, Phil Aroneanu ‘06.5, and Francesca Bradley ‘26
Activism and advocacy happen on so many levels and through so many strategies. How can the ecosystem of nonprofit organizations work together to support change in various spheres, and what are the roles of philanthropic organizations in supporting this work, especially in a further constrained funding and speech landscape?
BiHall 219
Community and Grassroots
Facilitated by Jeannie Bartlett ‘15, Fran Putnam, Megan Brakeley ‘06, Greg Dennis ‘74, and Ella Powers ‘27
Our local and grassroots communities are the source of so much vital climate work. What does it look like to organize and move forward real, community-based solutions? How can the people most impacted be those driving contextual action? And how can we think of this in the context of specific, physical places as so much resilience, food systems, justice, and climate work happens on a local level?
BiHall 216
Financial systems
Facilitated by Frank Van Gansbeke, Jon Isham, and Josette Chun ‘26
Our financial systems often drive where capital goes and what gets prioritized, which can reward resource extraction, consumption, and short term gains. Looking at current and loner term risks, are there ways these systems have shifted for good or might transform as we go forward?
BiHall 216
Culture, Creativity, and Communications
Facilitated by Jamie Henn ‘07, Michelle Leftheris, and Lily Jensen ‘28
So much has shifted in the collective consciousness around climate change in the last 20+ years. What has worked well? How can we get creative juices flowing to make sure that climate work is irresistible?
BiHall 219
Local, State, and Federal Policy
Facilitated by Greta Neubauer ‘14.5, Hannah Bristol ‘14.5, Sophia Galuppo ‘26, and Francesca Bradley ‘26
Washington D.C. can feel like the driver of all climate policy, but we know that huge strides have been made at the local and state level for decades. How do we use this moment to work at levels where policy action is possible, and how can we effectively push back on regulatory backsliding?