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GoGreen Conference Phoenix

What We Do. Why We're Here.

The GoGreen Conference is a sustainability learning experience for business and government decision-makers. Featuring regionally targeted content and recognized leaders from the community, GoGreen works across industry silos to foster peer-to-peer learning and collaborative solutions. We believe sustainability in the business setting is a powerful and indispensable tool for navigating the tumultuous waters of today's global economy and solving our climate woes. Our mission is to empower attendees with the strategies, tools and connections to green their organizations with profitability in mind.

Cities

From humble beginnings in the Pacific Northwest, we've taken our message nationwide — sustainability is good for the planet AND the bottom line.

Want to bring the GoGreen Conference to your city? Contact us at cities@gogreenconference.net to start a dialogue with the organizing team.

Phoenix Advisory Team

Our city-specific advisory teams ensure that GoGreen is able to build an experience that is timely and relevant to the region's economy, environmental issues, market opportunities and culture by providing guidance, connections and insights into each community we serve.

Carolyn Bristo | Sustainability Officer, City of Phoenix

Carolyn Bristo

As the citywide Sustainability Officer, Ms. Bristo leads the interdepartmental team responsible for coordinating the city’s sustainability efforts for its 25 departments and over 14,000 employees. As the Acting Public Works Director she manages solid waste enterprise and support services functions including facilities, energy, fleet, solid waste collection, disposal and residential recycling, the citywide Security and Access Review Team, the citywide vehicle replacement program, and the Design and Construction Management General Fund Capital Improvement Program for over 151 projects valued at $2.3B. Read more..

She manages a gross operating budget of $234M and over 1,100 employees. She is also responsible for managing over $40M in federal energy funds.

Jennifer Mellor | Vice President of Program Development, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce

Jennifer Mellor

Jennifer Mellor is currently the Vice President of Program Development for the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce where she oversees the Community Relations and Member Services departments. In this role, she is focused on developing and fostering new relationships with the business community to generate content and sponsorship for Chamber events and programming. Prior to this role, Jennifer served as the Director of Finance and was responsible for all day-to-day accounting functions, financial statement preparation, overseeing the annual audit and general supervision of the operations team. Read more..

Jennifer is also involved with several local non-profit organizations including Special Olympics Arizona and the United Way. She serves on the board of Alliance for Audience as the Treasurer. Jennifer has over 10 years of experience in accounting in various roles.

Ann Becker | Chief Sustainability Officer, Arizona Public Service

Ann Becker

Ann Becker serves as Vice President of Environmental & Chief Sustainability Officer for Arizona Public Service Company. She oversees the company's strategic efforts to integrate sustainable practices into core business operations, as well as the company's environmental and safety programs. She also is responsible for Facilities Management and Transportation. Becker most recently served as Associate General Counsel in the Pinnacle West Law Department, with responsibility for the Environmental, Labor & Employment and Commercial legal teams. Read more..

Before becoming Associate General Counsel, Ann spent a year working with the Senior Vice President of Fossil Generation to develop and implement the Fossil Operations Model that defines and guides how that organization does business. Prior to joining the Pinnacle West Law Department in 2001, Ann practiced with the law firm of Foley & Lardner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Becker serves on the Executive Board of Central Arizona Shelter Services and chairs the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce's Agriculture, Water and Environment Committee. Becker graduated magna cum laude from Marquette University Law School in 1992, and from the University of Northern Iowa with highest honors in 1989.

Chris Camacho | Executive Vice President, Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC)

Chris Camacho

As Executive Vice President, Chris Camacho oversees GPEC's business development efforts with particular expertise in renewable energy, emerging technology, international economic development and tax policy. He manages the domestic and international strategies in attracting new industry to the market. His international work has led him around the globe to South America, Western Europe, Canada and China. Read more..

Camacho has been instrumental in the design of the Renewable Energy Tax Credit Program which has induced several renewable energy companies to make investments in Arizona. In addition, he has directly assisted more than 70 companies in their expansions or relocation to Metro Phoenix. He has leadership roles with several of GPEC’s strategic councils including the International Leadership Council, Community Building Consortium, Economic Development Directors Team and Healthcare Leadership Council. Camacho has extensive relationships with many corporation site selection firms and corporate real estate executives. Camacho also serves as the President Elect to the Arizona Association of Economic Development, the statewide association of economic development practitioners.

Patricia Reiter | Director, Sustainability Solutions Initiatives, Global Institute of Sustainability, ASU

>Patricia Reiter

Patricia Reiter is the Director of Sustainability Solutions Initiatives for the Global Institute of Sustainability (GIOS) at Arizona State University, overseeing the eight synergistic programs that comprise the Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives. In her former role as Development Director for GIOS at Arizona State University, Reiter was an integral part of the team that refined concepts and negotiated the deliverables for the $27.5 M investment in the Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiative. Read more..

She led the effort to identify priorities and articulate a vision of GIOS 3.0 that provided the context for the seven programs funded by this transformative investment. Through her cultivation of prospective investors, management of the Board of Directors for Sustainability at ASU, and collaborations with faculty, students and staff she built a strong foundation for moving GIOS forward. Reiter initially joined the ASU Foundation as special adviser, board liaison and chief of staff to the ASU Foundation President. She was also involved in the design and business strategy for SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center. Prior to joining the foundation, Reiter led large teams of staff and consultants delivering complex projects and optimized business operations for creative enterprises. She drove the successful completion of numerous multi-million dollar projects including two World's Fairs, three national heritage parks, 13 theaters, 300 units of multi-family housing, four galleries and several residences. She holds bachelor's degrees in fine arts and architecture from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from Simmons Graduate School of Business in Boston. Patricia's work is currently focused on impact investing, social enterprise models, and performance measurement for mission-driven enterprises. By employing design thinking and business acumen she will direct a team of professionals to move GIOS solution sets and methods into practice.

Patrick O'Grady | Managing Editor, Phoenix Business Journal

Patrick O'Grady

Patrick O’Grady has been a reporter in Phoenix for nearly 15 years, covering an array of topics ranging from development and growth to city and school issues. He now works covering technology, sustainability and manufacturing for the Phoenix Business Journal. His beats include green building and businesses and solar and renewable energy technologies, as well as the semiconductor, aerospace and manufacturing industries in the state.