Economic Futures Summit: Investing in Indigenous-Led Sustainability Solutions

The inaugural Economic Futures Summit is a groundbreaking, Indigenous-led gathering designed to catalyze sustainability solutions and reimagine economic systems in response to the climate and nature crises. Taking place November 4-6 in San Francisco, the 2.5-day summit will bring together over 350 Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders, including practitioners, investors, academics, and policymakers, to co-create actionable pathways for a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.

As billions of dollars flow into climate and conservation finance, Indigenous communities—holders of time-tested ecological knowledge—remain underrepresented in shaping these investments. The Economic Futures Summit aims to change that by elevating Indigenous leadership and innovation in the global sustainability conversation.

Select speakers:
• Tyson Yunkaporta, author of Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World, and
Research Fellow at Deakin University, Australia.
• Dr. Lyla June Johnston, Indigenous scholar, musician, and land management expert.
• Melissa K. Nelson, Ph.D., professor of Indigenous Sustainability in the School of
Sustainability, College of Global Futures as well as an ecologist, writer, editor, media-maker
and award-winning scholar-activist.
• Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, former Grand Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke who
made history as the first woman who also identifies as 2SLGBTQ+ to ever be elected to the
position.

• Honorable Ron W. Goode, author and Tribal Chairman of the North Fork Mono Tribe.
• Deborah Halberstadt, Special Advisor to the Commissioner on Biodiversity and Inclusive
insurance at the California Department of Insurance.
• Jane Hutchinson, Co-CEO of Pollination Foundation, global conservation leader.
• Corrina Gould, Tribal Chair of the Confederated Villages of the Lisjan/Ohlone.
• Valérie Courtois, Executive Director of Indigenous Leadership Initiative, national leader in
Indigenous conservation.
• Justin Adams, co-founder of Ostara, inaugural Reimagining Nature Finance Fellow with the
Circular Bioeconomy Alliance, Chair of Embercombe, and Honorary Research Fellow at the
University of Oxford.
• Jane (Carter) Ingram, Managing Director of Pollination, a specialist climate change
investment and advisory firm.
• ‘Aulani Wilhelm, CEO of Nia Tero, a global organization directly supporting Indigenous
peoples’ guardianship. Former member of the US White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy.
• Hari Balasubramanian, Founding Managing Partner of EcoAdvisors.
• Keoni Lee, CEO of Hawaii Investment Ready.

The Economic Futures Summit is led by Indigenous Engagement Institute, Gwen Bridge Consulting, Wolakota Lab, and the University of California, Santa Cruz Center for Coastal Climate Resilience, with support from an Advisory Council comprised of Indigenous and finance leaders and luminaries.