At GreenBiz 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona, the latest cohort of Rising Leaders gathered with one clear objective: to construct connections, be taught from each other and push the dialog ahead. The Rising Leaders program is greater than an occasion; it’s an ongoing community designed to provide early-career sustainability professionals entry to mentorship, skilled growth and the instruments they should navigate the complexities of management in a quickly evolving area.
What does it imply to be an rising chief in sustainability at this time? For this group, it’s about translating ardour into impression throughout a variety of organizations and roles. “I exploit a mixture of scientific acumen, coverage understanding and communication expertise to advance local weather resilience and environmental stewardship,” Anirban Kundu stated, reflecting the interdisciplinary mindset that many leaders are embracing.
One of many largest challenges dealing with this cohort is navigating slow-moving organizational buildings. Jøn Kent, co-founder of Sanctuary Farms and Sacred Earth, described the problem of “navigating silos inside massive organizations and translating sustainability throughout departments.” Equally, Malayah Redmond famous the problem of influencing selections inside complicated hierarchies and discovering methods to spark urgency round local weather objectives when processes can really feel frustratingly gradual.
Regardless of these structural challenges, the cohort reveals outstanding adaptability. Shreya Sonar, who leads Circularity at Schneider Electrical, stated that shifting enterprise mindsets is an ongoing problem, however one she tackles by translating sustainability objectives into enterprise worth propositions that resonate with management.
Communication emerged as an important talent for these leaders. Amidat Sonekan, a graduate scholar targeted on enhancing international local weather resilience, mirrored, “I’ve discovered that phrases matter, rather a lot. It’s wildly necessary to be intentional with language and acknowledge the way it shapes understanding and outcomes.” Sarah Nerette echoed this sentiment, describing the significance of slowing down and guaranteeing the issue is absolutely understood earlier than leaping to options.
One other recurring theme was the emotional weight of management. Many leaders are managing not solely technical and strategic challenges but in addition the burden of expectations and the need to make actual change. This balancing act requires each resilience and humility. Dhruv Jhaveri stated, “As a BIPOC immigrant within the sustainability area, imposter syndrome and systemic boundaries typically make it tough to interrupt by way of entrenched networks and have my voice heard in decision-making areas.” For Jhaveri, main in sustainability typically means getting into uncertainty with confidence, even when clear solutions aren’t out there.
Bridging generational and institutional gaps additionally surfaced as a problem. The Rising Leaders program itself fosters intergenerational conversations, serving to these younger leaders join with extra seasoned professionals. However translating new concepts into established methods requires diplomacy and persistence. Francesca Edralin, who works on the intersection of company sustainability and local weather coverage, describes it as balancing idealism with pragmatism, pushing for systemic change whereas understanding institutional constraints.
All through these conversations, one factor is obvious: This era of rising leaders isn’t ready for good circumstances. They’re getting into complicated areas, studying in actual time, and constructing the way forward for sustainability with curiosity and willpower. Their insights present us not solely the place the sector is headed however how resilient, artistic and considerate management can form outcomes in unsure instances.
The 2025 Rising Leaders Cohort:
- Amidat Sonekan — Scholar, MBA/MS Surroundings and Sustainability, College of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- Anirban Kundu — Senior ESG Guide, Anthesis Consulting (Canada) Inc., Ph.D.
- Dhruv Jhaveri — Senior Analyst, Environmental Assets Administration (ERM)
- Francesca Edralin — Affiliate Specialist, Client Engagement, WWF
- Jøn Kent — Co-Founder, Sanctuary Farms
- Laura Miller — Program Analyst, D.C. Division of Vitality and Surroundings
- Lucia Castellares Tello — Scholar, Environmental Administration, Yale College of the Surroundings
- Malayah Redmond — Senior Affiliate, Firm Community, Ceres
- Maria Corona — Co-Govt Director of CA Inexperienced Enterprise Community
- Rachel Haynes — Program Supervisor, North Carolina State College
- Samia Aboni — Grasp’s in Environmental Administration Candidate ’26, Duke College
- Sarah Nerette — Sustainability Applications Supervisor, CELI, NSBE, Wild Virginia
- Sherida Hinckson — President, Inexperienced Quotient Options
- Shreya Sonar — Circularity Senior Program Supervisor, Schneider Electrical
- Sydney Williams — Scholar, Grasp’s of Environmental Administration with concentrations in Vitality and Knowledge Analytics and Modeling, Duke College-The Nicholas College of Surroundings