Brown Bag Lectures

Erin Sprague

CEO at Protect Our Winters

Erin is the third CEO and first female to lead POW in the organization's history, which was founded in 2007 by professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones. Erin attended Harvard, started her career at Blackstone where she focused on policy work, and attended Stanford’s Graduate School of Business before transitioning to the outdoor industry. She led the women’s division at Specialized Bicycles, was VP of Marketing at fitness event company Virgin Sport, and was SVP and Chief Brand Officer at Aspen Skiing Company where she led marketing, sales, and retail. Most recently, she has helped launch climate tech start-ups in food waste management and heat pump adoption. Erin is passionate about skiing, hiking, cycling, and running, and was previously the youngest woman to complete marathons on all seven continents. Erin is currently running marathons in 50 states (15 and counting!) and lives in Boulder, Colorado with her family

Richard Piacentini

President and CEO at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Since 1994 Richard Piacentini has guided the green transformation of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens using regenerative thinking principles that have led to the development of: the Center for Sustainable Landscapes, a Net-Zero Energy and water building and the only building in the world to meet the International Living Future Institute's (ILFI) Living Building Challenge, as well as LEED Platinum, the first WELL Platinum, the first SITES™ Platinum, first BREEAM Outstanding for O&M in the US, Fitwel 3 Star, and Zero-Energy certifications and the Living Building Challenge, WELL Platinum, and LEED Platinum certified Exhibit Staging Center. Other projects include the first LEED visitor’s center in a public garden; the first LEED greenhouse (Platinum EBOM); the Tropical Forest Conservatory, one of the most energy-efficient conservatories; and the Nature Lab, an ILFI Petal certified modular classroom; He created ClimateToolkit.org to help museums, gardens, and zoos to mentor, share and learn from each other on how to aggressively address climate change. He serves on Advisory Board of the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). Committee Member of: Mission & Community Needs for Magee-Womens Hospital, Pennsylvania One Health Task Force, Biophilic Design Initiative, & Biophilic Cities Network. He is a past Board President of: ILFI & the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) and has received leadership Awards from: USGBC, ILFI, & APGA.

The work Piacentini initiated at Phipps is based on recognizing the vital relationships between people, plants, health and the planet. This regenerative-based way of thinking influences the organization’s actions and programs, particularly those focused on awakening children to nature, and promoting human and environmental well-being.

A successful leader and innovator, Piacentini is a catalyst for positive change, linking human and environmental well-being and inspiring others to take actions that will improve their health and that of the planet.

Marcus Rosten

WNY Land Conservancy, Wildway Director

Marcus Rosten is a naturalist working to protect and connect the largest remaining tracts of wildlife habitat in Western New York. Since graduating from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, he has served as an interpretive park ranger in our national parks and forests, led environmental education and stewardship programs with non-profit organizations, and worked as a fish and wildlife technician, conducting wildlife surveys and managing habitats for state and federal agencies. Marcus was a 30 Under 30 Awardee (2020) from the North American Association for Environmental Education and has been featured nationally in Scholastic News, Nike Journal, BirdNote, and on PBS Nature.

As the Director of the Western New York Wildway with the Western New York Land Conservancy in Buffalo, NY, he is leading a landscape-scale conservation initiative to create a network of protected lands and corridors from the Allegheny Mountains to the Great Lakes and beyond. The WNY Wildway will allow plants and animals to safely roam across the land as they once did, to move as the climate changes, and expand their ranges to ensure their survival. He also serves as a board member for the Buffalo Ornithological Society, Birds on the Niagara Festival, and is the chairman for the Erie County Environmental Management Council.