Event Abstract: You are interested in a career in sustainability. You want to make a difference. Save the planet. Save humankind. How do you figure out what career to pursue, in the vast world of sustainability? Would it be better to work in a climate startup or a Fortune 500 company with a big carbon footprint? Would it be more impactful to be a company’s Chief Sustainability Officer, or be in charge of their supply chain that generates most of the company’s carbon emissions? Can I save the planet, *AND* make a lot of money? In the end, it’s about finding the career that would make you happy. In this seminar, Winnie will share stories from having been in the trenches of sustainability in Fortune 500 companies like Google, non profits like World Wildlife Fund, and clean energy startups.

Speaker bio: Winnie Lam is the Senior Director of Sustainability and Design Engineering at Nike. She is responsible for the technology to digitize the design of Nike’s shoes and apparel, and make them more environmentally sustainable. Prior to Nike, Winnie led the Data Center Sustainability team at Google. As an advocate for animals, Winnie championed the banning of elephant ivory from being sold through Google. She partnered with big Tech companies and the non profit World Wildlife Fund to create the Global Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online. Winnie serves on the Board of Directors at the University of Waterloo’s United College, and the environmental journalism non-profit Mongabay. Winnie received her Bachelor of Science in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Canada, and her Master of Science in Energy Policy and Climate from the Johns Hopkins University.