Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET
Join us for an impactful Founders Porch event hosted by President Wendy Raymond, to hear from accomplished Fords about their sustainability work and the challenges and innovations shaping the future of our planet. Our expert panel includes: Doug Bennett ’02, a Partner at Phalanx Impact Partners; Sonia Aggarwal ’06, CEO of Energy Innovation and a Biden Administration Climate Advisor; and Jason Patlis ’85, President and CEO of the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. Our panelists will share their experiences and insights for multiple facets of sustainability–whether you are working in sustainable fields or are passionate about the issues facing our world, this event is a chance for our community to be inspired by the work of fellow Fords.
Sonia Aggarwal ’06
Sonia Aggarwal is the Chief Executive Officer of Energy Innovation, where she leads the organization and works closely with partners and policymakers on effective climate and clean energy policies across North America, Asia, and Europe.
Prior to this role, Sonia served as Special Assistant to President Biden for Climate Policy, Innovation, and Deployment, where she helped to develop the Inflation Reduction Act and to set the nation’s climate targets including the commitment to cut economy-wide greenhouse gasses by 50-52 percent below 2005 levels in 2030. Sonia was a founding director of Energy Innovation, building Energy Innovation’s policy research, modeling, and analysis teams over eight years until she was appointed to serve in the Biden administration.
Sonia has a B.S. from Haverford College in Astronomy and Physics, and an M.S. from Stanford University in engineering focused on energy.
Doug Bennett ’02
Doug Bennett is co-founder of Phalanx Impact Partners, an investment fund enabling sustainable infrastructure companies to deliver bigger, faster impact through expertise and financial support. Phalanx invests in established and emerging companies in the fields of renewables, waste-to-value wood products, social impact, and renewable energy.
Doug spent 12 years as a founding partner and SVP of Technology at Brand Integrity, responsible for leading the development and client implementation of the Brand Integrity Platform, an online employee engagement software solution. Through this platform, he helped organizations deliver consistent customer experiences and quantify culture with engagement surveys and social recognition.
Doug holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from Haverford College and a Marketing and Finance M.B.A. from the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester.
Jason Patlis ’85
Jason Patlis has 30 years of experience in nonprofit management, environmental law, public policy, and finance, working internationally and domestically, in public and private sectors. Prior to becoming President and CEO at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Jason worked in leadership positions in domestic and international conservation organizations such as the Wildlife Conservation Society, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and the World Wildlife Fund.
Jason has specialized in natural resource governance, advancing laws and policies to sustainably manage natural resources and endangered species for the benefit of local communities and in the face of changing political systems. In the U.S., he has worked on both sides of the Capitol, as Deputy Staff Director for the House Science Committee, and as Majority Counsel on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Jason was a Fulbright Senior Scholar in 2000, and is widely published in law and policy journals. He received his J.D. from Cornell University School of Law and his B.A. from Haverford College.
