Keynote Speaker - Leith Sharp

 

Leith Sharp

Leith has worked with universities for the last 18 years to achieve organizational change in the pursuit of environmental sustainability. In 1995 Leith established one of world’s first green campus programs at the University of New South Wales, Australia.

 

In 1999 Harvard recruited Leith to be the founding director of Harvard’s Green Campus Initiative (Recently renamed the Office for Sustainability). Over nine years Leith created a largely self-funding business model to fund large numbers of green programs and projects across Harvard's campus. By 2008 Harvard had the largest green campus organization in the world (including over 50 LEED buildings, a highly $12 million dollar green revolving loan fund) and was a recognized global leader in campus sustainability, receiving the highest national green campus ratings from the Princeton Review, the Sustainable Endowments Institute, the Sierra Club and Grist.

 

Leith has consulted to over 100 organizations, teaches organizational change and green building design at Harvard and sits on a variety of related boards and advisory committees.

 

Leith is currently the start-up Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Sustainability Network, working with 48 community colleges across Illinois to coordinate large-scale green workforce training and green economic growth. Leith is also the Chair of the Sustainable Future Academy, a new international initiative working to connect higher education institutions across the world, supported by the Salzburg Global Seminar.

 

Leith has received numerous awards for her work including a Churchill Fellowship, Young Australian of the Year, NSW Environment Category. Leith is an Honorary Member of the Boston Society of Architects.

 

Leith has a bachelor of engineering (environmental engineering) from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Education (human development and psychology) from Harvard University.