2026 LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION SUMMIT: CORPORATE DECARBONIZATION
Friday, Oct. 23, 2026 Rafik B. Hariri Building | Lohrfink Auditorium
Welcome Dear Colleagues and Guests, It is my distinct pleasure to welcome you back to Georgetown University and the McDonough School of Business for our fourth annual summit. This year, we come together to explore one of the most critical topics in business today: corporate decarbonization. This year's summit will bring together senior leaders to examine how companies are translating climate commitments into business strategy. With CSOs and CEOs at the center of the conversation, the program will highlight how organizations are approaching emissions reduction across operations, supply chains, finance, and governance. Building on the structure of last year's summit, this year's event is designed to foster high-level discussion, practical insight, and meaningful exchange among students, alumni, practitioners, and academics. We look forward to a day filled with insightful discussions, collaborative problem-solving, and collective inspiration as we work together to advance corporate decarbonization for a better future. Thank you for joining us and for your commitment to making the business case for sustainability. Welcome, and enjoy the summit! Sincerely,
Henry J. Blommer Family Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business Professor of Operations Management Academic Director, Business of Sustainability Initiative Co-Academic Director, M.S. in Environment and Sustainability Management
SUMMIT AGENDA 9 a.m.
Registration and Breakfast
9:45 a.m.
Welcoming Remarks
10-10:45 a.m.
Fireside Chat with Will Conkling Google
10:45-11 a.m.
Break
11-11:45 a.m.
Panel with Ann Tracy, Katherine Pickus, and Laura Bryce
11:45 a.m. to noon
Break
Noon to 12:45 p.m.
12:45-2 p.m.
Colgate-Palmolive, ADM, and Deloitte Consulting LLP
Fireside Chat with Kerry Cesareo World Wildlife Fund
Lunch & Closing Reception Fisher Colloquium
SUMMIT AGENDA Session 1
10-10:45 a.m.
Fireside Chat with Will Conkling
Şafak Yücel, Moderator Associate Professor of Operations Management, Georgetown University
Şafak Yücel is an associate professor of operations management at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, where he also serves as associate director of the Business of Sustainability Initiative. His research examines sustainable operations, showing how sustainability strategies can improve profitability while supporting the transition to renewable energy. His work spans solar and wind capacity investment, electricity markets, electric vehicle charging, carbon markets, and corporate decarbonization. He previously worked at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. His research has been recognized with the Management Science Best Paper Award in Operations Management and the INFORMS Best Publication Award in Environment and Sustainability, and he was named a Poets & Quants Top 40 Under 40 MBA Professor. He serves as an associate editor at Manufacturing & Service Operations Management and as president of the POMS College of Sustainable Operations. He holds a Ph.D. in operations management from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and a B.S. in industrial engineering from Boğaziçi University.
Will Conkling Director, Data Center Energy and Power, Americas, Google
Will Conkling is a member of the Energy & Power team in the Global Infrastructure organization at Google where, as part of the company's global data center strategy, he leads the team that procures energy and electric infrastructure for data centers in the Americas region. In pursuit of this goal, Will and his team work on data center location strategy, data center energy supply strategy, and lead the development and execution of the company's global carbon-free energy program. Will earned a bachelor's degree in government and Latin American studies from Wesleyan University and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
SUMMIT AGENDA Session 2
11-11:45 a.m.
Panel with Ann Tracy, Katherine Pickus, and Laura Bryce
Vishal Agrawal, Moderator Henry J. Blommer Family Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business, Georgetown University
Vishal Agrawal is the Henry J. Blommer Family Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business and professor of operations management at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, where he directs the Business of Sustainability Initiative and co-directs the M.S. in Environment and Sustainability Management. His research on sustainable operations spans the circular economy, business model innovation, renewable energy, and supply chain sustainability, and has appeared in Management Science and Manufacturing & Service Operations Management. His honors include the Paul Kleindorfer Award in Sustainability and the MSOM Young Scholar Prize.
Ann Tracy Chief Sustainability Officer, Colgate-Palmolive
As Colgate-Palmolive's chief sustainability officer, Ann Tracy is a member of Colgate's senior leadership team and leads Colgate's global sustainability strategy and key initiatives across the company's Sustainability & Social Impact pillars: Driving Social Impact, Helping Millions of Homes, and Preserving our Environment. She holds a B.A. in applied science, a B.S. in mechanical engineering, and a Master's of Engineering in manufacturing systems, and has completed a Certificate in Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge. Ann chairs the Board of the UNGC Network USA and is a member of the GHG Protocol Steering Committee.
Katherine Pickus Chief Sustainability Officer, ADM
Katherine Pickus is chief sustainability officer at ADM, where she oversees the company's sustainability activities to support a resilient future for agriculture, the global food supply system, and the billions of people who depend on it. She has built a career at the intersection of food, health, and sustainability, with prior roles as vice president for sustainability and global impact at Tyson Foods, enterprise sustainability leader at Griffith Foods, and 14 years at Abbott, where she became division vice president of sustainability. She serves on the boards of the UN Global Compact Network USA and the Bayer Sustainability Advisory Council.
SUMMIT AGENDA Laura Bryce Managing Director, Deloitte Consulting LLP
Laura Bryce is a managing director at Deloitte and a leader in the firm's Sustainability and Infrastructure practice, specializing in business strategy, value creation, and climate risk and resilience. She advises corporations on strategies that strengthen operational and supply chain resilience and position them for long-term growth. She helps senior executives assess climate risks and identify strategic opportunities.
SUMMIT AGENDA Session 3
Noon to 12:45 p.m.
Fireside Chat with Kerry Cesareo
Şafak Yücel, Moderator Associate Professor of Operations Management, Georgetown University
Kerry Cesareo Senior Vice President, Forests and Freshwater, World Wildlife Fund
Kerry Cesareo serves as senior vice president for forests and freshwater at World Wildlife Fund (WWF). In this position, she directs global programs to conserve the world's most critical forest and freshwater ecosystems, fostering scientifically driven solutions that recognize forests, wetlands, and river basins as essential in mitigating climate change and supporting livelihoods, human well-being, and biodiversity. Throughout her career, Kerry has advocated to drive positive change for nature, climate, and communities. This includes establishing partnerships with Fortune 500 companies on innovative forest markets transformation work; advancing the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), a certifier of forestry best practices WWF helped found; and working with First Nations on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, on sustainable forestry practices.
About Us
The Business of Sustainability Initiative focuses on the business approach to sustainability that creates long-term value by embracing opportunities and managing risks deriving from economic, environmental, and social developments. We focus on student learning, thought leadership, and convening and outreach. Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business is a natural fit. Among our faculty and programs — and collaborations across Georgetown University’s renowned schools — we offer the robust intersection of business, policy, and society to address these issues. Our global reach and Washington, D.C., location allow us to hone deep skills and cultivate a natural affinity to tackle the business case for sustainability.
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