Seth Goldman is Co-Founder and Chief Change Agent of Eat the Change®, a planet-friendly snack brand that helps people ‘Snack to the Future™’. Eat the Change® recently launched Just Ice Tea, a line of organic bottled tea to go along with the company’s mushroom jerky and carrot snacks. Seth is also the Co-founder of PLNT Burger, Honest Tea, and Chair of the board of Beyond Meat.

He has been widely recognized for his entrepreneurial success and impact, including Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in Greater Washington, the Washington DC Business Hall of Fame, Beverage Industry Magazine’s Executive of the Year, and Partnership for Healthier America’s CEO of the Year.

Anthony Capuano is the chief executive officer of Marriott International, Inc. In his role, Mr. Capuano presides over the world’s largest hospitality company and some of the most iconic brands in travel.

Mr. Capuano joined Marriott in 1995 and was instrumental in its steady growth over the years which culminated in the acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in 2016. 

Mr. Capuano began his Marriott career as part of the Market Planning and Feasibility team, where he helped the company assess the overall economic viability of new and existing hotels, balancing the company’s interests with the needs of hotel owners and developers, investors, lenders, and operators.

The Kogod Founders' Forum brought together three women who launched successful sustainable businesses to discuss their priorities and challenges. The forum included Tenth Ward Distilling Company founder Monica Pearce, Threadleaf founder Nicole McGrew, and Soupergirl co-founder Sara Polon.

Monica Pearce founded Tenth Ward Distilling Company and took the business from a tasting room and distillery to an expanded cocktail bar and tasting room, private event venue, and production facility.

Nicole McGrew is the founder of Threadleaf, a women's lifestyle boutique focused on responsibly made, fashion-forward clothing and accessories.

Sara Polon founded Soupergirl along with her mom, Marilyn Polon. The duo was ahead of its time when launching a “direct to consumer” business in 2008.

Carmine is the Global Chairman and CEO of EY, one of the largest professional services organizations in the world with more than 300,000 people in 150 countries. Prior to being elected to his current post, Carmine served as EY Global Managing Partner – Client Service, leading the execution of the global strategy in our four geographical areas and four service lines. Carmine has spearheaded our innovation efforts, including leading a US$1 billion investment in new technology solutions over a two-year timeframe announced in August 2018. He helped to create the Global Innovation team to redefine how EY uses technology to both transform existing services and create new solutions. As a leader of our acquisitions and alliances strategy, he has helped expand EY offerings in a wide range of new and emerging fields.

Matthew Pine leads Xylem’s 23,000 colleagues in solving water challenges for customers in more than 150 countries. He also serves on Xylem's Board of Directors. 

As CEO, Matthew is dedicated to driving a high-impact culture that harnesses the power of Xylem's talented people and partners to drive profitable growth through cutting-edge solutions and differentiated technologies. His vision is to take the complexity out of water management and help Xylem customers and communities become more water secure.

Matthew joined Xylem in 2020 and became CEO in January 2024. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer and led Xylem’s Applied Water and Measurement and Control Solutions segments, and the Americas region. 

Matthew has over 25 years of experience in general management, sales, marketing, digital and product management in the United States and internationally. He previously held senior leadership roles at United Technologies Corporation, Vestas Wind Systems, Lennox International Inc. and Trane Residential & Light Commercial Systems. 

Matthew also serves on the Board of Directors of Trane Technologies, a global climate innovator focused on sustainable solutions for buildings, homes and transportation.

Matthew is passionate about the future of water and champions Xylem’s reverse mentoring and sponsorship programs to advance the development of talent in the sector and foster an inclusive workplace. He has also led employee network groups throughout his career and served as executive sponsor for the inaugural Xylem People of Color and Allies Network.

Under Matthew’s stewardship, Watermark, Xylem’s corporate citizenship program, is a cornerstone of Xylem’s strategy to deliver social value and advance employee and stakeholder engagement. Watermark has delivered education and access to safe water and sanitation to more than 8.9 million people. 

Matthew is also a member of the U.S. Business Roundtable and the World Economic Forum’s Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders.

Carter Roberts is president and CEO of World Wildlife Fund in the United States. WWF, the world’s largest network of international conservation organizations, works across 100 countries and enjoys the support of 5 million members worldwide.

Roberts leads WWF’s efforts to save the world’s great ecosystems and address climate change by linking science, field and policy programs with an ambitious initiative to work with markets and businesses to lighten their impact on the planet. He has worked with communities and heads of state in North America, Africa, Latin America and Asia; and has built partnerships with some of the world’s largest corporations, including Walmart, Cargill and Mars to set new industry standards for resource efficiency.

Roberts earned his MBA from Harvard Business School following a BA from Princeton University, and subsequently held marketing management positions for Procter & Gamble and Gillette. He went on to lead international conservation and science programs for fifteen years at The Nature Conservancy before coming to WWF in 2004.

Roberts serves on the Boards of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy at Duke University and the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College and the London School of Economics. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and most recently served on the International Finance Corporation’s Advisory Panel on Sustainability and Business, as well as the Advisory Board of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) initiative chaired by the Secretary-General of the UN.

AU alumni entrepreneurs Samy Kobrosly, Lara Lozser, and Gabi Febres joined Professor Danielle Vogel to share how they're building sustainable, values-driven food businesses. From growing culturally rooted restaurants to scaling healthier CPG brands, these founders prove that sustainability and success go hand-in-hand. 

Samy Kobrosly, an AU alum, is a former radio personality turned chef and entrepreneur. In 2015, while working in a Washington, DC, barbecue joint, he became obsessed with creating a meat-free pork rind after joking with a friend about his inability to enjoy the classic snack due to his Muslim upbringing. This passion led to the creation of SNACKLINS, a plant-based, crunchy snack that quickly gained popularity. In October 2019, Samy took SNACKLINS to ABC’s Shark Tank, where he secured a deal with Mark Cuban, helping to expand the brand’s reach in the healthy snack market.

Lara Lozser is a Kogod School of Business alumna and the co-founder of Hummus Goodness, a company dedicated to delivering fresh, gourmet hummus made with only real ingredients. Passionate about quality and authenticity, Lara ensures that Hummus Goodness is free from preservatives, hydrogenated oils, citric acid, potassium sorbate, and other additives, using only fresh, whole ingredients to create a truly wholesome product.

Gabi Febres is co-owner of Arepa Zone, "a gathering place where people can come together and enjoy Venezuelan culture and traditions." Her heritage is central to her identity, representing culture, family, warmth, happiness, music, and laughter. Despite moving to the States at 7 years old, Gabi has always stayed close to her roots, something she values and protects. Originally from Miami, she moved to Washington, DC, for her undergraduate education at American University, where she felt a strong connection to her Venezuelan upbringing.