Jill Tiefenthaler, chief executive officer of the National Geographic Society, will deliver the keynote address for the Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability’s conference, “Sustainable, Just, & Abundantly Wild: Effective Action at Every Scale,” on Nov. 13.

Tiefenthaler’s talk, “From Exploration to Action: Accelerating Impact to Meet This Moment,” will begin at 7 p.m. in Broyhill Auditorium in Farrell Hall on the Wake Forest University campus.

The all-day conference, including the evening keynote, is free and open to the public, but registration is required. The event connects local action and global impact on the environment, from preserving Earth’s ecosystems to improving water quality for local NC communities. 

“We are incredibly honored to have a visionary leader of Dr. Tiefenthaler’s stature return to Wake Forest to share her perspective on building a more sustainable and just world,” said Miles Silman, Sabin Center Founding Director and the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation Professor of Conservation Biology. “The issues she champions at a global scale—from dauntless exploration to critical conservation—resonate deeply with our mission. We’re especially proud to showcase how our faculty and students are living out our Pro Humanitate motto, applying cutting-edge science to make a tangible difference right here in North Carolina.”

About the Keynote Speaker

Since 2020, Tiefenthaler has led the National Geographic Society, a global organization dedicated to illuminating and protecting the wonder of the world through a community of scientists, educators, innovators and storytellers. She is the first woman to serve as the Society’s CEO in the organization’s 137-year history. Previously, she spent decades in higher education, including as president of Colorado College and provost at Wake Forest University.

“Each of us can be a knowledge seeker, boundary breaker and changemaker for our planet,” Tiefenthaler wrote in a recent issue of National Geographic magazine.

Local Impact 

The conference, which runs throughout the day, will also highlight the Sabin Center’s impact in North Carolina with a session on local water quality efforts.

At 11 a.m., Wake Forest Business Professor Pelin Pekgun will discuss food resilience and supply chains with Nikki McCormick, Vice President of Partnerships & Impact at Second Harvest Food Bank. The 3:30 p.m. session, “Pro Humanitate in Action: Partnering for Clearer Data and Cleaner Water,” will feature professors and researchers from Wake Forest’s engineering department discussing their work with community partners, like the Yadkin Riverkeeper, to monitor and develop technologies for improving water quality at High Rock Lake.  

Scott Schang, interim executive director of the Sabin Center, noted the urgency of the event’s focus: “As the environmental challenges of our time grow in scope and complexity, the need for effective collective action accelerates. We must prioritize systems and relationships to ensure just and sustainable outcomes for people and place. This conference will explore how we can integrate scholarship, enterprise, policy and community to drive meaningful change.”

Conference Schedule Highlights

All daytime sessions will be held in the Sutton Center

9:30 – 10:45 a.m.: The Role of Heirs’ Property in Culture, Climate, Conservation and Agriculture. Panel discussion focuses on land jointly owned by descendants without a will and the resulting challenges to economic growth, land protection and cultural identity.

11 a.m – 11:30 a.m. Pro Humanitate in Action: Waste Note, Want Not: Resilient Supply Chains for Greater Food Security. Conversation about opportunities to optimize food bank operations to reduce food waste and increase food security.

Noon – 1 p.m. Protecting People & Place: The Role of Human Rights in Conservation

1:15 – 1:45 p.m. Pro Humanitate in Action: Strengthening Protected Areas through Science-based Management A conversation highlighting the “Science for Parks” program, which is bringing science-based practices to protected areas, including the Peruvian Amazon and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

2 – 3:15 p.m.: Advanced Technology for Earth’s Last Best Places. Panel discussion explores the use of leading-edge conservation technology in monitoring and protecting ancient and critical ecosystems under threat from climate change and resource exploitation.

3:30 – 4 p.m.: Pro Humanitate in Action: Partnering for Clearer Data and Cleaner Water. Wake Forest engineering faculty and Ph.D. candidates discuss their work with community partners to monitor and develop technologies for improving water quality at High Rock Lake.

7 p.m.: Keynote Address: National Geographic CEO Jill Tiefenthaler (Broyhill Auditorium in Farrell Hall)

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Media are invited to cover the keynote and conference sessions.