ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHANNEL ISLANDS

Timnit Kefela is an environmental scientist, organizer and educator who seeks to better understand (micro)plastic pathways, fates and impacts in effort to inform and design liberatory infrastructural solutions for pollution mitigation and waste management. She holds a BSc and MSc in Biology from Rutgers University-Camden and was the first Black woman to receive her PhD in Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at UC Santa Barbara. Timnit is currently an assistant professor in environmental science and resource management with a focus on environmental justice at California State University-Channel Islands. 

OCEAN CONSERVATION CONSULANT ; CO-FOUNDER | TEXTILE X OCEAN CONNECTOR SAIL

Carolynn Box is an ocean conservation consultant with 20 years of ocean conservation experience, with the last 12 years dedicated to plastic pollution. Carolynn has traveled more than 25,000 miles researching microplastics on ocean expeditions with the 5 Gyres Institute and completed multiple regional studies, including work within the San Francisco Bay. She is currently working with Materevolve to build experiential learning programs that bring together textile professionals and ocean scientists to identify solutions to textile derived pollution, including microfiber pollution, along with leading stakeholder engagement, workshop and technical report development, including co-authoring the congressional Save Our Seas Act 2.0 Report on Microfiber Pollution with the EPA Trash Free Water Program and the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

FOUNDER | SEELIE STUDIO

Seelie Studio is a natural dye company pioneering the world’s first sea urchin dye kits and hands-on workshops. We use urchin dye as an educational tool to tell the story of declining kelp forests around the world. Join us at the crosscurrent of environmental responsibility, scientific inquiry, and artistic expression.

PLASTICS PROJECT DIRECTOR | THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

Patrick Jurney oversees initiatives to significantly mitigate plastic pollution and his responsibilities include leading projects to curtail microfiber emissions, assessing and mitigating the harms of plastics in agriculture, and advocating for legislative measures to address single-use plastics. Prior to this role, Patrick supported dozens of cities and counties in implementing their Climate Action Plans, directed a record-breaking campaign office to pass Senate Bill 54, California’s landmark plastic pollution bill, and organized UC Berkeley to become the first university to commit to phase out single-use plastics by 2030. Patrick graduated from Colorado College with degrees in Environmental Science and Southwest Studies.

PH.D. CANDIDATE | OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Lauren Kashiwabara is a Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Ph.D. Candidate in the Brander lab at Oregon State University. Her research focuses on the effects of microfibers at different production stages on mysid shrimp.

SUSTAINABILITY & ESG STRATEGIST

Katina Boutis is a sustainability strategist with 15 years of experience helping consumer brands translate climate ambition into business strategy, operational change, and measurable impact. Most recently, she served as Head of Sustainability & Sourcing at Everlane, where she built and led the company’s sustainability strategy across climate, supply chain transformation, ESG reporting, and brand communications. Her work focuses on helping companies build credible, business-integrated sustainability strategies that deliver both climate impact and long-term resilience. She holds a M.S. in Sustainability Management from Columbia University.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | FIBERSHED

Rebecca Burgess has two decades of experience working at the intersection of ecology, fiber systems, and regional economic development. She is the author of the best-selling book Harvesting Color, a bioregional look into the natural dye traditions of North America, and Fibershed: Growing a Movement of Farmers, Fashion Activists, and Makers for a New Textile Economy released in 2019. She has taught at Westminster College, Harvard University, and California College of the Arts. She serves on the leadership council of the Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems at Chico State University, as Board Secretary for Hukuuiko (a non-profit serving the Coast Miwok Tribal Council), and on the board of the Carbon Cycle Institute.

ADVOCACY MANAGER | FIBERSHED; HEALTHY TEXTILES COALITION COORDINATOR

Alex’s path is rooted in a deep connection to ecology and education, spanning regenerative agriculture, global impact campaigns, and farmer-centered research in circularity, bioregional design, and sustainable material innovation. With an MSc in Regenerative Studies, she applies her research to advance regenerative practices and circular systems that benefit communities, industries, and ecosystems. She brings this experience to her work at Fibershed by collaborating with land stewards, designers, and organizations to advocate for climate-beneficial and regenerative practices across the textile supply chain.

FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL | TORUS CONSULTING, LLC

Lauren Bright has interwoven over a decade of product creation, supply chain, green chemistry, and business expertise into a "collective impact" consultancy, Torus Consulting, LLC. As Founder and Principal Consultant of Torus, she has architected, directed, and provided technical guidance to various industry-leading projects and initiatives in next-generation materials, biomimetic nutrient flows, circularity, regenerative agriculture, and equity-centered systems which are grounded in action, implementation, and the importance of place. Her multinational collaborative efforts span brands, innovators, value chain partners, research institutions, government organizations, municipalities, and NGOs.

FOUNDER | MATEREVOLVE ; CO-FOUNDER | TEXTILE X OCEAN CONNECTOR SAIL

Krystle Moody Wood is the founder and principal consultant of Materevolve, LLC. - a consultancy firm driven to lead the evolution of our materials world. Krystle serves clients in industry, government, non-profit and academia through the areas of materials innovation, green chemistry, product development, project management, and strategy building to address many of the textile sustainability challenges impacting our world today. Krystle’s experience includes leading the development of innovative product and materials for iconic global brands, advising material innovation startups and natural fiber growers on how to build sustainable product systems to scale, and co-authoring the congressional Save Our Seas Act 2.0 Report on Microfiber Pollution with the EPA Trash Free Water Program and the NOAA Marine Debris Program.