Director of Sustainability + Sourcing - Coyuchi

Margot Lyons is the Director of Sustainability + Sourcing at Coyuchi and has been sourcing Climate Beneficial™ fibers from Fibershed producers in California for over five years. Coyuchi is a founding member of the California Cotton & Climate Coalition (C4) and is the industry leader for luxury sustainable living for over 30 yrs. In 2021, the company won Textile Exchange’s Ryan Young Award for its Full Circle Recycled Blanket, which Margot helped produce as part of Coyuchi’s innovative 2nd Home Program.

Associate Professor - College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University

Brander’s research program, which has been funded by NOAA, DOE, EPA, NSF, Oregon Sea Grant, and California state agencies, encompasses the fields of toxicology, endocrinology, and ecology, integrating molecular approaches with measurements at the organism and population level. Her current focus is on the effects of stressors, such as emerging pollutants, microplastics (including microfibers!), and climate change, on aquatic organisms. Brander’s group conducts interdisciplinary research and thus she collaborates with ecologists, oceanographers, and fisheries biologists, among other fields. She received a Ph.D. in Toxicology and Pharmacology from UC Davis in 2011, conducting research mainly based at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory.

Chief Impact Officer - Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemistry Foundation (ZDHC)

Scott Echols is an expert in sustainable materials and processes for the apparel and footwear industries. He has B.S and M.S. Degrees in chemistry and over 30 years of experience that has ranged from environmental chemistry to textile and footwear product chemistry. He is currently the Chief Impact Officer for the ZDHC Foundation Roadmap to Zero Programme. Previously, he was part of the Nike Materials Science Innovation group and was the Environmental Manager for C&A Europe.

Founder + Executive Director - Fibershed

Rebecca Burgess is the founder and Executive Director of Fibershed. She 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 also holds a new board position at the Livestock Conservancy and is serving on the leadership council of the Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems at Chico State University.

Director of Science + Innovation - The 5 Gyres Institute

Lisa is the Director of Science & Innovation at the 5 Gyres Institute. She is a microplastics researcher, lifelong sailor, and is passionate about keeping waterways clean for wildlife and people. Lisa completed her PhD at the University of Toronto, where her research focused on the sources, fate, and effects of microfibers in the environment. Currently, Lisa lives in California and is continuing research on microfibers and plastic pollution. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Lisa grew up swimming and sailing on the Great Lakes and holds a deep love of the water.

Chief Scientist - Intrinsic Advanced Materials

Sudeep serves as Chief Scientist at Intrinsic Advanced Materials, where he is the lead-inventor of patented CiCLO® technology, designed to reduce the impacts of fugitive synthetic microfiber pollution caused by textiles. He is a chemical & environmental engineer by profession and is trained in the Cradle to Cradle design framework. He lives with his family in Ojai, California.

Founder + Principal - Materevolve

Krystle Moody Wood is the founder and principal consultant of Materevolve, LLC., a consultancy driven to lead the evolution of our materials world. Materevolve’s mission is to develop and scale innovative regenerative textile systems through the lens of soil, sea, and circularity. Materevolve serves clients in industry, materials innovation, government, and non-profit by providing technical textile consulting, designing nature-forward experiential learning programs, and fostering crucial cross-sector collaborations.

Krystle works with the Materevolve community in the areas of materials innovation, green chemistry, product development, and strategy building to address many of the sustainability challenges impacting our industry today. Krystle’s experience includes leading the development of innovative product and materials for global brands within the VF Corporation portfolio, building successful seed to shelf Climate BeneficialTM textile programs with Fibershed and iconic sustainable brands, advising material innovation startups and natural fiber growers on how to build product systems and scale, and co-authoring a congressional Save Our Seas Act 2.0 Report on Microfiber Pollution with the EPA Trash Free Water Program and the NOAA Marine Debris Program. Krystle also enjoys curating and hosting impactful educational programming such as multi-day conferences, cross-sector workshops, and custom hands-on learning experiences in nature that connect textile and environmental science with solutions.

Ocean Conservation Consultant + Plastic Pollution Expert - Materevolve

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 on microplastics, 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 discuss solutions to microfiber pollution. Her work at Materevolve also includes technical report writing and developing stakeholder workshops on microfiber pollution. Carolynn is a co-founder of Goods Holding Company, a plastic free lifestyle company, and the California Reuse Collective, a network of companies focused on building reuse systems in California.