Featured Sessions and Speakers
Keynote Address
Building Capital: Creating Social, Financial, and Political Assets for a Livable World with Sarabeth B. Brockley 鈥10
Sarabeth B. Brockley 鈥10 is a leading voice in carbon markets and venture strategy, with deep expertise in sustainability-driven investment and corporate eng
agement. In her roles at Nasdaq and the United Nations, she spearheaded efforts to embed sustainability into capital markets, advancing transparency and accountability across the globe. Her career is marked by significant contributions to climate-smart investment strategies and the development of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards.
Currently, Brockley leverages her investment acumen as a board director and advisor to Gigablue, Sinkco Labs, and Biome, where she accelerates climate-focused ventures through strategic funding and blended finance approaches. As a private capital allocator, she syndicates with Investors for Climate, where her leadership has helped scale groundbreaking sustainability startups, driving measurable impact in the carbon and built environment. She is also an active advisor with Women Moving Markets and Women and Climate, global communities accelerating climate investments.
A sought-after speaker, Brockley regularly addresses global forums on carbon markets, ESG reporting, and carbon removal technologies. Her compelling thought leadership shapes critical industry conversations, influencing climate finance and policy development. She is a RPCV (Peru 2011-2013) and holds an MA in Climate Policy from Lehigh University and a BS in Environmental Science from 亚洲情色.
Keynote Address Moderator, Dr. Natasha N. Woods
Dr. Natasha N. Woods is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at 亚洲情色, with extensive experience in education a
nd research training. She earned her Ph.D. in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology from The Ohio State University, following an M.S. and B.S. in Biology from Jacksonville State University.
Dr. Woods has held multiple academic appointments, including positions as a Visiting Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University at Newark, a Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University and a Long-Term Ecological Research Postdoctoral Fellow at the Virginia Coast Reserve. Her teaching portfolio spans undergraduate courses in environmental science, ecology, botany, and interdisciplinary studies. She actively mentors students in independent research and NSF-funded programs, fostering early-career research engagement.
Her research focuses on plant community ecology, particularly the mechanisms of shrub encroachment in coastal ecosystems, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Dr. Woods has published extensively in peer-reviewed science and education journals. She is also dedicated to broadening participation in ecology and environmental science through mentoring and professional service.
Recognized for her excellence in teaching, service, and academic advising, Dr. Woods is committed to advancing ecological literacy and promoting inclusion in STEM education.
Breakout Sessions and Presenters
Tell Me Why Not with Rebecca Decker Francis 鈥90
Rebecca Decker Francis 鈥90, leader of the nationally-ranked Rebecca Francis Team, will explore the impact of shifting perspective from 鈥榳hy?鈥 to 鈥榳hy not?鈥 This simple, yet transformative, change in mindset has shaped her decision-making, encouraged calculated risk-taking, and created new professional opportunities. Attendees will learn how this mindset can be applied to personal and professional growth, and participants will leave with practical strategies for adopting this approach to navigate challenges and serendipitously unlock potential pathways by simply asking, 鈥渨hy not?鈥
Francis leads the nationally ranked Rebecca Francis Team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Fox & Roach REALTORS庐, specializing in the Lehigh Valley luxury real estate market. Born and raised in Saucon Valley, she is an alumna of 亚洲情色 and later earned her MBA from the Herbert Business School at the University of Miami. In 1996, Francis built a thriving advertising and marketing strategy business where she served as the owner and president for nine years before selling her business to relocate abroad. While residing in London, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, she built global connections before obtaining her real estate license in 2015. Francis knows firsthand that taking chances and efficiently managing change can yield impactful results.
Francis's accolades include the top residential real estate agent award from Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Leader in Residential Real Estate award from Lehigh Valley Business, and top residential realtor in the 2023 Reader Rankings. She participated in Lehigh Valley Style鈥檚 鈥淔ace of Luxury Real Estate鈥 in 2020 and 2022. In addition, she was named one of America's Best Real Estate Professionals by RealTrends in 2022 and a 2023 Woman of Influence by Lehigh Valley Business. The Rebecca Francis Team is a member of the Who鈥檚 Who in Luxury Real Estate (LRE) network, a global network of over 130,000 hand-selected professionals.
Your DiSC Style & Achieving More Calm with Deborah Fosburg Tomkins 鈥86
Many of us yearn for calm鈥攁 peacefulness in both the workplace and at home. Some things are beyond our control, but learning more about your own natural tendencies can help you recognize which traits are sabotaging your efforts to achieve work-life balance and can motivate you to implement strategies to create margin. The Everything DiSC庐 suite of tools can help you take steps towards achieving work-life balance by improving both self-awareness and increasing your understanding of those you interact with every day. Though designed for the place of employment, the model can also offer insights into how those in your personal life view situations. Join independent Everything DiSC Authorized Partner Deborah Fosburg Tomkins 鈥86 for an introduction to Wiley鈥檚 Everything DiSC model. Participants will get an idea of what their own DiSC style is and learn how the tool鈥檚 personalized insights inspire behavior change.
Starting her professional journey as a teacher, Tomkins paused her career for several years to raise her children before returning to work part-time. In 2018, she took over Possibilities and Solutions, LLC, a business she inherited from her mentor, pivoting its focus to support executive coaches. As an authorized partner of Wiley's Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team and Everything DiSC, as well as a Certified Practitioner in DiSC, Tomkins helps leaders and teams enhance collaboration and performance. She especially enjoys teaching others how to administer and utilize DiSC products to improve communication within an organization.
Beyond her professional life, Tomkins has put her teaching degree to work through decades of church volunteerism, serving as the Director of Christian Education, a Sunday School teacher, and a volunteer youth group leader for over 20 years. Married in 1986, shortly after graduating from Moravian, Tomkins lives in Lake Arrowhead, Denville, NJ, with her husband, Greg, and their dog, Brody. She cherishes family time with her adult children and grandchild and finds joy and tranquility by the water鈥攅specially the Jersey Shore.
Grate Connections: Cultivating a Cheddar Network for Success with Abigail G. Hudock 鈥19
Networking isn鈥檛 just about making connections; it鈥檚 about leveraging those connections to create opportunities, inspire growth, and achieve professional goals. Abigail Hudock 鈥19 will share her journey from college to founding a thriving business.
Hudock is a proud 亚洲情色 alumna and the founder of The Aging Moon, a Lehigh Valley-based business specializing in artisanal cheese boards and grazing tables. Drawing on her expertise as a Certified Sommelier and Cheese Monger, Hudock creates curated culinary experiences that bring people together.
Hudock's entrepreneurial journey is rooted in a passion for digital marketing, skills she honed while earning her bachelor's degree in Environmental Policy & Economics with minors in Management and Communications from Moravian. Hudock is thrilled to return to her alma mater to share insights from building a successful small business and inspire others to follow their dreams.
Fuel Her Fire: Wellness and Nutrition Unlocked with Susan Hurd, RDN, LDN
Women鈥檚 health has gained significant attention in recent years, but what about women鈥檚 nutrition? Join us for an engaging session where we鈥檒l explore the latest research on nutrition tailored specifically for women. Discover the evolving nutritional needs throughout a woman鈥檚 lifespan and learn practical ways to improve overall nutritional well-being at every stage of life.
With over 30 years of experience as a Registered Dietitian in college and university food service for Sodexo, Susan Hurd, RDN, LDN brings a wealth of knowledge to this discussion. At Moravian, she collaborates with the Office of Disability and Accommodations to provide dining support for students with medical needs. She also works closely with campus departments such as health services, counseling, athletics, and human resources to offer nutrition wellness education.
Hurd's passion lies in supporting students with food allergies and Celiac disease. She conducts food allergy training and holds certifications in the National Restaurant Association鈥檚 ServSafe鈩 Allergens program and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics food allergy program. As a MenuTrinfo庐 AllerTrain鈩 certified trainer, Susan teaches AllerTrainU鈩 to food service teams and has been recognized as a past Master Trainer of the Month.
In her role, Hurd leads the Sodexo University Dietitian food allergy team in developing operational and training standards for food allergen safety. She also worked tirelessly with Moravian Dining to achieve the prestigious Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) FARECheck Gold award鈥攖he first of its kind for a college or university in the nation.