Or Jessica Mi, 26, who leads carbon accounting and cross-functional decarbonization initiatives at design software firm Autodesk. Her analysis quantified $2 million of cloud efficiency savings as 135 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided, helping engineers understand the climate benefits of cloud optimization.
Or Yao Yao, 26, an industrial engineer with semiconductor company Microchip Technology. She created the manufacturer’s first life-cycle assessment models and built an internal LCA calculator that cut analysis times from six months to just eight weeks.
Selection Process
A team of Trellis climate journalists and experts evaluated 30 under 30 applicants based on their demonstrated sustainability leadership and the measurable, quantifiable impact of their work to address climate change.
Honorees were required to have done the climate work while employed at a company or organization (not while a student) in the last two years. The honorees are 30 or younger as of Oct. 1, 2026.
They are listed here alphabetically by last name. Read through and click here for all 30 profiles to get insights into how these early-career professionals are delivering results at Amazon, JLL, Solventum and more.
The 2026 Honorees
- Michael Bangert-Drowns, 29, Champions zero-emission fleets. Senior Project Manager – Clean Transportation at New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
- Hannah Black, 29, Stewards water and nature strategy. Sustainability Manager, Engagement & Sustainable Solutions at Trane Technologies
- Matthew Boucher, 28, Builds supplier emissions-reduction initiatives. Sustainability Manager at Stanley Black & Decker
- Sara Buxton, 29, Reduces buildings’ energy use. Sustainability Implementation Engineer at James Hardie Building Products
- Paige Chase, 26, Directs cleaner TV production sets. Sustainability Strategist at Chicago Fire/Chicago Med/Chicago PD
- Lina Daniel, 29, Decarbonizes corporate real estate. Energy and Sustainability Manager at JLL
- Giovanna Eichner, 25, Represents shareholders’ corporate climate interests. Shareholder Advocate at Green Century Capital Management
- Diana Ewing, 24, Drives sustainable transportation initiatives. Logistics Optimization Specialist at Solventum
- Karin Finney, 27, Engineers emissions cuts for Barbie. Associate Manager, Global Operations Sustainability
- Emma Galarza, 29, Cuts fuel consumption. Program Manager, Fuel Efficiency – Fleet and Flying Ops at Delta Air Lines
- Maggie Hammond, 29, Manages sustainable procurement strategy. Senior Consultant, Responsible Procurement at TransUnion
- Alexandra Kornberger, 29, Takes stock of supplier emissions. Environmental Reporting Specialist at Nasdaq
- Ian Lin, 26, Tracks environmental data. Senior ESG Analyst at Four Seasons
- Gabriel Lobet, 27, Cultivates sustainable agriculture programs. Founder at Confluence Point Strategy & Policy
- Jessica Mi, 26, Measures AI and cloud footprints. Senior Program Analyst, Sustainable Operations and ESG at Autodesk
- Anna Michael, 28, Leads sustainability strategy. Sustainability Manager at Schuman Cheese
- Nandin Natsagdorj, 29, Recovers rare earths from robots. Senior Sustainability Technical Program Manager at Amazon
- Wendy Ng, 29, Leads circular design. Program Manager, Supply Chain Sustainability – Circular Design at Cisco
- Ella Parekh, 26, Manages offset and engagement programs. Senior Sustainability Lead at MetLife
- Rowan Parris, 29, Brings environmental practices to construction sites. Regional Sustainability Manager at Turner Construction
- Michelle Pawlow, 28, Advocates traceability for health supplements. EU Retail and Sustainability Senior Director at AG1
- Claudia Pilcher, 25, Plots climate strategy in publishing. Sustainability Manager at Scholastic
- Olivia Spaulding, 28, Designs packaging reuse programs for big retailers. Senior Program Manager at Closed Loop Partners
- Sam Sugerman, 26, Restores native prairie grassland. Director, Environmental Markets at Roeslein & Associates
- Shi-Zhou Tan, 28, Manages climate-tech sustainability metrics. Head of Sustainability and Compliance at Flint Labs
- Stephanie Taviner, 28, Encourages suppliers to decarbonize. Value Chain Sustainability Lead at SAP
- Madeline Thompson, 25, Reduces aviation emissions. Senior Sustainability Manager, Carbon Markets and Decarbonization Strategy at Air New Zealand
- Bess Waldram, 28, Develops methane reduction strategies. Project Manager, Dairy Corporate Partnerships at Environmental Defense Fund
- Yao Yao, 26, Manages data analysis for semiconductor manufacturing. ESG Assurance Engineer at Microchip Technology
- Angela Zhong, 23, Models climate tech’s potential. Senior Analyst at GridCare