JJR Marketing, Inc —————Unable to attend ref

Entrepreneur

Jacqueline S. Ruiz is a visionary social entrepreneur that has created an enterprise of inspiration. Her keen sense of service coupled with the vision to bring good to the world have led her to create two successful award-winning companies, two nonprofit organizations, author of 29 books, launched many creative products, and held dozens of events and published hundreds of inspirational stories around the world.

She is often referred to as a “dream catcher” as her strategies have supported thousands of women, authors and young ladies achieve their a life of significance. Jacqueline’s quest to be a servant leader extends to every area of her life. She has shared her inspiration in four continents and aligned with some of the powerful brands to elevate others. At her young age, she has achieved what most would not do in an entire lifetime. Being a cancer survivor sparked a sense of urgency to serve and transcend. Jacqueline believes that magix (yes, a made up word that means magic x 10) is the interception of profit and impact. 

Born in Mexico City, Jacqueline S. Ruiz moved to the United States at age 14 where she learned English and German shortly after. From a very early age Jackie devoured amazing literature. Authors like Dale Carnegie, Zig Ziglar, Napoleon Hill and other business icons influenced the launch of her award-winning marketing and public relations agency JJR Marketing in 2006  and international media/publishing company Fig Factor Media in 2014. She is a regular guest on TV and radio including CBS World News, CBS Chicago, WGN-TV, ABC7 News, WGN Radio 720, Univision, and has been featured in Forbes Magazine, INC and many others.

Jacqueline currently serves as a board member for the The Fig Factor Foundation, the Alumni Executive Board at the College of DuPage, LovePurse and the World Leaders Forum.  She is a recent graduate of the DePaul University Women Entrepreneurship Cohort 3 and the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Latino Business Action Network Cohort 11. She represents the 2.6% of women entrepreneurs with over seven figures in the United States. She was recently named “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Chicago, “Enterprising Woman of the Year” in the 1M category by Enterprising Women Magazine and received the “Entrepreneurial Excellence Award” by Daily Herald Suburban Business, among other awards.

Jacqueline is one of the very few Latina sports airplane pilots in the United States and the founder of Latinas in Aviation global brand that now includes the book, magazine, scholarship and events. She believes that “taking off is optional, landing on your dreams is mandatory.”

Givey Kochanowski

synopsis:

Us Department of Interior

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Regional Director

Givey Kochanowski is a member of the Senior Executive Service and regional director for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Region. Stationed in Anchorage, Alaska, he is responsible for the environmentally and economically responsible development of America’s Arctic marine energy and minerals in a region spanning more than 1 billion acres.   

In his previous capacity at the Department of Energy, he served as senior advisor and Alaska program manager. Prior to his decade with DOE, he served in a wide range of federal military and civilian capacities where he developed in-depth expertise in global, Alaska and remote logistics. He served as the U.S. General Services Administration’s customer service director for Alaska, where he was instrumental in expanding tribal use of federal contracting and supply programs. He served in a similar capacity in GSA’s Germany Field Office supporting U.S. activities across Africa, Europe and the Middle East. He began his civil service career as the U.S. Forest Service’s Alaska regional fleet manager, where he led organizational and safety cultural change for a diverse fleet of ground, water and aircraft equipment. 

Kochanowski graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a BS in history, then attended logistics plans officer training at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB), Texas. He served in logistics leadership duties at Eglin AFB, Florida; Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea; and Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. In support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, he deployed to Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territories as the acting Air Force detachment commander. He earned a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Oklahoma and a certificate in Lean Logistics from St. Louis University.   

In a volunteer capacity, he was appointed by the Governor of Alaska to the Alaska Historical Commission and the Veterans Advisory Council.   

Bill Schnabel

UAF College of Engineering and Mines

Dean

Dr. Bill Schnabel began his appointment as CEM Dean in January 2019. Prior to that, he served as Director of the Institute of Northern Engineering, Director of the Water and Environmental Research Center, and also held positions as a research faculty member, an academic faculty member, and a private sector environmental engineer. Dr. Schnabel holds tenure as a Professor of Environmental Engineering in CEM’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. His research interests include food-energy-water system dynamics, arctic/subarctic infrastructure planning, cold-region hydrologic processes, and water quality. Dr. Schnabel earned a BS in Chemistry from Purdue University (1991), an MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Iowa (1996), and a PhD in Environmental Systems Engineering from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (2000).

Rachell Murphy

alaska plastic recovery

Sales and Marketing Director

Rachell joined the APR team in March of 2024. Like Pat, she grew up in Cordova and shares a profound commitment to creating a sustainable future for generations of Alaskans. Rachell’s passion for environmental conservation and her dedication to addressing the plastic problem make her an invaluable addition to the team. Together, Pat and Rachell work tirelessly to transform waste into valuable construction products, fostering a cleaner, greener Alaska.

Our Mission is to transform plastic waste materials into valuable resources.

Robert Shields

Alliance for Reason and Knowledge

Founder

Robert Shields is an ecological industrialist, a professional driven to develop the built environment using the deep wisdom of the natural world. As the founder of the Alliance for Reason and Knowledge, ARK, Mr. Shields has a proven track record as an educator, advocate, and strategic advisor for how to achieve saving and profits by investments into permaculture homes, communities, and cities. As Alaska's first Just Communities accredited professional, Mr. Shields has been advancing private equity partnerships that seek to lower the cost of living, improve the quality of life, and enable us to leave an enduring legacy for generations to come.

Synopsis:

Attracting social impact investors, and supported by unanimous resolutions from the FNSB assembly, the City of Fairbanks, the board of GVEA, and Representative Ashley Carrick in 2023, the North Star Economic Development District (NEDD) is a template for a comprehensive economic development strategy that encompases an economically viable climate action and adaptation plan, a regional transportation plan, as well as a regional investment strategy enabling the FNSB to serve as a model of resilience and prosperity for communities around the state. Based on existing projects providing results the world over, NEDD serves to focus the conversation not on one at the expense of the other but simply how we can turn the divide between the economy and the environment into a multiplier for generational wealth.

Debu Misra

Roy Mink

University Alaska Fairbanks

Geological Engineering Professor

Debu has been teaching for 22 years at UAF.  He teaches both undergraduate and graduate level courses in Geological Engineering and his area of interest and proficiency is in the general area of Hydrology and Hydraulic Processes, which includes non‐isothermal multiphase fluid flow and transport in porous media, characterization of georesources and subsurface hydraulic properties, numerical methods and artificial intelligence applications, remote sensing and geophysical methods. His research has been focused on hydraulic processes in terrestrial and nearshore coastal environments in cold climates.

Mink Geohydro

President

Dr. Roy Mink Ph.D. is a Registered Professional Geologist with more than 45 years experience in geothermal exploration, direct use, and power development. Dr. Mink sat on the Geothermal Resources Council board of directors as well as Greenfield Sustainable Energy and US Geothermal. He has served as the U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Program Manager and has held faculty positions with Southern Methodist University, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Idaho, and Boise State University. His experience also includes program manager for Morrison Knutson Company and currently President of Mink GeoHydro. Dr. Mink has been instrumental in the development of geothermal direct use and power, both domestically and globally.

Art Nash

UAF Cooperative Extension

Energy Specialist

Art has worked with housing/energy construction while providing educational services in Fairbanks, Interior villages, Southcentral and Valdez since moving to Alaska in the early 90s.

Speaking Sessions:

• Blackout Backup Energy

• Thermal Control for Produce Storage Cellars and Rooms

• Season Extension and Greenhouse Heat