Speaker 2021

Bio

Kamia currently works at Indonesia's State Electricity Company (PLN) as the Manager of Climate Change. She has been involved in carbon credit projects since 2009 and actively participated in climate change discussions, including several UN Climate Change Conferences.

Kamia completed her Ph.D. degree in Energy and Climate Change at the University of Twente in 2019. She continues her affiliation with the University of Twente as a visiting scholar since then. In June 2020, she was selected as a research fellow of the 4TU Resilience Engineering, the Dutch Knowledge Center in Resilience Engineering of the four universities of technology in the Netherlands.

She published numerous papers in high-ranked scientific journals (e.g. Applied Energy, Energy Policy, Cleaner Production) and has presented her works at numerous international conferences. She also writes articles for The Jakarta Post, The Conversation, Channel News Asia and Energy Reporters. She was recently selected as an expert reviewer of the Second Order Draft Working Group II of the Sixth IPCC Assessment Report (AR6). In 2018, she served on an Expert Panel at the UN Climate Change Conference COP24 discussing the topic of Young Professionalism for Climate Resilience.

Bio

Karen L. Freeman is the Acting Assistant Administrator for Asia.

A Career Minister with the U.S. Foreign Service, Ms. Freeman was previously the Assistant to the Administrator for the Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs. Before that, she was the Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA). Prior to that, she served as Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Kenya and the East Africa Mission. Before being appointed Mission Director in Nairobi, she was the Senior Deputy Mission Director in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Other Senior Management positions include the USAID/Ethiopia Deputy Mission Director from 2002 to 2005, during the height of the 2002 to 2003 humanitarian crises, when she directed delivery of more than $530 million in relief. She also served from 2006 to 2011 as USAID Mission Director in Zimbabwe, overseeing a program focused on ensuring the well-being of the people of Zimbabwe during the height of historic hyperinflation, political transition and violence.

Ms. Freeman began her career with USAID in 1983 in the Office of Central American Affairs. In 1990, she joined the International Development Intern program and served in USAID/El Salvador as the Deputy Program Officer. In 1994, Ms. Freeman was Deputy Program Officer in South Africa and Director of Program and Project Development in 1998. She moved to USAID/Uganda as Chief of Program and Project Development from 2000 to 2002.

Ms. Freeman holds an undergraduate degree in International Relations from Boston University and a Master in Science Degree in Strategic Policy Making from the National War College.

Bio

Karen L. Freeman is the Acting Assistant Administrator for Asia.

A Career Minister with the U.S. Foreign Service, Ms. Freeman was previously the Assistant to the Administrator for the Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs. Before that, she was the Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA). Prior to that, she served as Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Kenya and the East Africa Mission. Before being appointed Mission Director in Nairobi, she was the Senior Deputy Mission Director in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Other Senior Management positions include the USAID/Ethiopia Deputy Mission Director from 2002 to 2005, during the height of the 2002 to 2003 humanitarian crises, when she directed delivery of more than $530 million in relief. She also served from 2006 to 2011 as USAID Mission Director in Zimbabwe, overseeing a program focused on ensuring the well-being of the people of Zimbabwe during the height of historic hyperinflation, political transition and violence.

Ms. Freeman began her career with USAID in 1983 in the Office of Central American Affairs. In 1990, she joined the International Development Intern program and served in USAID/El Salvador as the Deputy Program Officer. In 1994, Ms. Freeman was Deputy Program Officer in South Africa and Director of Program and Project Development in 1998. She moved to USAID/Uganda as Chief of Program and Project Development from 2000 to 2002.

Ms. Freeman holds an undergraduate degree in International Relations from Boston University and a Master in Science Degree in Strategic Policy Making from the National War College.

Bio

Dr. Kari Dahlgren (PhD) is a Research Fellow in the Emerging Technologies Research Lab at Monash University in Melbourne Australia. Kari is a social anthropologist and ethnographer interested in the social and ethical aspects of energy production and consumption in Australia.

She currently works on the Digital Energy Futures ARC Linkage project, a partnership between the Australian Research Council, Monash University, AusNet Services, Ausgrid and Energy Consumers Australia Limited.

The project aims to understand and forecast changing digital lifestyle trends and their impact on future household electricity demand, including at peak times. The project expects to generate new knowledge by employing digital ethnography and sociological theories to investigate how changing social practices will impact on electricity sector planning.

Bio

"Kate has over 16 years of experience working on climate change and sustainable development policy, financing, and technology projects across the Asia Pacific region. She is passionate about building a sustainable and inclusive global future and helping people to be educated, effective participants. Kate is a Senior Climate Change Specialist at the Asian Development Bank based in Manila where she focuses on climate policy and financing, supporting countries in the Asia and the Pacific region with the transformation to climate-resilient and low carbon development, and promoting multilateral and regional cooperation on climate change. Prior to this, Kate ran a climate change consultancy in Sydney. Kate holds a Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering and a Master of Engineering majoring in Energy Policy and Planning."

Bio

Laila is the Programme Manager for the UK Government’s £50m Clean Energy Innovation Facility (CEIF), and policy lead on sustainable cooling and energy storage in developing countries. The programme uses Official Development Assistance to help accelerate the commercialisation of innovative clean energy technologies in developing countries through research, development and demonstration. She has previously worked with the G7/G20 Research Groups, UN Environment and the World Bank in climate change and sustainability. Laila holds a Master’s degree in Global Energy and Sustainability from Sciences Po, Paris and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Ottawa, Canada.

Bio

With over a decade of experience in economic analysis and energy policy, Lana Zaman is an Associate Sustainable Development Officer to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development Goals. Previously, Ms. Zaman served as Associate Economic Affairs Officer to the Energy Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, where she managed the division’s energy access portfolio. Prior to that, she worked with the Washington DC-based Social Impact where she led and managed impact evaluations of international development programmes for clients including the US Department of Agriculture and USAID. Ms. Zaman has additionally conducted energy research projects for organizations including the Environmental Defense Fund, the Center for Clean Air Policy, and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. She holds a Master of Public Policy from UC Berkeley's Goldman School and a B.A. in Mathematical Economics from Brown University.

Bio

Lanvin Concessao is a Project Associate for the Energy Program at the WRI India. His primary area of work is energy access for development, focusing on the health, education and livelihoods sector in Indian states that are vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Lanvin provides guidance to development partners working in remote and rural areas to design, implement and assess the impact of clean energy solutions.

Prior to joining WRI, Lanvin worked at Oorja Solutions, where he was involved in project planning, management and reporting of solar projects for productive use appliances, as well as local partnership building and impact management. He has also worked as a consultant at FAO and UNDP, supporting the deployment of solar hybrid systems in multiple UN Country Offices in Asia and Africa, as part of the UN’s Greening the Blue initiative.

Lanvin holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Manipal University, India and a master’s degree, with a specialization in Renewable Energy Systems, from University of Strathclyde, UK.

Bio

Leah Gutierrez is the Director General of the Pacific Department (PARD) at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila, Philippines.

Ms. Gutierrez is a national of the Philippines. She holds a doctorate degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, USA and a bachelor's degree in business economics from the University of the Philippines. Ms. Gutierrez has more than 33 years of professional experience with 19 years at ADB. She is an economist with social sector experience in both project operations and policy research.

Prior to joining ADB, she was in the faculty of the Department of Public Administration of Syracuse University's Maxwell School in New York, USA. She joined ADB in 2000 as a project economist and progressed through various levels of responsibility across operations and non-operations departments. Since 2012, she has held managerial roles in an operations department, the corporate secretary office, and the strategy department.

Prior to joining the Pacific Department, she served as the Deputy Director General of the Strategy, Policy and Partnerships Department.

Bio

Mr. Lei Zhang has 24 years of professional experience in the development and administration of infrastructure projects. He joined East Asia Sustainable Infrastructure Division as Unit Head of Project Administration on 18 April 2020. He has worked for around 5 years each in South Asia Energy Division and Central and West Asia Energy Division including 3 years and 3 months outpost at Pakistan Resident Mission. Prior to joining ADB, He worked in a large Chinese state-owned enterprise on investment and engineer-procurement-construction of infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia, as a site engineer, commercial manager, project manager, and Managing Director of its subsidiary company in Thailand.

Bio

Leila Pourarkin is Deputy Director for International Climate Finance at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in the UK. She heads the International Climate Finance team responsible for building deep and lasting climate partnerships with countries, underpinned by a portfolio of technical assistance programmes aimed at building capacity for accelerated climate action (UK PACT, 2050 Calculator, NDC Partnership, and the Climate Finance Accelerator).

Prior to this, she held a range of leadership roles within the UK’s International Climate Finance and International Climate Negotiations teams. She led the BEIS International Private Climate Finance Portfolio, and before that was an EU climate negotiator in the run up to the Paris Agreement and headed the UK Delegation in the UNFCCC. Leila holds a Master of Public Administration, Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University and a Master of Business Administration from ESCP Europe Business School.

Bio

Mr. Li Junfeng is the First Director of National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation and he currently serving as the Chairman of academic committee of NCSC. He wins Ninth Annual Zayed Future Energy Prize Lifetime Achievement Award in January of the year 2017. He also is a member of National Energy Advisory Council, a member of Expert-committee of National High-tech Program, a member of expert committee of National Ecological and Environmental Protection, a member of Expert-committee of National Energy Administration Energy Internet, etc. And, he also serves as a consultant of low carbon development for Beijing, Shanghai and Shanxi Provincial People’s Government. Meanwhile, he is invited to be the professor and doctoral supervisor by Renmin University of China and other colleges and universities of China.

Currently, Mr. Li is also the President of both Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association (CREIA) and Renewable Energy Professional Committee of China Energy Research Society. From 2011 to 2016, Mr. Li used to serve as the Director General of National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC). From 1982 to 2011, Mr. Li has dedicated his nearly three decades career life worked in Energy Research Institute of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and used to serve as the Deputy Director General of ERI and the Chairman of Academic Committee of ERI for more than 10 years.

The major publications of Mr. Li are China’s Low Carbon Energy Strategy Study, Strategic Research on Climate Change, Ecological Civilization Construction and Energy Revolution, Study on the Control of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in China, China Renewable Energy Technology Evaluation, Wind power 12, Interpretation of the People's Republic of China Renewable Energy Law, China PV Power Technology Market Analysis, Study on the Development Strategy of Renewable Energy in China, etc. Besides, as one of the main authors, Mr. Li also participated in the preparation of the IPCC second to fourth evaluation reports.