Jun 10, 2025, 11:00am - 4:30pm
Sustainability in Growth at the New Albany International Business Park
Program Overview:
On June 10th, 2025, Ohio State’s Environmental Professionals Network, in collaboration with the city of New Albany, Ohio and The Nature Conservancy, will highlight how corporations in the New Albany International Business Park implement sustainability strategies to balance economic development with environmental conservation and community health. During this EPN field trip event, attendees will learn about, discuss, and tour efforts related to the sustainability of new development in the New Albany International Business Park. By bringing together environmental and conservation-focused professionals with sustainability-minded corporations, this event intends to build trust and inspire cross-sector solutions oriented partnerships.
During this EPN field trip program, guests will hear from city planners (i.e., economic development specialists) and sustainability specialists from industry users about the importance of water reuse and general sustainability within the development of the New Albany International Business Park. The program will begin with a catered lunch and panel discussion about sustainability projects in and around the New Albany International Business Park.
Following the lunch and panel, guests will take part in a networking session intentionally designed to create connections between a variety of resource managers and resource users to build community and shared understanding of water resource management in the region. Then, attendees will be part of a guided bus tour of the business park and several of its occupants’ important sustainability-oriented projects, with a special stop for refreshments at Intel. In total, the tour will last about 1.5 hours. The tour will conclude at 4:30 p.m. and guests will be dropped off at Brick House Blue.
Agenda:
Note: Guests will meet at Brick House Blue New Albany (7775 Walton Pkwy, New Albany, Ohio 43054), NOT at Ohio State.
11:00 a.m. Doors open at Brick House Blue New Albany. Catered boxed lunches are served; open networking session.
12:00 p.m. Gary Pierzynski, PhD, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at Ohio State, provides opening remarks on the importance of building trust across sectors to balance development and sustainability.
12:05 p.m. Sara Zeigler, Economic Development Manager, City of New Albany
12:15 p.m. Carol Kauffman, Chief Executive Officer, Ohio Environmental Council
12:25 p.m. Adam Lehmann, Central Ohio Water Manager, The Nature Conservancy
12:50 p.m. A panel of presentations on the intersection of development and sustainability in the New Albany International Business Park, moderated by Amy Newsock, Global Associate Director of Freshwater Outcomes, The Nature Conservancy
- Joe Rozza, PE, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ryan Companies
- Jeff King, MBA, Vice President and Head of ESG, Bath and Body Works
- Usman Khan, PhD, MBA, Water Strategy Lead, Amazon Web Services
- Carol Kauffman, CEO, Ohio Environmental Council
1:35 p.m. Break; Coffee is served to participants.
1:50 p.m. Networking session to connect corporate sustainability professionals and local environmental professionals to inspire solutions-focused partnerships and projects. Led by:
- Kristy Hawthorne, Executive Director, Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District
- Mike Schmidt, President, Licking County Foundation
2:45 p.m. Break to load on to buses.
3:00 p.m. Narrated tour of the New Albany International Business Park's development and sustainability efforts, led by Sara Zeigler and Chris Christian.
- Site visit at Intel, led by Emily Smith, Director, Site Development and Community Affairs, Intel Corporation, and Kevin Hoggatt, Director of State Government Affairs for Ohio at Intel Corporation.
4:30 p.m. Buses return to Brick House Blue and event concludes.
Panelists and Speakers
Sara Zeigler, Economic Development Manager, City of New Albany
Sara Zeigler is the economic development manager for the city of New Albany. In her role, Zeigler works to attract companies to New Albany and assists existing company expansions. Prior to her role, Zeigler served as the Deputy Chief of Export and International Engagement at the Ohio Department of Development and Economic Development and Federal Affairs Liaison to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). Zeigler has over 30 years of experience in city, state, and federal government affairs. She served in various positions, including the State of Ohio, Washington D.C. Office, representing economic development and federal issues. Zeigler received her Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from The Ohio State University.
Carol Kauffman, Chief Executive Officer, the Ohio Environmental Council
As Chief Executive Officer for the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) and OEC’s 501(c)(4) affiliated organization, the OEC Action Fund, Carol Kauffman is responsible for providing vision and strategic leadership for both organizations. Kauffman brings more than two decades of nonprofit and corporate experience advocating for environmental, community, and social justice issues, as well as directing sustainability programs and strategies. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Water Efficiency and the Board of Commissioners for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. She is also a member of the State Advisory Board for Climate Power. Kauffman earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Taylor University and a Master’s in International Development from Eastern University.
Adam Lehmann, Central Ohio Water Manager, The Nature Conservancy
Adam leads The Nature Conservancy’s freshwater conservation efforts in Central Ohio, including efforts to remove obstacles to corporate investment in nature-based solutions (NbS) for addressing the region’s water sustainability challenges. He is working to establish a centralized corporate grant program for NbS projects in the region. Adam has nearly two decades of experience in freshwater resource management, working on federal research, regulatory compliance, conservation planning, and project implementation. He holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science from Miami University.
Amy Newsock, Global Associate Director of Freshwater Outcomes, The Nature Conservancy
Amy Newsock is the Global Associate Director of Freshwater Outcomes at The Nature Conservancy. Amy is responsible for supporting the organization in achieving its 2030 goals for freshwater by galvanizing alignment, inspiring commitment, and advancing solutions across over 400 projects in 43 countries. Amy has over a decade of experience leading and supporting international conservation and sustainable development initiatives on a variety of freshwater challenges. She’s led and contributed to efforts around the world, including in the Western Balkans, China, Mexico, the Amazon, Gabon, and Myanmar. She has also led and contributed to publications spanning renewable energy planning and freshwater protection. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and geography from the University of Richmond; lives in Washington, DC; and is thrilled to be back in her home state of Ohio.
Jeff King, Vice President, Head of ESG, Bath & Body Works
Jeff King is the Vice President and Head of ESG for Bath & Body Works, where he works to build an ESG function and strategy for the company. He was previously the Sr. Director for Global Sustainability and Social Impact for the Hershey Company. In this position, he was responsible for Hershey’s environmental sustainability, human rights policies and practices, farmer livelihoods programming, ESG reporting, philanthropic giving and community programs, as well as leading Hershey’s commitment to giving children the best chance to succeed through The Heartwarming Project which focuses on developing youths’ ability to connect and form social connections. Prior to this position, King held various commercial roles, most recently responsible for the strategic direction and regional execution for the Hershey Company’s two biggest franchises, as the Sr. Director of Global Hershey and Reese’s. King has a BBA from the University of Toledo and an MBA from Indiana University.
Joe Rozza, PE, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ryan Companies
From leading the international discussion on Corporate Water Stewardship to discussing the impact of sustainability on brand reputation in the C-suite, Joe Rozza has dedicated more than a quarter of a century to making powerful connections between strategy and sustainability. Rozza leads Ryan as Chief Sustainability Officer to deliver transformational sustainability performance to mitigate risks, drive productivity and create shared social/environmental value for their clients. He is a Professional Engineer and is also a Board Certified Environmental Engineer through the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.
Usman Khan, AMER Water Strategy Lead, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Dr. Usman Khan is the AMER Water Strategy Lead at AWS. Prior to starting this position in 2024, Khan served as the Director of Water for Rowan Digital Infrastructure, and spent five years with AWS as Water Projects Manager and Senior Water Infrastructure Expansion Manager - Global. He holds an MBA from Northwestern University, as well as an MEng and PhD in Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics - Environmental Engineering from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.
Networking Session Speakers
Kristy Hawthorne, Executive Director, Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District
Kristy Hawthorne has served with Licking County Soil & Water for 11 years. In April 2020, Kristy was appointed as the District Program Administrator to lead the organization, and became Executive Director in 2025. She oversees programs such OEPA Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and USDA cost share programs, ODA Farmland Preservation Easement management, and development of Nonpoint Source Implementation Strategies. Kristy chairs and serves on various committees, including Licking County River Round Up, the Licking Land Trust, Hartford Fair Natural Resources Area, and Licking County Farm Bureau Board.
Mike Schmidt, CFRE, President, Licking County Foundation
Mike Schmidt has served as President of the Licking County Foundation since 2023. A philanthropy professional with more than 27 years experience, Schmidt most recently served as Executive Vice president & Partner with Cramer & Associates, a regional nonprofit consulting firm serving a variety of nonprofit sectors and institutions. In this role, he was responsible for driving nonprofit campaigns, crafting unique volunteer structures, facilitating custom strategic planning processes, creating strategic plans, and developing educational presentations.
Kim Winslow, Assistant Director for Outreach and Broader Impacts, The Ohio State University, School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR)
Kim Winslow is the Assistant Director for Outreach and Broader Impacts, specializing in research translation. With a background in environmental policy, she discovered early on that many decisions rely on scientific evidence—but the language of science wasn’t always accessible. Determined to bridge that gap, she pursued a master’s in basic science, where she realized that scientists and policymakers share similar values but often speak past each other. For the past 15 years, Kim has worked to make research more understandable and impactful, helping scientists communicate their work to diverse audiences.
Additional Tour Speakers
Emily Smith, Director, Site Development and Community Affairs, Intel Ohio One
In support of Intel’s $28B investment, Emily Smith leads Site Development and Community Affairs for Intel across the buckeye state. Emily previously served as the Senior Vice President of PR and Media Relations at Huntington National Bank where she oversaw corporate and regional media and public relations activities across Huntington’s multi-state footprint. She also served on the ESG Council, Climate Risk Committee, and the Green Team. Emily spent fifteen years in state government including the Ohio Senate, Ohio Department of Education and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Her prior experience also includes serving as Vice President, Media Relations and Community Engagement at JPMorgan Chase where she served as point person for all media relations, community engagement and green team activities for Ohio and five additional states which encompassed six million customers and 30,000 employees. Emily holds degrees from The Ohio State University, Capital University Law School, and Franklin University.
Kevin Hoggatt, Director of State Government Affairs, Intel
Kevin Hoggatt is Intel’s Director of State Government Affairs for Ohio. In this role, he leads Intel’s engagement with state and federal officials from Ohio, state agencies, and business associations to help successfully execute the company’s $20 billion investment in the construction of two new leading-edge chip factories in Licking County, Ohio. Prior to joining Intel, Hoggatt spent the previous 16 years in various roles with U.S. Senator Rob Portman, serving most recently as State Director, overseeing all operations in Ohio, advising Portman on communications and policy matters, and coordinating with Ohio stakeholders to build support for and advance legislation to help the state. Hoggatt is a graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Chris Christian, Planning Manager, Community Development Department, City of New Albany
Chris Christian is the planning manager for the City of New Albany, leading the planning division within the Community Development Department. He focuses on development projects and both short and long-term planning initiatives. Chris began his career with the city as an intern in 2018 and became a full-time employee after earning his masters degree in City and Regional Planning from The Ohio State University in 2019. He has worked closely with city boards and commissions and manages key planning and design projects. Chris lives in the Clintonville neighborhood of Columbus with his two children, Edwin and Vivian.
Sierra Saumenig, Planner II, Community Development Department, City of New Albany
Sierra brings experience from both local government and private sector planning roles. She currently serves as a Planner II in the Community Development Department for the City of New Albany, where she manages development projects and zoning initiatives. In addition to her professional role, she is the Director of the APA Ohio Central Chapter. Originally from Baltimore, Sierra holds a B.A. in History and Economics from Georgia State University and a Master’s in City and Regional Planning from The Ohio State University.
Additional Information
We strive to host events that are inclusive and accessible to everyone. If you have a disability and require accommodations to fully participate in this activity, please reach out to Hallie Stelzle, EPN Program Assistant (stelzle.2@osu.edu). Requests made five business days in advance will generally allow us to provide seamless access. However, we will make every effort to meet requests made after this time frame. You will be contacted by someone from our staff to discuss your specific needs.
Masks are optional for all event attendees at this event, in accordance with Ohio State’s Safe and Healthy Protocols as of this date. In-person attendees will be expected to follow Ohio State protocols regarding the prevention of COVID-19 transmission. More health and safety information available on this Personal Safety Practices page.
Topic Areas: