Panel Speakers

Sami Aaron

Sami’s enduring concern for the world around us led her to establish The Resilient Activist, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering resilience in the face of environmental challenges by nurturing community, promoting personal well-being, and stewarding vital ecological health.

This mission is deeply rooted in her own experience with climate grief. Her son, Kevin, a passionate environmental activist, was overwhelmed by the emotional toll of his work, believing his own well-being was secondary to the planet’s needs. He died by suicide in 2003.

In addition to her leadership at The Resilient Activist, Sami actively contributes her time and expertise to several important roles:

• Member of the Climate Psychology Alliance North America, and an affiliate of the Climate Psychiatry Alliance – professional communities that train mental health practitioners in climate-conscious care and raise awareness about the psychological impacts of climate change.
• Climate Reality Leader – part of a global network of volunteers trained by Nobel Laureate, Al Gore, to educate communities worldwide about climate change.
• County Extension Master Naturalist – committed to fostering the vital relationship between people and nature through conservation and restoration of natural habitats and wildlife.
• Meditation teacher – emphasizing the healing power of nature and the innate bond between humans and the natural world.
• Author of the article “Climate Activists and Psychological Distress” in Ecopsychepedia, exploring the mental health challenges faced by those on the frontlines of environmental advocacy.

In all her endeavors, Sami is dedicated to inspiring others toward a life enriched by deep connection with nature and a mindful, harmonious relationship with Earth.

Mahreen Ansari

Mahreen Ansari is the Campaign Coordinator of Better Buses for KC, an initiative of volunteer-led Sunrise Movement KC, fighting for a frequent, reliable, dignified, and free bus system. Mahreen got their start with Sunrise Movement KC in 2019 as a sophomore at the University of Missouri-Kansas City after a school walkout was hosted at their campus. They have held multiple roles over the years in the organization from Equity Lead to Communications Lead, organizing to win a better present and future for the city they grew up in.

Mahreen grew up in Southeast Kansas City in a strong Muslim and immigrant community; they find a lot of pride in their Punjabi-Pashtun heritage and credits their upbringing for their strong passion for environmental justice. After graduating with a degree in Political Science and International Relations in 2022, Mahreen has worked in the local nonprofit sector in Kansas City. Blending their love of the outdoors with their stake in environmental justice, Mahreen currently works at Heartland Conservation Alliance as the Communications and Engagement Coordinator.

Darren Beck

Darren Beck's passion is finding the sweet spot between profitability and a positive return for our world. As a transformative leader with experience in environmental and social innovation, he helped establish one of the country’s premier corporate sustainability programs at Sprint and led a vanguard of global brands toward good growth at Sustainable Brands. Passionate about consciousness, circularity, biomimicry, regeneration, and place-based impact, he thrives on building collaborative systems to address some of the most pressing issues of our time.

Those interests have come together at Ingenuity LLC, the consultancy Darren founded, where he helps local leaders to embrace the power of circular innovation. As a part of that work, Darren co-founded Circular KC, a network devoted to promoting, educating, and equitably growing the Kansas City region's circular economy. He hosted Opportunity Abounds—a monthly session at the Keystone Innovation District that showcased local innovators and entrepreneurs who are helping to solve KC's biggest social and environmental challenges. In 2026, Darren also launched Business Ascending, a podcast that explores how consciousness, metaphysics and heart-centered intelligence can elevate our lives and livelihoods.

elin kelsey, PhD

elin kelsey, PhD is an award-winning author, speaker, and thought leader for the evidence-based hope and climate justice solutions movement. Her newest book, How to Be Hopeful: Empowering Practices to Overcome Despair and Act for Climate Justice was published in October 2025. elin’s influence is seen through the hopeful, solutions-focus of her clients, including the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools, and other powerful institutions where she has served as a visiting fellow, including the Rachel Carson Center for the Environment and Society, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Kone Foundation, the Salish Sea Institute, the Cairns Institute, and Stanford University. She co-created the viral social media campaign OceanOptimism and is currently leading intergenerational collaborations with climate influencers to make evidence-based hope more shareable online.

As a best-selling children’s book author, kelsey’s picture books reveal the intimate connections between humans and the greater-than-human world. Her work as a podcast host, film writer, and exhibit creator celebrates the resilience that exists within ourselves, and across species. She is an Adjunct Faculty member of the University of Victoria School of Environmental Studies, and Western Washington University’s School of Environment. In Spring 2026, she will serve as the John Grace Memorial Visitor in Residence at Green College, UBC. In 2020, she co-created an international network of researchers and practitioners working within the emerging academic discipline of Climate Emotions. She regularly leads workshops for environmental organizations, youth climate activists, educators, and community groups on evidence-based hope and serves as a hope scholar in residence for schools around the world. For more, please visit elinkelsey.org.