Speakers

Alex is passionate about maps and geography, with a background in GIS, fieldwork, and remote sensing. As a PreSales Engineer at UP42, he helps customers leverage their platform to access commercial EO data through our flexible API, Python SDK, and intuitive UI. He specializes in translating complex technical capabilities into practical solutions that address real-world challenges across industries.

Alex Kaplan leads strategy for parametric solutions and bespoke coverages at Amwins, a specialty insurance brokerage. Previously, he spent 12 years at Swiss Re, most recently as Head of North America for Public Sector Solutions, helping governments manage financial risks related to natural disasters and climate change. He co-developed a patented parametric windstorm insurance mechanism and pioneered innovative insurance solutions. Kaplan began his career in government, serving on staff of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee and later as an advisor to US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

Fire Chief Dan Munsey has been active in the fire service for over 28 years, rising through the ranks of the County of San Bernardino Fire Protection District from a volunteer firefighter to fire chief. San Bernardino is the largest fire district in the United States spanning almost 20,000 square miles and serving an almost 2 million population. Chief Munsey is a Center for Public Excellence, Chief Fire Officer, is a National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer, possess a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Grand Canyon University, is a graduate of the California Special Districts Leadership Academy, and holds a California State Fire Training Chief Officer Certificate.

Dr. Moody brings decades of proven leadership to Perennial. She led the Geosite team in productizing geospatial data and climate insights for the insurance market—first as CTO of Geosite, then, following acquisitions, as VP of Technology, Insurance at Descartes Labs and EarthDaily Analytics. Previously, Daniela held leadership roles at Arturo and Ursa Space Systems, advancing multimodal analytic solutions from aerial and satellite data. Earlier, she led food and climate security monitoring efforts at Descartes Labs and spent nine years at Los Alamos National Laboratory applying remote sensing and machine learning to critical challenges in space systems and nuclear non-proliferation.

Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell served as the presidentially appointed U.S. Fire Administrator from October 2021 to January 2025. Lori is a Doctor of Public Health and a data scientist, whose work has changed fire and EMS deployment throughout the world. Dr. Moore-Merrell envisioned and led the research, development, and implementation of a national emergency response analytic platform known as National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) replacing the 50-year legacy National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). Dr. Moore-Merrell believes that together, we can turn a moment of crisis into an era of opportunity for the fire service.

Dr Eli Melaas is a remote sensing scientist whose work looks at detection and monitoring of conventional and regenerative agricultural practices, with particular focus on cover cropping, tillage and irrigation. Before joining BeZero, he was working as a Senior Remote Sensing Data Scientist at Indigo Ag, with a critical focus on developing algorithms for detecting agricultural practices.

Genny leads the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s Wildfire Resilience Initiative and special projects teams. As a program director, she oversees the foundation’s work on reducing the threat of extreme wildfire and enabling beneficial fire to achieve healthy fire-adapted ecosystems and resilient fire-prone communities, and she directs special projects grantmaking to advance outcomes across the foundation’s programs.

A geospatial visionary sculpting the planet's data into actionable intelligence. He navigates the complexities of water resources and disaster risk management with the precision of a seasoned explorer, leveraging cutting-edge Earth Observation technologies and AI to unlock the full potential of the data we acquire every minute. From flood prediction to risk monitoring, he's not just analyzing data, he's rewriting the narrative of our planet's future.

Jason has been building geospatial solutions for over 20 years for customers like NASA and NOAA. He's helping to define the future of earth observation through Geospatial AI capabilities that solve real user problems.

Jeff has spent the last 10 years of his career bringing geospatial into emerging markets like disaster relief, property insurance, and regenerative agriculture. At Regrow he specializes in using engineering to deliver repeatable science at scale using the CNG technology stack.

Ms. Lacey provides leadership for the science planning and direction of the mission area. She also leads the development, management, and coordination of program activities which include the National Geospatial Program (NGP), the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (NCGMP), the Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS) Program, the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program (NGGDPP), and the National Land Imaging Program. Ms. Lacey joined USGS in 1999, managing NASA’s Land Processes Center at EROS. She later held senior roles overseeing Landsat operations, satellite data, and international partnerships. In 2020, she became Regional Director.

Dr. Juani Rattalino is an agronomist with over 25 years of experience addressing agricultural challenges from field to global scale. Growing up on a farm in Argentina, he developed a deep connection to agriculture. His career spans both academic and private sectors, working across diverse cropping systems worldwide. Dr. Rattalino has authored more than 40 publications in top-tier journals, with research focusing on yield gap analysis, crop heat stress, water productivity, and technology extrapolation. Currently, Dr. Rattalino serves as Global Head of Computational Agronomy at Syngenta, where he leads multidisciplinary teams developing digital solutions to support global Seeds and Crop Protection businesses.

Krishna Karra specializes in using satellite imagery, remote sensing, and machine learning to reveal changes on Earth's surface. Combining expertise in geospatial technologies and advanced data analysis, Krishna transforms complex datasets into compelling visual narratives that expose environmental changes, track urban development, and monitor human activity patterns. With professional experience in geospatial analytics companies and news organizations, Krishna's unique background in both engineering and journalism enables a powerful synthesis of technical prowess and storytelling, shedding light on critical issues even in areas where traditional data sources are limited or unreliable.

Founder & CEO at Lemu Leo became a pioneer of the early World Wide Web at 13. As a teenager, he founded ImageMaker, a leading web development firm in Latin America, later creating FayerWayer and co-founding Betazeta. He led Santiago Maker Space and launched Odd Industries, advancing AI-driven environmental insights. Today, he leads Lemu, a satellite-powered nature data platform that helps companies understand their impact and make nature-driven decisions. His work sits at the intersection of science, technology, and conservation, leveraging biodiversity observation, satellite imagery, AI, and citizen science to close environmental data gaps.

Nan C. Pond is the VP of Nature-Based Research and Monitoring at Rubicon Carbon. She is responsible for leading due diligence and the quantification of quality and ongoing monitoring of a diverse suite of nature-based carbon projects. In addition to leading work in carbon impact quantification, Nan is an accomplished data scientist and statistician. She received the annual Society of American Foresters Young Forester Leadership Award in 2020 and has held multiple leadership roles within SAF. She earned a PhD in Forest Biometrics from Michigan Technological University and a BS in Forest Ecosystem Science from SUNY ESF.

Dr. Piyush Garg is at the forefront of revolutionizing weather prediction through cutting-edge AI. During his postdoctoral work at NVIDIA, he co-developed StormCast, the first kilometer-scale diffusion model for weather forecasting, and developed innovative diffusion modeling techniques for predicting radar reflectivity using GOES satellite data. Now a Senior AI Weather Scientist at RWE AI Research Lab, he continues to push boundaries in combining Earth observations with state-of-the-art AI models. His work spans from satellite-derived cold pool climatology to physics-informed neural networks, advancing our ability to forecast weather phenomena with unprecedented accuracy and resolution.

Roisin is an atmospheric chemist who couples her measurements of trace gases in the atmosphere with models to quantify rates of gas emissions into the atmosphere from both natural and human sources, in cities and in remote areas. She works with New York State agencies to identify previously unidentified sources of methane and develop pathways to reduce these emissions in NYC

Dr. Sarah B. Kapnick is the Global Head of Climate Advisory at J.P. Morgan, advising clients on climate, energy, biodiversity, and sustainability. She oversees the firm’s climate thought leadership strategy, leveraging scientific expertise to guide content and advise at the intersection of finance, climate science, commerce, and national security. Previously, she served as Chief Scientist at NOAA, appointed by the President, where she guided the agency’s science and technology priorities. In this role, she led strategies on climate intervention, greenhouse gas monitoring, marine biodiversity, climate macroeconomics, and climate security, shaping critical scientific initiatives for emerging global challenges.

Dr. Sean Crowell is the Founder and President of LumenUs Scientific. He is an expert in greenhouse gas remote sensing and applications for energy, waste, and the carbon cycle.

Trent Neimeyer is a Software Product and Engineering Leader with over five years of experience managing the imagery platform at Maxar. He is a dedicated volunteer at Watch Duty and helps them get access to and leverage Earth Observation data to support emergency response efforts.

Victor Bouton leads the data science team at Liberty Mutual Re’s Agriculture & Parametrics division. His team provides crucial support to the underwriting department, spanning risk assessment to product design. With a background in actuarial sciences, Victor has specialized early in parametric insurance across diverse environments, including broking, consulting, and reinsurance. Throughout his professional career he has been participating to the development of innovative solutions in agronomic, weather, and natural catastrophe modeling for index-based insurance.