Building the conditions for climate finance to scale

Trenton Allen is the Founder and CEO of Sustainable Capital Advisors (SCA), a climate financial advisory and strategic consulting firm dedicated to connecting capital to sustainable infrastructure solutions. With over $35 billion in transaction experience across utilities, energy, transportation, and public infrastructure, Allen is recognized as a leader in clean energy policy, climate finance, and fostering sustainability and inclusivity. Allen began his career at Public Financial Management, Inc. (PFM), where he developed expertise in financial modeling and restructuring electric utility projects. He later spent over a decade at Citi, pioneering sustainable finance mechanisms such as green bonds and green banks, shaping the U.S. market for these critical tools.

Danielle Deane-Ryan has worked for over two decades on her passion for integrating environmental justice into climate and energy policies, philanthropic investments and advocacy strategies. She is a Visiting Scholar at The New School’s Tishman Environment and Design Center. Danielle has served in government at the Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. She has directed philanthropic programs at the Bezos Earth Fund, the Nathan Cummings Foundation and the Hewlett Foundation. Danielle spearheaded the Donors of Color Network’s Climate Funders Justice Pledge Campaign. She was a committee member for the National Academies Accelerating Decarbonization report. Danielle serves on the boards of the Stockholm Environmental Institute U.S. and the Hudson River Foundation, and is a past board member of the Clean Energy States Alliance, the Seventh Generation Social Mission Board and Resource Media. Danielle has an M.Sc. from the London School of Economics in Environment and Development, and a B.A. from Williams College in Political Economy with an Environmental Studies Concentration.

Jared Meyers is a hospitality rebel, real estate innovator, and steadfast sustainability advocate. As the lead executive of andCo Hospitality and Salt Palm Development, founding director of Climate First Bank, and co-creator of The For Good Movement, he’s proving business profit and purpose can go hand in hand. His ventures push boundaries, from carbon-neutral resorts to socially responsible real estate developments, while learning him accolades like the Real Leaders and MO100 CEO awards. Through his work connecting global networks and strengthening local communities alike, Jared is all-in on building a future where profit and purpose go hand in hand.

Marilyn leads Capital for Sustainability (C4S). She has worked across four continents in renewable and nuclear energy, climate modeling, and investment. Author of Sustainability at Work: careers that make a difference, Marilyn’s writing has been featured in outlets such as the Financial Times, Le Monde, and the Boston Globe. Marilyn previously led the climate finance portfolio at the Hewlett Foundation (and Climate Finance Fund), the energy practice at Village Capital, energy models as a senior research fellow at Project Drawdown, and innovation projects at Orano and Framatome (formerly AREVA). She holds a Master’s Degree with distinction in Engineering for Sustainable Development from the University of Cambridge and a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, magna cum laude, from Princeton University. She serves on multiple boards and investment committees, including Climate First Bank.

The World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is the global trade association and development organisation for credit unions and financial cooperatives. It works with credit union associations, financial institutions, governments, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen cooperative finance and expand access to affordable, inclusive financial services. Its work includes international advocacy, capacity building, technical assistance, research, networking and development programmes that support stronger and more resilient credit union systems. WOCCU also helps connect its members and partners with international development opportunities, knowledge and expertise, supporting the growth of financial cooperatives across different markets and communities. Through its global network, the organisation promotes the cooperative model and works to create more inclusive and sustainable financial systems that respond to the needs of individuals, businesses and communities.

The Institute of Sustainability and Development Finance (ISDF) is a growing development organisation that provides sustainability and development finance advisory, resource mobilisation, capacity building, programme development and research services. The Institute works with governments, financial institutions, development partners, businesses, civil-society organisations and academia to develop and finance climate and sustainable-development initiatives. Their work includes strengthening institutional systems, preparing climate-finance strategies, developing investment pipelines and fundable programmes, and building partnerships, including with funders and investors, that connect organisations and projects with appropriate sources of finance. Their work responds to each client’s needs and considers the realities of the countries and communities in which they operate.