This roundtable is open only to currently-enrolled Columbia University students.
Please join the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs for a student-only lunch and roundtable discussion with the First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC), a 130+ Indigenous Nation collective. The student roundtable will explore how many Indigenous nations from Canada are exploring equity-based partnerships concerning renewable energy and critical minerals projects using the principles of Free Prior and Informed Consent. The roundtable will focus on the model being used to make informed decisions and whether such best-practices can advance the needs of Indigenous groups in the US as well as ESG-focused investors and project developers.
Speaker Biographies
Mark Podlasly, Chief Sustainability Officer, FNMPC
Mark Podlasly (Nlaka’pamux Nation, Cook’s Ferry Band) is the Director of Economic Policy at the First Nations Major Projects Coalition. He has over 25 years of experience in the development of capital projects connected to energy, natural resources and community infrastructure around the world.
In addition, Mark informs Indigenous governments on the establishment of sovereign wealth funds/trusts to capture and invest revenue from resource extraction industries. He currently manages a $40 million investment fund shared by eight BC First Nations.
Mark holds a master’s degree from Harvard University and is a regular speaker at global business and governance events including the International Finance Corporation’s annual sustainability conference in Washington, DC.
Angel Ransom, Senior VP, Environmental Services, FNMPC
Well known for her proactive, holistic & culturally sensitive perspective, Angel Ransom is a member of the Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation and part of the Kwun Ba Whut’en Clan.
Aside from being a principal to her consulting firm, she is also the Director of Operations and Impact Assessment Lead for the First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) and an Adjunct Professor with the School of Environmental Planning at the University of Northern British Columbia.
With a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning (First Nations Planning) her skills, knowledge and experience include land use planning; environmental assessments; communication and facilitation; technical research, analysis and writing; and resources management.
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Registration is required. This roundtable is open only to currently-enrolled Columbia University students. To register, you must sign in with your UNI.
This event will be hosted in person and capacity is limited. We ask that you register only if you can attend this event in its entirety.
For more information about the event, please contact [email protected].
