Meet the Speakers
Allan Merrill, CEO of Beazer Homes
Allan Merrill is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Beazer Homes based in Atlanta. Mr. Merrill joined Beazer Homes in 2007 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He was named President & Chief Executive Officer in 2011 and elected Chairman in 2019. Prior to joining Beazer, Mr. Merrill worked in both investment banking and online real estate marketing. While working for UBS (and its predecessor firm Dillon, Read & Co.), Mr. Merrill ultimately served as co-head of the Global Resources Group, overseeing relationships with construction and building materials companies around the world, including advising Beazer Homes on its 1994 initial public offering and several major acquisitions. Prior to joining Beazer, Mr. Merrill was with Move, Inc. where he served as Executive Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy after joining the firm as its first President of Homebuilder.com.
Mr. Merrill is also involved in several housing industry organizations. He was elected to the Board of Directors of Freddie Mac in September 2020 and recently completed a four-year term as Chairman of Leading Builders of America, a trade organization of the country’s largest public and private homebuilders. He also serves on the Policy Advisory Board of the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University and on the board of Builder Homesite Inc. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.
Sara Gutterman, CEO of Green Builder Media
Sara is the Co-Founder and CEO of Green Builder® Media, North America’s leading media company focused on green building and sustainable living. With a comprehensive suite of media solutions, market intelligence, demonstration projects, online training, and live events, and Green Builder Media assists building professionals in preparing themselves for the decarbonization economy and helps homeowners live more sustainably.
As CEO of Green Builder Media, Sara has established a reputation for herself as a visionary thought leader and passionate advocate for sustainability. She is considered an expert in leading-edge decarbonization technologies, climate solutions, and housing market insights. She has a unique focus on data, trends, and intelligence in areas like net zero (energy, water, and carbon), electrification, healthy home, resilient building, connected living, renewable energy, and generational marketing
Prior to founding Green Builder Media, Sara was a venture capitalist and was involved in the life cycle (from funding to exit) of over 20 companies.
Sara graduated from Dartmouth College. She holds an MBA in entrepreneurship and finance from the University of Colorado. She lives in Lake City, CO, with her husband, where she is an avid long-distance runner, snowboarder, and Crossfit trainer.
Will Sarni, Practice Lead, Water and Nature at Earth Finance
Will Sarni is the Practice Lead, Water and Nature at Earth Finance. Prior to Water Foundry's acquisition by Earth Finance, Will served as the firm's founder and CEO. Before founding Water Foundry, he was a managing director at Deloitte Consulting where he established and led the global water strategy practice. He was the founder and CEO of DOMANI, a sustainability strategy firm, prior to Deloitte.
Will is a visionary leader in corporate water and nature strategy, technology innovation, and technology investing. He is an investor in water and ag tech companies and has been a sustainability and water strategy advisor to multinationals, water technology companies, investors, and non-governmental organizations for his entire career. He is the author numerous publications and books on water strategy and innovation.
Sarni is a host of the podcast Distilled by Qatium and co-host of The Stream with Will and Tom. He is on the board of Hydraloop, an advisor to FIDO Tech, Ketos, True Elements and WaterMarq. He was the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board for the WAITRO Global Water Innovation Summit 2020 and was on the Scientific Program Committee for Stockholm World Water Week from 2013 through 2019. His advisory work includes working with the 2020 X-PRIZE (Infinity Water Prize), as a Bold Visioneer for the 2016 X-PRIZE Safe Drinking Water Team and a Technical Advisor for the Climate Bonds Initiative: Nature- Based Solutions for Climate and Water Resilience. He is also on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Water Security. He was ranked as; Worth Magazine Worthy 100 for 2022, A Key Player Pressuring Businesses to Care About Water and one of the Top 15 Interviews In Smart Water Magazine 2019.
Ashkat Rathi, Senior Climate Reporter at Bloomberg
Akshat Rathi is an award-winning senior climate reporter for Bloomberg News. He is the host of Zero, a weekly climate podcast for Bloomberg Green and writes a weekly newsletter on climate solutions.
He has a PhD in chemistry from the University of Oxford, and a BTech in chemical engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai. He has worked for Quartz and The Economist. His work has been cited in widely read global publications, including New York Times, Washington Post, New Yorker, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal and Financial Times.
Akshat lives with his wife in London, UK.
Reuven Carlyle, Founder of Earth Finance and Former State Senator
As a former Washington State Senator and seasoned entrepreneur in software and clean energy, founder and EVP of Earth Finance Reuven Carlyle, focuses on the complex intersection between the public and private sectors.
Reuven is the architect of what are widely viewed as the most comprehensive state-level climate policies in the nation; crafted during his time as a Washington State Legislator (2009-2023) and chair of the state Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee (2017-2023). This sweeping package includes: cap & invest carbon pricing, clean fuel standards, 100% clean energy, environmental justice and equity, building efficiency standards, super pollutant policies, electrification of transportation, water quality and availability, and more.
In addition to his public service, Reuven is a seasoned entrepreneur in the mobile, software and clean energy sectors.
Reuven has a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He and his wife, Dr. Wendy Carlyle, an anesthesiologist, have four fabulous children who are lighting up the world with grace, spunk, passion, and humility.
Matt Power, Editor-In-Chief at Green Builder Media
Veteran journalist Matt Power has reported on innovation and sustainability in housing for nearly three decades. An award-winning writer, editor, and filmmaker, he has a long history of asking hard questions and adding depth and context as he unfolds complex issues.
Cynthia Adams, CEO and Founder, Pearl
Cynthia Adams is the CEO and Co-Founder of Pearl, an independent rating organization on a mission to make home performance matter. Under her leadership, Pearl developed the Pearl SCORE, the national standard for rating home performance across five key areas: Safety, Comfort, Operations, Resilience, and Energy systems (SCORE). With over 25 years of experience in energy efficiency and sustainable building, Cynthia has been a driving force in market transformation. She co-founded the Virginia Energy Efficiency Council and has served on multiple state and national advisory groups. A recognized thought leader, she has received numerous industry awards for her work in aligning sustainability with real estate market incentives.
Scott Tew, VP of Sustainability, Trane Technologies
Scott Tew serves as vice-president of sustainability and co-founder of the Center for Energy Efficiency & Sustainability at Trane Technologies. In addition, he leads the Center for Healthy & Efficient Spaces. Tew manages forward-looking sustainability initiatives aimed at transitioning to more efficient and climate-friendly solutions without compromising health or resource impacts. He is also responsible for climate and energy related public policy matters.
Tew serves as a thought leader in linking public policy, economic impacts, and a value-stream approach to sustainability. His recent efforts have led to the development of world-class initiatives, including introduction of the company’s comprehensive 2030 targets, an SBTi validated Net Zero target, the creation of the EcoWiseTM portfolio, launch of the largest customer-facing commitment to combat climate change with the Gigaton Challenge: and as a pioneer in integrated reporting. In September 2024, the company announced an industry-first commitment to reduce embodied emissions across its supply chain by 40%. The company appeared as the cover story on ESG Governance by the National Association of Corporate Directors, received the inaugural Terra Carta Seal for Sustainability Leadership by HM King Charles III, obtained a perfect score on the Corporate Equality Index, an “A” rating from CDP and the company has been consecutively listed to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for 14 years and is a Hall of Fame inductee in EPA’s Climate Leadership.
Marshall Gobuty, Founder and CEO, Pearl Homes
Marshall Gobuty is a nationally acclaimed leader and innovator in the field of sustainable housing. As the founder and CEO of Pearl Homes, he has redefined the concept of eco-luxury living, seamlessly integrating sustainability, resilience, and affordability into the modern home. His projects are pioneering examples of how green building can address both the environmental crisis and the growing need for resilient housing in the face of climate change.
At the forefront of Gobuty’s work is Hunters Point, a groundbreaking net-zero, hurricane-resistant community in Cortez, Florida. This development, the first net-zero energy, single-family home community in the United States, exemplifies Gobuty’s belief that sustainability and luxury can coexist. Each home in Hunters Point generates more energy than it consumes through advanced solar panels and battery storage systems, and the community’s homes are designed to withstand extreme weather, exceeding even Florida’s stringent building codes.
Gobuty’s passion for green building extends beyond energy efficiency; he is committed to creating homes that leave a minimal environmental footprint while offering maximum comfort. His projects, such as Mirabella and Hunters Point, have achieved LEED certifications, with Hunters Point earning the world’s first LEED Zero certification in 2018. Hunters Point’s
hurricane-resistant design, elevated living spaces, and smart-home technologies reflect his holistic approach to environmental stewardship and resilience.
Vijay Deshmukh, VP of Product Management, Trane Technologies
Vijay is part of the Residential Business leadership team in Trane Technologies. Since joining Trane in 2014, he has held roles in Commercial HVAC Business and the Enterprise team. In his current role, Vijay focuses on driving customer led innovation and go-to-market strategies. He is passionate about creating sustainable growth model that create exceptional customer value.
Vijay's prior diverse industry experience spans Power Generation, Healthcare, Filtration, Engines, and Machine Tools, having held positions of increasing responsibility at Cummins and General Electric. His multi discipline background in Product Management, Procurement, Program Management and Engineering provides him with a holistic perspective on complex business challenges.
His holds an M.B.A. from Purdue University and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State University, creating a blend business acumen and technical expertise.
Vijay mostly enjoys spending quality time with his family. An outdoor enthusiast, he likes hiking, biking, learning golf and motorcycle riding.
Sneha Kumari, Founder, Merlin AI
Sneha Kumari is an accomplished Supply Chain Operations leader with over 15 years of experience, specializing in driving operational excellence across diverse industries. Certified in Lean Six Sigma, she has garnered recognition as one of the distinguished Operations Women Leaders by McKinsey and Co. for her expertise in operations management. Additionally, she has been honored as one of the Top 40 women to follow in manufacturing by SourceDay.
With a focus on modular and prefab construction industries, Sneha has been instrumental in driving lean implementation strategies. As the Founder of Merlin AI, she leads a team dedicated to integrating the latest advancements in AI and technology into the construction sector, revolutionizing project efficiency and effectiveness. She is also the head of industry trends at Circular Supply Chain Network, a global community of professionals who are passionate about making supply chains more circular and sustainable.
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