A story of broken promises and tough trade-offs at the intersection of AI, climate, and ethics. Will and Holly will reveal what it takes to confront corporate hypocrisy, challenge the high-carbon status quo, and align technology with climate science.

Holly is a recognized sustainability leader with a decade of experience at Microsoft, where she founded and led both the company’s global Community Environmental Sustainability program as well as the Employee Engagement program, supporting 10,000 employees across 36 global chapters. Holly is on the Board of Directors for American Forests and Zero Waste Washington and is an active plant-based mountain athlete.

Will is an AI product management leader working at the intersection of technology, policy, and climate. At Microsoft, he led the development of Responsible AI platform features, co-founded Green Software Engineering initiatives like the open-source Carbon Aware SDK, and co-authored Microsoft’s Accelerating Sustainability with AI playbook.Outside of work, he finds inspiration in nature, exploring the rugged landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

Aspen U is a speaker series organized by Aspen One’s Sustainability Department and presented by Audi. These events include cold beverages and in-depth conversation with perspective-shifting speakers. With topics ranging from game-changing mountaineering expeditions, the significance of the fossil fuel industry across the globe, and the local impact of climate change, the Aspen U Speaker Series aims to create engaging conversation surrounding complex issues in a friendly community setting.