SA08 welcomes Jerome Ringo of Apollo Alliance. Jerome is a former National Wildlife Federation Chairman and the first African American to head a prominent environmental organization. While working in the Louisiana petrochemical industry for over 20 years, he recognized the cancer-causing danger from the production of petro products and the negative impact of pollutants – particularly in poor and minority communities. Ringo has dedicated his career to creating and securing safe work environments through clean-energy sources and energy efficient technology.

SA08 will also feature Gail Vittori, co-director of the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, a non-profit design firm dedicated to sustainable planning, design, and demonstration. Vittori is most recently recognized for her special focus in the Health Care Industry. Vittori led a committee that devised the Green Guide for Health Care, a 360-page "design tool kit" for health care facilities to utilize in order to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals and adopt green practices, from dining services to patient rooms.