Environment and Women

2 – 3:30 pm, Oct. 7 | Live Oak, Student Union (UN)
Speakers/guests/partners:
Rory Fielding, David Davis, Cristina Hicks, Stephanie Anderson, Jessica Gray.
Moderated by Stacey Balkan. Cosponsored by Sustainability Club

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Bios

Rory Fielding is an Emmy award-winning director and producer. He recently produced the national PBS Documentary "Troubled Waters" featuring Ted Danson, focusing on the human impact facing our oceans and its sea creatures. Rory has directed numerous films including biographies of musical artists, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones and others. Fielding’s latest film "Decent," is truly unique, merging the music score of world-renowned composer Christophe Chagnard, with stunning underwater photography to be performed live worldwide. "Descent" tells the story of the magical world that lies beneath our oceans and the urgent need to protect it. Descent merges the talents of musicians, poets, composers and graphic artists for a true multimedia experience.  "Descent" Premieres at major Film Festivals 2025-26. 

 

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Dr. David Davis received his PhD in Neuropathology from Boston University School of Medicine and completed his post doctorate training at the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology located at the University of Southern California. Dr. Davis is developing a multidisciplinary research program involving the collaboration of environmental scientists, ethnobotanists, neurologist, pathologists, and toxicologists all focused on investigating the effects of environmental exposures on brain health. Dr. Davis has devoted his scientific career to explore the relationship between toxins in our environment and their potential roles in causing neurodegenerative disease. His current research focuses on the connections between the cyanobacterial neurotoxin BMAA, methylmercury and nanoplastics with disease such as Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson disease.

 

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Cristina Hicks is the Senior Manager of Environmental, Health, Safety (EHS), and Sustainability at JM Family Enterprises, Inc. (JM Family), a diversified corporation with principal businesses focused on vehicle distribution and processing, finance and insurance, retail vehicle sales, and home improvement services. In her role, Cristina oversees JM Family’s EHS regulatory compliance programs and directs the overall corporate sustainability strategy. She excels in planning, developing, and communicating high-impact programs that positively affect people, profit, and the planet. Through her leadership, JM Family has significantly reduced its environmental footprint via resource management, business process re-engineering, and innovative design. Cristina is also dedicated to leading people-focused initiatives aimed at improving safety culture and overall health and wellbeing. 

 

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Stephanie Anderson is the author of "From the Ground Up: The Women Revolutionizing Regenerative Agriculture" (The New Press, 2024). Her work has appeared in "The Rumpus," "TriQuarterly," "Flyway," "Hotel Amerika," "Terrain.org," "The Chronicle Review," "Sweet" and others. Stephanie is the 2020 winner of the Margolis Award for social justice journalism and a co-editor for the University of Nebraska Press “Our Regenerative Future” book series. Her debut nonfiction book, titled "One Size Fits None: A Farm Girl’s Search for the Promise of Regenerative Agriculture," won a 2020 Nautilus Award and 2019 Midwest Book Award. Stephanie holds an MFA from Florida Atlantic University, where she serves as Assistant Professor of Creative Nonfiction.

 

 

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Jessica Gray is a community advocate, nonprofit leader, and sustainability champion dedicated to protecting South Florida’s coastal environment and empowering residents to take part in solutions that matter.She is the Founder and Executive Director of Boca Save Our Beaches, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit she established in 2015 that has grown into a community of more than 10,000 supporters. The organization leads beach cleanups, conservation education programs, and grant-funded partnerships designed to protect marine ecosystems and promote environmental stewardship. Under Jessica’s leadership, Boca Save Our Beaches has become a trusted voice for residents, civic groups, and policymakers working together to protect natural resources for future generations. Jessica served on the City of Boca Raton’s Sustainability and Environmental Advisory Boards, where she provides guidance on local policy and advocates for community-centered approaches to sustainability.

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Stacey Balkan is an Associate Professor of Environmental Literature and Humanities and Program Coordinator for the Undergraduate Minor in Environment and Society and Graduate Certificate in Environmental Studies. Dr. Balkan’s teaching and research focus on Environmental Literature(s), Ecocriticism, Environmental/Energy Humanities, Postcolonial Studies, and Anglophone World Literatures; and she teaches several undergraduate and graduate seminars, including Literature and the Environment, Anglophone World Literatures, Postcolonial Environments, and Climate Fictions. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in numerous collected volumes and journals including the "Routledge Companion to Literature and Environment," "ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment," "Revue Études Anglaises," and "The Global South."