Dr. Krishna Rajan is a SUNY Distinguished Professor and SUNY Empire Innovation Professor in the Department of Materials Design and Innovation (MDI) at the University at Buffalo, with a joint appointment as Chief Scientist in the Energy Processes and Materials Division at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). He has pioneered the field of Materials Informatics and data-driven discovery in materials science and engineering, and its impact on characterization, processing, and modeling for the design and discovery of new materials. His nearly 400 publications, 17 books and edited volumes, and more than 350 invited presentations have influenced both academic and industrial practices worldwide. He has received numerous recognitions, including the Alexander von Humboldt Award from Germany, the CSIRO- Australia Distinguished Visiting Scientist Award, the CNRS Visiting Professorship from France, and the Presidential Lecture Award from the National Institute of Materials Science, Japan. Dr. Rajan received his undergraduate degree in Metallurgy and Materials Science from the University of Toronto, followed by a doctorate in Materials Science from MIT with a minor in Science and Technology policy. He subsequently held post-doctoral appointments at MIT and Cambridge University. He was a staff scientist at the National Research Council of Canada, followed by faculty positions at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Iowa State University before coming to the University at Buffalo as the founding chair of the MDI department, the first U.S. department fully dedicated to AI-driven materials discovery and design.

Alexandra McPherson is director of the Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN) for Clean Production Action. Through IEHN, Alexandra provides expertise, guidance, and counsel to investors on engagement strategies that positively impact corporate behavior on chemical footprinting, more sustainable and safer chemistry innovations, and environmental justice. Alexandra leverages her deep competency in communications and partnership development to build multistakeholder initiatives that motivate change and investment in environmental solutions critical to chemical pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change. Her work includes convening global leaders from finance, industry, environmental advocacy, and government to influence timebound targets in innovative platforms such as the United Nations’ Global Framework on Chemicals: For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste. Ms. McPherson’s partnership work with academia has resulted in the Collaborative for the Regenerative Economy (CoRE) with the University at Buffalo's Materials Design and Innovation Department and Transition Finance for Sustainable Chemicals and Materials with the Sustainable Chemistry Catalyst at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Alexandra co-founded Clean Production Action and is a principal of Niagara Share LLC. She is a graduate of the Stanford University School of Business LEAD Executive Education program and holds an undergraduate degree in Communications from the University of New Hampshire (UNH). She serves on the board of Clean + Healthy NY, UNH’s Sustainability Advisory Board, and Change Chemistry’s Member Advisory Committee.

Dr. Derreck Kayongo is Executive Director of Clean Production Action. Derreck is a celebrated CNN Hero—introduced by Academy Award–nominated actor Laura Dern—and personally endorsed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu for his groundbreaking leadership in social impact and innovation. A visionary Corporate Social Entrepreneur and seasoned CEO, Dr. Kayongo brings over 17 years of global experience driving transformative initiatives across human rights, food security, education, and economic development. Renowned for turning bold ideas into scalable solutions, he has led legislative campaigns, forged high-value corporate and government partnerships, and steered multimillion-dollar NGO programs with measurable outcomes. His expertise spans strategic planning, policy innovation, capacity building, and mobilizing cross-sector collaborations that deliver both social and financial returns. Today, Dr. Kayongo is at the forefront of advancing safer chemicals and building a thriving Green Economy movement—bridging sustainability, innovation, and corporate responsibility to redefine the future of global industry.

As Associate Vice President for Research Advancement, Chitra Rajan, PhD, oversees special initiatives including the Communities of Excellence and the Creative Arts Initiative. She also supervises the Office of Research Advancement and facilitates large-scale, multidisciplinary grant proposals. 

Her current responsibilities include overseeing several strategic initiatives such as the three communities (Global Health Equity; The Genome, the Environment and the Microbiome; and Sustainable Manufacturing and Advanced Robotic Technologies) and the Creative Arts Initiative. In supervising the Office of Research Advancement, she will help build successful faculty research proposals.

Before coming to Buffalo in August 2015, she was the associate vice president for research at Iowa State University, and held that position since July 2005. From 2002-2005, Rajan was the assistant dean at the Albany Medical Center in Albany, N.Y. Prior to that, she served as the vice president for academic affairs at Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y.   

She obtained her PhD in mathematical economics from the University of Ottawa, Canada in 1991.

Dr. Chris Helt joined Clean Production Action as the Director of the GreenScreen Program in 2024. Dr. Helt has over 15 years of experience in chemical safety, sustainability standards, and environmental health. His professional journey includes pivotal roles at the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, The Sustainability Consortium (TSC), and Colgate-Palmolive Company. At the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, he served as the Material Health Practice Lead, where he managed all technical aspects of material health for the Cradle to Cradle Certified® program. In this role, his work consistently focused on developing and implementing progressive chemical safety and sustainability standards and assessment methodologies, engaging stakeholders, and leading projects that enhance circularity and safety in chemical practices. His expertise extends to comprehensive research in toxicology and environmental science, the development of sustainability metrics, and the guidance of multidisciplinary teams toward achieving strategic objectives. Among his contributions is the development of the Beauty and Personal Care Product Sustainability Rating System, which integrates complex environmental and toxicological data into actionable metrics for retailers and manufacturers. Dr. Helt holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Molecular Toxicology and Environmental Medicine from the University of Rochester.

Sheila has played a leadership role in shaping environmental policy in the high-tech industry, including the Solar Scorecard a ban on hazardous electronic waste from the California municipal landfills and the subsequent passage of the first electronic recycling legislation in the nation. Sheila is based in the US in San Francisco, California.