Speakers
Dr. Joseph Allen
Assistant Professor of Exposure, Assessment Science
Department of Environmental Health
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Joseph G. Allen is an assistant professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He began his career conducting forensic health investigations of sick buildings in several hundred buildings across a diverse range of industries, including healthcare, biotechnology, education, commercial office real estate and manufacturing. At Harvard, Dr. Allen directs the Healthy Buildings program where he created ‘The 9 Foundations of a Healthy Building’. He is also the faculty advisor to the Harvard Healthier Building Materials Academy. He works with Fortune 100 companies on implementing Healthy Building strategies in their global portfolios and presents internationally on the topic of Healthy Buildings. His work has been featured widely in the popular press, including the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, National Geographic, Time, NPR, Newsweek, The Washington Post, Fortune and The New York Times. Dr. Allen is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology and an Associate Editor of the journal Indoor Air. He earned his Doctor of Science (DSc) and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees from the Boston University School of Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Biology from Boston College. More information on his research can be found at:www.ForHealth.org.
Keynote: Trends in Indoor Air
Wednesday, April 2 | 9:15 am - 10:25 am
Breathing Easier: The Health Benefits of Reducing Particle Exposure
Wednesday, April 2 | 1:45 pm - 2:45 pm
Geoff Crosby
Vice President, Strategic Marketing
Aeolus Filter Corporation
TCO ASHRAE
Wednesday, April 2 | 10:45 am - 11:30 am
Lara Jones
Founder & CEO
Be A Legend & G.R.I.T. Global™
Lara Jones is an award-winning Leadership Performance and Grit Development Expert, International Keynote Speaker, Creator of the Global G.R.I.T. System™, Creator of the
Grit Type Indicator™, Founder and CEO of two global businesses Be A Legend and G.R.I.T. Global™, author of the bestselling book “Hunt or Be Hunted”, and an executive
coach as well as a competitive athlete and a mother. Lara has a track record of skyrocketing companies into multimillion-dollar empires. She has been crowned the WORLDWIDE STEVIE® Award Winner NINE times for “Woman of the Year,” “Female Entrepreneur of the Year,” “Female Executive of the Year,” and “Best Female Thought Leader of the Year” for her creation of the Global G.R.I.T. System™, the Grit Type Indicator™ and most recently, featured on the Nasdaq Billboard in New York Times Square for winning an international award for the Top Grit Performance Expert of the Year.
Keynote: G.R.I.T. Through It™: The Science Behind Success
Thursday, April 3 | 10:10 am - 11:10 am
Join Lara, a 9-time STEVIE® award-winning leadership expert and creator of the Global G.R.I.T. System®, for an inspiring exploration of how grit drives success. Drawing on her personal journey and cutting-edge science, Lara will reveal the four essential components of grit that empower leaders and high achievers to thrive. Learn practical tools for building grit in sales, leadership, and teams, based on her proven frameworks and real-world examples. Discover how to create aligned, high-performing teams, lead with resilience, and foster a culture of excellence. Attendees will leave equipped with strategies to conquer adversity, push through challenges, and achieve extraordinary success. Lara’s dynamic, science-backed approach will inspire you to push beyond limits and elevate your personal and professional growth.
Dr. James B. Maas
CEO
Sleep for Success
Dr. James B. Maas, an authority on sleep and performance, has taught over 65,000 students during his 48 years at Cornell University and now serves as Chancellor of United Institution. A Fulbright Senior Professor and acclaimed speaker, he has consulted globally for corporations, medical associations, and professional sports teams. Known for coining “Power Nap,” Dr. Maas authored bestsellers like Power Sleep and Sleep for Success! His work has been featured on major media outlets, including TODAY and Oprah, and spans education, wellness, and athletic performance.
Unlock Your Peak Performance: The Power of Sleep
Thursday, April 2 | 3:45 pm - 4:45 pm
Sleep is the foundation of health, productivity, and performance—but most of us aren’t getting enough. Sleep deprivation affects immunity, focus, decision-making, and mood, while also increasing stress and health risks. Leading organizations are now embracing sleep science to enhance outcomes in work, school, and athletics. In this engaging keynote, Dr. Maas will explain the impact of sleep deprivation on health and performance, dive into the four key stages of sleep and their role in cognitive function, and reveal how quality sleep directly influences mental and athletic performance. Attendees will also learn practical strategies for improving sleep, including tips for managing jet lag, shift work, and screen time, as well as how to create the ideal sleep environment and optimize naps. This session will provide actionable insights to help you improve your sleep, boost your energy, and unlock your full potential.
Dustin Poppendieck
Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation Group
National Institute of Standards and Technology
The Chemistry of Portable Air Cleaners: Understanding Their Impact on Indoor Air Quality
Thursday, April 3 | 9:10 am - 9:55 am
Portable air cleaners can use a variety of technologies, with most designed to meet particle removal objectives. However, beyond particle filtration, these devices can also influence the chemistry of indoor environments. This session will explore how portable air cleaners influence indoor air chemistry. Additionally, we will review current efforts to establish standard testing methods that can more accurately assess the broader chemical impacts of air cleaners in real-world, room-scale settings.
Dan Prather
President
DualDraw, LLC
Dust Collector Exhaust: Does it need to be filtered?
Thursday, April 3 | 2:45 pm - 3:30 pm
The National Fire Protection Agency’s regulatory standards on safely handling combustible dust are going through a major consolidation and revision due to be published in early 2025. Dan Prather, President of DualDraw, LLC, is an active NFPA Technical Committee Member who will provide insight into the content of this new standard, a few of the challenges of the standard-setting process, and its specific guidance on the types of filter media used to collect combustible dust. This session will help you learn more about some of the intricacies of safely managing (and filtering) combustible dust and guiding your customers, staff, management, and colleagues on how to best approach this important facility safety topic.
David Schaaf
Director of Molecular Filtration
MANN+HUMMEL - Air Filtration Americas
What's That Smell? Effective Strategies for Odor Control in Diverse Environments
Wednesday, April 2 | 11:30 am - 12:15 pm
Odor management plays a crucial role in addressing environmental and health challenges across various sectors, including wildfire smoke, cannabis odors, cooking smells, sewage, healthcare facilities, diesel exhaust, and airport emissions. In this session, we will explore common odor control applications by identifying key contaminants, examining their potential health risks, and discussing the most effective filtration solutions used to neutralize these odors. Join us to gain valuable insights into how to manage and mitigate unwanted odors in both everyday and specialized settings.