The Regional Innovation Forum is produced by Blue Ocean Events in partnership with Bonneville Environmental Foundation, City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability, Clean Edge, Clean Tech Alliance, Climate Solutions, Office of Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Energy Trust of Oregon, Federal Department of Energy - Pacific NW Laboratory, Focus the Nation, Formos, Inspired Futures Campaign, Lewis & Clark College, Metro, Multnomah County, Multnomah Youth Commission, Oregon Business Council, Oregon Department of Energy, Oregon Global Warming Commission, Oregon Statue University Extension Service, PCC, PGE, Portfolio 21, Portland + Oregon Sustainability Institute, Portland Spaces, PSU Center for Sustainable Processes and Practices, Rocky Mountain Institute, SE Uplift, Shorebank Pacific, Springboard Innovation, Sustainable Oregon Schools Initiative, The Epiphany Projects, The Performance Center, and the US Partnership - Education for Sustainable Development.

The Forum will showcase current initiatives and innovation, and bring together stakeholders and experts in the field. Participants will engage in dialogue and problem solving, identifying pain points, solutions and developing action plans to encourage progress.

Experts and leaders will provide context and understanding of the challenges facing us. Individuals will be invited to broaden their knowledge base, develop leadership skills, and connect to current initiatives, and develop new solutions, partnerships and initiatives to advance the region’s leadership in sustainability.

Participants in the Forum will leave with a greater commitment to make a difference, and with tools and opportunities to lead and collaborate with others in ongoing efforts.

The Forum aspires to:

• Build the leadership of the region in the sustainability effort

• Facilitate work across sectors to collaborate on problems we cannot solve alone

• Find ways to work more effectively and take projects to scale

• Launch an ongoing Social Learning program:  A community based, inter-generational and project driven Sustainability Literacy & Leadership Development Campaign.

Keynote: Dr. Stephen Schneider, 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Renowned Climatologist, Professor at Stanford University