By Gabrielle Gasser EBS STAFF
BIG SKY – On Jan. 30, 2021, nine speakers will gather in the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center to present speeches on the theme of “Awakening.”
This year, the 2021 Big Sky Ideas Festival will focus on the Awakening process that the country has gone through in 2020. As the world emerges from the lockdown, there are many stories of how people changed their lives, businesses pivoted their plans and focus, and other incredible examples of humanity and community building.
The emphasis will be on presence or consciousness without thought and will feature stories about people helping each other, businesses changing their focus to help the greater good and perspective shifts in the face of need.
David Leuschen
David Leuschen is the Co-Founder and Senior Managing Director of Riverstone Holdings, LLC, one of the world’s largest energy investment firms, as well as the largest independent investor in renewable energy. He sits on the Investment Committees of all the various Riverstone investment vehicles, and on a number of boards of directors of Riverstone portfolio companies.
Prior to founding Riverstone, Leuschen was a Partner at Goldman Sachs and founder and head of the Goldman Sachs Global Energy and Power Group. He is also president and sole owner of Switchback Ranch LLC and on the Advisory Board of Big Sky Investment Holdings LLC.
Leuschen serves on a number of nonprofit boards of directors, including: as a Trustee of United States Olympic Committee Foundation, a Director of Conservation International, a Director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Founding Member of the Peterson Institute’s Economic Leadership Council, a Director of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, and a Director of the Montana Land Reliance.
Explore Big Sky: What does the theme of awakening mean to you?
David Leuschen: “Doing things in a new way – especially as it applies to the disruptive technologies that will cure climate change.”
EBS: What inspired you to build a career in renewable energy?
DL: “Part necessity, part dedication to doing the right thing.
1) Necessity – capital is no longer available to fund fossil fuel investments.
2) Doing the right thing – we are perfectly positioned to move the needle on climate change.”
EBS: What do you hope that attendees of TEDxBigSky will take away from your talk?
DL: “An understanding of what the decarbonization future looks like.”
For more information on speakers, their topics, and updates, please visit the event website: tedxbigsky.com
