Partner Spotlight: Ashtabula Sustainability Summit
Can you provide an overview of the upcoming Sustainability Summit? Who should attend and what should they expect?
JG: Ashtabula County is hosting its first ever Sustainability Summit on Friday, October 24, 2025 at Kent State Ashtabula. The Summit will be held at Kent State University of Ashtabula from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm filled with insightful discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities focused on the future of Ashtabula County. We hope to learn from local experiences, regional best practices, connect with like-minded individuals, and contribute to building a sustainable action plan for Ashtabula county. We have support from partners that include NOPEC, Blue CSR, the Ohio EPA , Ohio Environmental Council, PCFO, and more.
We want people to attend who live, work, and play in Ashtabula County and have a vested interest in prioritizing for a clean, sustainable future.
Attendees can register here by October 15 for lunch purposes. Walk-ins are also welcome but know that our lunch count is by pre-registration. We are also still looking for environmental and clean energy organizations to table at the event as well. They can register here.
What inspired you and the Summit’s collaborative partners to organize this event, and why is sustainability such an important topic for Ashtabula County right now?
JG: Ashtabula County has a rich history tied to sustainability from its local food scene, 3 scenic rivers, parks, extensive lake front, agriculture, eco-tourism, and more. It is the largest county by land size in Ohio and has immense opportunity for sustainable and clean energy practices.
We are at a pivotal time in the county’s history and have this unique moment to set a course for a healthy, resilient, and sustainable future. Doing something right now is essential.
Could you share some of the main themes, session topics, or panel discussions attendees can look forward to during the event?
JG: Topic areas for the Summit will include:
Local Food & Agriculture
Economic Development
Healthy Environment, Healthy People
Built Environment: Transportation & Infrastructure
Land & Ecosystem Management
Energy & Climate
What are you personally most excited about in the Summit program?
JG: I am most excited to hear from a diverse set of Ashtabula County stakeholders about their priorities for the future. I am so excited to hear best practices from around Ohio. The synergy between the learnings from the day and community voice for the future really fuel each moment of planning.
Looking beyond the event itself, what do you hope the summit will accomplish for the community, and what kinds of next steps or actions do you envision coming out of it?
JG: Our goal is to leave the summit informed and inspired. Specifically, we hope to have a set of priorities that can be the framework of a sustainable action plan. We also hope that the Summit will lead to future coordination of environmental leaders and organizations for future planning.
For those who may be new to conversations about sustainability, what would you say to encourage them to attend and get involved?
JG: I would say that if you care about health, the lake, green spaces, clean energy, saving money, strategic development, economic growth, and protecting our natural assets then this is for you! I would simplify it even more to say that if you care about the future of Ashtabula County and our communities, if you care about the world that we leave for our children and grandchildren, then come and have your voice be heard!