The Dallas Institute Festival of Ideas: Focus Forum on the Environment

In four separate Arts District venues, each guest speaker will join his or her Festival team – Dallas’ best panelists and moderator listed on the previous page – for a “Focus Forum.” The guest speaker will first make a brief presentation on the future of his or her area and then will engage with panelists for discussion, moderated by an expert facilitator. In the latter third of the session, the facilitator will open up the exchange to nclude the audience.

“The Environment”: Elizabeth Kolbert, with Hon. Tom Leppert, Judy Pesek, and Michael Decker, moderated by Glenn Arbery

Elizabeth Kolbert is a staff writer for the New Yorker and author of the 2006 award winning "Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change." Widely recognized as an expert in her field, she has written on a variety of environmental issues, from the future of the automobile to global warming.

Hon. Tom Leppert is Mayor of the City of Dallas. A businessman as well as a community leader, he has held executive positions at The Turner Corporation, Trammell Crow Co., and other corporations.

Judy Pesek is Managing Partner for Gensler Architects in Dallas. With over 30 years’ experience in interior architecture, she specializes in corporate facilities with emphasis on sustainable design.

Michael Decker is Principal with Wingate Partners. Treasurer of the World Affairs Council, he is former chair of ENSR, an international environmental and energy development consulting company.

Dr. Glenn Arbery is Senior Editor and film critic for People Newspapers. A Fellow of the Dallas Institute. He is author of "Why Literature Matters" and editor of the essay collection "The Tragic Abyss."

Pricing -

Tier A seating - $100

Tier B seating - $85

Seating capacity for Focus Forum is 175 - 200