Dr. Akima Cornell, , ENV SP, GPRO, is sustainability expert and project manager with over fifteen years of experience developing and evaluating policies and projects related to climate change and sustainability, working on policies in the United States, the UNFCCC, and local governments.

Dr. Cornell is the principal and owner of Akima Consulting, LLC, a small women-owned business and an industry leader in the areas of community, transportation, and sustainability planning. Akima Consulting, LLC has policy and project experience, assisting public agencies, municipalities, private businesses, and non-profit organizations throughout the United States in creating innovative sustainable solutions to environmental, social, and economic challenges; extensive project experience in crafting and implementing sustainable planning for public and private clients; data analysis; public outreach; stakeholder engagement; and policy analysis and negotiation. Additional skills include planning and coordinating multiple trainings and workshops to educate businesses and the public on new policies, environmental practices, and technologies.

Dr. Cornell received her doctorate in environmental policy, social network analysis, and statistics from University of Essex in England. She also graduated with a master’s degree in politics, environmental policy and international relations, University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego, California.

Dr. Cornell has published several papers and writings on sustainability and is a frequent speaker and panelist at numerous conferences nationwide. Also, she is a previous founding board member of the Sustainability Council of Orange County, now SustainOC. She worked with businesses and local governments to develop educational resources, programs, and guidelines for implementing long-term sustainable benefits.