Kevin Tuerff
Kevin Tuerff is cofounder of EnviroMedia Social Marketing – the leading U.S. marketing agency providing sustainability consulting, delivering authentic, ethical campaigns, achieving measurable results since 1997 and generating $80 million in revenue.
Tuerff's experience with sustainability runs deep. From a background in legislative issues and a stint as the manager of the Pollution Prevention Program at the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (now Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) to his work bringing an ethical approach to green marketing with business partner Valerie Davis at EnviroMedia, Tuerff has made environmental issues his passion.
Underlying his success has been a strong commitment to innovation and authenticity when it comes to finding solutions for sustainability issues. Tuerff led Dell to revamp its electronic waste recycling program, engaging with stakeholders from around the country to turn the company from environmental laggard into environmental leader. Along the way, he worked with various internal departments to change practices, such as reviewing supplier commitments, engaging with stakeholders across the globe and adopting recycled-content paper for all catalogs (which now saves the company money). Most recently, he worked with the branding team to develop platforms for Dell's global environmental initiatives.
In addition to the work with Dell, Tuerff has led teams that contributed to a 70 percent increase in sales for renewable energy provider Green Mountain Energy Co. and established sustainability platforms for the U.S. subsidiary of Tetra Pak.
Tuerff’s efforts to maintain integrity in green marketing have been highlighted in Brandweek and by U.S. News & World Report. He is also a frequent guest lecturer on marketing and ethics at The American Academy of Advertising and at his alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin.
Valerie Davis
Whether sounding a warning to greenwashers on NBC’s TODAY show or spending all day in a landfill to show her dismay at the state of U.S. recycling efforts, Valerie Davis passionately speaks out about the issues that matter. Whether as a participant at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Bali, Indonesia (Dec. 2007) or as a blogger and columnist for outlets like Environmental Leader, Davis has championed the efforts to inject ethics and authenticity into companies' sustainability programs and communications efforts.
Davis was the brains behind the recently launched Greenwashing Index to fight the forces of misleading advertising. The site creates a forum for public discourse on the good and bad efforts of advertisers to promote what they do for the environment. The Greenwashing Index reflects Davis' strong commitment to her belief that companies should be strategic with their sustainability efforts, ensuring they don't talk big while delivering very little.
In 1997, Davis founded EnviroMedia Social Marketing – America’s first full-service advertising and public relations firm dedicated solely to improving the environment and public health – with her business partner Kevin Tuerff. In addition to her work on developing sustainability programs and working with environmental stakeholders, Davis has led programs like Don’t Mess with Texas (named America’s Favorite Slogan Competition in 2006, beating Nike’s "Just Do It" and "Got Milk?") and the Water IQ campaign, which in the North Texas area helped cut daily peak water use by 200 million gallons a day.
Davis has spoken in Washington, D.C. for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy on "Social Marketing: Inspiring Individuals to Act on Energy Efficiency," and has served as a panelist at the Potomac Watershed Trash Summit. Davis earned her Bachelor of Journalism at The University of Texas at Austin.
Steve Roberts
Steve Roberts offers over a decade of marketing experience and strategic expertise in issues related to the environment and sustainability. As Managing Director for EnviroMedia Social Marketing , Roberts provides insight and vision, via a keen intellect and clear passion for all things “green.”
As one of his roles, Roberts has helped companies develop and implement authentic sustainability programs and create effective communications to accompany them. For computer giant Dell, he strategically guided the development of a global sustainability brand, and helped develop and direct a successful nationwide computer recycling program. For Green Mountain Energy Co., Roberts has led teams that contributed to a 70 percent increase in sales for the renewable energy provider. Roberts also worked closely with the Live Green in Plano city-wide sustainability effort and served as Field Director for America Recycles Day, coordinating event partners in all 50 states.
Roberts earned his B.A. in Spanish and History with Honors at Northwestern University, and his master's degree in Latin American History at The University of Texas at Austin.
Jill Shoup
For more than 12 years, Jill Shoup has brought a strategic mindset and research-based approach to bear on corporate, nonprofit and government projects. In addition to Green Canary, she currently serves as the Director of Account Planning and Research for EnviroMedia Social Marketing. In that role, she directs all research-based projects across multiple methodologies. Shoup also applies that research to agency campaigns, analyzing the data and using it to formulate sound strategies.
During her tenure with EnviroMedia, Shoup has had broad experience with national brands and issue-oriented campaigns. In particular, Shoup led the Don't Mess with Texas statewide litter prevention campaign for five years, overseeing a 52 percent reduction in roadside litter during that time. She was also instrumental in extensive research projects for the Carpet and Rug Institute and for research and community-engagement campaigns for the cities of Austin and Dallas, the Hill Country Conservancy and others.
Shoup's background in strategic development also includes work with the World Wildlife Fund, the Propane Education and Research Council, Pace Foods, Frost Bank and others.
Shoup holds a B.A. from Tulane University and a masters in science from Texas A&M in Social Psychology, where her research focused on health communications, social norms and psychological reactance.
Talley Summerlin
Talley Summerlin provides eight years of sustainability experience in the corporate world, ranging from public and community relations to creative facilitation and idea generation. As a director at Green Canary Sustainability Consulting, he offers a strong personal and professional commitment to environmental issues.
Throughout his career, Summerlin has developed and managed environmental programs and events for world-class sustainable brands. For Seventh Generation, he coordinated WeeGeneration.com, a major Web initiative benefiting Healthy Child Healthy World. This site included an interview with famed enviromental architect William McDonough, a testimonial video with “green mom” Sheryl Crow and Web slideshows describing the IDEO deep dive design process for the Wee Generation baby bag. In addition, Summerlin managed the public relations team for Dell’s ongoing environmental programs which included Plant a Tree For Me, global free recycling, Energy Star compliance and climate neutrality.
Summerlin earned his B.A. in Communication with a minor in Art at Trinity University, and his masters in English at the University of Arkansas.