Our Team

Beth Rattner

Conductor + Circularity Strategist

Katia Hardgrave

Project Manager + Social Impact Lead

James Ewell

Green Chemistry + Sustainable Materials Expert

Lauren Bright

Collaborative Projects Architect + Technical Expert

‍Libby Sommer

Circularity + Green Chemistry Expert

Brian Dougherty

Designer + Strategic Advisor

Claudia Richardson

Materials Engineer + Innovation Strategist

Ellie Banwell

Biochemist + Designer

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Katia Hardgrave

Project Manager + Social Impact Lead

Katia is driven by a passion to meaningfully and sustainably address social justice issues. She brings a unique mix of experiences from living and working across North America, South America, and South/Southeast Asia. Katia draws from her roles at an impact startup, an early-stage impact VC, an impact-focused investment bank, and at an impact advisory firm. She applies these experiences and her international development background to support the Design for Transformation work across a variety of roles.

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James Ewell

Green Chemistry + Sustainable Materials Expert

James has over 25 years of experience helping industry and the non-profit sector create more effective methods of managing chemicals in supply chains and designing products and systems that foster an economy based on the safe and circular flows of all materials. In addition to his work on manufacturing safer products, James also has done extensive research on chemical and biological recycling technologies.

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Lauren Bright

Collaborative Projects Architect + Technical Expert

As a multidisciplinary engineer and innovator, Lauren has over a decade of experience enacting change in multinational manufacturing environments. She is a complex problem-solver and corporate catalyst—having commercialized industry-leading material/process technologies, directed cross-industry initiatives, built circular economy strategies, and uncovered critical barriers for a just transition away from extractive practices. Through her consultancy, Lauren architects and leads collective action projects in regenerative agriculture, decarbonization, next-generation materials, and equitable supply systems to shape the future of industry.

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Libby Sommer

Circularity + Green Chemistry Expert

Libby works at the intersection of sustainability, science, and business decision-making. From the US EPA to Nike to the world of start-ups, she has made a career of making science and social impact accessible in service of more sustainable products and companies. Her work covers many industries from cleaning products to food, from electronics to apparel & footwear. As an independent consultant, she builds strategies and tools to address circularity, life cycle assessment, green chemistry, human rights and more.

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Brian Dougherty

Designer + Strategic Advisor

Brian is a designer focused on bringing sustainable solutions to scale. He leads visual communications and brand strategy work in close collaboration with scientists and engineers. He works primarily with clean technology companies and mission-driven nonprofit organizations, helping to expand their reach and increase their impact. Brian is co-founder and creative director of Celery Design Collaborative and author of Green Graphic Design.

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Ellie Banwell

Biochemist + Designer

Dr Ellie Banwell is a biochemist, designer, and entrepreneur with extensive academic and professional experience. As a scientist, Ellie researched synthetic biology and the origin of life before transitioning to a career in design. Her varied career has given her a unique and holistic perspective, enabling her to identify the common processes driving natural and human resource dynamics. She has consulted for clients including Steelcase and Nike, and co-authored the "The Nature of Fashion".

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Beth Rattner

Conductor + Circularity Strategist

Beth Rattner was the Executive Director for the Biomimicry Institute for 11 years and launched D4T in 2021 after co-authoring The Nature of Fashion the year prior. She has conducted this collective action initiative together with its partners since its inception. Beth’s role has been to align its strategic vision and narrative to a biomimetic systems view. She is an attorney and established sustainability leader with a personal mission to bring nature’s intelligence to innovators of all ages, in service of a just world for all living beings.

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Claudia Richardson

Materials Engineer + Innovation Strategist

Claudia Richardson is an experienced technical product leader and materials engineer with an extensive sustainability track record. She has a background in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT and has worked on solving materials problems in various fields including clean energy, battery science, consumer products, apparel, and footwear at beloved consumer brands like Patagonia and Allbirds.

Meet the Team…

Beth Rattner

Katia Hardgrave

James Ewell

Lauren Bright

‍Libby Sommer

Brian Dougherty

Claudia Richardson

Ellie Banwell

Our Partners