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Earth Day Panel & Social: Reimagining Chicago — The City’s Approach to Fashion, Policy, Tech, & Activism
April 22 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
As part of Sustainable Fashion Week Chicago’s spring programming, in partnership with Chicago Climate Connect, this special Earth Day event welcomes attendees of all climate backgrounds and careers to meet and hear from a panel of local experts leading cross-sector collaboration to advance environmental change across Illinois.
About the Event:
Join us for an evening focusing on Chicago’s sustainability progress. Learn about advancements across circularity in fashion, cross-sector impact with tech, policy, and the role Chicago can play in transitioning to a more ethical and environmental future for all.
Get a preview of the future of fashion policy and next steps on how to get involved for long-term systemic change starting locally! Plus, discover Loopera, the Chicago-based tech company implementing Digital ID Passports to track garments throughout the entire supply chain.
Climate organizations will be on-site with open tabling and other hands-on-elements, while providing attendees with ample time for networking.
A donation bin will be on-site collecting clean and gently used clothing items of all sizes.
Meet the Panelists:
Nicole Ruiz is the Executive Director of the Apparel Industry Board, Inc. (AIBI), where she leads efforts to modernize and unite Chicago’s sewn products industry through innovation, sustainability, and community-centered programming. With a background in fashion design, a certificate in fashion sustainability from Copenhagen Business School, and over a decade in Saas tech, Nicole brings a unique cross-sector perspective to her work. She is the founder of Loopera, a fashion tech platform for digital product passports, and creator of a patent pending NFC Rivot. Her leadership connects fashion, technology, and economic development to build a more circular and sustainable future for the industry.
Macaila Britton is a storyteller and Environmental Advocate. She founded Sustainable Fashion Week Chicago as a way to bring more sustainable fashion opportunities to the Windy City, while bringing communities together to champion change. Previously, she was the Communications Director for His Majesty King Charles III’s Sustainable Markets Initiative. She has completed programs with The University of Cambridge’s Institute For Sustainable Leadership and is ALBERT Trained for sustainable productions. When she’s not running Sustainable Fashion Week Chicago, you can find her hosting a lifestyle activism radio show, blending her passion for people, stewarding the earth, and her love for storytelling.
Jacob Moeller is a co-organizer of Chicago Climate Week 2026, and consults for the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE). Earlier in his career, he advised corporate clients on investor relations — specifically in capital markets, corporate strategy, and stakeholder management. A deft storyteller with a knack for developing partnerships, he’s now applying those skills to the climate space throughout Chicago. Jacob is dedicated to advancing clean transportation and engaging communities to build resilient, collaborative solutions for a changing climate.
Moderated by Iisha Scott
Iisha Scott is an award-winning, Certified Broadcast Meteorologist at NBC Chicago. Her career has taken her across the country, from the Southeast to the Mid-Atlantic, and now to the Midwest. Throughout her career, she’s covered everything from hurricanes and tornadoes to blizzards.Iisha is a proud graduate of Norfolk State University and Mississippi State University, where she studied mass communications, geosciences, and broadcast meteorology. Beyond the forecast, she’s earned climate certifications and is passionate about connecting the dots between our everyday weather, climate change, and sustainability, helping all of us better understand what’s happening in the world around us. She’s also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Weather Association, and the American Meteorological Society.