Keynote Speaker

Kate serves as the Climate Director for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). With a deep commitment to addressing climate change, Knuth leverages her extensive background in public service, academic research, and community engagement to this role. As Climate Director for MPCA, Knuth plays a pivotal role in shaping and implementing the state's Climate Action Framework. She works to strengthen partnerships across government agencies, support local climate resilience efforts, and develop policies that align with Minnesota's commitment to achieving a carbon-neutral, resilient, and equitable future.

Knuth previously served as the Minneapolis Chief Resilience Officer and ran the Boreas Leadership Program at the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment. She served three terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives. As a legislator, she chief-authored the Global Warming Solutions Act and Toxic Free Kids Act.

Knuth earned a Ph.D. in Conservation Sciences from the University of Minnesota, a M.Sc. in Biodiversity Conservation and Management from the University of Oxford, and a B.A. in biology and philosophy from the University of Chicago. She was a Fulbright Fellow in Norway. Knuth's academic research and writing addresses questions of how to drive deliberate transformations to a more just, sustainable future. She was also a contributor the best-selling anthology All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis.