Welcome to the Planet Media Summit! Please see below for the detailed agenda.
April 9, 2025
Night at the Movies
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Attire: Cocktail hour
6:00 PM (Screening Begins at 7:00 PM)
From anime to music, podcasts to geocaching, the Planet Media Call for Pitches Awardees have developed exciting content to help kids understand our changing world. Please join us for a reception and special screening of this content and a conversation with the awardees.
April 10, 2025
University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Attire: Business Casual
8:00 AM - Registration and Breakfast Available
Location: Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN) Room 106
9:00 AM - Mainstage: The Conversations We Need: Preparing Young People for Success in Our Changing Climate
Location: Annenberg Auditorium (ASC) Room G26
Climate change is impacting children's lives globally now, causing disruptions and insecurity. This discussion will focus on our need to increase conversations about climate change to foster climate understanding in a way that inspires hope and collaboration. By uniting parents, educators, storytellers, and communicators, we can bridge divides, emphasize our shared responsibility to prepare young people for the future, and inspire action to build a brighter future.
What’s at Stake:
Laura Schifter, Senior Fellow, This Is Planet Ed at the Aspen Institute
The Conversations We Need
Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Dean Willow Bay, USC Annenberg
Think Inside the Exhibit
Wendy Abrams, founder Cool Globes and Eleven Eleven Foundation
Lori Bettison-Varga, President, Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County
Sean Decatur, President, American Museum of Natural History
Allison Agsten, Director, USC Annenberg's Center for Climate Journalism and Communication
10:30 AM - Interactive Sessions
Session A: Game On: Leveling Up Climate Action
Location: Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN) Room 106
Tracy Fullerton, Director, USC Game Innovation Lab
Allison Matthews, Head of Education, Minecraft
Susanna Pollack, President of Games for Change
Arana Shapiro, Chief Operating and Programs Officer, Games for Change
OR
Session B: Field Trip to the Natural History Museum
Location: Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN) - Plaza
Join Molly Porter with the Natural History Museum and the Tinkercast team for a scavenger hunt and geocache adventure to see the Climate Principles in action.
Noon - Lunch
Location: Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN) - Plaza
1:00 PM - Mainstage: Spotlight On....
Location: Annenberg Auditorium (ASC) Room G26
From NGOs to YouTube science communicators, educators to children's television shows, people across the country are working to foster climate literacy, build resilience, and inspire action. This session will highlight leaders working to advance solutions for young people through advocacy, partnerships, communication, and storytelling.
Spotlight on Colorado Climate Literacy Ellarie Anderson, Lyra Colorado
Spotlight on YouTube
Joe Hanson, Creator & Producer, BeSmart for PBS Digital Studios
Jessi Knudsen Castañeda, Scishow Kids
Katie Kurtz, Director, Global Head of Youth & Learning, YouTube
Spotlight on Climate Resilience and Kids
Janti Soeripto, President and CEO, Save the Children
Cristina Shapiro, Chief Strategy Officer & President, Impact Fund for Children & UNICEF Bridge Fund, UNICEF USA
Gary Knell, Former Chairman & CEO, National Geographic Partners, NPR, & Sesame Workshop
Spotlight on Streaming
J.J. Johnson, Founding Partner, Sinking Ship Entertainment
Karissa Valencia, Showrunner, Netflix: Spirit Rangers
Chase Cain, National Climate Reporter, NBC News
2:30 PM - Interactive Sessions
Session C: Strategies for Change: Intergenerational Power for Climate Action
Location: Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN) Room 106
Molly Josephs, Director of This Teenage Life
Jayden Dial, Contributor of This Teenage Life
Jess Teutonico, Executive Director of We are Family Foundation
Russell Reed, We are Family Foundation
Yalda T. Uhls, Founder and CEO of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA
OR
Session D: Creating Climate Curriculum, Not Just in the Science Classroom
Location: Annenberg Auditorium (ASC) Room 228
Molly Sinnott, Educator & Editor at OER Project
Margaret Wang, Co-Founder and Executive Director of SubjectToClimate
Creators Space
Come to the creators space to get feedback on your ideas for lesson plans, short-form content and more, or brainstorm ideas for a climate museum exhibit.
3:50 PM - Working Groups Reflection and Action
Location: Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN) - Plaza
This working group session provides a dedicated space to reflect on key insights, determine concrete action steps, and forge commitments for future collaboration on shared goals.
4:30 PM - Closing Session: A Celebration of LA
Location: Annenberg Auditorium (ASC) Room G26
Three months after LA’s devastating wildfires, LA remains committed not simply to recovery but also the ongoing work to address climate change and empower youth in leading a climate-resilient future. This session highlights Los Angeles' leadership in climate education and explores Hollywood's powerful role in shaping hopeful climate narratives for young audiences.
LAUSD Empowering Youth for a Climate-Resilient Future
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Los Angeles Unified School District
Jimmy Duong, Educator, Virgil Middle School
Samuel Paik-Heintz, 10th grader, North Hollywood High School
Justin Worland, Senior Correspondent, TIME Magazine
Hollywood and Climate Hope
Stephanie Hsu, Academy-award nominated Actress
Dean Elizabeth Daley, USC School of Cinematic Arts
Premiere of Wild Hope
6:00 PM - Reception
Location: Moreton Fig, 3607 Trousdale Pkwy, Los Angeles, CA 90089
Light refreshments will be served and a surprise guest for musical accompaniment.
April 11, 2025
8:30 AM - 11:30 AM School Site Visits with Los Angeles Unified School District
Location: Meet at USC Hotel.
Schoolbus transit to 3 unique school sites. Join us for a ride to the LAUSD schools to see climate learning in action. Before departure, Christos Chrysiliou, Chief Eco-Sustainability Officer at Los Angeles Unified School District, will highlight initiatives and advancement in climate education in LA schools.
If you wish to attend, please fill out this Permissions Waiver for the schoolbus transportation, as required by Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Waiver and Release of Liability policy. Thank you.