Kari Walworth has over fifteen years of experience in environmental and water resources engineering, environmental management systems, natural resource policy, and clean technology development. Kari is a 2006 graduate of the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise dual degree program (MBA/MS) at the University of Michigan. She has also earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and a master’s degree in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering from the University of Michigan. Additionally, Kari is a licensed Professional Engineer. Prior to starting the Erb Institute program, Kari was an environmental engineer and engineering supervisor with the Ford Motor Company. Her career at Ford included assignments in the U.S., Europe, India, and China where she was responsible for regulatory compliance, implementing environmental management systems, environmental permitting for greenfield manufacturing sites, and environmental due diligence for major company acquisitions. Her focus within the Erb Institute graduate program was on natural resource policy and corporate environmental strategy. During this time she worked extensively with the 3M Company and Cummins, Inc. on thesis projects related to worker health and safety in China and increasing sustainability in manufacturing.

Since graduating from the Erb Institute program, Kari has worked as an independent consultant. Recent clients include KPMG’s Global Climate Change and Sustainability Practice, the William Davidson Institute, and Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). She has also collaborated extensively with the Ann Arbor-based consulting firm Shepherd Advisors to promote renewable and alternative energy and industrial energy efficiency in Michigan. She has managed or contributed to projects related to establishing a DOE-funded center for industrial energy efficiency based at the University of Michigan, completing a technology commercialization model for a new biodiesel catalyst, and creating a network to connect alternative energy researchers with peers and business resources (with Detroit-based non-profit NextEnergy).