Gwen Ruta serves as the Executive Vice President at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). She draws on three decades of management experience in leading EDF’s program staff to solve some of the world’s most pressing environmental problems in the areas of climate change, fisheries management, habitat conservation, and protection of public health. Previously, Ms. Ruta served as Senior Vice President for Climate & Energy at EDF, overseeing programs to accelerate renewable energy and utilize markets to catalyze innovation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Earlier, as Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, she spurred innovation and transformation in market sectors from shipping to retail to fleets. Prior to joining EDF, Ms. Ruta was Vice President at Metcalf & Eddy, an international environmental engineering firm. She has also held senior management positions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Ms. Ruta began her career in engineering working at a Texaco oil refinery. She has authored numerous articles on environmental issues and is a frequent speaker at business conferences. Ms. Ruta is on the boards of the Center for Responsible Shale Development and the Erb Institute at the University of Michigan and was once named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Finance by Treasury and Risk magazine. She holds an M.P.A. from Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia.