Illuminating Impact Symposium
May 15, 2026 | Direct Relief | Santa Barbara, CA
International Day of Light 2026 in Santa Barbara convenes leaders in clean energy, global health, and innovation to advance light and power worldwide.
Why Light & Power Matter
Light and reliable power are foundational to health, education, disaster response, economic mobility, and climate resilience. This Summit brings together influential leaders across sectors to explore what’s next in accelerating equitable access to energy worldwide.
Global
Health
Clean
Energy
Cross-Sector
Leadership
Partnering Organizations
Leaders across nonprofit, finance, technology, government, and business sectors.
Program Overview
Illuminating Impact will begin with a light breakfast & coffee hour, and close with a networking lunch.
9:00 AM
Welcome & Opening Keynote: The Next Lighting Revolution
Welcome
Megan Birney Rudert
Moderated Keynote
Shuji Nakamura
Nobel Laureate of Physics and Professor at UCSB
Speaker Bio
Shuji Nakamura is an engineer and Nobel Prize–winning physicist known for inventing the blue LED, a breakthrough that enabled energy-efficient white lighting used around the world. He is a professor of materials science at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Speaker Bio
John Bowers is the former Director of the Institute for Energy Efficiency and a Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials at UCSB. Inspired to increase light access around the world, he founded Unite to Light in 2010.
9:30 AM
Power for Health & Gender Equity
Panelists
Sharon Allen
Co-founder and CEO of World Telehealth Initiative
Dr. Lily Bui
Director of Southern California Grantmakers
John Red Cloud
Vice President of the Board of Red Cloud Renewables
Moderator
Sara Rossi
Managing Director of the Health Resiliency Fund of Direct Relief
10:10 AM
Partner Highlight: Solar Sister
Olasimbo Sojinrin
CEO of Solar Sister
10:25 AM
Partner Highlight: WINKO Solar
Akonkwa Mubagwa
Founder and CEO of WINKO Solar
10:55 AM
Local Innovation to Global Impact
Brent Dehlsen
Co-Founder & COO of Ecomerit, Aquantis, Clipper Wind,
Dan Casey
CEO and Founder of Dragon Q Energy
Catherine Von Berg
CEO and Co-Founder of SimpliPhi Power
11:35 AM
Partner Highlight: Safe Parking
Cassie Roach
Program Director at Safe Parking
11:50 AM
Partner Highlight: UNFPA
12:00 PM
International Policy & Finance
Panelist
Titus Brenninkmeijer
Founder of Solgenix
Moderator
Tim Hade
Co-Founder at Scale Microgrids
12:30 PM
California's Clean Energy Playbook
David Hochschild
Chair of California Energy Commission
Christina Snider-Ashtari
Tribal Affairs Secretary for the Office of Gavin Newsom
Alelia Parenteau
Sustainability & Resilience Director for the City of Santa Barbara
11:50 AM
Closing Reflections
Thank You To Our Sponsors
PRESENTING SPONSOR
VIP SPONSOR
PANEL SPONSORS
Official Solar Partner
COMMUNITY SPONSORS
VIP Reception
May 14th, 2026
An invitation-only sunset reception bringing together keynote speakers, sponsors, and community leaders for meaningful connection ahead of the Summit.
About
Unite To Light
Unite to Light provides solar light and power to people living without reliable electricity,
supporting frontline health workers, students, and families in underserved communities worldwide.