Data Centers Technical Program
Discover technical pathways to more efficient, lower-impact data centers
The technical program will focus on efforts to reduce adverse environmental and public health impacts of data centers and improve data center sustainability and energy efficiency. Environmental professionals, consultants, local and state managers, and researchers should attend to discover new solutions to reduce the environmental burden of this challenging industry.
Check out the sessions, speakers, sponsors, and discover what you will learn!
(updated 3-17)
Opening Plenary Session — Tuesday, March 24
 Kristen C. UmstattdLoudon County Board of Supervisors |
 Suna SariscakManager, Air Quality Permits Program, Maryland Department of the Environment |
 Anna Rosofsky Community Health and Environmental Research Initiatives Lead, Health Effects Institute |
| Wednesday, March 25 Morning Plenary Session | ||
 Aaron SzaboAssistant Administrator, US EPA Office of Air and Radiation |
 Julie BolthouseDirector of Land Use, Piedmont Environmental Council |
 Ali FarnoudChief Strategy Officer, ALL4, Inc. |
Julie Bolthouse is the Director of Land Use at Piedmont Environmental Council where she's worked for 15 years. She manages nine field staff that work on local land use and energy issues in Clarke, Loudoun, Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Orange, Madison, Greene, and Albemarle counties. She holds a Bachelors in Fisheries Science with a minor in Watershed Management and two Masters degrees in Urban Affairs and Planning and Natural Resources. Her advocacy work has allowed her to work on a wide variety of land use issues for the past decade but for the past five years she has been focused primarily on the pressing issue of the growing data center market in Virginia and massive expansions of the state's energy infrastructure to serve it. She has co-lead the Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition and has presented dozens of times on the issue and need for state level reform.
Ali Farnoud is the Chief Strategy Officer at ALL4 overseeing the company’s data center, power, and chemical sectors. Prior to his executive role at ALL4, Ali led a fast-growing data center sector for Ramboll in the Americas overseeing all environmental services to the data center sector, led significant growth of a strategic account for the firm, and built a large air quality consulting team in Arlington, Virginia. He also acted as the global Air Quality subject matter expert for data centers. Ali holds a doctoral degree from Southern Methodist University, where his research was focused on controlling particulate matter from diesel engines. He was an adjunct professor at the Catholic University of America (CUA) and is currently on the board of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at CUA.
Anna Rosofsky, PhD is a Senior Scientist at the Health Effects Institute and leads the Institute’s Community Health and Environmental Research Initiatives Program; the program provides impartial research and initiatives focused on communities facing persistent, elevated levels of pollution. She has more than a decade of experience engaging in research at the intersection of environmental exposures and energy systems to inform health-protective decisions and has served on academic boards and peer review committees. She received a Ph.D. in environmental health from Boston University School of Public Health in 2017 and a master’s in environmental science and policy from Clark University
Suna Yi Sariscak serves as the Program Manager of the Air Quality Permits Program at the Maryland Department of the Environment. With over 30 years of technical and regulatory expertise, Suna leads Maryland’s efforts to manage and permit stationary sources of air pollution. Currently, Suna is focused on Maryland’s evolving technological landscape, navigating the complex permitting challenges associated with the state’s first large-scale data centers. Suna holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park.
Aaron Szabo was appointed the Assistant Administrator of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Air and Radiation on July 30, 2025. Szabo has been the Assistant Administrator of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Air and Radiation. Prior to EPA, Szabo served as a federal civil servant, first at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, where he worked on nuclear power plant issues and regulations, and then at the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, where he worked on major climate and air regulations. He continued his career civil service as the Senior Counsel at the Council on Environmental Quality, where his role expanded to include the National Environmental Policy Act and federal sustainability issues. After more than ten years of federal government service, Szabo joined a government advocacy and consulting company where he provided strategic advice and advocacy to companies looking to engage with the federal government. In 2023, Szabo became a government and regulatory affairs attorney at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, focusing on environmental and energy issues. Szabo holds degrees in economics, government and politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a law degree from George Washington University Law School.. Prior to EPA, Szabo served as a federal civil servant, first at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, where he worked on nuclear power plant issues and regulations, and then at the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, where he worked on major climate and air regulations. He continued his career civil service as the Senior Counsel at the Council on Environmental Quality, where his role expanded to include the National Environmental Policy Act and federal sustainability issues. After more than ten years of federal government service, Szabo joined a government advocacy and consulting company where he provided strategic advice and advocacy to companies looking to engage with the federal government. In 2023, Szabo became a government and regulatory affairs attorney at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, focusing on environmental and energy issues. Szabo holds degrees in economics, government and politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a law degree from George Washington University Law School.
Kristen C. Umstattd was elected to represent the Leesburg District on the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors in November 2015 and reelected in 2019 and 2023. She serves on the Board of Supervisors’ Finance/Government Operations and Economic Development Committee and is a former Chair of the committee. Previously, she served on the Leesburg Town Council from 1992 to 2016. She served as Mayor of the Town of Leesburg between 2002 and 2016 and served for many years as the Leesburg Town Council’s liaison to the Leesburg Planning Commission. Umstattd was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve. After her honorable discharge, Umstattd continued with the U.S. Naval Reserves, translating Soviet naval documents from Russian into English for the U.S. intelligence community. She then joined the Central Intelligence Agency as a Soviet Naval analyst. In addition, Supervisor Umstattd has served on the boards of the many county, statewide and regional organizations. She graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Yale University with a B.A. in Russian and East European Studies. She holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and a Certificate in Chinese Studies from Cheng-chi University in Taiwan.
