Full Name
Riley Nelson
Job Title
Head of Sustainability
Company
NASCAR
Speaker Bio
As NASCAR's Head of Sustainability, Riley Nelson develops, directs and champions the league’s first comprehensive environmental sustainability strategy, including oversight of 15 racetracks, seven office locations, 1200+ employees, and 20+ events that draw millions of attendees annually. She was a leading voice behind the sport’s first public-facing sustainability goal – net zero operating emissions by 2035 – and the formation of NASCAR IMPACT. Additionally, she helped secure the company’s first NASCAR IMPACT partnership in global electrification leader ABB; published the sport’s first IMPACT report; launched composting, reuse and expanded recycling programs across events; and built the renewable energy strategy for 60K+ MWh of electricity per year. She was named to Sports Business Journal’s 2024 class of New Voices Under 30 and was included on SBJ’s Ones to Watch in Sustainability list in 2023. Based in Denver and originally from Boston, Nelson received her MBA in Sustainable Innovation from the University of Vermont and BA in Sport Management from the University of Michigan.
Riley Nelson