Sunny Fleming serves as the Director of Environment, Conservation, and Natural Resources Solutions at Esri, the global leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping. With a strong background in plant ecology and botany, she has consistently applied geographic thinking throughout her career. Her experience ranges from monitoring rare species in the field with the Tennessee Division of Natural Areas to assisting state parks in managing recreational assets and contributing to regulatory and policy initiatives. In her role, she collaborates with users, partners, and colleagues to cultivate a community of environmental professionals leveraging GIS to address some of the world's most pressing challenges.
She earned her degree in Biology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. As an undergraduate, she worked with Dr. Joey Shaw (UTC) and Dr. Dwayne Estes (Austin Peay State University) on a floristic and ecological inventory of the Ocoee River Gorge in Polk County, TN. This project, commissioned to support policymakers in addressing transportation concerns with significant regional economic impacts, involved navigating the challenges of a highly biodiverse and sensitive habitat. This experience marked her introduction to the relationships between policy, economy, and the environment—igniting a passion that continues to drive her work today.
Recognized for her expertise at the intersection of technology, policy, and environmental issues, she has been featured as a plenary speaker at the National Association of Environmental Professionals, the Natural Areas Association, and other events. Her insights have also been sought by the executive offices of the White House, where she has been invited to participate in related initiatives, as well as by numerous panels, podcasts, and webinars where she regularly shares her perspective.
As the proud daughter of a musician and an artist, she spent her childhood exploring the streams and forests outside Franklin, TN, with the melodies of Nashville as her soundtrack. Now, she calls Asheville, North Carolina, home, where she lives with her husband, botanist Christopher Fleming, their dogs, their gardens, and a robust collection of bicycles.
