SDG Challenge Miami

Empowering Students to Solve Real-World Challenges Through Sustainable Innovation

The SDG Challenge Miami is a bold, hands-on student competition designed to turn big ideas into real impact.
It brings together students, businesses, universities, and organizations across South Florida to co-create solutions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — a global blueprint focused on climate action, inclusive growth, and equality for all.

Shaping Miami's Future

The SDG Challenge is a laboratory of learning and practice for a
sustainable & resilient Miami.

Companies are paired with a group of students to develop new ideas &
solutions.

Students gain practical work experience and develop skills that match labor-market needs.

The SDG Challenge is recognized by academics as a bridge for students’
soft skills on teamwork, leadership, critical thinking on sustainability issues and solutions.

The SDGs Challenge is a catalyst for community action and is positioning Miami as a global leader in sustainable development

685 SDG Ecosystem
Attendees

380 Students Engaged

45 Thought
Leaders

19 Companies
Engaged

What is the SDG Challenge?

A High-Energy Innovation Sprint with Purpose

Students from local colleges and universities team up with leading South Florida companies to address urgent community challenges — from climate change and gender equity to education, housing, and urban mobility.

Built on a fast-paced, “pressure-cooker” model developed by the founding team, the SDG Challenge equips participants with practical tools, expert guidance, and real-world exposure.

Students collaborate, problem-solve, and pitch sustainable, actionable solutions that drive meaningful change.

Real Challenges. Real Impact

Each student team will tackle a specific sustainability challenge faced by a participating company.

These businesses are already committed to integrating SDGs into their operations and are eager to hear bold, creative solutions.

At the end of the challenge, teams present their ideas during the Grand Finale, where a panel of experts selects the most innovative and impact-driven proposal.

The winning team earns recognition, support, and the opportunity to bring their idea to life.

Let's hear from our Founder

The SDG Ecosystem in Action

Collaboration at the Core

The SDG Challenge is more than a competition — it's a collaborative platform that connects students, business leaders, local governments, and universities around a shared mission: accelerating progress on the SDGs through local action.

Together, we’re building a sustainable future—starting right here in Miami.

The SDG Challenge Miami equips students to become the next generation of sustainability leaders.

Our Partner Universities

Discover each university’s SDG Challenge. Click their logo to learn more about their initiatives and academic programs.

Meet Our SDG Challenge Review Committee Team

Executive DirectorDream in Green

Barbara Martinez-Guerrero

Barbara Martinez-Guerrero, a Miami native and graduate of G. Holmes Braddock and
FIU, holds a B.S. in Elementary Education (TESOL focus) and an M.A. in International
Educational Development from Teachers College, Columbia University.

A returned Peace Corps volunteer, she spent two years teaching English in Eastern Europe before serving as a classroom teacher for a decade in Miami and New York City public schools.

Upon returning to Miami, she transitioned to environmental education through Fairchild
Tropical Botanic Garden’s outreach programs.

Her diverse experiences in education,
sustainability, and community engagement uniquely prepared her to lead Dream in
Green as Executive Director.

AVP for Community Programs, Latin America & The Caribbean Citi

Lunin Pereda

Lunin Pereda is the AVP for Community Programs, Latin America & The Caribbean at Citi. In this role, she connects people, ideas, and resources to create meaningful social

and economic impact across the region.

Lunin oversees strategic philanthropy and
employee engagement initiatives that empower communities, strengthen local organizations, and foster inclusive growth.

With a background in strategic communications and social impact, Lunin brings over a decade of experience designing and executing programs in different sectors, including education and health. She works closely with regional and global teams to align Citi’s community investments with evolving local needs, ensuring that our programs deliver measurable results and long-term value.

Prior to Citi, Lunin led corporate social responsibility and communications initiatives for
multinational organizations such as United Nations University, BNAmericas and Medtronic, where we established the first local Philanthropy team in Chile.

With a passion for driving social impact, she believes in the power of collaboration
between the private sector, nonprofits, and communities to accelerate progress toward
a more equitable future.

Director of Sustainability & Community Impact
1 Hotel South Beach

Paula Lombardo

Paula is the Director of Sustainability & Community Impact at the 1 Hotel South Beach. She moved to Miami Beach from the Cayman Islands where she was a Naturalist with Jean Michel Cousteau's Ambassadors of the Environment program at the Ritz-Carlton.

She has had the fortune of living around the world (Jamaica, Sardinia, Hawaii, Kenya - to name a few) and working on a wide variety of sustainability and environmental conservation initiatives.

She is deeply committed to each and every one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals but feels especially aligned with and empowered by #17 (Partnership for the Goals).

In Paula's day-to-day work at The 1, she aims to develop deep and meaningful connections with various stakeholders, vendors, and community members to share resources, ideas, and drive collective action that maximizes the impact for good and the contributions to a more sustainable, equitable world.