Ian Somerhalder: Today's Work is Tomorrow's Reality

City National's celebrated Conversations podcast has returned! Join CEO Kelly Coffey for Season 2 and stay connected by subscribing on Apple, Google and Spotify.

While Ian Somerhalder is an actor well-known for his leading roles on the hit shows The Vampire Diaries and Lost, he also is a humanitarian, philanthropist and environmentalist dedicated to advancing science, conserving natural resources and educating corporations and the public about how we can all lean in to make a difference on big issues like climate change.

After witnessing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico where he grew up, Somerhalder was inspired to make a difference. He established his own foundation in 2010 to empower human action through programs and collaborations that help protect and restore our planet. He also serves as a United Nations Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador and recently launched his own sustainable spirits company, Brother's Bond Bourbon, which respects the integrity of ingredients, their sources and the bourbon traditions that have been in place for generations.

In honor of Earth Day 2021, City National Bank CEO Kelly Coffey speaks with Somerhalder about spending most of his childhood outdoors in Louisiana, where he first learned to appreciate nature and the valuable lessons it can teach us. Coffey and Somerhalder also discuss the future of sustainability, why the problems we face require a cohesive approach and City National Bank's commitment to protecting our natural resources and planet.