BUILT ENVIRONMENT PLUS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Interior Designer With the Jacobs
- Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Andrea Alaownis is an Interior Designer with the Jacobs, Boston, MA office. After graduating from Radford University, she has concentrated on commercial projects through all phases of design and construction. As a WELL Accredited Professional, she participated in assisting the Jacobs Boston office to achieve WELL V1 Gold, Fitwel 3 Stars, and LEED V4 Gold certifications and continues to educate the design community and clients on wellness through design.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Director
- Immediate past Chair
Job Titles:
- Environmental Sustainability Manager, Armstrong World Industries
- the Environmental Sustainability Manager of Armstrong World Industries
Anita Snader is the Environmental Sustainability Manager of Armstrong World Industries in Lancaster, PA. She manages the sustainability strategy for Armstrong Ceiling and Wall Solutions, and serves as an internal environmental advocate, and environmental spokesperson. She is a LEED accredited professional, and well versed in the LEED rating systems and USGBC initiatives. As co-chair of Armstrong's LEED EB team, she led the corporation to a LEED EB Platinum for their Headquarters building in Lancaster, PA in June 2007, and served on the team obtaining LEED EB recertification in 2014.
Recently, Anita has led Armstrong in a new initiative focusing on the Health and Wellbeing of occupants called Better Spaces. She drives the material health and transparency efforts, and created and manages Armstrong's commitment through our SUSTAIN™ portfolio of high performance ceiling systems.
Anita joined Armstrong in 1997. Her experience is in Marketing, Research, Product Development and Customer Satisfaction both in the consumer goods, hospitality, building products and advertising industries. Her passion centers in developing strategies for reducing our impact on the environment through product and process innovation, and is always looking at opportunities to share knowledge and innovation with others.
Anne Hicks Harney has over 30 years of experience, focusing on high quality design imbued with a solid technical and sustainable foundation. Formed in 2016, Long Green Specs provides sustainability focused construction specifications and building science material expertise to Architectural firms across the country. She is a member of the AIA COTE Advisory Group. She was a founding co-chair of the Baltimore - Building Enclosure Council, chair of the AIA Materials Knowledge Working Group, and a member of the USGBC Materials & Resources Technical Advisory Group. In 2016, Ms. Harney was awarded fellowship by the AIA and became a LEED Fellow.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, AEW 's Architecture & Engineering Group
As Vice President in AEW's Architecture & Engineering group, Ms. Peck is responsible for physical property inspections, engineering and mechanical system evaluations and environmental audits on potential investments for all commercial property types. She is also responsible for the review and analysis of energy audits and LEED gap analysis with respect to acquisitions, and oversees the scope and results of third-party due diligence reports on property acquisitions. For development projects, Ms. Peck is responsible for the evaluation of construction documents to assess the constructability and recommend sustainable products and practices. She is responsible for overseeing the construction of new development projects from AEW's initial involvement through closeout and warranty completions. Ms. Peck assists asset managers with large capital improvement projects or physical problems at various properties. In addition, Ms. Peck Co-Chairs AEW's Sustainability Committee and provides guidance and assistance with most sustainability initiatives with the objective of reducing operating costs, improving indoor air quality and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. She sits on the GRESB Real Estate Benchmark Committee in North America and assists with all sustainability reporting for AEW. Ms. Peck is a licensed Massachusetts Construction Supervisor with LEED AP Certification, and passed her FE exam towards a mechanical engineer/registered professional engineering license.
Job Titles:
- Global Head of Sustainability, Superior Essex
Annie is widely regarded within the marketplace as an expert in third-party verification and sustainable program development. She previously held positions like Vice President of Certification Services at GreenCircle Certified, LLC until starting her own independent organization in 2017. She sits as a technical advisor to: the US Green Building Council's Materials and Resources TAG, the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), Clean Production Action and the GreenScreen Program, the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, the ASTM E 60 Committee, and the Collaborative for High Performing Schools National Technical Committee.
Job Titles:
- Emerging Professional Representative / Director / Assistant Sustainability Consultant, WSP Built Ecology
Job Titles:
- Chairman Emeritus
- Director
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Jamestown
Becca Rushin is the Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Jamestown where she leads ESG initiatives through the Jamestown Green program and the Jamestown Charitable Foundation. Prior to joining Jamestown in 2012, Ms. Rushin worked as a local government consultant for Clark Patterson Lee, where she served as Community Development Coordinator and Sustainability Commission Staff Liaison for the City of Dunwoody. She is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and holds a LEED AP O+M credential. Ms. Rushin is an active volunteer with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Environmental Policy from Sewanee: the University of the South and a Master of Science in Sustainable Development: Environmental Policy and Management from Utrecht University.
Job Titles:
- Founder and President of the Board of the Healthy Building Network
- Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Bill Walsh is the Founder and President of the Board of the Healthy Building Network (HBN). Since 2000 HBN has been defining the leading edge of healthy building practices that increase transparency in the building products industry, reduce human exposures to chemicals in building materials, and create market incentives for healthier innovations in manufacturing. He has been Visiting Professor at Parsons The New School for Design, is a Fellow of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts, and a founding board member of the Health Product Declaration (HPD) Collaborative. Bill and HBN have been awarded the Design for Humanity Award by the American Society of Interior Designers (2019); WEACT for Environmental Justice Leadership Award (2018); Healthy Schools Network Hero (2013); US Green Building Council's Leadership In Advocacy Award (2012). Previously he served as a national campaign director at Greenpeace USA, and held staff attorney positions with the US Public Interest Research Group and the Institute for Public Representation at Georgetown University Law Center. He holds a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and LLM in Public Interest Advocacy from Georgetown University.
Job Titles:
- Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader With Stantec Architecture
- Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec Architecture and Engineering
Blake Jackson is an architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader with Stantec Architecture and Engineering in Boston, Massachusetts. His work focuses on the nexus between sustainability, wellness, and resiliency, and he has over fifteen years' experience in planning, retail, hospitality, labs, healthcare, commercial, higher-education, and multifamily projects. Blake is a prolific author and speaker on his three main areas of focus, is an adjunct faculty at the Boston Architectural College and at Mount Ida College, and he currently serves as the Vice President for Advocacy for the Boston Society of Architects. He was named a national top "40 Under 40" built environment professional by Building Design and Construction Magazine in 2015.
Job Titles:
- Development Project Manager
- Director
- Director / Senior Project Manager, MP Boston
As development project manager, Brad Mahoney is responsible for all aspects of MP Boston's commercial development, including design, construction, leasing, and tenant coordination. In addition, he is also the sustainability and technology lead on MP Boston's next Boston project, an iconic 1.5 million square foot project in Winthrop Square. Brad holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University.
Job Titles:
- Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Brent is the products & materials specialist at BuildingGreen, where he has been researching and writing about green building products, materials, and their health and environmental impacts for more than a decade. He brings a nuanced understanding of materials, their constituents, and lifecycles to his work as a consultant and speaker and leads a team of editors that selects products for the company's BuildingGreen Approved database and annual Top 10 Products Award.
Job Titles:
- Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
Brent has truly run the construction industry gamut serving in various roles including Architect, Construction Manager, Developer and even project owner, allowing him to fully understand the sustainability ecosystem. As Building Technology Director for Kingspan North America, Brent is committed to reducing the environmental impact of business operations, products and services through continuous improvement and environmental transparency.
Job Titles:
- Director, West Branch Seat
Job Titles:
- Director
- Secretary
- Treasurer
Job Titles:
- Director
- Secretary
- Treasurer
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director / Principal, Cadmus Group LLC
Chad Laurent oversees the Sustainability & Energy practice. He specializes in renewable energy law and policy, sustainable business strategies, and renewable energy project development. He is a nationally recognized expert in renewable energy market development strategies.
Prior to joining Cadmus, Chad was Vice President and General Counsel at Meister Consultants Group, where he oversaw the firm's contracting, legal, and financial operations, and supported corporate-wide strategic planning, and business development. Since 2010, he has overseen multiple U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technology Office projects on behalf of MCG and Cadmus. He frequently works with corporate, university, nonprofit, and municipal clients to develop 100 percent renewable, decarbonization, electric vehicle, net-zero, renewable energy supply, and procurement strategies. Chad has developed international power purchase agreement toolkits and procurement policies and is an on-call legal and policy expert for the Clean Energy Solutions Center and the Clean Power Hub. He has provided legal and policy consultation on national renewable energy programs from Azerbaijan to Vietnam.
Job Titles:
- Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Charley Stevenson has been delving deeper and deeper into healthier building materials since beginning work on his first Living Building Challenge project in 2011. With the team at IES, he has developed process and software to integrate better materials selections into all project types and to transform the market as quickly and easily as possible. The Red2Green platform has reduced Red List research and documentation effort by a factor of three while building up a library of over 10,000 products screened for compliance.
Job Titles:
- Existing Buildings Research Associate
As an avid cyclist, runner, and urbanist, I'm committed to fostering walkable and sustainable communities. While pursuing my undergraduate degree in environmental science and public policy, I focused on how local politics can promote or hinder decarbonization. Exploring Cambridge's Net-Zero Action Plan, my senior thesis analyzed how energy, housing, and transportation policies impact carbon footprint. After graduation, I joined MassINC, where I produced podcasts on Massachusetts politics, communicating civic issues to a broad audience.
Job Titles:
- Existing Buildings Program Manager
Clay Tilton Existing Buildings Program Manager I find satisfaction in utilizing my engineering experience to create happy, healthy and comfortable spaces for all to enjoy. Our existing buildings and those who live and work within them need support, and I want to use my skills to help all of us reach a more sustainable future. Before Built Environment Plus, I specialized in ASHRAE audits, energy modeling and project management. My work focused on improving the energy efficiency of multifamily affordable housing while also meeting each resident's health and wellness needs. I look forward to continuing this work at BE+. LinkedIn
Job Titles:
- Treasurer / Managing Director, Bain Capital
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Exposure Science Director of the Healthy Buildings Program
Dr. Allen researches community and occupational exposures and health risks related to a broad range of chemical, biological, physical and radiological stressors. In particular, he focuses on the built environment, emissions from building materials and consumer products, and building system performance, each of which has the potential for both positive and negative impacts on human health, well-being and productivity. He is the Director of the Healthy Buildings program at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health and faculty director of the Harvard Sensors for Health research group. Dr. Allen teaches a class on the Impact of Buildings on Human Health, and is the faculty advisor for a new initiative out of Harvard's Office for Sustainability - the Harvard Healthier Building Materials Academy.
I am a seasoned communicator, advocate, and organizer working to catalyze the emergent movements for a resilient and regenerative society before it's too late. By focusing on life-serving systems interventions at strategic leverage points, I aim to unleash the creative potential of our society to transcend extraction and exploitation.
Before joining BE+, I led statewide efforts fighting for healthy, just, and sustainable communities across Massachusetts, and created a national political reform organization attempting to open up the political system to more voices. As Deputy Director, I am working to grow the capacity of BE+ and its vibrant community of practitioners and advocates to advance the positive transformation of the built environment.
Job Titles:
- Sustainability Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Director
- Planner, Sasaki Associates
I would describe myself as a considerate designer, environmentalist, aspiring innovator, and technology enthusiast. I am passionate about the role the design of the built environment plays in repairing our relationship with our ecosystems and in providing equitable spaces for all.
As the VP & Business Manager, Eudad develops and leads the execution of the business development strategy for Turner's Boston business unit to ensure long-term marketplace viability and success. He creates and executes the strategic sales plan, develops and manages industry relationships, negotiates contracts and business terms for future projects, and drives their engagement. He is involved in the local community, advocating for the advancement of diversity and inclusion. He is currently a board member of the Ace Mentoring Program, AGCMA, A Better City, and Saint Rock Haiti. He is also a co-chair for the Diversity and Inclusion committee within the AGCMA, a former board member of Girls Incorporated of America Holyoke, and involved with Boston Harbor Now, Timber HP.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director / Chief Program Officer, MassCEC
- Director / Senior Director of Innovation and Industry Support, MassCEC
- Treasurer / Chief Program Officer, MassCEC
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Counsel
- Director at Large & Counsel
I consider myself to be an environmental enthusiast and advocate for design that promotes equitable access to healthy spaces. Prior to joining Built Environment Plus, I explored my passion for green infrastructure, community development, and environmental justice issues at UMass Amherst.
As a Program Assistant at BE+, I support the ongoing development of our education program and administration of Workforce Training Fund grants. I am proud to be a part of such an involved community as BE+ because, above all else, it is the individuals who we collaborate with that boost morale to persevere through loss and collectively celebrate success.
Job Titles:
- Director / Chief Sustainability Officer, Harvard University
- Harvard University 's Chief Sustainability Officer
- Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Heather Henriksen has served as Harvard University's chief sustainability officer since 2008, advising the President and senior leadership on strategy and building an organizational change enterprise. Heather leads the Office for Sustainability which oversees the implementation of the Harvard's comprehensive Sustainability Plan (co-created with faculty and students in 2014) and the University's ambitious new Climate Action Plan (to be fossil fuel-free by 2050 and fossil fuel-neutral by 2026) which builds upon the 2016 achievement of Harvard's initial science-based climate goal.
The Office for Sustainability has expanded a multi-disciplinary living laboratory research program that partners with faculty and students to use the campus as a test bed for piloting and sharing innovative solutions to real-world sustainability challenges. A nationally recognized leader in healthier building materials, Heather is leading an effort with faculty within Harvard to translate research into practice related to heath in the built environment including a focus on addressing the use of chemicals of concern in common building products. Through this work, Harvard is partnering with business and non-profit leaders as they strive to transform the marketplace for a healthier built environment. Heather also advises courses throughout Harvard College and the professional graduate schools and speaks nationally and internationally on sustainability.
Heather is on the Board of Directors of the Health Product Declaration Collaborative. Heather serves as Advisory Committee Co-chair of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN), and she is a member of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). Heather holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director / Former Mayor, City of Cambridge
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the Boston Climate Action Network
Hessann Farooqi is the Executive Director of the Boston Climate Action Network (BCAN). Prior to this, he served as BCAN's Advocacy Director following roles in the private sector and in the Office of US Senator Ed Markey. He has also served on various local and federal political campaigns. Along the way, Hessann worked in university sustainability communications at Boston University, where he also attended college.
Job Titles:
- DIrector
- Chief Sustainability Officer at BR a Consulting Engineers
- Director / Partner, BuroHappold Engineering
Jacob Knowles is the Chief Sustainability Officer at BR+A Consulting Engineers. He has championed over sixty million square feet of carbon neutral buildings and campus master plans. His work has resulted in numerous grants and awards, including three AIA COTE Top Ten awards. Jacob recently served on the board of the Boston Society for Architecture (BSA). He also advised the City of Boston and the State of Massachusetts in the development of zero carbon zoning and a net zero code, so that all future buildings will be carbon neutral.
Job Titles:
- Chairman Emeritus
- Director / Principal, DRL Group
- Director / Principal, Perkins Eastman
Jason's passion for reconnecting with the natural environment informs all of his work as a specialist in sustainable and high-performance building design. With a strong technical background in building systems, technology, and sustainability, Jason is driven by a deep respect for craftsmanship and the art of making and by the possibilities created by merging tested traditions of construction with new fabrication technologies and material production. He leads design teams to explore possibilities inspired by a shared set of values and goals to create high-performance contemporary architecture that is beautiful and inspiring. He is a recipient of a 2017 Living Hero Award.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Member at Large / Director of Sustainability, STO Building Group
Jennifer Taranto brings more than 20 years of experience in the commercial real estate and construction industry. She joined Structure Tone in 2001, where she served as a superintendent and project manager before becoming STO Building Group's Director of Sustainability, and now, Vice President. Jennifer gets involved in the early stages of design and construction to define the client's sustainability goals and help the project team create an internal roadmap to achieve them. With her guidance and expertise, organizations around the world have been able to improve people's health and wellbeing while reducing the construction and operating costs of facilities. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering from North Carolina State University.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Executive Director of the Hideo Sasaki Foundation
Jennifer Lawrence is the Executive Director of the Hideo Sasaki Foundation, which supports innovative and inclusive design solutions for complex social and environmental challenges. Providing grants for communities to design their own solutions, jobs for young designers to learn about careers, and opportunities for people to learn together about equity in design, the Hideo Sasaki Foundation believes strongly that the power of design belongs to everyone. Prior to the Sasaki Foundation, Jennifer worked for over a decade as a Sustainability Planner at the City of Cambridge, focusing on community engagement to ensure that community voice in planning initiatives is equitably represented, climate change vulnerability and mitigation planning, climate communications, bikeshare, and more. She also ran a small nonprofit focused on environmental justice and the built environment in Somerville.
She also serves as a board member of Naveo, a community credit union that promotes financial inclusion and empowerment and is passionate about creating and supporting initiatives that foster civic participation, social equity, and cultural diversity in the built environment.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Chairman / Vice President of Sustainability, Global Services, STO Building Group
- Vice - Chair / Vice President of Sustainability, Global Services, STO Building Group
Jennifer Taranto ensures the principals of sustainability, wellbeing, and Lean construction are incorporated into client projects and everyday work practices throughout the STO Building Group.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director / Senior Director of Business Development at Skanska USA Building Inc
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Director
- Immediate past Chair
- Founder and Principal, Linnean Solutions LEED AP, O M EcoDistrict AP
Jim is the Founder and Principal at Linnean Solutions, a mission-driven firm that helps local governments, organizations, and communities reach sustainability and resilience goals. Jim's twenty years of experience includes carbon mitigation planning and life cycle assessment; sustainability and resilience building certification; climate action and adaptation planning for municipalities, agencies, and organizations; resilience analysis, policy, and design standard development; EcoDistrict planning and management; and stakeholder engagement processes to strengthen communities. As a Living Environments in Natural, Social, and Economic Systems (LENSES) Facilitator and Trainer, Jim regularly leads community planning workshops, and trains others in becoming effective facilitators.
Previous to Linnean, Jim worked with BuildingGreen as the Director of Strategy, where he led the development and introduction of most of BuildingGreen's online products including LEEDuser.com, BuildingGreen Suite, and the High Performance Buildings Database. Jim is a founding board member of the Resilient Design Institute, and a key author of several influential resilience reports and tools-including the Building Resilience in Boston report and
the Enterprise Community Partners' Ready to Respond: Strategies for Multifamily Building Resilience manual. He is a member of the RELi/USGBC Steering Committee, where he has worked to bring a social equity lens to the development of the new certification standard for resilient buildings.
Job Titles:
- Director / Senior Associate, Gensler
- Director / Studio Director / Architect, Gensler
- Senior Associate, Gensler Boston
Jim Stanislaski, AIA LEED AP BD+C is an Architect at Gensler in Boston. As co-leader of Gensler's northeast region Design Resilience practice, he is responsible for strategy, project consulting, and education for over 1,000 staff in four offices. He is currently a Director on the Board of USGBC MA and a member of the Architecture Boston Magazine Editorial Board. Jim is a former President of AIA MA and has served on two National Academies research panels for renewable energy and energy efficiency at airports. As a past co-chair of the Boston Society of Architects Committee on the Environment (BSA/COTE), Jim led the AIA 2030 Professional Series at the BSA, serving to educate local designers on strategies to achieve net positive energy goals for buildings. Jim has also testified before state and city government committees to advocate for environmental legislation and regulation. Jim started his career as a US Air Force officer and attended Syracuse University.
Job Titles:
- Director of Sustainability Programs for DASNY
- Director of Sustainability Programs, DASNY LEED AP BD C
Jodi Smits Anderson is the Director of Sustainability Programs for DASNY, an architect, LEED AP BD+C, AIA member, lifetime member of NESEA, past regional and national U.S. Green Building Council committee member, wife, mom, hiker, kayaker, knitter, and storyteller. She has spoken at the ILFI unconference in Seattle, WA, at the NACUBO conference in Austin, TX, at the first Wellness in Design conference in San Diego, CA, and several times each at Greenbuild, NESEA's Building Energy Boston, and the NYS Green Building Conference, and has been a guest teacher at SUNY ESF, RPI, Ithaca College, NYU, Cornell, and SUNY Albany. She is a NY Energy Code trainer, the 2018 recipient of the Green Building Advocate award, and has assisted in research and writing for Project Drawdown, which cites the 100 market-proven ways we already have in our toolkit to reduce CO2 in our atmosphere. She has a featured article appearing in the Journal of Green Building's V14 N3 in July of 2019, on Excellence in Building Envelopes, and is currently working on a ZNE renovation to an existing residence hall, a project intended to change how we do renovation projects in New York state. Jodi's goal is to understand and incorporate informed sustainable practices into design, construction, and living, and to share whatever she has learned and learn still more from whomever will talk with her.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Treasurer / Business Development Manager, Data Analytics, Siemens
Job Titles:
- Co - Chair
- Director
- Vice - Chair
Job Titles:
- Emerging Professional Representative / Director
- Engineer at TT
As a Building Envelope Engineer at TT, Julian Groenendaal specializes in the assessment, design, and renewal of building envelopes. Since joining TT in 2023, he has been actively engaged with the Renewal, Facade Engineering, and Sustainability practices. Julian has contributed to projects focused on facade restoration, historic preservation, thermal performance enhancement, and moisture control, including work on educational institutions, research facilities, and public buildings.
Julian graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2023 with an integrated Bachelor and Master of Architectural Engineering (BAE/MAE) with a focus on structural engineering. During his time at university, he was actively involved with the Student Sustainability Advisory Council, engaging with university leadership on sustainability consulting initiatives related to campus operations.
Job Titles:
- Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
- Director / Partner, BuroHappold Engineering
- Director / Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
Julie Janiski leads integrated teams of engineers, designers, analysts, and subject-matter experts at BuroHappold Engineering for projects with ambitious goals related to design innovation, building performance, and the health, wellbeing and experience of building occupants and community. Julie's recent work includes: Cornell Tech's new Verizon Executive Education Center with Snohetta; Glenstone Museum with Thomas Phifer and Partners, St. Ann's Warehouse theatre in Brookyln with Marvel Architects; a number of U.S. Embassy projects internationally for the U.S. State Department; a new corporate headquarters campus in Baltimore for Under Armour; an integrated "roadmap" plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by the year 2050 (80×50) for the City of New York; and The House at Cornell Tech - a residential high-rise in New York City which is certified Passive House. Julie also teaches at Columbia University's GSAPP in the first-year core studio, and has been a guest critic/lecturer at other universities including MIT, Tulane, and NYU.
With a background in digital media and journalism, I'm excited to bring a fresh perspective on storytelling within the built environment sector. As someone with a passion for sustainability, I see this role as a unique opportunity to combine my love for storytelling with my dedication to environmental advocacy.
I am eager to find new ways to engage audiences and make complex sustainability topics accessible and relatable. Content creation, photography, and digital engagement are at the core of my skill set, and I look forward to leveraging these talents to support BE+'s initiatives.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Director / Director of Sustainability & Building Performance, Arrowstreet
Kate works to ensure building performance simultaneously creates social, health, environmental, and economic benefits for all people and places. Over the last twenty years, she has completed numerous high-performing and transformative projects for clients to enhance their missions with a special focus on wellness, sustainability, and resilience. Kate is an expert and national leader in net zero energy, integrated design, materials evaluation, occupant engagement, and rating system certification.
As a BE+ member for over a decade, Kate has worked to support the organization's advocacy efforts for net zero buildings and was a member of the Greenbuild 2017 Host Committee.
Job Titles:
- Community Senior Associate
With almost a decade of experience at a plethora of organizations and causes, I consider myself an advocate at heart. My journey has led me to roles and projects that align with my passions for environmental sustainability, housing, education and their various intersections. The idea that the way we design our communities can not only mitigate, but also positively impact our climate gives me hope for a future of living in a cleaner, more just world.
In Somerville, I am a committee member on the Somerville Carbon Free & Healthy Schools Coalition where I work with parents and community members in creating a carbon-free, clean Somerville Public Schools. Additionally, I serve as a Fair Housing Commissioner for the City of Somerville. I graduated from The Ohio State University with a Comparative Studies degree, focusing on environmental sustainability, policy, and culture.
Job Titles:
- Emerging Professional Representative / Director
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
As Senior Vice President for Market Transformation and Development in North America, Kimberly Lewis knows better than anyone that market transformation begins with community. Kimberly is laser focused on diversity, inclusion, equity and advancing transparency and excellence. By honing our community's focus on collaborative impact, Kimberly incorporates people-centric strategies to provide the organization and movement with a strong foundation of stakeholder based support.
Kimberly's efforts encourage innovation in the market and challenge all of our community members to go above and beyond what was possible yesterday, to define the built environment of tomorrow. Kimberly knows that when we celebrate our leaders and advocate for growth across sectors, regions, and programs, taking care to bring our best to underserved populations and communities, we achieve real and lasting market transformation of the highest order.
To this end, Kimberly directs all of USGBC's local communities, volunteers, and emerging professionals around the world, delivering on the USGBC mission to improve the quality of life for all through more sustainable cities and communities worldwide.
Kimberly was the founder of the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, which is now globally represented in five international markets. She has served on the advisory boards of Starwood Hotels, Marriott International Hotels and the convention and visitors bureaus in New Orleans, Atlanta, and Denver. She is a member of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), where she has served on the CSR task force.
Kimberly serves on the board of directors for Groundswell and is the former chair of the board of trustees of the Green Building Foundation. Committed to healthy communities and equitable access to green buildings regardless of income level, Kimberly has been recognized with numerous awards. In April 2011, Kimberly received prestigious recognition as the White House Champion of Change for Clean Energy. She was also named Glamour Magazine 70th Anniversary 70 Women Leaders to Know in Sustainability. Most recently Kimberly was recognized with GB&D Magazine's 2018 Women in Sustainability Leadership Award.
Job Titles:
- Sustainable Design Leader and Project Manager at HOK
Komal Kotwal is a Sustainable Design Leader and Project Manager at HOK with over 13 years of experience. Komal has led sustainable design and LEED Certification efforts for over 2M square feet including 1+M sf. of LEED Platinum projects and two Net-Zero projects. With the intent of bringing the human connection to sustainability, Komal currently focuses on intentional design to address human behavior and foster physical, mental, and emotional health. As a WELL AP, Komal is one of HOK's leads in promoting and practicing health and wellness in architecture. Komal has served on the AIA Houston Chapter's Board of Directors, Texas USGBC Regional Council and on USGBC's Greenbuild Program Committee among others. A strong advocate for equity and inclusivity, Komal serves on HOK's firm-wide Diversity Advisory Council and is a recent addition to HOK's Management Board.
Job Titles:
- Architect
- Secretary
- Vice Chair
Kristen Fritsch is an architect with more than 20 years of experience championing collaborative and resilient design, initially as a designer, then as a principal of a small sustainable design firm in Seattle, and since 2012 a sustainability coordinator at Elkus Manfredi Architects. Her role involves implementing energy reduction initiatives, advising and assisting design teams with rating systems, materials and systems research, and administering firm-wide training on sustainable design practices. Kristen is active in several industry organizations and was a co-chair of the Legacy Committee for the 2017 Greenbuild in Boston. She holds degrees from the University of Nebraska and has been a thesis advisor and taught design studios at the Boston Architectural College on using Biomimicry in the design process.
Job Titles:
- Sustainability Director at SWA
- Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
Lauren Hildebrand is a Sustainability Director at SWA. Her work focuses on sustainable and high performance residential and commercial building design, construction, renovation, and operation. Ms. Hildebrand's expertise includes: sustainable design integration; indoor air quality and energy performance testing; and implementing project certification for both commercial and residential programs, such as LEED®, ENERGY STAR®, NYSERDA, NJ Clean Energy, and Enterprise Green Communities. Awards presented to her clients include the 2013 USGBC NJ Urban Green Project Award. Ms. Hildebrand works as a LEED® for Homes Green Rater and verifies implementation of the LEED® for Homes criteria. She is an integral part of the initial strategic planning sessions and workshops with builders, architects, and homeowners based on the LEED for Homes program. She also partners with and implements criteria for Enterprise Green Communities (EGCC), NYSERDA's Multi-Family Performance Program, and the ENERGY STAR® Multi-Family High-Rise Program Certification. Ms. Hildebrand also has experience with a variety of commercial and mixed use projects, including LEED® for New Construction, Commercial Interior, Core and Shell, and Schools. In addition to her project experience and program guidance, Ms. Hildebrand manages classroom training and curriculum development for architects, owners, developers and building management staff on green and high performance building design strategies, cost effective building system operation, and energy-saving maintenance practices.
Job Titles:
- Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc
Lauren M. Wallace is a Principal and the Director of Certifications and Consulting at Epsten Group, Inc., where she has helped facilitate sustainability and wellness measures for thousands of projects around the globe. Ms. Wallace is a USGBC and WELL Faculty member, WELL AP, LFA, LEED AP BD+C, LEED Project Reviewer, BREEAM USA In-Use Assessor, Fitwel Ambassador, Parksmart Advisor, and TRUE Advisor. With a background in Architecture, Ms. Wallace has more than ten years of experience in sustainability. She speaks regularly to audiences with varying expertise about implementing change in the building industry, focusing on technical information and application.
Job Titles:
- Director / Director, Metropolitan Area Planning Council ( MAPC )
- Large Director
In Leah's roles on the Government Affairs team at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and now as Director of the Department, she is focused on helping cities and towns achieve the necessary and ambitious net zero emissions targets set in statute. For her, this focus is mostly legislative and budgetary- ensuring that state statute and programs are making needed actions simpler, incentivized, and directed to meet the needs of historically underserved populations. It is also grounded in coalitions- both staffing coalitions of municipal leaders and in working together with policy experts to bring the best ideas to agencies and legislators.
Job Titles:
- Strategy Expert and Researcher
- Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Leigh Stringer is a workplace strategy expert and researcher whose work has been covered recently by BBC News, The Globe and Mail, Fortune, CNN and Good Morning America. She works for EYP, an architecture and engineering firm. She is the author of two best-selling books, The Green Workplace and The Healthy Workplace. Leigh is currently collaborating with Harvard University's School of Public Health on a new Health and Human Performance Index and the Center for Active Design in New York on their Fitwel building certification program to create new tools, connect like minds and blur the boundaries across industries in order to advance our improve our well-being at work. Leigh is on the board of directors of a new non-profit, Global Women for Wellbeing, an organization that aims to give women a voice to create better health and wellbeing for themselves, their businesses, and their communities.
I am a WELL AP and Certified Change Management & ESG Professional, and a seasoned consultant in wellness, sustainability, and ESG for the built environment. As a founding member of a wellness startup, I helped create a platform to manage and enhance amenity spaces and wellness programming, demonstrating value for landlords and tenants alike.
Driven by a commitment to human health and environmental stewardship, I have since advised startups, landlords, and real estate professionals on creating healthier, sustainable spaces. With expertise in navigating the evolving landscape of ESG and its regulatory demands, I champion data-driven, measurable solutions to improve both environmental impact and business outcomes.
Job Titles:
- Emerging Professional Rep. Director / Project Engineer, City of Austin
- Emerging Professional Representative / Director / Project Engineer, Pare Corporation
Job Titles:
- Director, West Branch Seat
Job Titles:
- Director of Acquisitions and Development
- National Chair of the Board for Design Museum Foundation
Matt Edlen oversees acquisitions and development in the Midwest and East Coast for Gerding Edlen's various investment funds. Matt is responsible for sourcing, negotiating and executing on investment opportunities across key urban markets within those regions.
Prior to his role in acquisitions, Matt was focused on the development and management of the firms internal multifamily marketing and sales platform. His efforts have helped the firm invest over $1 billion worth of real estate across the country in cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago.
Matt currently serves as national chair of the board for Design Museum Foundation and as a board member for Boston's NOAH (Neighborhood of Affordable Housing), and The Oregon Sports Authority. He has also served as board member and chair of the site selection committee for PHAME Academy, board member and co-chair of the Arts Connector Program of Business for Culture and the Arts, and alumni board member of Young People's Theater Project. Matt earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University of Chicago.
Throughout my education in Architectural Studies and Earth and Environmental Sciences at Boston University, I've had the opportunity to focus on sustainable development within the built environment and design principles that result in more efficient construction. I'm an advocate for environmentally conscious city planning and have expanded my knowledge through research projects and prior work experience.
I'm excited to bring my skills and dedication for sustainability to the BE+ team and hope that in addition to learning more about the green building industry, I'm able to help the community continue to grow by providing support in areas such as research, event planning, and communication.
As a sustainability advocate and educator, I joined USGBC MA, now known as Built Environment Plus, as Executive Director in November 2017. Before becoming ED, I was developing climate action plans, master plans, design guidelines and green buildings as President of the Elbaum Group, LLC. Fueled by an interest in materials transparency I launched the Health Product Declaration as its Interim Executive Director. For almost a decade I was Director of Sustainable Design at Sasaki. During that time I helped in the USGBC MA Chapter's creation and served as a founding board member. I also co-created the Architecture and Design Sustainable Design Leaders Network. I earned a BArch from Rice University and a MSArch from MIT and I currently teach architecture students at Wentworth Institute of Technology. I'm looking forward to advancing net positive communities in Massachusetts and beyond.
Job Titles:
- Director / Architect, Project Development Manager, YouthBuild Boston
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director / Director of Sustainable Design, Boston Architectural College
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- Structural Engineer at LeMessurier
Michael Gryniuk, PE is a Structural Engineer at LeMessurier in Boston. As the leader of LeMessurier's Sustainability practice, he is responsible for strategy, project consulting, and education for LeMessurier. He is currently on the Steering Committee of Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) Sustainability Committee of ASCE and currently serves as Chair of the Structural Engineers (SE 2050) Commitment Program Working Group whose aim to establish a national commitment program for structural engineers for the purpose of achieving net zero embodied carbon in structural systems by 2050. Mike taught for many years at the Boston Architectural College. His current projects include the 2 million square foot Hub on Causeway development as well as upcoming developments of Kenmore Square. Mike has also led several other projects for institutions including Boston College, Holy Cross, RISD and UNH. Mike attended Syracuse University and Tufts University.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Senior Program Officer at LISC
Job Titles:
- Director of Restorative Enterprise at Interface
Mikhail Davis is Director of Restorative Enterprise at Interface, a world-leading modular flooring company with a fully integrated collection of hard and soft flooring. Interface's mission, Climate Take Back™, invites industry to commit to making a profit in a way that is restorative to the planet and creates a climate fit for life. Mikhail is responsible for advancing Interface's mission in the Americas by building internal leadership capacity, facilitating strategic alignment of efforts, and creating external partnerships that shift the marketplace toward sustainability. He leads Interface's product transparency efforts in the Americas and was lead author and editor of Interface's Radical Industrialists column at GreenBiz.com for two years.
An expert in sustainable materials and NGO collaborations, he represents Interface in many organizations focused on sustainability innovation, closed-loop systems, recycling, and chemicals of concern, including serving as 2016-18 Chair of the US Green Building Council's Technical Advisory Group on Materials and Resources (MR TAG), Co-Chair of the Materials Working Group of BizNGO and Program Advisor to the Next Generation Bio-based and Sustainable Chemicals Summit.
N Jonathan has a BSc in Civil Engineering, a M-Arch and a PhD in Architecture. He has taught fifth grade to PhD students. He teaches design studios that involve travel to Africa, including Cape Verde, Benin, and currently Morocco. He teaches another studio that involves the Solar Decathlon. He also teaches courses related to how to put together buildings, and the systems within buildings. He also teaches seminars on design ethics, building materials, and on waste in the industry . He has worked at design firms in Boston, New York City, Milwaukee, and San Francisco on a range of projects including institutional, commercial, and residential buildings. He has also participated in sustainable development projects in the US, such as in Milwaukee, and in Kiowa Nation, Oklahoma, and abroad in Liberia, Nigeria, and elsewhere.
Job Titles:
- Director
- BXP in 2021 As a Manager
- Director / Sustainability Manager, Energy & Utilities, BXP
Neetu joined BXP in 2021 as a manager in the sustainability team. Her focus is on strategic initiatives and implementation of decarbonization projects and carbon-neutral operations planning for the 52 million square feet portfolio. Engaging with stakeholders across BXP's six regional offices, with a focus on carbon neutral & energy efficient operations, renewable energy procurement, decarbonization & electrification of new development and existing buildings, solar PPAs, embodied carbon reduction strategies, transition risk assessment for a low carbon economy, etc. Prior to joining BXP, her work focused on sustainable and high-performance building design consulting and technical analysis, helping projects implement energy efficiency and carbon reduction strategies, and achieve aggressive sustainability goals.
Neetu holds a M.Arch from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) and a B.Arch from the Indian Institute of Technology at Roorkee, India. Prior to arriving in the US, Neetu also worked as a green building architect in India and Singapore.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
Peter is engaged with leading organizations and institutions seeking to transform their real estate portfolios to enhance health and business metrics. As Senior Vice President at IWBI, he leads a team driving the global growth and adoption of the WELL Building Standard, the first performance-based building standard to exclusively focus on human health. Peter is also an active speaker and educator, promoting health in the built environment through industry events and technical workshops. Previously, Peter served as Vice President of Delos Solutions, a team of consultants and subject matter experts incorporating health and wellness strategies into the pioneering WELL Certification projects. Working closely with Delos Labs, an internal research group, he identified best-in-class design solutions, products and technologies to improve the built environment and optimize for human health, well-being and environmentally sustainability. Peter has an extensive background in building science and energy efficiency. Prior to joining Delos and IWBI, he worked as a Sustainability Consultant at Steven Winter Associates, an industry leading green building consulting firm. Focusing on affordable housing in the greater New York City area, Peter worked with multifamily developers to implement sustainable design principles and energy efficiency measures into new construction projects and validate high-performance building criteria. Peter holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor's degree from Colgate University in Environmental Economics. He also maintains accreditations for WELL AP™ and WELL Faculty™.
Job Titles:
- Director
- at Large Member, Director
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director / Associate, Arup
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director / Senior Associate and Sustainability Consultant, Thornton Tomasetti
Rebecca has worked as an architect and part-time educator in Boston for the past 15 years on a wide range of project types and scales at area firms including Shepley Bulfinch, Architerra, Inc., Maryann Thompson Architects, and Touloukian Touloukian Inc. Rebecca has served as a regional conference moderator, BSA awards jury member, and most recently as the Massachusetts State Representative on the AIA Small Firm Exchange.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director / Developer, Pennrose
Becca has worked in the affordable housing field since 2014 and joined Pennrose's New England development team in 2021. She is currently working on both new construction and adaptive reuse projects in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Over the past decade, Becca has been focused on the sustainable construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing. After completing her Kuehn Fellowship at Homeowner's Rehab, Inc. (HRI) in Cambridge (2015 to 2017), Becca stayed on as a Project and Portfolio Manager, furthering HRI's mission to bring healthy, green building technologies and an equity lens to affordable housing developments and the industry as a whole. Becca is also co-chair and board member of A Better Cambridge (ABC) a local housing advocacy group that supports more sustainable, affordable housing and community-based development. She earned a BA from Wesleyan University and an MA from Tufts University's Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Community Engagement
Before Built Environment Plus, I studied sustainable development theory and international climate policy at Boston University. Ironically, my biggest takeaway was that the most powerful change is happening at local and regional levels. I'm excited to join BE+ and its community of change makers as an Associate, supporting the special projects, research, and community building that drive local successes and power larger movements.
I bring an eagerness to learn, a love for collaboration, and an optimism for the future of the built environment to the BE+ team, and I'm grateful to be part of this growing community.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director / Founding Principal, EnviENERGY Studio
Job Titles:
- Director / Economic Development Director, Town of Lexington
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Sara Neff is Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation. Sara took Kilroy from having no sustainability program to being named the #1 publicly traded real estate company on sustainability in North America by GRESB, and under her leadership the company recently committed to becoming the first carbon neutral real estate company in North America by the end of 2020.
At Kilroy, she oversees all sustainability initiatives such as solar and battery deal-making, the implementation of energy and water efficiency initiatives throughout the existing and development portfolios, the integration of sustainability standards into annual financial reports, the launch of the Kilroy Innovation Lab, and the award-winning green leasing program. She holds a BS from Stanford and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Secretary / Principal, the Green Engineer
Sarah Michelman, RA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, has been with The Green Engineer, Inc since 2010. Sarah has over 16 years of experience working as an Architect. She holds a B.A. in Art History from Oberlin College and an M. Arch. from Washington University in St. Louis. She is a registered Architect in the State of Massachusetts.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Director, UNRC
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Sustainability Manager at Consigli Construction Co
- Sustainability Manager, Consigli Construction Company
Steven is a Sustainability Manager at Consigli Construction Co., Inc., an 800+ person construction firm based in Massachusetts. His position involves management of company sustainability processes and sustainable construction projects at Consigli. He has a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University, and has delivered many presentations on how to integrate health and wellness into the design and construction of the built environment.
Job Titles:
- Director, at - Large Officer
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Sustainable Development, Shaw
As a flooring industry expert, Tim Conway is focused on the positive affects that sustainable flooring products have on our buildings, and more importantly, the people that occupy and live in the spaces we design. Tim has worked closely with Bill McDonough and the internal team at Shaw for the past twelve years developing and maintaining Shaw's Cradle to Cradle certifications, HPDs and EPDs. His unique role at Shaw enables him to drive the communication between clients' requirements and the product development team at Shaw. He has presented at GreenBuild, Living Future, and Design Future Council and has been an integral part in the development of healthy carpet specifications for clients all over the world. Tim is passionate about collaborating with clients to develop flooring specifications that are safe throughout a product's entire supply chain, from raw material chemical building blocks to end of life replication. He has a unique ability to translate complex systems like Cradle to Cradle and HPDs into simple stories that empower change and deliver buildings that have positive intent for the future of our people and our planet.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder, Facilitator at the Laurentia Project LEED AP BD C, LFA
Tristan Roberts is responsible for leading staff support for HPDC's Technical Committee, education programs, and the evolution of the HPD Open Standard. Mr. Roberts is a leader in the advancement of green building practices. Prior to joining HPDC in May 2018, he was part of BuildingGreen, Inc. for eleven years, where he most recently served as Chief Strategy Officer, moderating and leading the community development of LEEDuser forum which supports over 10,000 users. He is the author of hundreds of articles and in-depth reports on building industry trends and technologies, and is a frequent speaker and educator in the areas of green building and sustainable design. His objective stance and focus on practical tools has earned him the trust of a wide spectrum of stakeholders in the industry, including architects, sustainability professionals, manufacturers, and nonprofit groups. Mr. Roberts has taught sustainability and building science at the Boston Architectural College.