Ms. Bayer leads MAP’s sustainable development efforts, offering expertise to help all projects achieve higher energy efficiency goals and lower embodied carbon levels. She was the driving force behind the firm’s recent NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence submissions, resulting in seven winning projects; and she directed MAP’s RetrofitNY project with NYSERDA which explored renovation strategies to achieve near net zero energy use in occupied multifamily buildings. Ms. Bayer has also managed several of the firm’s significant senior and specialized housing projects. She has been practicing architecture in NYC for over 15 years and presented on sustainability topics at many venues including at NESEA conferences.

What strengths do you bring to the NESEA Board of Directors?
With technical experience to bring high performing projects into reality, combined with the passion to make their prevalence the norm, I believe these strengths will serve NESEA’s mission and contribute to the work of the Board.  As an associate principal and sustainability director at our architecture firm (MAP) I also have strong collaboration and team building skills to help various disciplines work well together to accomplish big goals.

Why do you think you are a good fit for the NESEA Board of Directors?
For many years I've been rooting out barriers to healthy and sustainable building practices and have seen how norms can change quickly, particularly if all stakeholders’ concerns are understood. Therefore, I can creatively and proactively seek to enhance our growth including that of forthcoming sharing, which has given confidence to so many to employ new strategies. I believe a sustainable and even regenerative built environment is achievable and will bring this positive stance to all board work.

What drives you to want to serve this organization?
An organization of this caliber is absolutely essential to advance construction in a positive direction, toward sustainable energy practices for all. The candid, rigorous and honest solutions, advice, and approaches shared at NESEA have literally changed construction. This moment in time is critical to our future and I'm yearning to contribute more deeply, bringing my expertise as an architect building healthy and sustainable housing. Being a part of this Board and enhancing it's success would be an extremely effective undertaking, to help strengthen NESEA and accelerate advancements in the built environment.

What has your involvement with NESEA been to date?
For the Building Energy NYC conference in 2020 I was co-chair, content committee member for the 2021 conference, and presented a session on weighing high operational performance with embodied carbon this year as well. I have been privileged to attend many in person and virtual NESEA Pro Tours and webinars and conduct at least one pro tour.  Every year I cannot wait to soak in the entirety of both the Boston and NYC conferences!

Keirstan Field, EIT, is a Project Manager and mechanical engineer for Petersen Engineering, where she enjoys working on smart, sustainable building design. Keirstan graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in the Summer of 2017 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Keirstan continued her education at WPI, earning a M.S. in Management in the Winter of 2017. Prior to joining Petersen Engineering, Keirstan worked as an engineer and project manager for a large utility company. In 2019, Keirstan started at Petersen Engineering as a mechanical designer. Over the course of her time at Petersen Engineering, Keirstan’s role has evolved as have the needs of the organization.

What strengths do you bring to the NESEA Board of Directors?
Given my unique career trajectory, I have both the fresh perspective of an emerging professional and experience managing organizational change. I have seen the importance of balancing preparation with adaptability, especially in times of uncertainty. Also, I have constructed a mentorship and management platform which connects our staff to our mission, and aids in organizational growth and employee retention. I have honed my ability to walk the line between big picture strategic brainstorming and understanding logistics of implementation. Lastly, I have a high “say-do” ratio - if I say I’m going to do something, I do it, and I’m not afraid to raise my hand and offer help. I believe that these attributes would make me an asset to the Board.

Why do you think you are a good fit for the NESEA Board of Directors?
My diverse experience at Petersen Engineering consisting of both technical and management responsibilities within a growing organization has prepared me for a role on the NESEA Board of Directors. Along with the value my experience can bring to the board directly, I also offer a unique perspective of an emerging professional navigating our growing and evolving industry.

What drives you to want to serve this organization?
NESEA was instrumental in connecting me to Petersen Engineering. Longtime NESEA member Bev Craig, served as my mentor and connected me to James Petersen when I shared my desire to pursue a more meaningful career path - one with a focus on energy efficiency, the environment, and social equity. I hope to leverage my unique position and skillset to give back to NESEA, the organization that helped me reach this point in my career. Having benefited so greatly from early career involvement with NESEA, I am motivated to help NESEA fulfill its mission by engaging a more diverse group of practitioners - in particular, emerging professionals, through mentorship as one potential avenue.

What has your involvement with NESEA been to date?
My first experience with NESEA was at BuildingEnergy Boston in 2019. After attending the conference, I mentioned to my boss, James Petersen, that I was interested in becoming more involved in NESEA. He suggested I attend an open planning meeting, and when I did, I was struck by how open and collaborative the event was. I joined the content committee for 2020’s conference and enjoyed the opportunity to curate the types of sessions that left such a profound impact on me the year before. My involvement on the content committee continued into BuildingEnergy Boston 2021. At this year’s conference, I also had the privilege of participating in the NESEA night award presentations.
 

Elizabeth (Betsy) Glynn is the Managing Director for Community Solar Partnerships at BlueWave Solar, working to help more residents, businesses and public institutions to save money and be part of the energy revolution. Collaborating with public and private stakeholders, Betsy ensures that BlueWave's solar customers meet program eligibility requirements and investor underwriting thresholds to maximize project viability.

Based in Boston, Betsy has worked with multifamily building owners to implement energy efficiency and water conservation measures, healthy housing practices and renewable power installations to benefit low- and moderate-income communities. She was an appointed voting member of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (2014-2017), served as a member of the steering committee of the Network for Energy, Water and Health in Affordable Buildings (NEWHAB; 2015-2017), co-chaired the BuildingEnergy Boston conference (2017-2018) and currently sits on the board of directors of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA).

Betsy holds a master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University and a bachelor’s degree in Geosciences from Franklin & Marshall College.

What strengths do you bring to the NESEA Board of Directors?
I have experience in the nonprofit sector, including program design and execution, board and staff governance and management, successful grant writing and managing to the constraints of staff time and budgets.  Serving on the executive committee in my current for-profit role provides me with fiscal and management responsibilities that help to guide my contributions toward programs that target NESEA’s business members. In addition, I’m a people person.  I love to connect people who are working on similar projects or seeking solutions to similar problems.  I enjoy seeing projects launch after two people who always should have met, meet.

Why do you think you are a good fit for the NESEA Board of Directors?
NESEA thrives on a multitude of perspectives.  I offer my experiences within the building retrofit and renewable energy fields, while working across public, nonprofit and private sectors.  Personally, I grew up in a large family that was low-income and underhoused throughout my childhood.  Luckily, I never realized that my boisterous family and our little house were setbacks, but my personal experiences have provided me with a keen sense of perspective on economic and environmental efficiency (so intricately entwined) and the security and opportunity presented by stability. I work to help provide stability and opportunity to those who need it most.

What drives you to want to serve this organization?
NESEA is my professional “home base” – a place to expand my view beyond my day-to-day grind, to consider new ways to approach challenges, and to recharge my intentions and passion for a sustainable region. I believe in the power of NESEA to keep a bold vision in its collective sights and, through compassion and collective learning, accomplish it.  I am honored to be a NESEA member and I hope to continue to grow NESEA’s impact through my Board service.  I am dedicated to ensuring NESEA’s programs and supportive network are available to, and benefit from, professionals across our dynamic industry.

What has your involvement with NESEA been to date?
Now a lifetime member, I have helped to develop and participated in sessions at conferences, served as co-chair of the BuildingEnergy Boston conference in 2018 and co-vice-chair of the BuildingEnergy Boston conference in 2017, and served as a member of the Board since 2019.  As a Board member, I chair the Governance Committee and participate as a member of the Development Committee, targeting grant opportunities to deepen NESEA’s impact.

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.

What strengths do you bring to the NESEA Board of Directors?
As a woman and LGBTQ+ community member, I also serve on my firm’s DEI advisory board and the IWBI Health Equity Advisory Committee. I’m committed to incorporating environmental justice and health equity into NESEA’s programming and vision on every level. As a firm, SWA has worked in more than 20 million square feet of commercial space including commercial office buildings, government buildings, museums, schools, hospitals and manufacturing facilities. Our client list encompasses many of the Class A building owners in New York City but also many owners from all different building classes and types. My responsibility has been to leverage the existing relationships throughout the firm as well as find new clients to work with on energy and sustainability projects. I am active in both the commercial and multifamily building industry through such organizations as US Green Building Council, Urban Green Council, US Green Building Council, NJ Chapter, NESEA, and Women in Housing and Finance.

Why do you think you are a good fit for the NESEA Board of Directors?
As Sustainability Director of Residential Building Services at Steven Winter Associates, Inc. (SWA), I have spent the past 13+ years building our client base, skill set and service offerings. I previously worked at Urban Green Council, so I have direct experience with a non for profit board of directors.

What drives you to want to serve this organization?
NESEA has been on the front lines of not just advocating for energy efficiency, but now are looking to intersect how race, health, pandemics, building materials, IEQ play INTO energy efficiency. I act as an integral part of initial strategic planning sessions and workshops with builders, architects, and homeowners based on numerous sustainability programs, which include goal-setting sessions, feasibility studies to incorporate energy efficiency measures into building envelopes and systems, propose healthy building materials and indoor air quality measures, establish construction recycling and air quality protection plans, and calculates to assess water savings, energy consumption, daylighting, and other aspects of green buildings. I can draw on this experience and solution oriented strengths to help service NESEA in a multitude of ways.

What has your involvement with NESEA been to date?
Over the last few years, I have served on the NESEA Member Content Committee reviewing proposals for BuildingEnergy NYC. I have also presented at both BuildingEnergy NYC and Boston a few times.

Julia Nugent is an architect and planner with over 30 years of professional experience. Her practice focuses on design for educational facilities with an emphasis on how architecture can support educational mission, pedagogical and curricular innovation, and student development. Her areas of expertise include programming, campus master planning, sustainable design, and developing strategies for project implementation in public and private educational facilities.

Julia is currently the Project Director for the new Annie E. Fales Elementary School, a 70,000 sf K-3 grade school in Westborough, Massachusetts which is projected to achieve Net Positive Energy use when it opens in Fall of 2021. Julia led an early community engagement process that established the political, financial, and technical requirements to achieve this goal, and guided a team of experts through the design and construction process to meet the ambitious energy reduction and energy production benchmarks. The building is predicted to produce 10% more energy than the school consumes, allowing a utility credit that will pay for energy at other district schools.

This past year, she has also designed an Net-Zero, passive house level single family house. This Rhode Island home is under construction for completion in Summer 2022. The differences and similarities of large and small scale Net Zero design have been fascinating and influenced one another in unexpected ways.

Julia received her BS and M Arch from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a former faculty member at the Boston Architectural College and has presented regionally and nationally on a variety of educational and sustainability topics.

What strengths do you bring to the NESEA Board of Directors?
I would like to contribute my perspective as a designer of larger, public projects and support NESEA's relevance to the designers and clients in this realm. Public projects have unique design processes, financial mechanisms, and regulations, making the pursuit of clean energy and low embodied carbon more challenging but very impactful. My most recent project, a 70,000 sf net-positive elementary school required a community vote and financial backing to ensure that energy efficiency and solar generation were included in the project, and it required substantial cooperation and support from the utility company.

Why do you think you are a good fit for the NESEA Board of Directors?
I served as the faculty representative to the Board of Directors for the Boston of the Boston Architectural College (BAC) for three years, a period of rapid institutional growth, including expansion of the school's national presence, adding degree programs, purchasing real estate, and reorganizing the administrative structure. The experience taught me the important governance distinction between a board's role of providing strategic direction and the administration's role of executing that direction. As a member of the BAC Finance Committee, which exposed me to the financial structure and obligations of non-profit organizations, and a principal managing the financial resources of a 60-person architectural practice, I have learned how to effectively balance operational budgets and investment in long-term initiatives.

What drives you to want to serve this organization?
From my first exposure to NESEA, I felt I had found "my people" - a diverse group of professionals who are passionate about climate action and have the knowledge, position, and drive to change how we design, construct, and power our buildings. NESEA’s core mission of connecting people to collaborate and learn is key to solving society’s most pressing concern, climate change, offering the rare venue for cross-disciplinary perspectives and knowledge. As a designer, I understand the technical aspects of energy management, but it is the conversations with building owners, manufacturers, utility companies, government agencies, and non-profits that will help me apply my knowledge for substantial effect.

What has your involvement with NESEA been to date?
In addition to attending BuildingEnergy Boston in 2020 and 2019, I served on the Content Committee for BuildingEnergy Boston 2021 and acted as a session curator and plan to do so for the 2022 conference as well. Additionally, I have participated in the Annual Meeting, a strategic planning focus group, and several webinars. My company is an Industry Leader Member of NESEA.

Arnold Sapenter is a highly energetic consultant with over 30 years of professional experience in cultural diversity, environmental planning and sustainability, as well as, organization training, project development and management. He is an adept communicator and analytical thinker with proven ability to develop and lead cross-functional teams. An expert presenter, negotiator, and facilitator he is able to forge solid relationships between government and community partners and across multiple organization levels.

Arnold serves as a board member and volunteer for a number of non-profit organizations including the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, the Fenway Health Center, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators Boston Chapter and the Shirley Eustis House in Roxbury. After retiring from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as Director of Sustainability and previously serving as the Director of Diversity and Program Monitoring; Arnold decided to use his program development, project management, training skills and experience to assist business, and non-profit organizations in achieving their missions and strategic goals related to cultural diversity, social justice and environmental sustainability.

What strengths do you bring to the NESEA Board of Directors?
I will bring a different perspective based on over 30 years of knowledge and experience acquired by working as a professional on environmental sustainability issues in state and local government to the NESEA Board of Directors. I bring experience having worked for over 10 years as the first Director of Sustainability for Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. In addition, I bring knowledge, skills and experience in the area of cultural diversity as the founding Director of Diversity and Program Monitoring at MassDEP. As a person of color who is also a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I can enhance the cultural knowledge, experience, and awareness that is represented on the NESEA Board of Directors.

Why do you think you are a good fit for the NESEA Board of Directors?
I believe that I would be a great fit for the NESEA Board of Directors based on my personal passion and professional experience working in the environment on critical issues related to sustainability and environmental justice as well as cultural diversity. Based on my shared values and commitment to the mission of NESEA I believe that I would be an excellent addition to the NESEA Board. In addition, my past experience serving on other Boston based non-profit boards such as the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art and the Shirley Eustis House in Roxbury will be of benefit to NESEA in achieving its mission and goals.

What drives you to want to serve this organization?
Based on my experience attending NESEA Conferences and training events, I am inspired by the work the organization does on a regional and local basis and I am impressed by the organization membership and leaders. I also believe that I can enhance and contribute to NESEA by bringing a broad range of experience addressing diversity and sustainability issues in state and local government to the organization.

What has your involvement with NESEA been to date?
I have been a member and attended NESEA Conferences and training events for over 6 years as an environmental professional representing MassDEP and I have continued to attend NESEA conferences even after my retirement from state government.

Leia's passion for improving the built environment goes back to her first net-zero retrofit project installing geothermal and solar PV in 1999. Since then her education and career path has been focused on building science from educating owners, operators and tradespeople to diagnosing buildings of all sizes to assisting with implementing the most cost-effective solutions to reduce energy use in buildings. Currently Leia is the Director of Sustainability Services at KOW Building Consultants where she has built a diverse team, of sustainability consultants focused in the multifamily affordable housing sector. Her team provides full sustainability consulting services from energy audits to project implementation including technical assistance, training and verification. Prior to KOW, Leia was Program Officer of Green Technical Services at Enterprise Community Partners and owner of Bright Alternatives where she completed over 2,500 energy plans and implemented energy efficiency retrofits and solar PV installations on over 1,500 homes. Leia holds 5 certifications from the Building Performance Institute that she has maintained for 15 years and is a Certified Energy Manager and Certified Passive House Consultant. Leia has a passion for sharing this knowledge and has developed and provided training programs in the energy efficiency field for developers, contractors, emerging professionals, building operators and energy consultants.

What strengths do you bring to the NESEA Board of Directors?
I am a focused and results-driven team player. Growing up and running family businesses in fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy, I have a deep understanding of the industry and a well-rounded background. I bring experience in educating the public on the benefits of and methods for retrofitting buildings to reduce energy load, improve indoor air quality, and shift toward carbon neutrality. I bring my passion, experience, and commitment for improving the sustainability industry to NESEA’s Board of Directors. My experience and knowledge in this arena will help support NESEA’s mission and offer new ideas to grow the organization.

Why do you think you are a good fit for the NESEA Board of Directors?
Professionally and personally, I have been focused on advancing sustainability in the built environment and for over 20 years, I have used my leadership skills and outside the box thinking to develop teams, improve buildings and educate the community in this field. I bring the right balance of energy, knowledge, experience, and passion to the table. The board members are my peers and while all our experiences and paths are diverse, our goals are synergistic. Assembling the right team is everything and I think my involvement will help support and grow the mission of NESEA.

What drives you to want to serve this organization?
I want to serve this organization because I love the mission of NESEA, advancing sustainability in the built environment is a core mission in my career. Education is the heart of our industry and the more information we share with the community, the better positioned our future generations will be to live in harmony with the earth. Collaborating with a team dedicated to NESEA’s mission is something I find meaning in and excel at. All my experiences with NESEA are positive and energizing, the staff are organized and helpful, the volunteers are dedicated and knowledgeable.

What has your involvement with NESEA been to date?
It is with great pleasure that I have been involved in NESEA programming for several years. The first NESEA conference I attended was in 2005 and the education and energy that I gained there has stuck with me. I remain involved with NESEA in various ways volunteering, attending, and speaking at conferences, participating in planning committees, content committees, and focus groups. I was conference co-chair in 2018. My joining KOW is what brought the company’s involvement to NESEA; my whole team attends the NYC conference and is encouraged to volunteer and collaborate with NESEA and its members in other ways.

studioWEBSTER is an architecture and design firm located in Amherst, Massachusetts, focused on high-performance residential design and deep energy retrofits. Principal Andrew Webster is dedicated to making an impact in the local community by improving our existing building stock - making it more functional and beautiful while reducing energy use. Andrew has trained as a HERS rater and a Passive House consultant, and is licensed as an Architect in VT. He's teaching sustainable design at Greenfield Community College, and now serves on the Board of Directors at NESEA. studioWEBSTER is a member of Building Energy Bottom Lines.

What strengths do you bring to the NESEA Board of Directors?
By day, I’m a designer and a project manager. I love to break down tasks into do-able parts and to bring complicated projects to completion. Practically, I’m a pretty good listener, I raise my hand when somebody needs help, and I deliver on the work I promise to do.

Why do you think you are a good fit for the NESEA Board of Directors?
I like working on teams, with colleagues who are skilled and good-willed. I value the current Board’s willingness to show up, to do work, to listen hard and think harder, and to do what they can to make NESEA a better, fairer, more welcoming place to effect real change, in our industry and on our planet.

What drives you to want to serve this organization?
I love being part of an organization devoted to teaching and learning, to sharing both our successes and failures, and to bringing on board a new group of professionals. I’m looking forward to chipping in with the Strategic Plan. I hope we can solidify NESEA’s place in climate leadership (Green the grid; electrify everything!) while expanding our connections with communities that have been left out of the membership, and making everyone here feel welcome. NESEA is in the process of changing and growing, and I’d be honored to use my combination of skills and experiences to help it continue to improve.

What has your involvement with NESEA been to date?
I’ve been attending NESEA events since 2006, and have volunteered throughout the organization. I’ve been a session chair, spoken at conferences, and joined Bottom Lines as a young business. I co-chaired the Boston conference (in the pre-COVID era), hosted a ProTour (NESEA’s first virtual one, during 2020), and served on the Board for the last 3 years. I became a Lifetime Member of NESEA in 2018. Through Bottom Lines, I’m a co-convener of the Anti-Racist Action Group, where we’ve been meeting online for more than a year to learn how to transform our businesses into anti-racist practices. It’s often uncomfortable work, but I don’t see a way around it, if we’re committed to real justice. As a Board Member, I’ve been serving as the chair of the Development Committee, whose task has been to pursue funding for things out of the usual line of programming. This year, we focused on DEI trainings for staff and leadership, and we’re supporting some innovative programs to connect underserved communities with NESEA businesses.

Rachel White is CEO of Byggmeister Design/Build, a nearly 40-year-old residential remodeling company that is striving to serve as an exemplary steward of homes and to prepare them to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Rachel has been affiliated with Byggmeister since 2008, when she hired the firm to renovate her house. What started as an effort to reduce the energy and carbon footprint of her own home became her life’s work. Prior to joining Byggmeister Rachel taught modern Jewish history to adult learners. She holds a PhD in Religious Studies from Brown University and a BA in Religion from Haverford College.

What strengths do you bring to the NESEA Board of Directors?
I am an experienced and effective leader, a skillful communicator, and a strategic and critical thinker. I have a well-developed sense of when to step up and take the lead, and when to step back and support others to step up. I am also pragmatic, solution-oriented, and I follow through on my commitments.

Why do you think you are a good fit for the NESEA Board of Directors?
I think I’m a good fit for the NESEA Board for three reasons. First, I’m deeply committed to the NESEA community and passionate about the organization’s mission. Second, I have a proven track record of effective service to the organization, including in my current role as board chair. Third, I have both the will and the capacity to continue to serve in leadership.

What drives you to want to serve this organization?
I can’t think of another professional organization that has influenced me more than NESEA. When I changed careers about fifteen years ago, NESEA was (thankfully!) my point of entry into the industry. Since then, my most meaningful professional connections have been with NESEA practitioners. It is not an overstatement to say that I wouldn’t be who or where I am today if it weren’t for NESEA. The same is true of the company I lead. Founded in 1983, Byggmeister owes much of our success and sense of purpose to NESEA. Given this, how could I not want to serve the organization?

What has your involvement with NESEA been to date?
My first exposure to NESEA was through BE Boston. I joined the BE Boston content committee in 2011 (then called the planning committee), and since then—in addition to regularly attending NESEA events—I have served in numerous roles including as BE Boston conference vice-chair and chair. I have served on the board of directors since 2019, first as nominating committee chair and for the past year as board chair. Byggmeister has been a member of Bottom Lines since the program was founded.