By Grey Lee
While at the Mid-Year Meeting of the big USGBC Family – the National Staff, the Board, the various technical committees and LEED Steering Committee and the various designees from the Chapters – chapter leaders, staff, emerging professionals, green schools folks and through others gathered together to discuss about the USGBC's Strategic Priorities and the health of the Chapter network.
Elizabeth Heider, SVP at Skanska and a former USGBC Board Chair, spoke to the crowd and brought out the old 2013-2015 Strategic Plan. Much of it is still relevant – so please feel free to take a look to learn more.
How do you see yourself supporting and engaging on these priorities? Are these important to your firm and your practice?
What are we doing at USGBC MA Chapter in regards to these priorities? How are we supporting the network and growing the movement for green buildings?
In the words of Board Chair George Bandy, we need to look at how the Chapter network is functioning as a whole and what we can do to improve it. Some big chapters are doing great, but many of the smaller chapters are struggling. Facilitated by Jason Dunlop, Chair of the Chapters Steering Committee, we participated in a series of working sessions and came out with the framework of a plan.
“Starting in early June and working through July, attendees that signed up in Detroit to take part in groups focused on one of the three topics (structure, mission + engagement, business + operations) will collaborate to identify elements of the chapters that are working well, and those that must evolve.”
Thank you to all the Chapters facilitators and supporters as we work to build a stronger network. In the words of Chair Bandy, let's get uncomfortable so we can get better!
Global Head of Sustainability, Superior Essex
Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
PE | Associate, LeMessurier
Vice President, AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group
Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
AIA LEED AP BD+C | Senior Associate, Gensler Boston 
LEED Fellow, WELL AP | Founder and Principal, Ecoworks Studio
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
LEED AP BD+C | Environmental Sustainability Manager, Armstrong World Industries
Assistant Professor of Exposure Science | Director of the Healthy Buildings program
Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc.
Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Jamestown
Director of Sustainability Programs, DASNY | LEED AP BD+C
Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Co-Founder, Facilitator at The Laurentia Project | LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Vice President of Sustainable Development, Shaw
Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
LEED® AP ID+C, BD+C, USGBC Faculty, WELL® AP, WELL Faculty and Fitwel Ambassador
Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
Principal, Bruner/Cott
Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec Architecture and Engineering
FAIA, LEED Fellow, Long Green Specs
Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Director of Acquisitions and Development
Director of Restorative Enterprise, Interface
Sustainability Manager, Consigli Construction Company