WORKSHOP INFORMATION IS NOW AVAILABLE
INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS
Amanda Sturgeon
Amanda Sturgeon, FAIA is the former CEO of the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). She is the author of Creating Biophilic Buildings, the founder and driving force behind ILFI’’s Biophilic Design Initiative and is a sought-after expert and TED speaker on biophilic design around the world. Amanda is an award-winning architect who enjoyed a successful 15-year career working to harmonize the relationship between people and nature on projects such as Islandwood on Bainbridge Island, Washington. In 2013 she was elected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in recognition for her extensive advocacy and volunteer service to the green building movement, for which she has been a visionary leader. She was named one of the top ten most powerful women in sustainability in 2015 as a recipient of the Women in Sustainability Leadership Award
Annie Bevan
Annie Bevan is the CEO and Founder of Sustainability Made Simple. Annie has over 12 years of experience working with organizations to develop robust sustainability platforms to leverage sustainability as a strategic business enabler to grow brand awareness and increase sales opportunities.
She represents a unique expertise in contributing to the development and robustness of numerous internationally recognized sustainability programs and has now started leveraging this expertise to create collaboration in the marketplace with a personal mission to make sustainability more simple. She is driven by a passion to create positive change through collaboration and is inspired by the interconnectivity of all things in both nature and business.
Annie is widely regarded within the sustainability marketplace as an expert in sustainable program development and third-party verification. She currently and previously holds/held long term positions including: Global Head of Sustainability at Superior Essex, Technical Liaison of Materials and Resources to the US Green Building Council, and Vice President of Certification Services at GreenCircle Certified, LLC. She currently sits as a technical advisor to: the US Green Building Council’s Materials and Resources TAG, the International Living Future Institute, My Green Lab, Clean Production Action and the GreenScreen Program, the Department of Defense, the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, and the Collaborative for High Performing Schools National Technical Committee.
James Connelly
A GreenBiz 30 under 30 sustainable business leader, James Connelly is the Vice President of Strategic Growth at the International Living Future Institute.
As VP of Strategic Growth, he leads ILFI in strategic planning and business development to grow the Institute’s impact and capabilities globally. James leads the Institute’s strategic consulting for corporations and conducts technical consulting for high profile Living Building Challenge projects. James is responsible for new market development for the Institute and is a founding board member of Living Future Europe.
Prior to joining the Institute in 2012, James received a Fulbright fellowship to conduct research on green building rating systems in China. James is a frequent national and international speaker on regenerative design, sustainable business, ecological manufacturing and affordable housing. He is an avid writer and his research and commentary has been featured in news outlets such as China Dialogue, Trim Tab, BuildingGreen, GreenBiz and Engineering News Record.
Melita Koulmandas
Utilising design as a force for change, entrepreneur, designer, & thought- leader Melita Koulmandas Hunter is at the forefront of regenerative development in Southeast Asia.
Her work includes interiors, fine art, fashion and lifestyle concepts, landscapes & organic installations, & has been recognised with global travel and design awards. Her awards for Song Saa Private Island include Condé Nast Traveler's Gold Standard, Condé Nast Traveler's Most Soulful Spa of the Year, Condé Nast Traveler's World's Most Beautiful Resort Hotel & National Geographic's Leaders in Sustainable Tourism title.
Melita, established the Koh Ouen Marine Reserve in 2007, Cambodia's. She co-founded, Executive Director and CEO of the Song Saa Foundation, dedicated to preserving underwater sanctuaries & providing means of livelihood & education to communities in the Koh Rong Archipelago & beyond.
Passionate about the progressive role business can play in addressing social issues, Melita focuses on projects, that bring about a transformational impact on a major scale. Her efforts are directed to drive positive societal change while delivering strong financial returns to shareholders and is currently focussing on the design and development of Song Saa's pioneering new project in Siem Reap - The Song Saa Reserve. Melita is a member of the Women President Organisation, and the Aspen Institute's Alliance for Artisans Enterprise, as well as an Ambassador for ILFI.
Lona Rerick
Lona Rerick is a sustainable designer at ZGF Architects LLP focusing on materials selection and transparency. Lona guides clients, design teams and contractors through the intricacies of system materials selection, product research for locations and writing specifications to assure that project goals are met during construction. Lona Rerick leads ZGF Architects Project Performance Team’s efforts to select and specify low-impact, healthy materials. Lona educates clients, staff, and manufacturers on the important transformation to building materials selection using new transparency tools like Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Health Product Declarations (HPDs).
Currently, Lona serves on the Health Product Declaration Collaborative’s Board; as 2018 chair and current member of AIA National’s Materials Knowledge Working Group; as a member of the LEED MR TAG; on the mindful MATERIALS Steering Group; and as a founding co-Chair of the Portland Materials Transparency Collaborative.
Joel Glanzberg
Joel Glanzberg brings over 30 years’ experience as an applied naturalist to land and community development projects for a diversity of clients. Through assessing, understanding, and communicating the inherent patterns present in natural systems, Joel helps clients and communities identify principles for the regenerative development of the places they inhabit.
As a resource to regenerative development, Joel has worked for a diverse client base including communities, colleges and universities, government agencies, and private developers. He is also a lead instructor at the Regenesis Institute, delivering courses on regenerative development, permaculture, and ecological design to hundreds of students worldwide. Joel is skilled in cross-cultural communication and teaching and has worked with a variety of indigenous tribes and communities.
LATIN AMERICAN SPEAKERS
Victor Montero
Victor Montero is CEO of the Regenerative Built Environment Institute (REGENBE) and run his own company since 2009 Montero-Dien Design, based in Costa Rica with a wide networking collaboration with offices in the US. As Ambassador Networking Volunteer for the Living Future Challenge since 2012 often deliver presentations in several countries in Latin America. He was recognized for ILFI as a Living Hero at the Unconference 2019.
Also is Co-Founder and Chairman of the CTBUH Costa Rica Chapter since 2016. With training on Regenerative Design (TRP), Living Future Accredited (LFA), LEED GA, EDGE World Expert and RESET his specialty is the regenerative development and design, advocating for sustainability and green buildings formally since 1991. Co-Founder and Chairman since 2016 of the consortium Costa Rica Natural Design Advisers (CR-NDA).
Currently engaged in several registerd projects that pursuit the Living Building Challenge as Living Community Challenge as well. He was awarded at the 1st Biennal of Architecture and Urbanism of Costa Rica in 1992 for his work on sustainable development.
Huberth Méndez
Architect graduated from the University of Design of Costa Rica, he has participated in a large number of projects with social projection and environmental perspective, developing strategies, plans and projects on issues of territorial planning, climate change, environmental performance of buildings, municipal management, urban regulation , risk management in human habitats, impact studies of infrastructure works, human development and territorial management, and has also been part of interdisciplinary teams responsible for developing financial instruments for the implementation of climate actions.
He has been a researcher and consultant for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the Ministry of Environment of Canada, the Organization of American States, the Metropolitan Federation of Municipalities (Costa Rica), the mayor of Comayagua (Honduras), The Office of Planning of the Metropolitan Area of āāEl Salvador, The CRUSA Foundation, the UNEP-RISO Center (Denmark), Fundecooperación for Sustainable Development, The Energy Efficiency Exporters Alliance (Canada), the Directorate of Climate Change of Costa Rica, the Ministry of Housing and Settlements Humans (Costa Rica), the Institute of Technical Standards of Costa Rica. He has also been a collaborator in commissions of the Federated College of Engineers and Architects and the Costa Rican Chamber of Construction, and invited as a panelist and speaker at various conferences both nationally and internationally, highlighting the Latin American Congress of Architecture Faculties and the Forum Urban World of Medellin 2014.
From July 2016 to December 2019 he was Territorial Manager of the Municipality of Curridabat where he came to reinforce the change in the vision of the local government of the Costa Rican context, facilitating the transition from a traditional municipality focused on functional attention to a Government of phenomena, territorial variables and systems beyond the powers of law using Design Thinking in the restructuring of local public management.
The changes implemented in Curridabat are key to reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with urban growth, social dynamics and mental well-being of the people who inhabit the territory, a change that materializes in the vision of development Ciudad Dulce in which the Territorial Management has been the executing arm.
Luis G. Huertas
In Luis Huertas' current role with SDC, he consults on LEED compliance and sustainable design strategies, for a wide range of project types including commercial, higher education, healthcare, hospitality and institutional projects. He also advises teams on the applicability of a variety of other green building and energy efficiency standards and rating systems and spearheads SDC’s scope and tool development for LEED V4 readiness.
Luis is one of the founders of the USGBC Caribbean Chapter and he has also served as a panelist at the Bermuda Ministry of Economic Development’s Bermuda Energy Summit.
Prior to joining SDC, Luis managed his own design and project planning firm located in Aruba with a focus on sustainable design for the Caribbean region. He is also a founder and past Board member of the Aruba Sustainable Development Foundation. He currently serves as a Board member for the Artistic Lab for Design Ecology and architecture (ALDEA) and is a Board Member of the AIA Richmond Chapter, chairing the Public Relations committee.
Luis’ notable projects include: the Washington University St Louis East End Campus Expansion that includes 4 new buildings with different programmatic functions, pursuing LEED-NC Gold through the campus approach; Chrysler Museum Perry Glass Studio Renovation-Expansion, an art museum and glass blowing studio pursuing LEED-NC Gold certification; the University of Richmond Queally Center for Admissions and Career Service, a new admissions office pursuing LEED-NC Silver certification; and the Capital One West Creek Village Café, the remodel of existing café at the Capital One Headquarters campus, pursuing LEED-NC Silver certification.
Maria Brenes Quesada
Maria is part of the Senior Management of the National Stock Exchange. From her role as Director of Business and Corporate Relations of the Exchange, she leads several strategic projects, including the creation and promotion of various initiatives in the capital market that aim to align financing and investment to the concept of sustainable development.
She is an Economist, with a Master in Banking and Capital Markets from the University of Costa Rica and a Master in Strategic Business Management from the University of Cádiz Spain. Additionally, she has a Specialization in Project Management from the Technological Institute of Costa Rica and in Innovation Management from the University of Salamanca, Spain.
Her 20 years of experience in the Costa Rican financial system have allowed her to lead various positions in Commercial Banking, Central Bank and General Superintendence of Securities.
In the Exchange he has also held the position of technical services manager and project manager.
