Co-emcee and Presenter
"Trail Tales: Elemental Equity for the Columbia Tap Trail" Houston’s 3rd Ward is a culturally rich, historically African-American neighborhood, that includes numerous educational and cultural gems. Like the Columbia Tap Trail, which sits atop the abandoned Columbia Tap Railroad route - originally built in the 1850’s by enslaved men to transport cotton and sugar from plantation to port. Completed in 2009, CTT faces a complex stewardship challenge as is spans multiple districts and jurisdictions, all with distinct characters, histories, and cultures. The sidewalk is maintained by Houston Public Works, with 6’ to either side of the walkway being the responsibility of Houston Parks and Recreation. The Trail is also included in the Harris County Toll Road Authority’s Destination Trail study and the Houston Park’s Board Beyond the Bayous Initiative. This session will share how multiple community focused initiatives and consistent community engagement have helped to develop the Columbia Tap Trail Action Plan and Housing and Economic Justice Plan. BIO:
Using the sustainable design and conscious capitalism business principles of People, Planet, and Prosperity, Kimberly helps organizations create inspiring environments, increase human and societal well-being, exceed environmental expectations, and move beyond profitability and into prosperity. The daughter of pediatric healthcare professionals, Kimberly grew up working in several children’s health facilities in her native Florida. Early on, she witnessed numerous childhood ailments that were suspicious in their origin, many of these ailments seemingly exacerbated by occupancy within certain buildings or near polluting industries. This experience left a lasting impression that underscores Kimberly’s career path in building healthy, sustainable communities. In 2004 she founded Blue Water Studio, a commercial design and planning firm, specializing in Healthcare, Community and Sustainability projects. She can frequently be found advocating for equitable and just access to greenspaces, clean air and water, local nutritious foods and responsible development projects that will benefit all.

"Champions of Change: Catalysts for Sustainable Action" Despite the urgent need to take action in the face of the accelerating climate crisis, planners and other professionals whose work shapes the built environment are facing organizational, political, and social roadblocks that seem to bar us from making a real difference in this fight. It is crucial to have staff across departments and at all levels, including leadership, who can advance sustainability and resilience initiatives through removing critical barriers to taking action as a department or organization. By creating momentum around climate action, collaborating across departments, and building capacity withing the organization, sustainability champions can push for transformative action. In this session speakers will engage in a dialogue about what it means to be a sustainability champion within your pocket of the world. They will present recent work collaborating with climate champions to push the needle on sustainability in natural resource management and developing sustainability plans.
They will also discuss the barriers champions face as they try to move the needle on sustainability work and the results of the APA’s Planner Perspectives on Climate survey.
Learning Objectives During this session participants will: 1. Develop their understanding of the role of climate champions in fostering resilience. 2. Broaden their awareness of the barriers professionals face to taking climate action. 3. Gain insight into how sustainability is embedded across different planning projects in addition to the development of sustainability plans. BIO: Jessica Young (she/her) is a senior planner at Asakura Robinson and a passionate advocate for planning solutions that center communities disproportionately impacted by climate change and historic disinvestment. She strives to improve the lived experience of community members in the face of climate change by developing implementable strategies for adapting to climate change. She recently co-authored the American Planning Association’s Planner’s Perspectives on Climate report and survey and has published research on municipal barriers to climate action planning. Kyle Anderson (he/him/they) is an associate planner at Asakura Robinson who is driven to explore the intersection of community capacity, ecological restoration, and green design to pursue more substantively sustainable modes of life. They are driven to better understand the relationship between communities and their environment, and to further equip cities and community organizations with the tools, strategies, and support necessary to foster resilient, adaptable communities capable of maintaining a high quality of life in the face of a rapidly changing climate. In project work they help bring technical expertise about sustainable building and design alongside a depth of experience working alongside community leaders to foster greater collective impact.

"Inspiring Biodiversity, Conservation, and Resiliency in the Built Environment" The urban environment has historically been built without consideration for healthy ecosystems and over time, we've realized that the elimination of ecological functions on project sites is detrimental for both humans and the environment. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) demonstrate that ecosystem services can successfully be integrated into urban areas for the benefit of people and nature. The San Antonio River Authority has installed a variety of NbS practices on multiple urban properties to serve as demonstration sites showing the varied stacked benefits that can arise from these applications. The River Authority began incorporating NbS practices at their two major urban office facilities in 2013 through various retrofit projects. Outcomes of these projects will show the benefits of integrating local native plants within the built environment which include ecological benefits as well as opportunities for education and outreach that inform and inspire community-based resource stewardship and biodiversity conservation. In this session, Lee Marlowe will highlight projects along the San Antonio River that converted degraded sites with lifeless landscape elements into attractive spaces where people enjoy spending time, ecosystems are supported, landscapes are resilient, nature can thrive, and water quality benefits can be achieved. Learning Objectives/Outcomes:
1. Attendees will understand the role of plant selection in biodiversity conservation.
2. Attendees will understand the benefits of native plants for biodiversity conservation.
3. Attendees will be able to apply fundamental principles of plant selection for site resiliency and biodiversity conservation for public and private projects.
4. Attendees will understand their role in implementing biodiversity conservation for the benefit of people, places, and the planet. Bio:
Lee Marlowe is a restoration ecologist with over 25 years of professional experience working in the field of ecological restoration and natural resource management including sustainable landscape practices and applications for improved ecological functions. Her expertise includes use of native plants to provide wildlife habitat, biodiversity, water quality benefits, bank/site stabilization and aesthetic beauty in landscapes of all sizes. She currently serves as the Sustainable Landscape Ecologist for the San Antonio River Authority providing ecological expertise to support a variety of projects and efforts. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior from the University of Minnesota where she was inspired to reverse the negative impacts of habitat fragmentation and destruction through applied ecology and the restoration of native habitats.

Leslie Antunez is a dedicated and committed public servant with 17 years of service specializing in climate initiatives, public information, crisis and media communication strategies, and community engagement and education. As the Senior Municipal Sustainability Manager, she is responsible for overseeing the City's municipal climate planning and implementation efforts, including projects such as the Urban Heat Island/Cool Pavement pilots and assisting with the municipal on-site solar project. Alumna: New Mexico State University, the University of Texas at Arlington, and Texas Women's Leadership Institute.

"Austin Light Rail: People-Centered Design" Bio:
Lisa Storer is a sustainability advocate working on large multi-disciplinary projects that have the ability to transform the public realm. She currently leads the Sustainable Design Program at Austin Transit Partnership, which will bring much-needed transit expansion and improvements, including light rail, to Austin. Previously, she was a Project Manager at the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department focused primarily on the Waterloo Greenway program, which aims to transform 35 acres of downtown Austin with new public parks, accessible trails, and a restored Waller Creek to connect people to nature in the center of the city.
Lisa enjoys working on collaborative projects with strong ecological and equity goals that bridge architecture and landscape architecture, and she has twenty years of experience working in the built environment. Lisa has worked at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center developing the SITES Rating System for sustainable land design and development, now administered internationally by GBCI. She currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Location, Transportation, and Planning Technical Advisory Group (LP TAG) for LEED, on the Board of Directors of AIA Austin and the US Green Building Council’s Texas Chapter, and as part of ULI Austin’s Local Climate Council.

Day 1 Lunch Presentation The Texas Tribal Buffalo Project Aims to Support Reconciliation and Re-establishment. The TTBP is a non-profit committed to healing the generational trauma of Lipan Apache descendants and other native nations bordering traditional Lipan Apache ranges. The presentation will cover the TTBP's journey from creation to current, plus show its future plans created in conjunction with the AIA San Antonio Professional Practice Leadership Program. Learning Objectives:
(1) Describe the building systems required for the site's expansion including energy efficiency, heat recovery, and water re-use.
(2) Discuss the coordination efforts between the client and design team during the schematic design and design development phases of the project.
(3) Identify building design strategies used to facilitate the design of future structures while accommodating safety concerns.
(4) Illustrate an appropriate reuse of existing structures and use of recycled and repurposed materials. Bio:
Lucille is the CEO and Founder of Texas Tribal Buffalo Project. This project is created to restore the traditional relationship between the Lipan Apache and our relatives the Bison. We would like to provide the indigenous communities of Texas a pathway to tribal and food sovereignty. I obtained the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project Ranch by using the USDA Farm Service Agency, Beginning Farmer, and Rancher loan program. I am excited to now live once again in the Traditional homeland of the Lipan Apache and other native nations. Also, the traditional and home range of the Southern Plains Bison.

"New Mexico State University: An Energy Transition Master Plan Case Study" New Mexico State University (NMSU) is a public land-grant institution with an enrollment of approximately 22,000 students. The campus operates distributed thermal and electrical utility systems and generates a portion of its own power with a natural gas turbine. In response to a state mandate and an internal goal of greenhouse gas emission reductions (45% by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050, respectively), NMSU facilities leadership initiated the development of an energy master plan. This case study explores how the team incorporated academic and research staff as stakeholders, aligned the plan with the overall campus master plan, developed a phased approach to reduce utility system carbon usage, and examined alternative revenue streams to fund recommended initiatives. ABOUT MARK: Mark Mikulin has been employed at EEA Consulting Engineers since 2006 and is the firm’s Principal for State, Local, and Educational projects, with diverse facility types ranging from offices and classroom buildings, clean rooms and research laboratories, and central plants and distributed thermal energy systems. He also has extensive experience in commissioning and retro-commissioning of building systems, and in energy conservation analysis of institutional facilities. Mr. Mikulin has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University – College Station (2005), is a licensed professional engineer in the States of Texas and New Mexico.

"Translating LEED Success Into Campus Standards" Join Matt Stevens and Jim Walker from UT Austin in the "Utilities and Infrastructure" session as they present an exciting overview of recent and current capital projects at UT, including LEED Platinum certifications. They will explore the evolution and integration of LEED and green building principles into campus sustainability standards for capital projects and major renovations, including utilities and infrastructure elements. Bio:
Matt Stevens has dedicated 25 years to sustainability planning and consulting, beginning with energy and water-efficient strategies for residential homebuilders. His firm certified the most ENERGY STAR and green building program-rated homes in the Austin and San Antonio areas. Over the past 12 years, Matt has worked as a sustainability advisor at the University of Texas at Austin, focusing on energy and water use avoidance and capital infrastructure development. He spearheaded the university's Sustainable Requirement Design Criteria and holds credentials as a LEED Accredited Professional, Certified Energy Manager, and Project Management Professional.

Melody Jackson is the GAF Building Science Manager for the Southwest U.S. Melody has 11 years of experience in the AEC industry and spent 7 years working in construction law. She has over five years of experience as an independent specifications writer. Melody has spent the last four years working in the commercial roofing industry. She holds a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Houston. Melody is actively involved in various professional organizations such as AIA, IIBEC, NWIR, and CSI. She has served on the CSI Houston Board of Directors for over six years, served two terms as Treasurer, and is currently President-Elect. She is a founding member of the National Women in Roofing Houston Chapter.

"The Heat is On! Understanding San Antonio's Urban Heat Island and What We Can Do About It"

The heat is on! Major urban areas are experiencing rising temperatures, exacerbated by human activities, forming a "heat bubble" known as the Urban Heat Island (UHI). This phenomenon leads to higher temperatures, impacting human health, power consumption, air and water quality, and more. This session will cover: Original research on San Antonio's UHI over the past seven decades. Novel methodologies for creating climate data tailored to urban environments to accurately reflect UHI effects.
Positive initiatives implemented to mitigate heat and improve water quality. Heat reduction strategies employed by the City of San Antonio.

Bio:
Michelle Garza brings over a decade of experience in environmental science and sustainable energy, combined with her background in business management. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Michelle has been an integral part of the Sustainable Infrastructure/Planning Unit at the San Antonio River Authority for over eight years. In her role, she focuses on educating the community about nature-based stormwater solutions to enhance water quality and the urban environment. As the development coordinator for SARA, she collaborates with developers within mandatory coordination areas, such as the River Improvement Overlay District and Westside Creeks Water Quality Overlay, to ensure their projects incorporate LID/green infrastructure, thereby protecting the community's investment in the health and recreation of local creeks and rivers. Additionally, Michelle has conducted research and presented on nature-based infrastructure as a mitigation strategy to reduce urban heat islands, contributing to improved water quality and quality of life in San Antonio and beyond.

Mr. Lackey is the Owner of LCCx and is a mechanical engineer focused on enhanced building commissioning, with Building Design, Construction, and Project Delivery expertise. He has been in this industry for over 30 years and is an expert at new technology, codes, flexibility planning and design trends in the industry. As a Director at the SA River Authority, he has seen first hand the new development dynamics of the San Pedro Creek restoration through Urban San Antonio. Mike is a founding National Board Member of the Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects (I-LinCP) and has enthusiastically brought his expertise to many Forums.

"Prioritizing Sustainability Outcomes in Transportation Infrastructure" This presentation will provide an overview of the prioritization approach used for the City of Austin's Corridor Construction Program and how sustainability and other key community outcomes were integrated into the process. Bio:
Mike Trimble is a Project Director with HNTB, where he is responsible for leading and managing on all aspects of large transportation infrastructure programs for state and local government. Prior to joining HNTB, Mike served over 15 years as an executive with the City of Austin where he brought transportation, facilities, and infrastructure programs to the local community in various leadership roles. His experience includes multi-modal transportation programs management, capital improvements long-range planning, bond programs development and implementation, local and regional transportation agency coordination, federal funding strategy development and executive leadership for local and regional mobility issues.
In addition to his experience in transportation and infrastructure programs, Mike has several years of experience working with state and local government agencies as a management consultant. His experience leading projects for strategic planning, organizational and management studies, communications and marketing strategies for the public sector provides unique perspective and expertise for state and local government clients. Mike is a graduate of Texas A&M and is certified in Project Portfolio Management by the Project Management Institute.

"Planning and Prioritizing Implementation of Nature Based Solutions in the San Antonio River Basin"
San Antonio River Authority has completed a master plan for nature based solutiong for the Leon Creek watershed and is now developing the same for the Upper San Antonio and Salado Creek watersheds. SARA is prioritizing work within the boundaries of the San Antonio Tomorrow Phase 4 Community Area Plans and areas identified by the City of San Antonio as Cool Neighborhood pilot projects. While the primary intent of these nature based solutions will be to improve water quality within these watersheds a special emphasis is being placed on implementing NBS that provide many more benefits including climate mitigation and quality of life improvements in an equitable manner. This presentation will briefly review recommendations of the Leon Creek master plan and discuss the direction of the Upper SA River and Salado Creek watershed master plans. Bio: Mikel Wilkins is a Senior Engineer at San Antonio River Authority where he leads a team of engineers, planners, and landscape designers in the development of nature based solutions master plans for major watersheds of the SA River basin. Mr. Wilkins is a professional environmental engineer with 30 years of experience focusing on planning and design of nature-based solutions, parks, and trails throughout the United States. He has also worked as an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University within the Masters of Sustainable Design program teaching sustainability frameworks including SITES and Envision since 2018.

Dr. Nguyen “Tom” Griggs is a native Houstonian, a happy family man, a lifelong learner & a martial artist teacher with almost 30 years of experience. His doctorate studies focused on college choice and student success. Tom’s company Lead Connect Grow LLC focuses on helping organizations build cultures of curiosity and resiliency. His clients often leave his sessions feeling empowered, engaged, educated, and changed. In his spare time, Tom enjoys playing the guitar, grilling, studying AI and writing.

Uniquely experienced in pre-construction, construction management, and operational diagnostics of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems for complex commercial construction facilities for 16 years, Omar’s skills span the full project lifecycle from conceptual estimating to warranty issue resolution. Possessing a balanced combination of practical field experience and professional education Omar has been successful in many roles over the course of his career including project manager, estimator, energy consultant, commissioning agent, and business owner. His career has allowed him to be a key team member in the construction of some of the highest performing buildings in the state of Texas. Omar earned a bachelor’s degree in construction science from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in engineering management from The University of Texas.

Peter Sakai's journey is deeply rooted in his family's history and dedication to justice. His grandparents immigrated from Japan to the United States, with his maternal grandparents settling in South Texas and his father's family in California's Imperial Valley. During World War II, his father, Pete, experienced the injustices of Japanese Internment Camps, an ordeal that profoundly influenced Peter's commitment to defending the Constitution and the Rule of Law. Peter graduated from the University of Texas in 1976 and the University of Texas School of Law in 1979. He began his career as an Appellate Assistant D.A. in the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office and soon opened his own successful law practice. In 1995, he was appointed Associate Judge of the Children's Court, where he introduced innovative programs that significantly increased foster child adoptions and supported struggling families. Encouraged by peers and community leaders, Peter ran for the 225th State District Court, winning decisively. As a judge, he has implemented cost-saving protocols and pioneering programs like the Family Drug Court, Early Childhood Court, and the College Bound Docket, all of which have gained national recognition for their impact. Peter's success is bolstered by his family's support. His wife, Raquel “Rachel” Sakai, a dedicated public servant and educator, has also been honored for her community contributions. Together, they have two children, George and Elizabeth, and two grandchildren, Jackson and Grayson. Join us at the Lone Star Sustainability Forum to hear Judge Sakai discuss his transformative leadership and the innovative solutions he has developed to enhance justice and community well-being.

"Optimizing Building Performance: Insights from Retro-Commissioning" This presentation by Rezaur Rahman and Chuck Smith with San Jacinto College outlines the Retro-Commissioning (RCx) efforts to improve energy performance and system efficiency across campus with a gross area of 3,101,869 square feet, of which 21% underwent RCx. Retro-commissioning is described by the DOE as commissioning a facility post-construction and by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a process to enhance the function of building systems, addressing issues from design, construction, and operation. The RCx process included setting campus goals, gathering feedback from energy data, BAS, and HVAC teams, selecting buildings, performing site walk-throughs, conducting BAS diagnostic monitoring, and creating an RCx items master list. The work was divided among in-house technicians and contractors, with 49% completed by an energy agent, 24% by a BAS contractor, and 27% by the college. This initiative resulted in additional savings of 237,799 kWh, 20,896 Therms, and $61,426 at both the central and north campuses. The main objectives were to reduce energy consumption, minimize manual overrides, optimize system operations, reduce climate complaints, improve equipment performance, and enhance indoor air quality and occupant comfort. Challenges included inaccessible workspaces, scheduling conflicts, increased HVAC team workload, scope of work modifications, and material and programming constraints. Key measures included reinstating the demand flow program, installing three new chillers, and locking out hot water pumps and central boilers, which contributed to energy savings. However, gas savings were overestimated after locking boilers at 75 degrees OAT, and there were missed opportunities in water leak repairs and equipment tune-ups. This RCx effort highlights the importance of continuous evaluation and adjustment to maintain and improve building performance. Bio: As the Director, Sustainability and Energy Management, Mr. Rahman brings his expertise as a certified energy manager and certified building commissioning professional, with a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Presentation Title: The Case for Compounding Sustainable Investments Presentation Abstract: In 2015, Credit Human made a major commitment to sustainability by outfitting most of our San Antonio locations with solar power. This was the first step in an ongoing environmental program that now includes our new headquarters in San Antonio – a 200,000 square foot mid-rise building that is regarded by many as the “greenest” commercial building in the United States. The performance and cost savings of these and other systems the credit union has implemented are substantial. Credit Human is reinvesting 100% of those savings back into other environmental initiatives in the markets it serves. We will share our approach for establishing a compounding cycle of reinvestment in sustainability programs, and why it’s right for our bottom line and the communities we serve. BIO: Steve Hennigan is the President and CEO of Credit Human, a Federal Credit Union, where he is responsible for providing leadership and vision for a cooperatively-owned financial institution serving more than 200,000 households across the United States. In this role, Steve is focused on transforming the organization’s values to enable it to fulfill its mission of helping people create and maintain financial slack. Mr. Hennigan joined Credit Human in September 1993 and since that time has served in a variety of roles across the organization. This included starting a new indirect lending division that built Credit Human into a national lender, as well as transforming Credit Human’s $2.0 billion, mature retail banking business in Texas. Steve served most recently as Chief Operating Officer before assuming his current role of President and CEO in 2012. Mr. Hennigan is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and has a BBA in Finance and Accounting from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. He has served as a Board Trustee of CPS Energy and on the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council. Steve is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He and his wife Tracy have two daughters, Megan and Callie.

Texas leads the country in billion-dollar weather disasters, within the top 5 for each kind of weather disaster tallied by NOAA. This presentation is focused on how the different areas of the state are addressing environmental and infrastructure issues, opportunities and constraints around earth, air, fire and water. In addition to the varying levels and types of risks, how these local governments are effectively incorporating community needs and equity into their respective planning efforts will be discussed. Ms. Alvarez is a seasoned environmental executive bringing broad practical experience in civil and environmental planning, engineering and management for municipal, state, tribal, and federal governments, including environmental site characterization and restoration, drainage and floodplain management,m air quality monitoring, facility planning, site-civil and regulatory compliance. She has considerable experience in multi-jurisdictional consensus building, capital planning, project finance, and, public involvement, outreach and engagement.

With a Masters in Environmental and Resource Studies from Texas State University, Suzanne Williams has dedicated her career to utilities and operations, with a focus on resource conservation. She is currently leading Texas Water Company in in their commitment to water conservation. Suzanne loves to run, hike, and is passionate about serving. In addition to her involvement and leadership in many community organizations, she is also on the National Board for the Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects.

Umesh Atre is a sustainability professional with 20 years of experience working in India, the United States, and Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Mumbai, India, and a Master of Science in Architecture (sustainability focus) from Texas A&M University, College Station. Umesh is a LEED AP, WELL AP, and a Fitwel Ambassador, has authored research papers, presented on topics related to sustainable design at local and national conferences, and served as a judge for the Austin Green Awards. He is active with the Austin AIA COTE (committee on the environment), has worked on over 100 green building certification projects, and his primary interests include building energy modeling, daylighting, net zero, passive solar, embodied carbon analysis, and energy codes. Prior to joining Parkhill, he held the position of Director of Sustainability at Studio8 Architects. He is based in Austin, TX.

Leading Presentation: "Extreme Heat and Public Projects" BIO: Wendy Heger leads the Civic / Community / Culture Market Sector for Page, a multidisciplinary design, architecture, and engineering firm. While Chief of Design & Construction at the City of Houston, she initiated implementation of the LEED rating system for City projects. -Kevin Lanza is Assistant Professor for Epidemiology, Human Genetics, Environmental Sciences at UT Health. His research explores the relations between the environment, health behaviors, and health through an equity lens, with a focus on extreme heat and physical activity of children and other heat-sensitive populations.