Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) has announced its 2017 class of LEED Fellows, an annual recognition of outstanding LEED professionals. This year’s 23 LEED Fellows exemplify a diverse array of achievements and contributions to the green building community and LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the world’s most widely used green building rating system.

“LEED would not have grown from an idea to a movement that spans the globe without the leadership and innovative thinking of the dynamic professionals that make up this class of LEED Fellows,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of GBCI and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). “The contributions, work and ideas of these individuals plays a significant role in propelling the green building movement forward while helping to continue to advance our mission of green buildings for all within this generation.”

The 2017 LEED Fellows include:
•    Michael Arny, Leonardo Academy
•    Gina Bocra, New York City Department of Buildings
•    Jonathan Burgess, The Spinnaker Group
•    Laura Case, Southface
•    Christopher Forney, Brightworks Sustainability
•    Francesco Gasperi, Habitech – Distretto Tecnologico Trentino
•    Marija Golubovic, ENERGO
•    Matt Grace, Mission Green Buildings
•    John Harrison, Starbucks Coffee Company
•    Heather Holdridge, Lake|Flato Architects
•    Daniel Huard, Humann Building Solutions, LCC
•    Larry Jones, Atelier Ten
•    Stephen Kemp, RDH Building Science
•    Stephen Kieran, KieranTimberlake
•    Chris Mundell, Gensler
•    Angelica M. Ospina Alvarado, Setri Sustentabilidad SAS
•    Neil Rosen, Grin Sustainability
•    Vardan Seshadri, Calmac Corporation
•    Al Skodowski, Rivion
•    James Timberlake, KieranTimberlake
•    Amy Upton, Grimm + Parker Architects
•    Stevan Vinci, Morrison Hershfield Corporation
•    Yan Zhou, Green Building Professional Partnership

The LEED Fellow program was established in 2011 to honor LEED professionals who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in key mastery elements of LEED certification and significant contributions in teaching, mentoring or research with other industry professionals. LEED Fellows also have a strong history of highly impactful commitment, service and advocacy for green building and sustainability.

LEED Fellows are nominated by their peers and must have at least 10 years of exceptional impact in the green building industry and hold a LEED AP with specialty credential, among other requirements. The evaluation process includes extensive portfolio review and is carried out by the LEED Fellow Evaluation Committee and supported by GBCI.

The recipients will be honored at the 2017 USGBC Leadership Awards Luncheon at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo taking place Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 in Boston. The nomination period for the 2018 LEED Fellows class will open in February 2018. For more information about the LEED Fellow program and LEED credentialing, visit usgbc.org/credentials.