First Class of LEED Fellows Named by GBCI

We grumbled when GBCI overhauled the LEED AP program, introducing specialities, fees, and difficult-to-navigate credential maintenance. Is this the silver lining?

Today and at Greenbuild Toronto we stand and applaud the first class of LEED AP Fellows--the top tier of the LEED Accredited Professionals. Today, GBCI announced the 2011 class, the first of many deserving sustainability professionals to receive this honor. Yes, we may continue to grumble about the hoops you have to go through to get this honor, but apparently those hoops were worth it for at least 34 individuals, and from our long experience with many of them, we know they deserve it.

In the words of GBCI, The LEED Fellow designation recognizes exceptional contributions to green building and significant professional achievement within the rapidly growing community of LEED Professionals. Thirty-four of the world's most distinguished green building professionals were selected to be LEED Fellows through a peer nomination and portfolio review process. Among other requirements, LEED Fellows must have at least 10 years of green building experience and hold a LEED AP with specialty credential."

The 2011 class:

Alan Scott, Green Building Services
Alicia Ravetto, Alicia Ravetto Architect
Anthony Bernheim, AECOM
Chris Schaffner, The Green Engineer, LLP
Christopher J. Webb, Chris Webb & Associates, Inc.
Dagmar B. Epsten, The Epsten Group, Inc.
Dan Nall, WSP Flack + Kurtz
Dan Young Dixon, Opus AE Group, Inc.
Gail Vittori, Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems
Helen J. Kessler, HJKessler Associates
Jerry Yudelson,Yudelson Associates
Jim Ogden, 3QC Inc.
Jim Weiner, Collaborative Project Consulting
John Boecker, 7group
Kath Williams, Kath Williams + Associates
Kathleen Smith, Davis Langdon, An AECOM Company
Ken Wilson, Envision
Kim Shinn, TLC Engineering for Architecture
Kris Callori, Environmental Dynamics, Inc.
Lidia Berger, HDR Architecture, Inc.
Lois Vitt Sale, Wight & Co.
Malcolm Lewis, CTG Energetics, Inc.
Marcus B. Sheffer, 7group
Mario Seneviratne, Green Technologies
Michaella Wittmann, HDR Architecture, Inc.
Michelle Halle Stern, Perkins+Will
Nellie Reid, Gensler
Paul Marmion, Stantec
Prasad Vaidya, The Weidt Group
Rick Carter, LHB Engineers & Architects
Rob Bolin, Syska Hennessy Group
Sandra Leibowitz, Sustainable Design Consulting, LLC
Stephen Carpenter, Enermodal Engineering
Tom Liebel, Marks, Thomas Architects

The LEED Fellows will be recognized in Toronto at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo from October 4-7, 2011. The nomination period for the 2012 LEED Fellow class will open January 4, 2012. For more information on the LEED Fellow program, please visit www.gbci.org/fellow.