Below is a look back at several of the leaders from the 2008 program. The 2009 Sustainability in the Urban Built Environment program will feature a similar list of dynamic, innovative leaders – including many from the 2008 program. |
Unlike a traditional academic experience or a conference, this program was presented by a combination of leaders – including university professors, business people, government officials, and not-for-profit leaders.
Featured Leaders Included:
- David Bragdon, President, Metro Council
- Frances Bronet, Dean, University of Oregon School of Architecture
- Mark Edlen, Managing Principal, Gerding Edlen Development
- Jay Coalson, President, Green Building Services
- Jim Figurski, Technical Director and Principal, GreenWorks, PC
- Judith H. Heerwagen, Ph.D., JH Heerwagen & Associates
- Jason King, GreenWorks, PC
- Scott Lewis, Brightworks
- Richard Loffelmacher, Director of Retail Development, PacTrust
- Barry Messer, Toulan School of Urban Studies & Planning
- Tom Osdoba, Director, Portland Office of Sustainable Development, City of Portland
- Dennis Wilde, Gerding Edlen Development
- Kat West, Sustainability Manager, Multnomah County
David Bragdon, President, Metro Council
David Bragdon became the Metro Council's first regionally elected President on Jan. 6, 2003, representing the voters of the entire region. Under David's leadership as Council President, the Metro Council has undertaken new initiatives to preserve natural areas and protect water quality, support thriving neighborhoods, create jobs and economic prosperity, and improve our transportation network. To accomplish these ambitious goals, David has led a sweeping organizational reform initiative that has made the Metro agency more effective and accountable. He was first elected to the Metro Council in 1998 as a district Councilor.
Prior to his service on the Metro Council, David built a successful career in the private sector transportation and international marketing industry. He developed new shipping strategies at Nike, chartered freighters at Lasco Shipping Co. and represented Evergreen Airlines in the Soviet Union, India, and China.
He earned an honors degree from Harvard College in 1982.
Frances Bronet, Dean, University of Oregon School of Architecture
Frances Bronet became Dean of the School of Architecture and Allied Arts at the University of Oregon in 2005. Prior to this post, she was professor and former associate dean of architecture at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute since 1985, and served as acting dean of architecture in 1995.
In addition to her academic career, Bronet has been the principal designer for her own architectural firm, Frances Bronet Associates. She has worked with a number of Montreal-based architecture and engineering firms. Bronet holds several diplomas and degrees in architecture and engineering, all from McGill University. She received a master of science degree in architecture from Columbia University in 1985. Bronet was named the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and CASE New York Professor of the Year in 2001. That same year she received Rensselaer's William H. Wiley Distinguished Professor award and served as the president of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.
Mark Edlen, Managing Principal, Gerding Edlen Development
When Mark Edlen and Bob Gerding co-founded Gerding Edlen in 1996, it was with one simple principle in mind: Always try to do the right thing. From developing sustainable projects that enhance communities and create value for investors to passing up projects that don’t meet the company’s values, Gerding Edlen is motivated by doing what’s right. Gerding Edlen is committed to leaving a positive legacy for future generations.
Mark received his B.S. in Finance and an M.B.A. from the University of Oregon. His three loves are his family, the natural landscape and the built environment.
Jim Figurski, Technical Director and Principal, GreenWorks, PC
Jim has a total of over 27 years of professional experience -- 11 of those years in parks and recreation planning, community involvement, design and project management. Jim's responsibilities on projects include planning and land use permits, design and construction documents, and construction administration. Otherwise, he is just the 'answer guy' and a general foil for others. Jim is adept at public involvement and presentations before diverse citizen groups, business associations, and governing bodies.
Jay Coalson, President & CEO, Green Building Services
As President and CEO of GBS, Jay is responsible for the creation and on-going development of a progressive, employee-owned sustainable development consulting practice.
Green Building Services, a leader in sustainable building, provides consulting services that help customers meet expectations for sustainable design, energy conservation, strategy, commercial building codes and green technology and environmental design trends.
With over 15 years of marketing, communication and strategic planning experience, Jay has a passion for understanding client needs, providing clear communication and delivering unique, high quality products.
Within the realm of sustainability Jay has taken a special interest in issues pertaining to social equity, especially around affordable home ownership and early childhood education.
Judith H. Heerwagen, Ph.D., JH Heerwagen & Associates
Dr. Heerwagen is an environmental and evolutionary psychologist whose work focuses on the links between building design and human health, well being, and productivity. Prior to starting her own business, Dr. Heerwagen was a senior research scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a research faculty member at the University of Washington, College of Architecture and Urban Planning. She has lectured widely on sustainability and bio-centric design and has co-edited a book on Biophilic Design: Theory, Research and Practice published by John Wiley in 2007. She is the author or coauthor of numerous other articles and book chapters on workplace productivity, biophilia, and habitability. She has conducted numerous post occupancy evaluations of sustainable buildings, including the Philip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis, the Herman Miller Greenhouse, and Seattle City Hall. In 2005 she was selected as an “environmental champion” by the American Society of Interior Designers.
Jason King, ASLA, LEED AP, Landscape Architect, GreenWorks, PC
Jason is a landscape architect with 11 years of diverse experience. He has worked on large-scale park and recreation projects, system master plans, site design, healing environments, and innovative environmental design practices throughout the region. This sustainable ethic has made him a leader for developing innovative stormwater management projects, and neighborhood approaches to watershed-based planning. His focus on sustainable and ecological design aspects of landscape architecture includes a number of LEED projects, as well as site strategies for vegetated architecture, including award-winning ecoroof designs, rooftop gardens, and agriculturally productive landscapes. Recent honors include leading the first-place winning team for Metro’s Integrating Habitats Competition in 2008, which re-envisioned the big-box as a habitat-sensitive and regenerative environment.
Scott Lewis, Founder and principal of Brightworks
Scott Lewis is the founder and principal of Brightworks, one of the leading providers of green building and sustainability consulting services in the western US.
Brightworks currently supports over seventy projects in seven states comprising more than twenty million square feet of space in development. Brightworks’ client list includes Cisco, BP, Westfield, Disney, the University of California system, and some of the largest REITs and commercial real estate development firms in the U.S.
Scott has conducted LEED workshops and trainings for large architecture and engineering firms, general contractors and government agencies, and is the author of the Succeed at LEED series in Environmental Design and Construction magazine.
Scott is a past board member of the non-profit Northwest Earth Institute, past president of the Oregon Natural Resources Council, and a board member of Schnitzer Steel Incorporated, one of the largest scrap metal recycling companies in the U.S.
JD, Stanford Law School. BA, Political Economics, Colorado College (Honors). LEED 2.2 Accredited Professional. ISO 14001 Lead Auditor Certified.
Richard Loffelmacher, Director of Retail Development, PacTrust
Richard (Dick) Loffelmacher has been with PacTrust since 1991 as Director of Retail Development.
PacTrust is a Portland-based real estate development and investment company. It is a fully integrated real estate entity with site selection, design, construction, leasing and property management capabilities.
Dick's primary responsibilities are to lease and develop shopping centers and the retail portions of mixed use projects. Recent redevelopment projects include Gateway Shopping Center and International Corporate Center, both in Portland, OR. Current development projects are the Columbia Tech Center, a 402-acre mixed use project in Vancouver, WA; and Orenco Station, a 253-acre mixed use project in Hillsboro, OR, and a 28-acre retail development in Salem, OR.
Dick is currently is currently involved with the Board of Directors of the West Side Economic Alliance and International Council of Shopping Centers.
Barry Messer, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Urban Studies and Planning, Toulan School of Urban Studies & Planning, Portland State University
B.A. 1967 Whittier College; M.A. 1971 University of Pittsburgh; Ph.D. 1994 Portland State University. Research interests: urban environmental education and community development. Teaching includes Concepts of Community Development, Healthy People/Healthy Places, Community Leadership and Neighborhoods and Watersheds capstone.
Tom Osdoba, Director, Sustainable Economic Development, City of Portland
Tom Osdoba is managing Portland, Oregon’s sustainable economic development efforts, and has served as Acting Director of the Canada Carbon Trust, a collaborative effort to build an organization committed to action to fight climate change and foster sustainable development. The CCT has been conceived as a new economic model designed to mobilize and accelerate investments to reduce carbon emissions, and to establish the building blocks for future generations.
Tom was the Sustainability Manager for the City of Vancouver from November 2004 through March 2007. Prior to coming to Vancouver, he ran his own environmental strategy firm focused on eco-industrial development, sustainable building design, product stewardship programs, and recycling and resource efficiency. Tom served the state of Minnesota in several capacities, developing environmental policies and programs, and helped to create Minnesota’s sustainable communities program.
He has 20 years of experience in environmental policy development, and initiatives to promote and support sustainable development. He has extensive training and experience in process design and facilitation, as well as strategic planning and systems analysis.
M.A. in Public Policy, Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota. B.S. in Economics, St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota.
Dennis Wilde, Principal, Gerding Edlen Development
As Gerding Edlen’s designated “green guy,” Dennis Wilde has encouraged increased sustainability in development projects while building a strong business case for the economic and social benefits of environmental responsibility. Dennis’ responsibilities include feasibility studies, management of the pre-construction process and overall project management. He is also an active board member of the Oregon Natural Step Network.
Dennis is passionate about design as well believing that it is an expression of man’s highest aspirations. He has more than 20 years of experience in urban planning and design, and has been active in construction and real estate development since 1967. He earned a degree in Architectural Engineering from Washington State University, as well as master's degrees in architecture and urban planning from the University of Pennsylvania.
Kat West, Sustainability Manager, Multnomah County
Kat West is the Sustainability Manager for Multnomah County. Previously, Kat was an enforcement attorney with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and an expert on revitalizing contaminated property. Kat is a graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School where she earned her environmental law degree. Kat's current favorite project is updating the 2001 Portland/Multnomah Local Action Plan on Global Warming.
Site Visit Highlights
- The Urban Growth Boundary – Shaping the Plan
- South Waterfront – A City Expanding
- The Brewery Blocks – A Multi-Building Vision
- The Gerding Theater – Historic Preservation with Efficiency Innovation
- Orenco Station – Transit to a New Town Center
- New Columbia – Revitalization and Affordability
