Brian Swett is the City of Boston's first Chief Climate Officer. In addition to overseeing the Environment, Energy and Open Space Cabinet (EEOS), as Chief Climate Officer, Brian is charged with spearheading the Mayor's bold agenda on climate action throughout the City while advancing Boston's commitment to sustainability, resilience, and environmental justice. Brian is a nationally recognized leader in climate change and sustainability strategy with over two decades of leadership experience in municipal government, private sector real estate development, federal government, and non-profit sectors. Prior to accepting the role as Chief Climate Officer Brian served as a Principal at Arup, a global engineering, design and consulting firm focused on sustainable development. Most recently he served as their Americas East Leader and a member of the Americas Region Board.

Craig Altemose is the Director of Programs for GreenerU, a design-build climate action firm helping institutions navigate the organizational, operational, and infrastructure changes required to decarbonize through planning, engineering, and implementation. Craig has close to 20 years of experience on climate and energy policy, ranging from developing and deploying go-to-market strategies for a nation-leading climate tech company to founding and leading a successful climate advocacy nonprofit and serving on government and higher education advisory committees. Craig currently supports GreenerU’s work on Boston’s Building Decarbonization Advisory Program (BDAP), which helps Boston nonprofits in environmental justice neighborhoods comply with BERDO, and previously led BlocPower’s work on the Cambridge BlocPower pilot program, helping decarbonize multifamily buildings in the City. Craig holds degrees from Eckerd College, the Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Law School.

In her role as Vice President, Construction, Gretchen is responsible for managing construction projects to ensure that they are executed within The Davis Companies’ guidelines; negotiating terms of agreements, drafting contracts and obtaining permits and licenses; estimating costs and scheduling deliverables; overseeing all on site and off site construction to monitor compliance with building, safety and environmental regulations; and collaborating with architects, engineers and other construction specialists to ensure timely delivery of projects.

With over 20 years’ experience working for such notable firms as Trammell Crow Company ( Vice President) and Boston Properties ( Senior Construction Manager), Gretchen has been involved in every facet of development and construction management. Prior to joining The Davis Companies, she held the position of Senior Program Manager at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA, where she was responsible for managing permitting, environment and infrastructure planning, and pre-construction for a $360 Million semi-conductor laboratory and micro-integration facility. In addition to the Firms above, Gretchen worked for Community Builders as a Construction Manager and for Shawmut Design and Construction as Project Executive. Her depth of experience with complex construction and development projects makes her well suited to handle the development and construction challenges at our Firm.

Gretchen holds a Master Degree in Emergency Management from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Economics from Boston University. She also holds Certificates in Real Estate Finance and Development from MIT, Building and Construction Technology from Northeastern University and Environment Management from Bentley College.

In addition, Gretchen is a LEED Accredited Professional and holds a Massachusetts construction supervisor’s license. She is a member of CREW Boston. Gretchen is also an Instructor, Project Management, Boston University Center for Professional Education, and is a Board Member of All Hands & Hearts Smart Response, Inc.

Senior Vice President Construction Located in Boston, he oversees the construction of The Congress Group’s ground-up and large renovation developments. James is responsible for the development of pre-construction phases through contract award, procurement and construction to occupancy, space turnover and contract closeout. James worked with The Congress Group starting in 2006 in both the Florida and Boston markets as their Construction Manager (Martini Florida, AJ Martini and Commodore Builders) prior to joining The Congress Group in 2020. Prior to joining The Congress Group, James has worked throughout the U.S. on a wide spectrum of projects. In New Mexico, three industrial parks, three million SF of warehousing and manufacturing facilities. In Florida, interior fit-outs, healthcare, Airport, multifamily, commercial, mid-rise office buildings, and system upgrades. In Boston, commercial, multifamily, higher education, public works, and hospitality.

Sam has extensive experience in construction, design engineering, and energy analysis on a wide range of commercial, residential, and industrial projects. His focus is on integrated design and cost-effective solutions to achieving energy efficiency. Sam assists clients through the design process utilizing energy analysis to incorporate energy efficiency into projects. He is also an expert in energy codes and energy code compliance, serves as a voting member on the ASHRAE 90.1 lighting subcommittee, and is an instructor for ASHRAE.

Mike Swenson is Director of Sustainability at Suffolk Design. In this role, Mike

leverages his extensive expertise as a technical subject matter expert to empower

project teams in achieving client sustainability goals. His role encompasses the

entire project life cycle. In design, Mike collaborates closely with design teams to

optimize strategies for cost effectiveness to meet operational carbon goals using

life cycle costing. In construction, Mike actively engages with project teams to

minimize embodied carbon through strategic material procurement, streamlines

commissioning efforts, and facilitates comprehensive sustainability training with

trade partners and client operations teams. In post-occupancy, Mike acts as a vital

link between the construction team and the operations team to ensure buildings

perform as designed. Mike also offers specialized services through Suffolk Design,

including carbon-neutral master planning, energy modeling, and building systems

commissioning.

Before his current role with Suffolk Design, Mike led interdisciplinary teams

working on sustainability and commissioning projects at BR+A Consulting

Engineers. Mike led the sustainable design efforts, including carbon-neutral

master planning, net-zero feasibility, Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA), wholebuilding

energy modeling, ASHRAE-level energy audits, utility rebate/incentive

assistance, energy code consulting, renewable energy evaluation, LEED

Consulting, and measurement and verification. Additionally, Mike led building

systems commissioning projects, including LEED certification, retro and recommissioning,

building system optimization, functional performance testing,

troubleshooting, operations, and maintenance staff system training.

Prior to his role at BR+A, Mike led Harvard University Green Building Services,

where he acted as a technical subject matter expert to inform University policy

and standards related to fossil fuel-free operation and healthier material selections.

Mike offered sustainability consulting, building systems commissioning, and LEED

administration services on projects across campus. Mike was also an instructor

and teaching fellow at Harvard Extension School, where he taught students from

around the world about key sustainability principles and technical concepts such

as building certifications, energy efficiency implementation, and life cycle costing.

As the subject matter expert in electrification at National Grid NE, Kevin Silveira’s responsibilities include: developing electrification program pathways, developing preliminary energy saving calculators for new electrification projects, developing/reviewing electrification projects while continuing to improve upon National Grid’s electrification programs and offerings.

Rick Smith is the VP of Development for Vicinity Energy here in Boston and Cambridge. In his role at Vicinity, Rick oversees growth and customer support of a 26-mile-long district energy network that supports the thermal energy needs and decarbonization goals of more than 70 million square feet of space across Boston and Cambridge, including some of the area’s most well-known and respected hospitals, research institutions, life sciences companies, hotels, office buildings, and museums. Rick has been in the environmental services industry including district energy, water/wastewater services, and energy advisory services, for over 20 years, with senior roles in finance, operations, and development. He has an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and received his undergraduate degree from Northeastern University. Rick is also a US Marine Corps combat veteran and an Eagle Scout.

Mr. Forester is a Vice President of The RMR Group (Nasdaq: RMR) and is responsible for management of environmental sustainability programs. A mechanical engineer by training, he has more than 20 years of experience in building engineering and energy program management. Prior to joining RMR in 2011, Mr. Forester held engineering roles with BVH Integrated Services, Inc. and the Demand Management Institute. He earned both a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Engineering and Business from the University of Maine. Mr. Forester is a Licensed Mechanical Engineer and a LEED Accredited Professional.

Matt serves as the Managing Director of Building Performance on Cushman &

Wakefield’s Sustainability Services team. As Managing Director, Matt leads a high

performing team that provides expertise and consulting to clients on a range of building

performance topics including but not limited to; ASHRAE energy audits, greenhouse

gas/carbon emissions, NetZero Roadmaps, electrification, water audits, data centers,

and building performance standards. Matt brings over 15 years of experience in

engineering and team management to ensure that Cushman & Wakefield delivers

quality solutions for all our clients across all asset classes including office, retail,

industrial, data centers, multifamily, and more.

Emily is a commercialization leader for BrainBox AI products, covering Product Marketing, Sales Enablement, and Deployment Enablement. With 15+ years of experience spanning engineering and development, innovation, sales engineering, M&A, digital operations, and product management, Emily loves translating between functions and applying systems-thinking to figure out tough problems. She has experience in both consumer and commercial industries and is happy to be working in an industry dedicated to sustainability and making a real difference for the planet.

Katie Raymond, Director of Energy & Sustainability at AHA Consulting Engineers, brings over 30 years of expertise in the planning, design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings. A recognized leader in greenhouse gas reduction, energy efficiency, and decarbonization consulting for the commercial and life science real estate sectors, she helps clients translate ambitious sustainability goals into measurable results.

At AHA, Katie develops decarbonization strategies for major new construction projects and existing building portfolios, while guiding the firm’s design practice in meeting emerging energy codes and regulations. Her recent work includes Decarbonization Studies for 1 and 2 International Place, BioMed Realty, and Bulfinch.

Known for her data-driven analysis and innovative problem-solving, Katie has a proven record of delivering effective, forward-thinking solutions that advance environmental and business objectives alike.

Jennifer Taranto brings more than 20 years of experience in the commercial real estate and construction industry. She joined Structure Tone in 2001, where she served as a superintendent and project manager before becoming STO Building Group’s Vice President of Sustainability. In this role, she ensures that corporate social responsibility (CSR) principles are integrated into both client projects and STOBG’s organizational strategy.

Jennifer’s work focuses on making the STO Building Group a more sustainable organization by supporting compliance with emerging climate regulations, such as California's Climate Regulations and the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). She also leads initiatives to advance voluntary sustainability reporting efforts, including CDP, EcoVadis, and Science-Based Targets (SBTi).

As a passionate advocate for reducing the environmental impact of the built environment, Jennifer collaborates with clients early in the design and construction process to define CSR goals and create roadmaps to achieve them. Her guidance and expertise have enabled organizations around the world to improve people’s health and well-being while reducing the construction and operational impacts of their facilities.

As the founder of the non-profit Built Environment Plus and the current Chair of its Board of Directors, Jennifer is a recognized leader in sustainable construction and a frequent speaker. She has received numerous accolades for her work, including the WELL AP Award (2018) and the WELL Faculty Award (2019–2021) from the International WELL Building Institute. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering from North Carolina State University.

Mark Shraiberg serves as Vice President of Development Management with TCC’s Boston team. Mark is responsible for managing all aspects of design and construction on developments throughout Massachusetts and New England. Prior to joining TCC, Mark was the Director of Design and Entitlements for The NRP Company in the northeast where he managed the design and construction of a portfolio of market rate and affordable multi-family developments valued over $850M throughout New York, New Jersey, and New England. He previously worked for Procon Inc. as a project architect responsible for design, construction documentation, coordination, and construction administration of multiple mid- and high-rise hospitality projects. Mark also has experience in healthcare, senior living, historic preservation, and resort architecture and has managed projects ranging from $50-$350M in value.

Ellen Katz is the Director of Fiscal Affairs and Energy Resources at the Cambridge Department of Public Works. She co-led a groundbreaking initiative that procured a utility-scale wind virtual power purchase agreement to provide a 100% renewable electricity supply for the City’s operations. Katz has a Master in Public Policy degree from the Harvard Kennedy School and a Bachelor’s in English from SUNY Stony Brook.

Joshua Soble is the Director of Business Development for Celsius Energy in the northeast US where he facilitates the deployment of Celsius’ innovative geothermal heating; cooling solution on both existing building retrofit projects and new construction developments to reduce carbon emissions, minimize operational expenses, and optimize property operations. Prior to joining Celsius Energy, Josh spent his career developing a range of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects including solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, cogeneration systems, HVAC overhauls, real time energy management (RTEM) building monitoring and controls solutions, green building certifications (LEED, EGC, Passive House etc.), and more. In his early career, Josh worked at leading renewable energy trade associations in Washington, DC including SEIA (the Solar Energy Industries Association), The Solar Foundation, and the American Biogas Council. Josh has a B.S. in Geological Sciences from the University of Michigan and lives with his wife in NYC.

Seth Lattrell is VHB's Energy Market Lead in New England. His deep understanding of state, local, and federal permitting processes, coupled with his passion for clean energy and strong relationships across the Commonwealth, have made him an invaluable team leader and a trusted partner to our clients.

Gareth Orsmond focuses his practice on commercial real estate, land

use, environmental, and energy matters in Massachusetts and New

Hampshire.

His practice encompasses transactional work, permitting, and litigation.

Gareth started his career as an environmental and land use lawyer

before building his commercial transactional practice. This background

enables him to negotiate and implement complex real estate deals while

resolving challenging environmental and land use issues.

Gareth played a leading role in impactful developments in metro Boston,

including University Station in Westwood, the St. Regis Residences in

Boston, and the Skating Club of Boston’s state-of-the-art Olympic

training center in Norwood.

Gareth’s extensive experience in environmental, land use, and

governmental matters includes his work with the Cape Cod Commission,

the Cape and Islands Water Protection Fund, and nonprofit organizations

and municipalities, including Westwood, Somerville, Salem, and Medway,

Mass., and Somersworth, New Hampshire. He has particular expertise in

the Massachusetts Public Waterfront Act, known as Chapter 91.

In the energy sector, Gareth is lead transactional and environmental

counsel and handles aspects of the complex permitting efforts for a

leading U.S. operator and developer of utility-scale battery energy

storage systems in connection with a proposed 700±-MW battery energy

storage system that will occupy a critical, urban location. He also

represents one of four electric utility providers in New Hampshire, which

operates Massachusetts facilities as well, and represents landowners and

developers in renewable energy projects, including solar arrays and

battery energy storage systems.

As an educator, Gareth taught the land use seminar and clinic at New

England Law|Boston for 10 years. He also teaches continuing legal

education seminars and authors publications.

Gareth earned a master's in jazz studies, with honors, from the New

England Conservatory of Music. He has performed in many venues,

including Boston’s historic Jordan Hall, the Village Vanguard in New York,

and Ronnie Scott's in London.