SESSION four
Adopting the Building Equity Standard: A Case Study of Norman-Sims Elementary School
Wendy Mills, Executive Director Elementary Leadership and Campus Support, Austin ISD
Wendy Mills is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, where she earned both a Bachelors and Masters in Education. Over the past 20 years, she has served as a campus administrator in Lockhart, Austin and Cedar Hill ISD. She served in the unique role of principal for Norman and Sims Elementary Schools in Austin ISD. Both schools merged successfully under her leadership, occupying their modernized campus in January 2021. Ms. Mills has a true passion for mentoring and growing other aspiring leaders and supporting turnaround efforts in schools with high populations of economically disadvantaged students.
Nicola Springer, AIA, Partner, Managing Director pK-12 Practice, Kirksey Architecture
Nicola Springer, AIA, LEED AP, is Managing Director of pK-12 Practice at Kirksey Architecture. With over 25 years of educational design experience, Nicola believes that architecture and the process of design should inspire creativity, engage all users, and promote a sustainable, healthy and happy existence. Her educational work has received AIA Houston, and AIA Austin Design Awards, the prestigious TASA/TASB Caudill Award for Texas School Architecture, and most recently a 2024 TxA Design Award. Nicola has spoken professionally on 21st century education as well implementing many of the criteria for the AIA Framework for Excellence at Regional and National Conferences.
Catherine Callaway, AIA, Director of Sustainability and Building Performance, Kirksey Architecture
Catherine advocates for resilient, sustainable, equitable design. Her experience as an architect and community leader enhances Kirksey’s leadership in high-performance design and informs her role as Director of Sustainability and Building Performance. Catherine leads a team of specialists who help integrate sustainable design strategies across Kirksey’s portfolio. Her dedication to green building advocacy and advancing sustainable design in Houston and the industry has garnered multiple awards, including the 2020 National AIA Young Architect Award, 2019 AIA Houston Ben Brewer Award, and the 2019 Texas Society of Architects Honor Award for Young Professional Achievement.
Victoria Lanteigne, PhD, WELL AP, Principal, Research, Steven Winter Associates, Inc.
Victoria Lanteigne, Ph.D., Principal, Research, has been working to improve the built environment through equity, inclusive design, and health and wellness for the past 20 years. With a background in public policy, Victoria brings an interdisciplinary lens to building research with the aim of developing industry standards and frameworks for practical application. Victoria is passionate about championing the connection between equity, inclusive design, and building performance and was instrumental in the development of the universal/inclusive design credits in LEEDv4 and WELLv2. Through her research, she recently developed and launched the Building Equity Standard.
Designing the Edge: Lessons from Houston’s Tricentennial Futures
Jeremy Nulik, Futurist, Bigwidesky
Jeremy Nulik is a certified futurist and Director of Foresight at Bigwidesky. He specializes in helping organizations navigate uncertainty and craft resilient strategies through immersive foresight practices. With a Professional Certificate in Foresight from the University of Houston, Jeremy has worked with organizations like Monsanto and the United Soybean Board to align long-term visions with actionable strategies. Drawing on storytelling and participatory design, he empowers leaders to imagine and create sustainable futures. Jeremy’s work challenges traditional thinking, inspiring innovative solutions for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.
Bridging Disciplines for a Sustainable Future
Yas Ahmadi, Energy Manager, Harris County, Office of Sustainability
Yas Ahmadi serves as an Energy Manager for Harris County, where she drives initiatives to optimize energy consumption, enhance sustainability, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. She is strongly committed to achieving Harris County’s Climate Action Plan goals, including achieving a 50% reduction in GHG emissions across County buildings in the third most populous County in the US. She brings over seven years of expertise in energy management within commercial, industrial, and residential sectors. Prior to joining Harris County, she contributed to innovative research at the Texas A&M Energy Systems Lab.
Yas holds a master’s degree in Engineering Technology from Texas A&M University, an MBA, and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. In addition to her professional achievements, Yas is passionate about community engagement and advancing equitable energy solutions.
Pilar Fuentes, Climate Justice Analyst, Harris County Office of Sustainability
Pilar currently serves as a Climate Justice Analyst at the Harris County Office of Sustainability, where she leads stakeholder engagement and conducts research to advance the County’s Climate Justice Plan. Previously, she worked as an Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead for the Bureau of Land Management in New Mexico, monitoring resource use and acting as a liaison between the federal government and local communities. A dedicated critical ecologist, Pilar integrates her passion for social justice and environmental stewardship into her work in public service.
