Meet the 2026 Abstract Review Committee
Verdical Group is proud to introduce the Abstract Review Committee for the 2026 Net Zero Conference, a carefully selected group of nationally recognized experts in Climate, Net Zero, ESG, Equity, Carbon, and Resilience. This diverse committee will review submitted abstracts with a focus on identifying innovative, educational, and impactful content to shape the conference program. Bringing together professionals from a wide range of industries, each committee member contributes a unique perspective to the selection process. Read on to learn more about the individuals driving this year’s conference and their role in shaping conversations that advance sustainability across the built environment.
In order from left to right in the header image:
Sara Neff is the Partner/General Manager for Sustainability and ESG for the Microsoft Cloud Operations and Innovation team, where she is helping its data center fleet meet Microsoft’s ambitious goals of achieving carbon negative, water positive, zero waste, and the protection of more land than it uses by 2030. Prior to that, she served as Head of Sustainability for the Americas for Lendlease. In both 2022 and 2023, under her leadership Lendlease earned the top residential score in the Americas on GRESB and multiple green leasing awards from the Institute for Market Transformation. Previously, she served as Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy, where she helped the company achieve carbon neutral operations in 2020. Ms. Neff serves on the Dynamo Energy Hub Advisory Board in addition to the FIBRA Macquarie Technical Committee. She has been named a Los Angeles Woman of Influence by the Los Angeles Business Journal, a 40 under 40 awardee by ULI, a Los Angeles Power Woman in Real Estate by Bisnow, a Women in Sustainability Leader by Green Building & Design magazine, a Woman of Influence by Globe St Real Estate Forum, a Best in Building Health awardee by the Center for Active Design, and was the recipient of NAREIT’s 2020 Leader in the Light Leadership Personified award, an award that recognizes achievement in sustainability. She is a LEED Fellow and holds a BS from Stanford and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Next, we have Francisco ‘Pancho’ Brown, Senior Editor and Engagement Manager at METROPOLIS magazine. Pancho is also a correspondent for the Mexico-based Arquine Magazine and co-founder of MICROPOLITAN studio, a multidisciplinary art and design collective. He serves on the Steering Committee for US Architects Declare and the Harvard Graduate School of Design Alumni Council. Pancho is an Associate AIA and a guest Lecturer at Cornell’s School of Architecture.
Sonam Shah is an Associate Principal in the Energy Strategy practice at Introba. She brings nearly 15 years of experience across consulting and client-side roles, specializing in portfolio-scale decarbonization, energy assessments, electrification of thermal infrastructure, and optimization of storage and renewables for cost-effective grid integration. Prior to joining Introba, Sonam worked as a Building Systems Lead in Google’s real estate and workplace services group, where she advanced sustainable and resilient design strategies at scale. Sonam approaches each project through the lens of holistic, high-performance design- bridging planning, implementation, and long-term operations. A licensed mechanical engineer, she draws on her technical foundation to deliver low-carbon, energy-efficient, scalable, and resilient solutions. Sonam is based in Oakland, California.
With extensive expertise in building decarbonization, Frank Schwamborn is dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, lowering operating costs, and strengthening energy security. His broad skill set encompasses HVAC design for healthcare and commercial facilities, performance modeling for district energy systems and life science buildings, and consulting on pharmaceutical and educational projects. Frank takes a comprehensive approach, incorporating life cycle costing, energy tariff analysis, daylight analysis, and assessments of embodied carbon into his work. Currently, he is advancing research in energy economics, focusing on how electrification impacts energy equity and affordability, as well as examining the cost benefits of grid harmonization. Through his efforts and his work as a Senior Energy Engineer at ARUP, Frank is helping shape the future of sustainable, equitable, and high-performance built environments.
Kyle Pickett is the Senior Project Manager, Community Initiatives with USGBC California, where he plays a hands-on leadership role advancing high-impact initiatives that connect strategy to real-world outcomes in the built environment. As part of the organization’s new eXperience team, Kyle serves as a steward, builder, and “quarterback” for cross-cutting efforts that support the California Alliance of Sustainability Executives (CASE), the Contractor’s Commitment, and the development and dissemination of best practice guides, case studies, and demystified technical resources. Kyle is also the Co-founder, Board Advisor, and VP Emeritus of the William Worthen Foundation, where he helped shape an organization focused on research and public outreach around the performance and beauty of the built environment. Previously, Kyle led leadership and market development at New Buildings Institute, overseeing the Getting to Zero Forum in collaboration with Rocky Mountain Institute, and co-founded Urban Fabrick, Inc., where he built and led West Coast operations and helped establish the firm’s reputation for inclusive training and successful sustainability project delivery.
Ashley Besic, the Manager of Thermal Energy Networks at the Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC), is a seasoned professional dedicated to driving impactful change. Leading initiatives that engage policymakers, the building industry, and consumers, she pioneers zero-emission lifestyle solutions, aiming to eliminate reliance on fossil fuels and significantly reduce climate pollution. In collaboration with the team, Ashley plays a pivotal role in convening state policymakers, manufacturers, and industry associations, working towards a comprehensive strategy for the phased transition away from gas appliances and implementing BDC’s thermal network coalition organizing activities across the U.S. Additionally, Ashley oversees the Making Equity Real process, integrating equity considerations into all stages of project development and execution, ensuring that equity metrics and goals are established, tracked, and met across all TENs activities, and advocating for equitable practices and policies within the organization and among stakeholders. They manage the day-to-day operations of the National TENs Coalition. Acknowledged for her ability to solicit feedback and represent BDC’s interests in national dialogues, Ashley serves as a relationship manager for critical stakeholder groups.
Ismar Enriquez, AIA, LFA, LEED AP, Design Lead and Project manager at Practice, works at the intersection of sustainability, equity, housing, and education. With nearly two decades of experience, he is committed to addressing the housing and climate crises by promoting socially inclusive, equitable, and sustainable communities. Beyond his design work, Ismar supports academic initiatives that have helped secure over $250,000 in scholarships. He advocates for affordable, equitable, and inclusive housing by working with organizations at the local, state, and national levels. As a Commissioner for the Community Development Department in Long Beach, Ismar contributes to shaping local policies and initiatives. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the American Institute of Architects, both the Los Angeles and California chapters, and the William J. Worthen Foundation, where he works on efforts related to carbon neutrality, resiliency, climate justice, and equity. His efforts extend beyond California, contributing to policy and advocacy initiatives across the U.S.
Will Norten is a Senior Sustainability Specialist with the Los Angeles Unified School District, with over a decade of experience managing green building projects. He has a proven ability to translate complex sustainability concepts into clear, accessible language for a broad range of stakeholders, including elected officials, students, and building design professionals. Will has led more than 50 green building certification projects and secured over $2 million in incentives through partnerships with local utilities and agencies. Currently, Will is spearheading LAUSD’s transition from Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) as the District’s school design and construction standard. His recent projects also include overseeing recycled water initiatives, emerging technology pilot programs, and transportation electrification projects at the District.
Ruby Rose Yepez is a seasoned building industry professional with 15+ years of experience specializing in building science and sustainability. She is a Senior Advisor with Southern California Edison, supporting builders, developers, and national customers in accelerating decarbonization and high performance new construction. Ruby earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona—where she now serves on the Alumni Association Board—and has completed a Master’s in Public Administration. She is passionate about energy efficiency and creating healthy, sustainable communities. Ruby holds multiple credentials, including LEED AP BD+C, Certified Energy Analyst, and Homes/GreenPoint Rated Green Rater. She has certified more than 30 affordable housing developments as LEED or GreenPoint Rated and continues to champion programs that reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment. Her community leadership includes service as a Planning Commissioner for the City of South El Monte and as a School Board Trustee for the Valle Lindo School District. She has also contributed on boards and committees such as USGBC LA, the California Association of Building Energy Consultants, the Building Industry Association/Professional Women in Building, and SCE’s Latino Business Resource Group.
David Biello is the curator for TED Countdown, helping amplify solutions to global warming, accelerate action against climate change, and change the narrative around this crisis from doom and despair to actionable hope. He also serves as science curator at TED, working on talks featuring ideas from astronomy to zoology, including using gene drives to combat malaria, the mRNA revolution in vaccines, and the real impacts of sexual health restrictions. As part of his duties, he has helped judge and prepare finalists for TED’s Audacious Project, a philanthropic effort to pair compelling ideas with the funds to make an impact, including harnessing AI to develop new antibiotics and how to reduce vaccine spoilage. Prior to joining TED, he has been an award-winning journalist. He has been reporting on the environment and energy since 1999—long enough to be cynical but not long enough to be depressed—and wrote for outlets ranging from Scientific American to The New York Times. He also hosted the duPont-Columbia award-winning documentary Beyond the Light Switch as well as The Ethanol Effect for PBS. And he is the author of the book The Unnatural World: The Race to Remake Civilization in Earth’s Newest Age, an Editor’s Pick of The New York Times Book Review. He received a BA in English from Wesleyan University and a MS in Journalism from Columbia University. He currently lives with his children between a Olmsted-designed park and a world-famous graveyard in Brooklyn.
Hani Hadadzadegan is a Senior Energy Analyst III at Verdical Group. He specializes in building performance modeling and sustainability consulting, contributing to high-performance projects pursuing certifications such as LEED, CHPS, and AIA 2030. His expertise spans energy modeling, daylight analysis, life-cycle assessment (LCA), and regenerative design strategies aimed at decarbonizing the built environment. Before joining Verdical Group, Hani worked as a Building Performance Specialist and Regenerative Design Leader, leading simulation-driven design studies and LCA documentation for multiple residential and commercial developments. He also brings architectural design experience from his early career, supporting 2D/3D modeling, environmental analysis, and construction detailing across diverse project types. Hani holds a Master’s degree in Architectural and Energy Engineering and a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering from Shahid Beheshti University (National University of Iran). He has presented his research at international conferences, including IBPSA-USA SimBuild 2024, and published several academic articles on sustainable design and thermal performance in architecture.
Amy Musanti is the Director of Sustainable Building Solutions for ASSA ABLOY in New Haven, Connecticut. Amy joined ASSA ABLOY in 2007 and has held many positions across multiple divisions, including customer service, marketing, sales, and sustainability. She supports the group’s sustainable products and processes. Amy provides business opportunities using ASSA ABLOY solutions that contribute to energy efficiency and wellness in commercial, residential, and institutional construction. Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in Information Technology from Monmouth University in New Jersey and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, where she serves as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Business.
Lastly, we have Kai-Uwe Bergmann, FAIA, a Partner at BIG who brings his architectural expertise to proposals around the globe, including work in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Kai-Uwe heads up BIG’s business development–which currently has the office working in over 40 different countries. He also oversees BIG’s Urban scales projects and supports BIG’s Landscape projects. He is registered as an architect in the USA (15 states) and Canada. Kai-Uwe most recently contributed to the resiliency plan BIG U to protect 10 miles of Manhattan’s coastline. First envisioned through the Rebuild by Design competition to develop proactive responses to Superstorm Sandy, it is now being constructed with a completion date in 2026. Further projects include Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Queens Park, Smithsonian Master Plan, Pittsburgh Master Plan and Miami Beach Square. He complements his professional work through previous teaching assignments at Georgia Tech, University of Pennsylvania, IE University in Madrid, and his alma mater the University of Virginia. Kai-Uwe formerly was on the Board of the Van Alen Institute, participates on numerous international juries and lectures globally on the works of BIG.
The abstract selection process is highly competitive, and only a limited number of proposals will be accepted. Be sure to review our guidelines to help strengthen your submission.
Submit your abstract by April 3, 2026 for the opportunity to speak at the 2026 Net Zero Conference on October 8 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
