2024 highlights
looking ahead
Excellence Across Industries
objectives in action
see IMPACT: Member projects
Excellence Across
Industries
Pictures at right: GBI’s Nina Armstrong and Friendship House San Francisco’s Atiuh Cervantes at the USGBC California gala in December. The Village SF was the 2024 recipient of the Green Building Award for Merit – Equity & Environmental Justice.
objectives in action
Multi-Stakeholder Board + Principles
Transparent + Equitable Practices
Promoting Sustainable Buildings in all Communities
GBI is dedicated to the development and delivery of accessible green building resources, assessment, and certification. GBI’s Activate Community Collaboration to Elevate Sustainable Solutions (ACCESS) Program provides complimentary Green Globes certification plus the services of a dedicated Green Globes Professional (GGP) to projects that are creating positive impacts in their local communities.
GBI’s ACCESS Program 2025 Recipient
The 2025 ACCESS Program recipient is the Rehab Warriors Headquarters, an adaptive reuse project transforming a
historic fire station into a mission-driven community hub.
The facility will serve as the headquarters for Rehab Warriors and Rebuilding the Fort, supporting workforce development
programs designed specifically for military veterans. Through hands-on training in real estate development and construction, veterans will gain practical experience while contributing to the revitalization of their community.
Sustainability and resilience are central to the project’s design. Adaptive reuse preserves the building’s historic
character while reducing embodied carbon and construction waste. Planned upgrades include energy-efficient systems,
improved indoor air quality, sustainable materials, and enhanced access to daylight and communal space.
By integrating workforce development with sustainable building practices, the Rehab Warriors Headquarters
demonstrates how thoughtful design can deliver environmental, economic, and social benefits.
Learn more about GBI’s ACCESS Program and the Rehab Warriors Headquarters.
Championing Industry Inclusion
GBI believes that advancing sustainability requires collaboration across a wide range of perspectives and experiences. Supporting diverse voices within the building industry helps generate new ideas and strengthens collective efforts to improve the built environment.
For the second consecutive year, GBI served as an Ambassador for Construction Inclusion Week, held October 13–17, 2025. This industry-wide initiative brings together contractors, suppliers, and industry leaders to promote education and awareness around diversity, equity, and inclusion within the construction sector.
GBI also continues to expand pathways for early-career professionals through its Green Globes Emerging Professional (GGEP) credential. The program provides accessible training and foundational knowledge for students and early-career professionals interested in sustainable building practices.
In 2025, GBI hosted a powerful, women-led webinar titled Sustainability Starts with People: Reimagining Leadership in Construction. Organized in partnership with Compass Datacenters and Ambition Theory, the session explored leadership models that encourage collaboration, innovation, and inclusive decision-making within the industry.
Empowering Developing Industry Leaders
Early and future building and sustainability professionals entering the workforce are faced with significant headwinds, but they are up for the challenge and GBI is supporting them through accessible education and meaningful inclusion.
Trellis Groups’ Emerging Leaders Program connects professionals of color pursuing careers in sustainability and provides opportunities to learn and network with leading professionals in the industry.
An impressive cohort of emerging BIPOC sustainability professionals are selected from a competitive application process to receive a complimentary all-access pass to participate in a premier Trellis event, including special recognition and exclusive networking opportunities.
As a supporter of the Emerging Leaders Program, GBI increased the program’s impact for participants at Trellis Groups’ VERGE Conference, held in San Jose, California in October.
2025 Ray Tonjes Scholarship
Leadership Award Recipients:
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention: Arizona State University (Steward Group)
Open Commercial
Runner-Up
Cal State Polytechnic University Pomona (Steward Group)
Open Commercial
Winner
Howard University (Agora)
Open Commercial
Nilesh Bansal (right) with the Ray Tonjes Scholarship and Leadership Award recipients
GBI’s Nilesh Bansal (left) and the US judges
US Judges and the IIT Bombay, Multifamily Division Winning team
Ray Tonjes Scholarship & Leadership Award
As the founding chair and longest-serving director of GBI, Ray Tonjes has played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s success and advancing its vision of sustainable, healthy, and resilient buildings for all. Tonjes is a strong advocate for volunteerism and leads by example, having served as a juror for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® on multiple occasions. In recognition of his enduring dedication to service and commitment to sustainable housing, we are honored to offer the Ray Tonjes Scholarship and Leadership Award. This award provides $5,000 annually toward scholarships, internships, and stipends that inspire and equip future sustainability leaders.
The Ray Tonjes Scholarship & Leadership Award is presented to teams participating in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon®. The 2025 Competition Event took place April 25-27, 2025 at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. Award funds were used to reimburse eligible travel and participation expenses for both Finalist and Exhibition Teams attending the event. The award is granted at the sole discretion of GBI and is outside the purview of the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
GBI staff and volunteers also contributed their professional expertise to the competition. Nilesh Bansal, Vice President of Sustainable Buildings & Program Innovation, served as a juror evaluating student submissions and live presentations during the Design Challenge final competition. Through this role, jurors engage directly with students, offering insights that help bridge the gap between academic research and professional practice.
GBI CEO Vicki Worden celebrated her tenth year leading the organization and was recognized as GlobeSt.com’s Woman of the Year in the Consultant, Advisor, and Independent Professional category. Under her leadership, GBI has expanded its certification programs, strengthened its standards development work, and advanced sustainability across a broad range of building sectors.
Learn more about GBI's Staff.
Ten-Year Anniversary
Five-Year Anniversaries
Amryl Jenkins
Director, Finance &
Administration (December)
Adam Feiszli
Director, Technology
& Operations (October)
Jennifer Mata
Sr. Manager, Client Services
& Engagement (September)
GBI also celebrated several milestone employee anniversaries in 2025. The dedication, talent, and commitment of these team members have played an important role in shaping the organization’s growth and impact, and we are proud to recognize their efforts.
New staff members in 2025 include:
Scaling our Team to Amplify Impact
Safaa Skander
Sr. Manager, Market
Development
Laura Dissly
Manager, Education
& Curriculum
Heather Lynch
Manager, Membership
& Community
Erika Berumen
Manager, Client Services
& Engagement
Bryn Reagan
Manager, Creative Content
Addy Franz
Manager, Client Services
& Engagement
Abbey Benesh
Director, Advocacy
Investing in people is essential to achieving lasting impact. In 2025, GBI expanded its team to support growing demand for certification programs, education, and stakeholder engagement.
As a fully remote organization, GBI benefits from access to a diverse and highly qualified talent pool. During our most impactful year to date, we welcomed seven new team members who increase our capacity to deliver certification services, educational programming, and market engagement initiatives.
GBI Staff Growth
GBI volunteering at the Portland Fruit Tree Project during the September Staff Retreat.
In September, the GBI staff convened in Portland, Oregon, to celebrate our twentieth anniversary in our founding city. The team spent three days socializing and connecting, strategizing for the year ahead, volunteering, and exploring the city.
We had the privilege of touring the Harka Architecture Headquarters building, the first in Oregon to achieve GBI’s Green Globes Journey to Net Zero certification. Learn how Harka achieved 100% reduction in energy and carbon.
Scholarship Winners
University of Arizona (UW Solar Decathlon)
Attached Housing
University of Texas at Austin (Longhorn Solar Decathlon)
Multi-Family Housing
See Impact: Member Projects
Excellence Across Industries
OBJECTIVES IN ACTION
Abbey Benesh
Director, Advocacy
Addy Franz
Manager, Client Services
& Engagement
Bryn Reagan
Manager, Creative Content
Erika Berumen
Manager, Client Services
& Engagement
US Judges and the IIT Bombay, Multifamily Division Winning team
GBI’s Nilesh Bansal (left) and the US judges
Nilesh Bansal (right) with the Ray Tonjes Scholarship and Leadership Award recipients
GBI’s Nina Armstrong and Friendship House San Francisco’s Atiuh Cervantes at the USGBC California gala in December. The Village SF was the 2024 recipient of the Green Building Award for Merit – Equity & Environmental Justice.
Multi-Stakeholder Board + Principles
Transparent + Equitable Practices
Better Buildings, Together.
GBI’s ACCESS Program 2024 Recipient
GBI proudly recognized The Village SF as the 2024 recipient of its ACCESS program. Led by the Friendship House Association of American Indians, The Village SF is a six-story wellness center in San Francisco, designed to provide medical care, substance abuse treatment, youth programming, and cultural healing services for the city’s Native community.
Sustainability and resilience are central to The Village SF’s mission. The building features mass timber framing, thereby significantly reducing embodied carbon while reinforcing indigenous traditions of environmental stewardship. A "breathing skin" of operable windows and a terracotta lattice enhances natural ventilation and lighting while reducing energy consumption. A rooftop garden reclaims urban space for nature and community, serving as a gathering place and a source of traditional foods and herbs. Designed as a resilience hub, The Village SF is also designed to provide emergency refuge during natural disasters and extreme heat events.
GBI’s ACCESS program celebrates projects that demonstrate leadership in community impact and sustainability. The Village SF exemplifies these values, serving as a model of how green building strategies can support holistic community care. Through Green Globes certification, GBI is honored to support this project in creating a lasting, positive impact for San Francisco’s Native community.
The Village Wellness Center was the recipient of the Green Building Award for Merit in the Equity and Environmental Justice category. The project was recognized at the USGBC California gala in December.
Learn more about GBI’s ACCESS Program and The Village Wellness Center.
Promoting Sustainable Buildings in all Communities
GBI is dedicated to the development and delivery of accessible green building resources, assessment, and certification. Rebranded in late 2023, GBI’s Activate Community Collaboration to Elevate Sustainable Solutions (ACCESS) Program provides complimentary Green Globes certification plus the services of a dedicated Green Globes Professional (GGP) to projects that are creating positive impacts in their local community.
Ray Tonjes Scholarship & Leadership Award
As the founding chair and longest-serving director of GBI, Ray Tonjes has played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s success and advancing its vision of sustainable, healthy, and resilient buildings for all. Tonjes is a strong advocate for volunteerism and leads by example, having served as a juror for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® on multiple occasions. In recognition of his enduring dedication to service and commitment to sustainable housing, we are honored to offer the Ray Tonjes Scholarship and Leadership Award. This award provides $5,000 annually toward scholarships, internships, and stipends that inspire and equip future sustainability leaders.
The Ray Tonjes Scholarship & Leadership Award is presented to teams participating in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon®. The 2025 Competition Event took place April 25-27, 2025 at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. Award funds were used to reimburse eligible travel and participation expenses for both Finalist and Exhibition Teams attending the event. The award is granted at the sole discretion of GBI and is outside the purview of the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
GBI staff and volunteers also contributed their professional expertise to the competition. Nilesh Bansal, Vice President of Sustainable Buildings & Program Innovation, served as a juror evaluating student submissions and live presentations during the Design Challenge final competition. Through this role, jurors engage directly with students, offering insights that help bridge the gap between academic research and professional practice.
Empowering Developing Industry Leaders
Early and future building and sustainability professionals are entering the workforce are faced with significant headwinds. But they are up for the challenge, and GBI is supporting them through accessible education and providing seats at the table.
Trellis Groups’ Emerging Leaders Program connects professionals of color pursuing careers in sustainability and provides opportunities to learn and network with leading professionals in the industry.
For each premier Trellis event, an impressive cohort of emerging BIPOC sustainability professionals are selected from a competitive application process. Selected applicants receive a complimentary all-access scholarship to participate in the event, which comes with special recognition and networking opportunities exclusive to Emerging Leaders.
As a supporter of the Emerging Leaders Program, GBI enabled additional students to participate at Trellis Groups’ VERGE Conference, held in San Jose, California in October.
Championing Industry Inclusion
GBI believes that advancing sustainability requires collaboration across a wide range of perspectives and experiences. Supporting diverse voices within the building industry helps generate new ideas and strengthens collective efforts to improve the built environment.
For the second consecutive year, GBI served as an Ambassador for Construction Inclusion Week, held October 13–17, 2025. This industry-wide initiative brings together contractors, suppliers, and industry leaders to promote education and awareness around diversity, equity, and inclusion within the construction sector.
GBI also continues to expand pathways for early-career professionals through its Green Globes Emerging Professional (GGEP) credential. The program provides accessible training and foundational knowledge for students and early-career professionals interested in sustainable building practices.
In 2025, GBI hosted a powerful, women-led webinar titled Sustainability Starts with People: Reimagining Leadership in Construction. Organized in partnership with Compass Datacenters and Ambition Theory, the session explored leadership models that encourage collaboration, innovation, and inclusive decision-making within the industry.
Championing Industry Inclusion
Lending a Hand
GBI offers a Voluntary Time Off (VTO) policy, allowing staff to contribute their time during work hours. In 2024, GBI staff members donated 457 hours to their local communities.
Learn more about GBI’s Staff.
We believe that investing in our people leads to a more engaged, skilled, and successful team, benefiting both individuals and the organization. As a fully remote operation, GBI benefits from access to a wide candidate pool and breadth of talent. During our highest impact year, we welcomed four new staff:
We believe that investing in our people leads to a more engaged, skilled, and successful team, benefiting both individuals and the organization. As a fully remote operation, GBI benefits from access to a wide candidate pool and breadth of talent. During our highest impact year, we welcomed four new staff:
Scaling to Amplify Impact
GBI volunteering at the Portland Fruit Tree Project during the September Staff Retreat.
In September, the GBI staff convened in Portland, Oregon, to celebrate our twentieth anniversary in our founding city. The team spent three days socializing and connecting, strategizing for the year ahead, volunteering, and exploring the city.
We had the privilege of touring the Harka Architecture Headquarters building, the first in Oregon to achieve GBI’s Green Globes Journey to Net Zero certification. Learn how Harka achieved 100% reduction in energy and carbon.
GBI Staff Growth