Speaker: Leith Sharp

Founding Director, director of Harvard’s Office for Sustainability; Faculty at Harvard University, Harvard Extension School; Executive Director at Illinois Green Economy Network; Chair at Sustainable Futures Academy

Topic:  Organizational Change Management for Sustainability: Lessons Learned from Greening Harvard University

Event Description:
This lecture is co-hosted by Cascadia Green Building Council and UBC Sustainability Initiative. In this lecture, Ms. Sharp will use her many years of experience greening Harvard University as her primary case study, sharing lessons learned while working with Harvard to build and renovate over 50 green buildings, and introduce participants to the art of catalyzing wide scale change in the behaviors and practices of organizations and the role of the individual in bringing the new green economy to fruition.

The lecture will begin at 7:00 PM, followed by a panel discussion with Orion Henderson (Director, Operational Sustainability, UBC), Candace Le Roy (Sustainability Coordinator, Simon Fraser University), Alexandre Hebert (Energy and Sustainability Manager, BCIT), and Jennie Moore (Director, Sustainable Development and Environmental stewardship, BCIT)

Bio: Leith has worked with universities for the last 18 years to achieve organizational change in the pursuit of environmental sustainability.In 1999 Harvard recruited Leith to be the founding director of Harvard’s Office for Sustainability. Under Leith’s leadership by 2008, Harvard had the largest green campus organization in the world including a $12 million revolving loan fund and over 50 LEED buildings.

She is currently the Executive Director of the Illinois Green Economy Network, a partnership of 48 community colleges coordinating large-scale green workforce training. She is also the Chair of the Sustainability Futures Academy, an international collaboration to accelerate the capabilities of executive leaders to drive sustainability into the core business of higher education. Leith has a bachelor of engineering (environmental engineering) from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Education (human development and psychology) from Harvard University.

Date: March 21, 2011

Location: Multi-purpose Room, Liu Institute of Global Issues, University of British Columbia

Time: Doors open at 6:30 PM, Lecture begins at 7:00 PM

Cost: Free (RSVP MANDATORY)

The Transformational Lecture Series aims to inspire all building industry professionals to embrace their role in creating as sustainable built environment now, as well as ensuring that sustainability becomes integral to all development in the future. In an effort to both reduce cost and carbon emissions, and to inspire the local community, most speakers are notable local heroes and reside in the Pacific Northwest.

Cascadia thanks the Liu Institute for Global Issues for sponsoring the venue.