Green Building Program Co-Directors
Christopher Allen—USA
Chris is Co-Director of the A WISH Green Building Program, serves on the A WISH Board of Directors, is Principal of Christopher Allen + Associates, Managing Partner of MCM/CROMO Developments LLC, homeWORD Board of Directors. Over eighteen years experience in providing sustainability-related strategic management services to private sector, public agency, and nonprofit clients including the US Department of Energy, the National Center for Appropriate Technology, and the United Nations Man and Biosphere Program. Professional affiliations include the US Green Building Council, the Urban Land Institute, and the Revitalization Institute.
Jorge Kanahuati, LEED AP—Mexico
Jorge is Co-Director of the A W.I.S.H Green Building Program, serves on the A WISH Board of Directors, is Managing Director of Enlaces Ambientales, SC. International experience integrating an interdisciplinary understanding of conventional business practices with innovative sustainability concepts in the sustainable real state development, organic agro industry, ecotourism, renewable energy, and socially responsible
investment. Professional memberships include the Mexican Green Building Council, the US Green Building Council, the International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment and the Urban Land Institute.
Program Coordinator—Canada
Michael Masson
Michael is Environment Manager at B.C. Buildings Corporation. He has worked in environmental management for over fifteen years. His work has included the development, implementation and on-going monitoring of a comprehensive environmental management system, the development of progressive (green building) performance criteria for new and existing government buildings, contaminated sites project management and the development of numerous environmentally based training programs.
Professional Network
Ren Essene, M.P.A.—Research Analyst, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies
Ren is a Research Analyst at the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University and conducts research projects on housing and mortgage markets, currently working on issues related to consumer behavior and discrimination in the subprime marketplace. As the founder and lead developer of homeWORD, a community based non-profit with a focus on sustainable, affordable housing, Ms. Essene has over ten years experience as the lead developer of nine innovative, green projects. Beginning from a community design charrette approach, each project fit the unique character of the neighborhood and integrated agriculture opportunities, alternative energy and smart growth principles. Member of the Advisory Committee of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle and past President of the Board of Directors of the regional Rural Collaborative CDFI.
Michael Karp--President and CEO of A W.I.S.H.
Michael is the founder, President and Chief Executive Officer for A World Institute for a Sustainable Humanity (A W.I.S.H). He is also the Principal of Michael Karp & Associates, Inc., an international public interest consulting firm specializing in energy and housing issues and a broad array of sustainability topics. His past clients span thirty states (including regulatory commissions, attorney general’s office, other state departments), international federal governments, national foundations, and community based and public interest organizations. Both A W.I.S.H and Michael Karp & Associates, Inc. perform training, strategic planning, technical assistance, and expert witness consulting services, amongst many other services. His full CV is available here: http://www.awish.net/KARP-CV/Nonprofit.html.
Christopher J. Webb, P.E. – Chris Webb and Associates
Webb is a professional engineer and a LEED™ Accredited Professional who is passionate about providing civil engineering designs that demonstrate the highest degree of sustainability and are based on ecological principles. Chris is a frequent speaker on the technical aspects of sustainability as it is applied in civil engineering. He was part of the design team on Islandwood, the first LEED™ Gold project in Washington State, and Chris has served as a member of the technical advisory group for the US Green Building Council’s LEED™ Rating System (Version 2.0). He, and his former firm 2020 ENGINEERING, Inc., were awarded the 2003 Washington State Governor’s Award for Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Practices. Mr. Webb works as part of diverse design teams across the spectrum of project scales from the single lot to large multi-unit developments and from master planning through permitting and construction documents.