At USGBC, we bring together women in our industry who have emerged as respected sustainability leaders. Together, women who encourage and inspire those around them through their actions, conversations and behaviors are moving our industry forward. Female empowerment is an important conversation for women around the world, as we strive to make change happen.

We celebrated International Women’s Day this month in many USGBC communities, with the theme "Each for equal—an equal world is an enabled world."

This is an opportunity for us to reflect on the value of our leadership. Collectively, we can help create a gender-equal world.

March regional sheroes of the month for leadership

Lynn Simon
Pacific region

Lynn Simon is a green building pioneer and a leading authority in the industry, with over 20 years in the green building arena. She is a LEED Fellow, longtime USGBC Northern California volunteer leader, Women in Green leader, former USGBC board member, and ongoing advocate for women in green building locally. Simon embodies what it means to lead, not manage, and to mentor the next generation of women leaders in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. She is facilitating lasting change in the Pacific region.

Molly McCabe
Mountain region

A veteran of the real estate industry, McCabe describes herself as a "Scout, MapMaker and BridgeBuilder." She founded HaydenTanner after spending many years in commercial real estate finance, capital markets and development. She has spent her career cultivating practical solutions and strategies to accelerate the emergence of resilient buildings and vibrant, sustainable cities.

McCabe works with clients to channel investment capital to optimize asset and portfolio level returns, and to enhance resiliency, community vibrancy and livability while meeting economic objectives.

In 2018, McCabe co-founded The Lotus Campaign, which works to increase housing for people experiencing homelessness. She is past Chair of the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Responsible Property Investment Council and sat on its Center for Sustainability and Economic Prosperity Advisory Board. She is also the author of the book "Practical Greening: The Bottom Line on Sustainable Property Development, Investment and Financing" and “Driving Value: Responsible and Resilient Property Investing in the New Millennium” for Institutional Real Estate Investor.

She has taught at the Boston Architectural College and has lectured at Pinchot University. Previously, she founded VC-funded, commercial mortgage-backed securities firm Bridger Commercial Funding, ran Bank of America’s Real Estate Capital Markets group and was a commercial construction lender with Wells Fargo Bank. She is a trained mediator, professional business coach and LEED AP.

Brittney Albin
West North Central region

Brittney Albin is a leader in the green building industry. Serving as Sustainability Manager in Lincoln Public Schools in Nebraska, she excels at engaging students in using the school as a teacher tool and rolling out new initiatives to advance sustainability—helping to grow the next generation of sustainability leaders and to create healthier, greener learning spaces.

Most recently, her whole district sustainability plan was approved by the school board, and Albin launched composting across the district after piloting in several schools. She elevates whole district sustainability planning across the West North Central region, ensuring her work is scalable and her expertise is available to learn from. She is a regular participant, contributor and best practices creator in Center for Green Schools projects and programs.

Albin is a LEED Green Associate and a certified Green Classroom Professional. She recently completed coursework to earn a TRUE Advisor certificate. Albin also serves on the Market Leadership Advisory Board of USGBC Nebraska Flatwater and has been integral in growing Women in Green across the West North Central region.

Jessica Davis
East North Central region

Jessica Davis works to promote sustainability not only within the large IUPUI (Indiana University–Purdue University at Indianapolis) campus, but also within a group of higher education professionals she convenes from across the state to support their sustainability efforts. Davis also runs a statewide sustainability and resiliency conference that brings together around 300 people to discuss relevant issues and solutions. She has managed the certification and continued operations of LEED buildings and is working on putting many more through LEED for Operations and Maintenance. She recently joined the USGBC Indiana Market Leadership Advisory Board, and has already brought a wealth of information and leadership.

Dawn Zimmer
Middle Atlantic region

Dawn Zimmer is the former mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey, and was the first woman to hold the position. She led Hoboken on the path to resilience in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, with the city being recognized nationally as a model for preparedness and integrated solutions approach. As a result, Zimmer was named to the Presidential Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship about the recovery process, and was invited to Geneva, Switzerland, to present at the UN Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Conference. Zimmer showed how leaders can build their communities and leverage them for a better future for all.

Deborah Dunning
New England region

Deborah Dunning was a committed leader for green building, sustainability, and historic preservation. She was a longtime supporter, member, speaker and advocate for USGBC and our mission. Dunning was recently a founding partner of Circularity Edge, a firm dedicated to helping accelerate the transition of the U.S. linear economy to a sustainable, circular economy. Her role focused on tools to measure and communicate the economic, environmental and social justice performance of products. She was a passionate, dedicated mentor and leader, and will be sadly missed. We are honored to recognize her posthumously as the March Shero for Leadership in the New England region. All in our community are welcome to post a photo or add a memory about Deborah on her memorial page.

Beth Wytiaz
South Atlantic region

Beth Wytiaz is part of the Global Environmental Group within the Environmental, Social, Governance division of Bank of America. Wytiaz has worked in the environmental space for the past 12 years, nine of which were at Bank of America. In her current role as the Global Environmental Operations Manager, she is responsible for reducing the bank’s impact on natural resources. This encompasses setting and achieving all public environmental operations goals. This includes becoming carbon-neutral; purchasing 100% of electricity from renewable sources; reducing waste, water, paper, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and energy use; managing e-waste; sourcing paper sustainably; and executing the responsible sourcing program. In addition, she leads the GHG emissions calculations and disclosure efforts. In January, Bank of America announced it had reached carbon neutrality one year earlier than planned, largely due to Wytiaz’s leadership.

Wytiaz has a master’s degree in humanities, with a focus in environmental studies, and a bachelor’s degree in marketing/merchandising—both from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She serves on the Market Leadership Advisory Board for USGBC North Carolina and volunteers with a variety of other organizations. She is passionate about social and environmental issues and seeks to engage others to drive change.

April Ambrose
South Central region

April Ambrose is Business Development Manager for the Sustainability and Energy services divisions of Entegrity, a sustainable building consulting firm with a LEED Zero Energy headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas. As the first employee in 2007, she has been key to the successful growth of Entegrity, which has grown from two to 90 employees, with offices in Little Rock and Fayetteville, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennesse; Jackson, Mississippi; Kansas City, Kansas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Previously, she served as the Director of Operations for the Sustainability Department, opened the Entegrity office in Memphis, and has been involved in with the design and implementation of over 200 sustainable building projects.

In 2014, Ambrose was the recipient of the USGBC Arkansas Green Tie for Central Arkansas Member of the Year award and was recognized by Arkansas Business on the "40 Under 40" list of the state's most intriguing business and political leaders. In 2011, she was named Outstanding Young Alumna by her alma mater, Hendrix College, and an Eco-Hero by Arkansas Green Guide, and was featured in iCon Magazine (Vol. 1, Issue 2).

Ambrose is a LEED Fellow and strong leader for advancing green building. Her passion and commitment are always clear as a business leader, mentor, educator and community member. April shows us how to lead, not manage, by creating your own table and inviting the leaders you want for success.

USGBC recognizes regional sheroes for leadership in March