Chris leads Urban Green's Communications, Development and Education teams. Responsible for growing our reach and our network of sponsors and members, she comes to Urban Green Council with extensive experience in the nonprofit and for-profit worlds. Chris has held senior development positions at The Partnership for the Homeless and Make the Road New York, and managed the individual giving and Health and Safety Services programs at the American Red Cross in Greater New York. Prior to that, she honed her marketing and communications skills at Citibank and Random House. Chris holds a B.A. from The Ohio State University.

Chris Halfnight leads Urban Green’s policy initiatives, working with stakeholders and policymakers to advance energy efficiency and green building in New York City and State. He was Vice Chair of and managed the 80x50 Buildings Partnership, a collaboration of more than 40 leading stakeholders to shape an energy performance policy for NYC’s large buildings. Prior to Urban Green, Chris was an attorney at Shearman & Sterling LLP and worked on energy policy at the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Natural Resources Defense Council. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws, and Bachelor of Civil Law from McGill University, as well as a Master's in Environmental Management with a specialization in energy from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Ellen oversees the development of Urban Green's Public Programs. She is also responsible for developing curriculum for Urban Green's signature programs including GPRO, a national green building certificate program for Contractors, Building Managers/Operators and Trades and Conquering the Energy Code, a training program for Architects and Engineers. Ellen has 28 years experience as an architect and volunteered for Urban Green for several years before joining the staff, where she served as the first Residential Green Building Advocate for Urban Green Council, working to increase green building and LEED for Homes certification in the New York residential marketplace, and as a committee chair of the Green Codes Task Force. In addition, Ellen taught at the 1,000 Green Supers program for SEIU Local 32 BJ Thomas Shortman Training Fund, and holds a number of BPI certifications. Ellen is a co-founder of Solarize Brooklyn, and Sustainable Kensington Windsor Terrace.

Richard Leigh is a Visiting Professor of Physics at Pratt Institute, primarily teaching courses in building science. He formerly served as Urban Green's Director of Research, where he managed research projects including the 2016 New York City Auditing and Benchmarking Report for 2013 data and 90 by 50, showing that New York City can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 90 percent below current levels by 2050. Earlier, he provided support to the proposals of the Green Codes Task Force, an effort to “green” the NYC Building Code, and provided curriculum content for GPRO, the green building skills training program. Active in the field of energy-efficient engineering and systems studies for over twenty years, he holds a PhD in Physics and is a Professional Engineer in New York State, and a LEED AP.  

Kaitlin is responsible for Urban Green Council’s public programs and annual conference. She currently coordinates Urban Green's Monthly Programs Committee (MPC), and Emerging Professionals Committee. Kaitlin attended Ithaca College, where she received her B.S. in Communication Management & Design, focusing on corporate social responsibility and community engagement. 

Sheena leads the communications processes at Urban Green, overseeing messaging, graphic design, online communications and public relations. She comes to Urban Green with extensive environmental and nonprofit experience, having previously worked at Wildlife Alliance, Clean Air Force of Central Texas and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Sheena holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of California, San Diego.

Russell helps ensure that Urban Green Council is positioned for maximum impact by leading the organization’s strategic planning efforts and advising on policy initiatives, including the Blueprint for Efficiency.  As Urban Green’s founding Executive Director (2007-2017), he built and guided the organization’s innovative programs, cementing its place as a leader in advocacy, education and research. He was twice tapped by the City of New York to lead blue ribbon commissions – the Building Resiliency Task Force (2013) and the Green Codes Task Force (2008-2010). A lawyer by training, Russell previously worked at the New York City Council and Mayor’s Office, drafting and implementing many environmental laws.

Bessie is responsible for account management and outreach for our Energy Code and GPRO training courses. Prior to Urban Green, Bessie worked at Long Island University as a Sustainability Coordinator to promote sustainability initiatives on campus. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and an M.S. in Environmental Sustainability from Long Island University.