FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sheena McDermott | sm@urbangreencouncil.org | 212.514.9385 x 121
CHRIS HALFNIGHT NAMED COO AND INCOMING CEO OF URBAN GREEN COUNCIL; JOHN MANDYCK TO RETIRE IN 2026
New York (October 30, 2025) — Urban Green Council is excited to announce that its Board of Directors has named Chris Halfnight as the organization’s new COO and incoming CEO to succeed John Mandyck when he retires in spring of 2026.
Halfnight spent the past decade shaping Urban Green’s policy impact and was previously Senior Director of Research and Policy. Prior to joining the organization in 2016, he 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 B.A. and J.D. from McGill University and a Master’s in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment.
“Chris Halfnight is absolutely the right leader to build on the incredible momentum at Urban Green,” said Sara Kendall, Board Chair of Urban Green and Vice President & General Manager at Turner Construction. “With his subject matter expertise and deep familiarity with our staff and stakeholders, Chris will immediately advance Urban Green’s mission with positive impact from day one. The board congratulates John Mandyck on his retirement and steady leadership that solidified the organization’s financial management, strategic direction and standing in our community,” she said.
Mandyck joined Urban Green as CEO in 2018. Since then, the organization tripled its audience, doubled its student reach and boosted revenues by 50 percent, all while helping to shape world-leading climate laws for the built environment.
“I’m thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to lead this truly exceptional team at a pivotal moment in time,” said Halfnight. “Urban Green will continue to be defined by our research, policy and education while convening the best experts to solve pressing climate challenges across New York City, New York State and beyond.”
“For more than seven years, I was so fortunate to work for a thought-leading organization that continues to change New York City and the world,” said Mandyck. “I’m incredibly grateful to the enormously talented staff, always-supportive board of directors, and longstanding members that enabled Urban Green to make such a big difference for building decarbonization. I’m thrilled and confident that Chris will lead the organization to new levels of excellence.”
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Urban Green Council’s mission is to decarbonize buildings for healthy and resilient communities.
We focus on buildings because they account for roughly two-thirds of New York City’s carbon emissions. We convene stakeholders to seek consensus; we research solutions that drive change locally and globally; we advocate for cutting-edge policy; and we educate a broad range of industry professionals. www.urbangreencouncil.org