Lecture: Leveraging Crisis into Opportunity

Christine Ervin’s career draws on public, private and nonprofit leadership roles to foster prosperous green markets and a healthy climate.

As first president and CEO of the U.S. Green Buildings Council, she led its evolution from a start-up into the highly influential coalition of industry leaders transforming the way buildings are designed, built and operated. Home to LEED and Greenbuild, Christine received USGBC’s leadership award in 2004 and 2014. As Assistant Secretary of Energy for President Clinton, Christine directed $1 billion in annual investments for clean and renewable energy technologies. Her portfolio included the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and innovations across building, industrial, transportation and utility/renewable energy sectors. Previously, she directed the Oregon Department of Energy and conducted research on energy policy and pollution prevention at the Conservation Foundation/World Wildlife Fund.

Christine has served on numerous fiduciary and advisory boards including nonprofits, venture capital firms and start-up companies and is an Ambassador for the federal-university C3E initiative promoting women in leadership positions in clean energy, science and education.  Her consulting practice is based in Portland Oregon.