Allison Anderson is recognized for civic projects which are carefully crafted and inherently defensible against climate challenges. After Hurricane Katrina devastated her community, designs for recovery focused attention on sustainability, adaptation, and resilience. Her firm, unabridged Architecture, has designed nine shelters for the community and first responders, meeting FEMA 361 guidelines for wind- and impact-resistance, and self-sufficiency during an emergency; and was selected as one of ten teams for Rebuild by Design to create resilient urban planning solutions in Hurricane Sandy-affected areas.

Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, LEED BD+C, is a fellow of The American Institute of Architects. His practice, Kipnis Architecture + Planning, is based in Boulder, CO, and Evanston, IL. His architectural work has centered on sustainable design since attending the University of Colorado in 1979 for its solar design program.  He designed his first solar home in Boulder in 1983.  He then obtained his Master of Architecture degree from Arizona State University, with an emphasis in Energy Conscious Design.

A founding member of The American Institute of Architects’ 2030 Commitment Working Group in 2009, Mr. Kipnis served as the committee’s national co-chair from 2018 to 2019. He has also served on AIA’s national Sustainability Leadership Group, the Committee on Climate Action and Design Excellence, and was the Sustainability Director on the Executive Committee of the Small Firm Exchange. Mr. Kipnis currently serves on AIA’s national Resilience and Disaster Response Committee.  

Mr. Kipnis is the founder of NextHaus Alliance, a premium design/build concept that provides ‘net zero’ sustainable, resilient, and healthy luxury homes that seamlessly merge ‘High Design’ with ‘Low Carbon™’.  NextHaus recently completed its first certified Passive House/certified NET ZERO project in Evanston, which has garnered seven local, state, and international design awards to date, including a PHIUS design award in 2025.

Nakita Reed is an award-winning architect with experience in the rehabilitation and sustainable reuse of historic buildings. She is a Senior Associate at Quinn Evans, a LEED®-Accredited Professional and a certified Passive House Consultant. She serves on the board of the Baltimore Architecture Foundation, the Zero Net Carbon Collaboration for Existing and Heritage Buildings (ZNCC), Built Buildings Lab, and is host of the Tangible Remnants podcast - a podcast that explores the intersection of architecture, preservation, sustainability, race & gender.

Erica’s ability to bridge disciplines and perform cross-disciplinary calculations drives sustainability innovation in project teams. For over twenty years, she has led teams to solutions that add value for building owners.

Her commitment to sustainability is shown through active involvement in professional organizations and dedication to speaking and mentorship. She serves on the USGBC’s Water Efficiency Technical Advisory Group (WE TAG), a global cohort improving future LEED water standards. Erica is also part of ULI Nashville’s Building Healthy Places Action Council and contributes to AIA National’s Framework for Design Excellence, creating sustainability toolkits for everyday architects.

Erica was named a USGBC Regional Leader in the “Big South” in 2021, a “Shero” in Courage in 2020, and a Nashville Business Journal Woman of Influence in 2017.