Johnna S. Keller

Johnna (she/her) is a registered architect and specializes in sustainable design and consulting. Leading the green building efforts for corporations, local governments, schools and universities, and research labs, she is often forging new paths in sustainability, including living buildings, net zero energy projects, and a long list of "firsts" — first project to re-use non-potable water in New Orleans, first LEED project for DeKalb County Schools in Georgia, first net zero energy project for the City of Columbus, and first WELL project for The Ohio State University. She appreciates a good challenge and helping people get comfortable with unfamiliar ideas. Her work at the intersection of sustainability and accessibility began during a tour of a deep green building with a group of disabled participants, who discovered only stair access. This event sparked her article, “The Politics of Stairs,” which appeared in the journal Design Equilibrium and was reprinted in the Norton Field Guide to Writing. She has spoken on the topic of sustainability and accessibility at conferences both in the U.S. and abroad. Johnna is passionate about regenerative design, approaches the built environment as a foundation for well-being, and posits climate change as a social justice issue. Johnna currently works on the Sustainability & Resilience team for Parsons, and resides in Columbus, Ohio.