Staff

Twenty-two talented staff contribute a diverse array of backgrounds and expertise to manage and implement Build It Green's programs:

• Catherine Merschel | Executive Director
• Bruce Mast | Director of Programs
• David Blanke | Division Director, Southern California
• Michele Brown | Project Manager, Professional Training
• Karen Beck | Project Manager, Website
• Annette Hartsfield | Program Associate, Development
• Janell Jacks | Program Manager, Professional Training
• Tenaya Asan, GC | Program Manager, GreenPoint Rated
• Amy Dryden | Project Manager, GreenPoint Rated
• Elise Hunter | Project Manager, Government Relations
• Cynthia Beaulieu | Manager, Finance & HR
• Sara Morency | Administrative Coordinator
• Danielle Pittman | Program Associate, Professional Training
• David Myers | Program Manager, Development & Communications
• Kalene Nickelson | Administrative Assistant
• Camela Nitollama | Administrative Assistant
• Kris Knutson | Program Associate, GreenPoint Rated
• Christopher Becker | Project Manager, GreenPoint Rated 
• Kevin Beck | Trainer, Professional Training
  

Catherine Merschel - Executive Director

send email
510.845.0472 x104

Catherine brings over 30 years experience in the non-profit affordable
housing world to Build It Green, including over 14 years as Executive Director of Eden Housing and 12 years as both the Deputy Executive Director and the Executive Director of the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation.

She is a trainer in the Local Initiative Support Corporation’s Community Devlopment Leadership Institute, which is a nine month training program for emerging leaders in the CDC world.  She has been a consultant to many non-profits on organizational development issues, as well as a performance coach to a handful of Executive Directors in the Bay Area.

top

Bruce Mast - Director of Programs

send email
510.845.0472 x111

Serving as a Director of Build It Green and its predecessor nonprofit Green Resource Center since 2003, Mr. Mast helped shepherd the organization through a period of exponential growth. In June of 2006, Mr. Mast transitioned from the Board to a staff role as Development Director.

Since 2002, Mr. Mast has managed a CPUC-funded education and outreach initiative to help local governments and building professionals promote construction and remodeling practices that maximize energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, resource conservation, and overall sustainability. In that capacity, Mr. Mast helped found the Green Affordable Housing Coalition, made up of local governments and affordable housing developers seeking to incorporate green building practices into affordable housing projects.

Prior to entering the green building arena, Mr. Mast consulted for 10 years to electric and gas utilities, providing market research, competitive assessment, marketing/business plan development, program design and implementation, and monitoring and evaluation services. Mr. Mast also served four years on the City Council in Albany, California, including one year as Mayor.

top

David Blanke - Division Director, Southern California

send email
909.260.8800

Prior to joining Build It Green, David Blanke was the New Construction Manager for Energy Efficiency Programs for Southern California Gas Company and San Diego Gas & Electric, where he was responsible for the design, development, and implementation of residential and non-residential energy efficiency programs. Since 1989 Mr. Blanke has been involved with both field implementation as well as program design at the utilities. His energy efficiency programs have supported the ENERGY STAR® label for residential new construction as well as addressing affordable housing. Mr. Blanke’s programs have been recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for leadership in energy efficiency. Most recently he had expanded the program’s design to address not only energy efficiency but the much broader concept of environmental design that would address sustainable design, green building and the impact construction has on the environment, resources, and energy.

Prior to joining Southern California Gas Company, Mr. Blanke was the Managing Editor for the Environmental Periodicals Bibliography, the principle publication of the Environmental Studies Institute in Santa Barbara. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, American Society of Civil Engineers and the California Building Industry Association. In 2002, he was president of the CBIA Sales and Marketing Council of Southern California. Mr. Blanke holds degrees in Music History from the University of the Pacific and Civil Engineering from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

top

Michele Brown - Project Manager, Guilds

send email
510.845.0472 x105

Michele brings her experience with and enthusiasm for green building, sustainable living, organic gardening and cohousing to the Build It Green team. Prior to Build It Green, Michele was the Community Programs and Visitor Services Manager at Hidden Villa Farm and Wilderness Preserve, coordinating multicultural and environmental education programs/events for the public. While there, she most enjoyed producing sustainable building and design workshops for both the public and building professionals.

As Program Manager, she manages and coordinates Build It Green Home Tours and Certified Green Building Professional trainings. She enjoys managing these programs that promote green building to homeowners and building professionals.

Michele received her Bachelor of Science degree in Management from the Pennsylvania State University in 1995 and is a Certified Green Building Professional.

top

Karen L Beck - Project Manager, Website

send email
510.845.0472 x116

Karen Beck most recently worked for Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto as their Environmental Product Line Specialist. For the last 2 years her energies have been focused towards her Master's Thesis on Green Building Policy in the U.S. She is also an active member of her local chapter of the California Native Plant Society and is a Certified Green Building Professional.

top

Annette Hartsfield - Development Associate

send email
510.845.0472 x101

Annette worked as Build It Green's Administrative Coordinator and Bookkeeper for a year and a half before joining the development team. In her role as Program Associate, Annette works to coordinate Build It Green's various councils and guilds, giving her the unique opportunity to interact with green building professionals from every stakeholder group in the industry. The breadth of presentation topics and viewpoints she is exposed to in this role gratify her life-long status as a compulsive student.

While her professional experience is in office management and bookkeeping, Annette's academic history and interests lie in the social sciences. She holds BAs in Psychology and Anthropology from Arizona State University and is currently working on her Master's Degree in Cultural Anthropology at San Francisco State University. An interest in the rhetorical construction of public space and issues of social control and identity in the American suburbs has culminated in a thesis project focusing on Gated Communities and their effect on the social fabric of our cities. Ultimately, she hopes to fuse her ethnographic studies with her environmental values in a new and meaningful manner.

top

Janell Jacks - Program Manager, Professional Training

send email
510.845.0472 x107

Janell manages and coordinates Build It Green's Professional Training and Certification program. In this capacity, she draws on 25 years of Corporate Training experience in developing, implementing and managing world-wide training programs. Prior to joining Build It Green, Janell led Construction, Human Resource and Technical Writing program development at SJSU Professional Development, while introducing new courses (including Green Building, E-Learning and Blended coursework) to meet the emerging market needs.

Janell has hands-on construction experience, having remodeled several homes. She majored in Marketing and minored in Computer Science, along with professional courses. Her certifications include Construction Management, Technical Writing, Marketing, and several technical computer certifications.

While taking green building courses and designing a Green Building Certificate Program, she became passionate about green building and decided to join Build It Green. She is both Green Advantage Certified and a Certified Green Building Professional.

top

Tenaya Asan, GC - Program Manager, GreenPoint Rated

send email
510.845.0472 x118

Tenaya brings 30 years of experience in the residential construction industry to her position as Program Manager of the GreenPoint Rated program. She uses her construction knowledge and management capabilities to direct this rapidly expanding program. She is responsible for overseeing rater training and certification; ensuring quality assurance for rated projects; providing education and support to builders, raters, designers and others; and developing program protocols and procedures.

Her 12 years experience with building and remodeling homes equips her with a thorough understanding of all phases of construction. Another 15 years experience as a construction defect analyst provides her with unique insights into problematic construction techniques. With this experience, she contributes an understanding and passion about the essential qualities of green building and their benefits to homeowners, builders and the general public. She is a California licensed General Contractor, a Certified Green Building Professional, a Certified GreenPoint Rater and a HERS rater. She has a Masters degree in Education and is certified as a Green Building Professional from Sonoma State University.

top

Amy Dryden - Project Manager, GreenPoint Rated

send email
510.845.0472 x123

Amy brings a combination of her experience as a residential builder and planning consultant with a focus on ecologically and socially minded building to the GreenPoint Rated Program. As Program Associate, she assists with rater trainings and certifications; quality assurance for rated projects; education and support to builders, raters, designers and others; and development and implementation of the GreenPoint Rated Program.

With ten years experience in residential construction (non profit and for profit), Amy has a working knowledge of all trades and phases of construction in new construction and remodel projects. She has contributed to green building specifications and guidelines and LEED projects for affordable housing and has been assisting Habitat East Bay with their green building efforts since 2000. Recently, as a planning consultant, she has developed planning and design proposals and policies from the watershed scale to the site scale, addressing ecological and social goals through community planning in Los Angeles, North Carolina, and Hawaii.

Amy is a Certified Green Building Professional, a Certified GreenPoint Rater, a LEED-AP, and a HERS rater and has completed work in each capacity. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Boston University and a Master in Landscape Architecture and a Master in City Planning from UC Berkeley.

top

Elise Hunter - Program Manager, Government Relations

send email
510.845.0472 x110

Elise contributes policy experience and an academic background of interdisciplinary environmental science to Build It Green. Prior to joining Build It Green, she worked at the Environmental Protection Agency in San Francisco as the industrial waste recycling coordinator, where she focused on advocating beneficial reuse of coal fly ash in structures and transportation applications.

Elise was a GreenPoint Rated Associate at Build It Green for one year, staffing the Ask an Expert hotline and Berkeley's Best Builders permit consultations. She is excited to reorient her approach toward green building policy development.  Elise holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Earth Systems Land Management from Stanford University.

top

Cynthia Beaulieu - Manager, Finance & HR

send email
510.845.0472 x113

Cynthia brings to Build It Green over twelve years of bookkeeping and human resources experience. A Bay Area native, Cynthia has enjoyed the entrepreneurial spirit of the region and worked for several small or startup businesses. Cynthia is pleased to be a part of a company with a purpose. Cynthia is near completion of a B.S. in Environmental Studies, with an emphasis in Health & Safety at San Jose State University. She also holds a Certificate in Hazardous Materials Management from U.C. Santa Cruz Extension.

In joining Build It Green, Cynthia will be able to utilize both her career experience in Bookkeeping and Human Resources and her educational background in environmental studies.

top

Sara Morency - Administrative Coordinator

send email
510.845.0472 x121

Sara is very excited to be a part of the Build It Green team, as she has a strong passion for recycling, resource conservation, sustainable building design, and smart planning for healthy communities. As the Administrative Coordinator, she looks forward to supporting Build It Green's programs, facilitating efficient work operations, and assisting Build It Green's many stakeholders and colleagues in the green building industry. Most recently, she worked as a Client Services Supervisor in the Community Veterinary Services department of the San Francisco SPCA.

Sara graduated from Tufts University with a degree in Environmental Studies and Political Science. She recently attended Build It Green's Certified Green Building Professional training and is eager to learn much more about the rapidly growing field of green building. She is especially interested in the intersection of green building and affordable housing, and looks forward to attending meetings of the Green Affordable Housing Coalition.

top

Danielle Pittman – Program Associate, Professional Training

send email
510.845.0472 x122

A San Francisco native and enthusiast, Danielle joins Build It Green with a dynamic background as a persistent event coordinator and tenacious office manager with the dogma of a former professional athlete.  Danielle's first non-profit job position in sales and office management at the San Francisco Symphony was inspired by over a decade of hands-on experience in the classical arts.  Her talents include ballet, modern jazz & tap dancing, chamber/choral singing, as well as instrumental focuses in piano, guitar & tenor saxophone.

Coming from a diverse family with an exceptional history of medical and military leadership, Danielle is an avid community supporter, volunteering for outreach and fundraising events regularly for organizations such as Glide Memorial Foundation, the Red Cross and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Danielle is in pursuit of her scholastic interests in Philosophy & Cultural Anthropology while completing a Mass Communications Major with a minor in Psychology.  With her passion for event planning, community involvement and entertainment, she is a complimentary addition to the Professional Training department as Program Associate.  She currently is a Certified Green Building Professional as well as Computer Core Hardware and Operating Systems (A+) Certified, and last but not least, a Certified Life Guard.

top

David Troy Myers – Manager, Development & Communications

send email
510.845.0472 x106

David brings ten years of experience in the non-profit and education fields to his position as Development Manager.  Before joining Build It Green, he held fundraising, operations, and student services positions at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley; the San Francisco Film Society; and the University of California, Los Angeles.

As Development Manager, David oversees the organization’s sponsorship, membership, councils, and guilds programs.  These programs allow him to interact with Build It Green’s diverse stakeholders.  With his commitment to work in the nonprofit sector and longstanding interest in real estate development, he is excited be a part of the dynamic green residential building industry.  David received Bachelors of Arts in American History as well as American Literature and Culture from the University of California, Los Angeles.

top

Kalene Nickelson - Administrative Assistant

send email
510.845.0472 x109

Kalene is pleased and excited to be part of Build It Green’s administrative team.  She comes to Build It Green with a background in non-profit work, lending her administrative experience as well as a strong commitment to bettering the community.  Kalene grew up in Ukiah, Ca - a town founded with “back to the land” values and her first job was indeed in the agricultural business packing locally grown pears during the summer.  Though a city girl now, her love for the country is evident in her passions for camping and cooking; and in the thriving twin redwoods she planted as tree-lings in her mother’s yard 20 years ago. 

In recent years, Kalene worked at Glide Memorial Church/Foundation in San Francisco where she assisted in providing emergency and long term services, as well as unconditional acceptance and compassion to homeless and marginalized people.  She sees Build It Green as another vehicle for social prosperity and is happy to be of assistance and thrilled to be learning more about green building practices.  Currently, she is pursuing a degree in psychology at San Francisco State University with a minor in Human Sexuality and still volunteers her free time with Glide’s Children’s Center. 

top

Camela Nitollama - Administrative Assistant

send email
510.845.0472 x109

Camela joins Build It Green’s administrative staff, bringing to the organization previous experience as a Clerical Assistant with the University Centers at UC San Diego. She has explored energy and environmental issues academically, and developed a passion for environmental justice while working with various grassroots organizations in the Philippines. As a member of the Build It Green team, she looks forward to exploring environmentalism more broadly through green building and development.

Camela earned a B.A. in Political Science from UC San Diego, and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Economics with a concentration on Economic Development and Comparative Systems at CSU East Bay.

top

Kris Knutson - Program Associate, GreenPoint Rated

send email
510.845.0472 ext. 117

Kris joined Build it Green in 2009 as an Associate for the GreenPoint Rated program, bringing a diverse background in residential building, energy performance and building science.  He supports the organization’s GreenPoint Raters, Advisors and Certified Green Building Professionals.  In addition, he manages the Green Product Directory and answers the “Ask an Expert” hotline.

Prior to working with Build it Green, Kris managed the Home Services project at Southface Energy Institute in Atlanta, GA - overseeing HERS Ratings, Manual-J load calculations, Manual-D duct design, new home design reviews and answering building science & home comfort troubleshooting calls from the public.

A native of Seattle, Kris attended the University of Washington, earning a minor in environmental studies.  In 2004 he toured Western Europe by bicycle, visiting biodiesel plants, wind farms and traditionally build Dutch and German buildings.  Kris went on to work towards sustainability by helping construct Seattle’s first biodiesel plant and later worked as a building performance technician for a home performance contractor.  Kris is a Certified Green Building Professional, GreenPoint Rater, Certified Passive House Consultant, RESNET HERS Rater and LEED-NC Accredited Professional.

top

Christopher Becker - Project Manager, GreenPoint Rated

send email
510.845.0472 ext. 114

Christopher brings over 15 years of architectural design and affordable housing experience to the GreenPoint Rated Program. As Project Manager, he assists with rater trainings and certifications; quality assurance for rated projects; education and support to builders, raters, designers and others; and development and implementation of the GreenPoint Rated Program.

Prior to joining Build It Green, Christopher served as the lead designer for a 4 story affordable housing prototype that incorporated a range of green building features including an innovative Trombe wall for the street façade and grey water irrigation system for the communal rear yard. He has also served as the project manager and/or designer on a range of building types from single-family renovations to high-rise mixed use developments, many of which incorporated green building features. Before returning to school to get his architecture degree, Christopher also worked on the developer side of many projects, both as a development and planning consultant for several non-profit developers as well as the Resource Development Manager for East Bay Habitat for Humanity.

Christopher is a Certified Green Building Professional and a Certified GreenPoint Rater. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Columbia University and a Master of Architecture from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  

top