U.S. Green Building Council Announces Appointments

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), an authority on green buildings and the global developer of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building program, has announced that Colette LaForce has joined the organization as chief marketing officer and Nancy Y. Nee is now the senior vice president of product management.

According to a press release, “The new appointments come during a critical time for the industry served by USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) as property developers, architects, infrastructure providers, and financial institutions come together to support critical sustainability goals for the global built environment.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Colette and Nancy to the USGBC team,” Peter Templeton, president and CEO, USGBC and GBCI, said. “Their expertise in developing worldclass product offerings and go-to-market strategies will be invaluable as we continue to expand the reach of our green building solutions and our mission to transform the built environment.”

In her new role, LaForce will lead the organization’s global marketing and communications efforts, focusing on elevating the USGBC and GBCI brands, expanding global adoption of green building standards, and driving engagement with stakeholders across the globe.

An award-winning marketing executive, LaForce has more than 20 years of C-suite experience at technology, professional services, cleantech and AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) sector leaders. She is the former chief marketing officer of semiconductor provider AMD, Dell Services, energy advisory firm ICF, and global standards nonprofit NSF International.

Most recently, LaForce served as the interim marketing chief for clean fuels pioneer Infinium and satellite software provider Antaris. She currently serves as an independent board director at AEC firms Ulteig Engineers, FGM Architects, and Argus Consulting. She has been named one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology, a Top 50 CMO to Watch and was twice voted CMO Leader of the Year by peers.

Meanwhile, as SVP of product management, Nancy Y. Nee will lead USGBC’s organizational transformation into a product-centric model, ensuring that leadership products, including LEED, PERFORM, TRUE and SITES, will continue to be at the forefront of global green building standards.

With a doctorate in designing sustainable systems from Case Western Reserve University, Nee has more than 20 years of experience driving customer-centric and sustainable solutions across various industries, including consulting services, education/training, financial services, healthcare, insurance, and technology.

She has held senior executive leadership roles in product, technology, and executive operations, including as chief transformation and strategy officer and chief product and digital innovation officer for Treasury Services at The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. She currently serves as an advisory board member at Verity, a Gevo, Inc. company.

“The new additions to USGBC’s senior leadership team come as the organization announces the first projects to achieve certification under LEED v5, the world’s most comprehensive green building standard, emphasizing decarbonization, quality of life, and ecological conservation and restoration,” the release added. “LaForce and Nee will discuss the requirements and opportunities of LEED v5 at the 2025 Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, November 4-7, in Los Angeles.”