School representatives across the country have been chosen to develop plans to promote clean, healthy indoor air through an initiative designed to promote better air quality management for 2 million students.
The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Center for Green Schools has named 53 K-12 public school system leaders to take part in its 2026-27 School Air Quality Fellowship. These leaders represent 25 states and range across roles in facilities, environmental health and safety, business operations and sustainability.
“School district staff are managing increasingly complex air quality challenges, often with limited time, staffing and professional development resources,” said Anisa Heming, director of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. “This fellowship gives them practical tools and individualized support to build indoor air quality plans their districts can sustain over time. The reach of this cohort means that stronger practices can improve learning and working conditions for millions of students and staff.”
School districts have regularly faced indoor air quality (IAQ) challenges for years. Some schools see indoor levels of air pollutants being two, five and sometimes 100 times higher compared to outdoor levels, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Quality can be attributed to any number of factors, including aging infrastructure, airflow, ventilation, temperature, humidity, cleaning products and building maintenance, among others.
IAQ directly impacts student learning, with poor IAQ leading to short- and long-term health effects for students and faculty. The lack of adequate air quality control leaves students more vulnerable to infectious disease, lower carbon dioxide levels and exposure to pollutants. With up to half of all schools having some issues linked to IAQ, the USGBC’s fellowship will provide a platform for educational leaders to plan for better, cleaner air quality management.
Fellowship participants will utilize the School District Energy Efficient IAQ Management Plan Toolkit to develop plans that improve IAQ while remaining energy efficient and financially feasible. The toolkit contains sample plan language, case studies and an editable template that districts can adapt to their unique circumstances.
The USGBC will offer professional development for each participant, with various services including:
- Personalized training and technical assistance from IAQ and energy management specialists.
- Fully paid access to an eligible professional credential.
- Travel support to attend the 2027 Green Schools Conference and School Facilities Leadership Summit in Austin, Texas.
- Connecting fellows to build relationships and pool collective resources.
Most fellows come from districts located in underserved areas, targeting those that require federal assistance due to a disproportionately high number of children from low-income families. The program consists of 92 percent of leaders coming from Title 1-eligible school districts, with 11 percent of those from tribal-serving districts.
The need for proactive district planning has only been exacerbated by rising climate change and state regulations. Wildfire smoke, respiratory illnesses and new state IAQ requirements have signaled for districts to reevaluate the conditions of their school HVAC and supplementary air quality systems. By tailoring IAQ plans to the specific needs of each district, the USGBC intends to help fellows implement measures that positively impact student and staff health, reduce absenteeism and improve building operations.
Fellows are:
- Eric Adams – Estes Park School District R3, Estes Park, Colo.
- Tony Antoszewski – Detroit Public Schools Community District, Detroit
- Loretta Atkins – Alamance-Burlington School System, Burlington, N.C.
- Wendy Barhydt – School District Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach, Fla.
- Zach Bedford – Davis County CSD, Bloomfield, Iowa
- Noelle Bell Copley – Bend-La Pine Schools, Bend, Ore.
- Brian Berner – Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee, Wis.
- Karen Bireta – Evanston/Skokie School District 65, Evanston, Ill.
- Troy Boone – Berrien RESA, Berrien Springs, Mich.
- Matthew Brouillette – Grand Isle Supervisory Union, Sheldon, Vt.
- Brandee Brown – Atlanta Public Schools, Atlanta, Ga.
- Bryan Conrad – Prince William County Public Schools, Manassas, Va.
- Julie Mui – School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia
- Moe Nagpal – Ann Arbor Public Schools, Ann Arbor, Mich.
- Teresa Neff-Webster – North Clackamas School District, Milwaukie, Ore.
- Greg Page – Temecula Valley USD, Temecula, Calif.
- Jerry Page – NE Washington Educational Service District 101, Spokane, Wash.
- Heather Pattermann – Hawaii Department of Education, Waianae, Hawaii
- Daniel Pickering – North Country Supervisory Union, Newport, Vt.
- Randy Priest – Clarke County School District, Athens, Ga.
- Kate Puszykowski – Louisiana Department of Health/New Orleans Public Schools, New Orleans
- Dawson Rae – Chesterfield County Public Schools, Chesterfield, Va.
- Mae Reilly – Seattle Public Schools, Seattle
- Amy Robinette – North East Carolina Preparatory School, Tarboro, N.C.
- Lindsay Rogers – Vancouver Public Schools, Vancouver, Wash.
- Beau Roode – Gulf Shores City Schools, Gulf Shores, Ala.
- Nicole Saragueta – Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), Downey, Calif.
- Lace Senegal – Austin ISD, Austin, Texas
- Christopher Sullivan – Summerville Union High School, Tuolumne, Calif.
- Karina Takemoto – Palo Alto Unified School District, Palo Alto, Calif.
- James Tharp – Fulton County Schools, Atlanta
- Alison Ward – Boise School District, Boise, Idaho
- Andy Weiland – Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials, Oregon, Wis.
- Steffen Wiest – Neosho School District, Neosho, Mo.
- Cristina Windover – Loudoun County Public Schools, Ashburn, Va.
- Laura Wood – Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), Cary, N.C.
- Christopher Young – Oconee County Schools, Watkinsville, Ga.
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