ASHRAE has installed its 2026–27 Society president, along with newly elected officers and directors, during its 2026 Annual Conference in Austin, Texas.
Sarah E. Maston, P.E., BCxP, LEED AP will serve as the 2026-27 Society president. In her inaugural presidential address, Maston introduced the theme for the 2026-27 Society Year, “Changing the Game: Retrofitting for Resilience.” The theme focuses on how the building industry can work together develop a winning “game plan” to improve the efficiency, performance and resilience of existing buildings in the face of growing climate and infrastructure challenges.
“ASHRAE has been providing leadership and guidance in energy efficiency, indoor air quality and carbon emissions reduction,” said Maston. “So, where do we go from here?
This year, ASHRAE will focus on three key areas:
- Increase awareness of the importance of building codes, and their role in resilience.
- The importance of cross-functional teams & creating a game plan to improve building operations, and
- Gamification of education, so we can continue to attract the brightest minds to tackle the dilemmas we face.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution or game plan for retrofitting buildings. Every building has its own constraints. That’s why teamwork is absolutely essential.”
Maston is the Geographic Discipline Leader for Commissioning & Energy Services in New England for Colliers Project Leader.
Elected officers who will serve one-year terms are as follows:
- President-Elect: Ashish Rakheja, B.E., M.Tech, Fellow ASHRAE is Director/Chief Operating Officer at AEON, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- Treasurer: Wade H. Conlan, P.E., BCxP, Fellow ASHRAE, CxA, LEED AP BD+C is Assistant Vice President/Commissioning & Energy Discipline Manager at Hanson Professional Services, Maitland, Fla.
ASHRAE introduced its newest Vice Presidents who will serve a term of 2 years (Society Years 2026–2027 and 2027–2028):
- Vice President: Mahroo Eftekhari, C.Eng. CDPhil, Fellow ASHRAE, FCIBSE, MInstR, SFHEA is aProfessor, Building Services Engineering at Loughborough University, Loughborough, England.
- Vice President: Blake E. Ellis, P.E., CDP, Fellow ASHRAE, MCIBSE, LEED AP is Principal at Burns & McDonnell, Overland Park, Kan.
ASHRAE introduced its newest Directors and Regional Chairs who will serve three-year terms from 2026–2029:
- Region VII Director and Regional Chair: Caroline Kelty, P.E., LEED AP is a Project Manager & Mechanical Engineer at CMTA, Lexington, Ky.
- Region VIII Director and Regional Chair: Keith Reihl, P.E., HBDP, CEM is Principal Engineer at Southland, Houston.
- Region IX Director and Regional Chair: Daniel C. Russell, P.E., HFDP is a Application Engineer, at Norbryhn Equipment Co., Nampa, Idaho.
- Region X Director and Regional Chair: Colin E. Laisure-Pool, P.E. is an Account Executive at MPSW, Inc., Phoenix.
- Region XIV Director and Regional Chair: Eduardo Maldonado, Life Member ASHRAE is aProfessor, Faculty of Engineering of The University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
ASHRAE also introduced its newest Directors-at-Large (DALs):
- Martin Dieryckx is General Manager, Environment Research Center at Daikin Europe EV, Oostende, Belgium.
- Krishnan Gowri, Ph.D., BEMP, Fellow Life Member ASHRAE, LEED AP a Senior Engineering Fellow at Energy Solutions, Bothell, Wash.
- Filza H. Walters, Fellow ASHRAE, FESD is Senior Associate, Director of Mechanical Engineering at Albert Kahn Associates, Inc., Westland, Mich.
