Diamond Level

Platinum & Lanyard Sponsor

 

Kinga Porst Hydras, MSc, MBA, CEM, ASHRAE Fellow

Kinga currently serves as the Director of Federal Programs at NORESCO, where she leads multi-million-dollar energy resilience projects for federal agencies and national utilities. With 30 years of hands-on experience across both the public and commercial building sectors she has built a career centered on real-world results and meaningful innovation. Before joining NORESCO, Kinga spent 15 years in federal service, most notably as the Deputy Director of the GSA Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings. She has become a trusted go-to authority on smart building technologies, grid integration, and performance contracting, known for turning complex government mandates into successful, high-value infrastructure. Her impact on the ASHRAE community runs deep. In 2010, she made history as the first woman elected President of the National Capital Chapter of ASHRAE. Her dedication to sustainable engineering has earned her the prestigious title of ASHRAE Fellow, alongside the DOE FEMP Federal Energy and Water Management Director's Award. Academically, Kinga holds a Master’s in Engineering from the Technical University of Budapest and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University. She is also a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and a LEED-AP.

Alice Yates

Alice Yates is ASHRAE’s Managing Director of Government Affairs, where she leads the government affairs staff team in Washington, DC and advances ASHRAE’s engagement with policymakers at the federal, state, local, and international levels. She works at the intersection of engineering, public policy, and advocacy, bringing technical expertise to policymakers and building partnerships to advance issues affecting the built environment, sustainability, the health and comfort of building occupants, and building performance. Alice has more than 25 years of experience spanning Capitol Hill, federal and state government, economic development, and private consulting. Before joining ASHRAE, she held senior positions at the U.S. General Services Administration including as the Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy. Previously, she spent 10 years as a senior legislative advisor in the U.S. Senate. She also worked in economic development at MassDevelopment and as a consultant analyzing the economic impacts of environmental regulations, sustainable development, and land-use planning. Alice holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an M.S. in Technology and Policy, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Shanna Kabatznic

Empowering Women Executives & Sales Leaders | Keynote Speaker & Leadership Consultant

Shanna Kabatznick is a bilingual (English and Spanish) keynote speaker and leadership consultant. Her unique blend of skills and experiences allows her to specialize in empowering women executives and sales leaders to overcome gender bias, balance assertiveness with likability, and navigate cross-cultural dynamics. With her tailored leadership development programs and cross-cultural communication training, Shanna equips women in sales leadership with the tools they need to overcome unconscious bias and achieve exceptional sales performance.

Shanna draws from her own experiences and expertise and helps organizations build inclusive, high-performing teams by fostering strategic connections and enhancing relational sales skills. Her dynamic presentations provide practical, actionable strategies that result in increased confidence, stronger client relationships, and improved sales outcomes, empowering her audience with tangible tools for success.

Shanna’s ability to create impactful, engaging experiences has made her a favorite among organizations seeking to unlock the potential of their female leaders. Whether through her keynote presentations, workshops, or networking events, she inspires women to step into their power, lead with confidence, and drive lasting business success.

Kathy Miller, MAPP, MBA, ACC

Kathy Miller is a senior operations executive, leadership advisor, keynote speaker, and author who has spent her career leading in complex, traditionally male-dominated industries. She has led more than $3 billion in manufacturing operations and held global leadership roles with General Motors, Parker Hannifin, Rolls-Royce, and Vertiv, building cultures that deliver stronger business results. 

A Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductee and two-time Shingo Award recipient, Kathy is the founder and CEO of MORE 4 Leaders, an executive advisory and leadership development company. She brings together decades of real-world leadership experience and the science of human flourishing to show leaders how meaning, optimism, and strong relationships create environments where both people and performance can thrive.

Kathy is the author of MORE Is Better: Leading Operations with Meaning, Optimism, and Relationships for Excellence and co-author of Steel Toes and Stilettos: A True Story of Women Manufacturing Leaders and Lean Transformation Success. 

Sara Safari, Ph.D.

Climb Your Everest, Lead Your Team to Their Mountain Top Experience

Avalanche Survivor, Empowerment Activist, Author "Follow My Footsteps"

Dr. Sara Safari knows how to inspire teams, overcome obstacles, and create peak performance. After growing up as a woman in Iran, she moved to the United States at the age of 20. She spent the next 20 years not only getting her education in electrical engineering and her PhD in leadership, but becoming the first Iranian woman to Summit all seven peaks, including Mount Everest. Her initial Everest climb is featured in the Netflix documentary, “Aftershock” where in 2015 she hung on a vertical ladder as an 8.4 earthquake shook the mountain. Seven years later in 2022, she returned to face the mountain again, but this time with clarity on her purpose. Candidly sharing her fears, her failures, and her harrowing journey, Sara is a sought after speaker for teams and companies looking to create a new level of performance and an inspired workforce.

Jane Sidebottom

Executive Presence Without Pretending: Find Your Voice in Any Room

President/Founder of AMK, LLC

Jane Sidebottom is the President/Founder of Applied Marketing Knowledge, LLC, (AMK, LLC) a marketing and management consulting company that works with manufacturers, distributors, and service companies to grow their businesses. Jane founded AMK in 2007 to fill a gap for market growth expertise in the industry and has worked with more than 50 companies to grow their revenue in the commercial, residential, and industrial categories. She was recognized as 20 Women to Watch in 2020 by Engineered Systems. Jane began her career in the consulting engineering industry and held positions of leadership in Trane and Carrier before starting AMK. She served on the Board of Director for Friedrich Air Conditioning from 2017 to 2021.

Jane has a B.A. in International Affairs from the University of Maryland, has completed graduate work in International Law and Business and the Leadership Development Program at the Center for Creative Leadership. She has traveled extensively, speaks Spanish, French and Arabic, and has lived and worked in many countries around the world.

Click to Submit

Inclusion. Leadership. Action.

ASHRAE invites professionals, researchers, educators, consultants, manufacturers, building owners, and industry leaders to submit presentation proposals for the 2027 Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium.

This symposium brings together women and allies from across the built environment to explore emerging technologies, share practical insights, and develop leadership strategies that drive meaningful change. The Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium Steering Committee is seeking presenters whose expertise aligns with ASHRAE President Sarah Maston's 2026-27 Society Theme, "Changing the Game: Retrofitting for Resilience."

The symposium is currently seeking presentations in the following areas:

Building Commissioning

Presentations should showcase innovative commissioning practices, retrofit and recommissioning projects, resilience-focused building improvements, energy efficiency strategies, and real-world applications that enhance the performance of existing buildings. Sessions highlighting collaboration among owners, operators, engineers, manufacturers, code officials, and commissioning providers are especially encouraged.

Young Engineers in ASHRAE (YEA) Session

Mind the Gap: Navigating Generations, Tough Talks, and Boundaries

The symposium is seeking four women professionals to participate in this interactive YEA session. Selected speakers will deliver a 10-minute presentation followed by participation in a 20-minute panel discussion. Topics may include working effectively across generations, navigating difficult conversations with supervisors, coworkers, subordinates, and clients, and establishing healthy professional boundaries.

Open Topic: Inspiring Leadership and Innovation

Do you have a topic you are passionate about that would resonate with women and allies in the built environment? The symposium welcomes proposals outside the Building Commissioning and YEA sessions that support professional growth, leadership development, technical innovation, career advancement, mentorship, diversity and inclusion, workforce development, or other emerging issues affecting the industry.

We encourage fresh perspectives, personal experiences, lessons learned, and innovative ideas that inspire attendees and contribute to a more resilient, inclusive, and forward-thinking built environment.

Submission Requirements

The following materials are required for both the Building Commissioning and YEA presentation opportunities:

• A 500-word abstract describing the proposed presentation
• A current CV or résumé
• A brief speaker biography

Important Dates

• Submission Deadline: October 23, 2026
• Acceptance Notifications: November 13, 2026

Click to Submit

ASHRAE is pleased to offer a $500 grant to attend the 2027 Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor, April 12-13, 2027. The $500 includes Student Registration ($200) and up to ($300) in travel reimbursement

Recipients must be:

• a full-time undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in an accredited college or university during the Spring 2027 term.

What’s Covered

• Conference registration, and $300 to help offset travel costs.

How to Apply

• Fill out our APPLICATION FORM HERE
• You will be asked to provide:
• ASHRAE membership number (membership is not required but provide if you have one)
• A letter describing your background and motivation for attending the conference (up to one page)
• CV or Resume

Earlier application submissions will receive priority.

What Happens if You Receive an Award?

Successful applicants will be notified by December 19, 2025.  Awardees will be expected to attend the full conference.

Timing

• November 11, 2026 – Applications due by 11:59 pm ET
• December 2, 2026 – Awards announced
• April 12-13, 2027 – Conference Dates

Questions

Direct questions to: Ragan McHan (rmchan@ashrae.org)  

The conference organizers are pleased to offer several sponsorship opportunities to engage industry participation. All sponsors will have their company logo on the conference web site and recognition during the conference. A summary of the specific benefits of each sponsorship level is included. If you have questions or are interesting in being a sponsor, please contact Staci Loeffler, sloeffler@ashrae.org

Sponsorship Prospectus

The conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor located at 300 Light St, Baltimore, MD 21202.

ASHRAE has a block of rooms available at the negotiated group rate of $219 + tax per night.