We’re Thrilled to Welcome Our Newly Expanded Board & Advisory Council!
The mission of Passive House for Everyone is to empower young people with the knowledge, skills, and inspiration to create climate-resilient environments that ensure a thriving, livable world for generations to come. We are excited to introduce our Board of Directors and Advisory Council, whose leadership and vision will help bring this mission to life.
BOARD MEMBERS
In Cho
Co-Founder, Chair, PHFE
Co-Founder, Principal, ChoShields Studio
In Cho is the co-founder of Passive House For Everyone and ChoShields Studio, a registered architect in NY, NJ, and CT, and an internationally Certified Passive House Designer. A recognized leader in sustainable architecture and education, she also serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor and Sustainability Coordinator for Undergraduate Architecture at Pratt Institute.
With a multi-disciplinary focus spanning low-carbon architectural design, environmental education, and policy advocacy, Cho champions sustainability initiatives, reaching diverse audiences from industry professionals to youth. Her impact extends both locally and globally, advising as an industry expert on the NYC Energy Conservation Code, training AEC industry professionals on Passive House principles, and lecturing locally and internationally on her Passive House projects and transformative educational initiatives.
Driven by the profound benefits of energy-efficient, healthy, and comfortable buildings for people and the environment, Cho co-founded Passive House for Everyone (PHFE) to empower all through youth-centered education and supportive networks, helping everyone thrive in a rapidly changing environment.
Timothy Shields
Co-Founder, Secretary & Treasurer, PHFE
Co-Founder, Principal, ChoShields Studio
Timothy Shields is a Renaissance professional with over 40 years of experience in construction and architecture. He combines technical expertise in mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and structural systems with artistry, natural history, and poetry to create buildings that are both functional and inspired. Educated in engineering at Cooper Union and holding a Fine Arts degree from Hunter College, Timothy built a reputation for excellence in high-end residential and commercial renovations in New York City. He brings creativity and technical precision to every architectural project, and extends his expertise serving as an owner’s representative, overseeing work from large-scale land developments to deep-energy affordable multi-family building retrofits.
Through his vast experience, inventiveness, and compassion, Timothy has cultivated a gift as an educator that continues to help others, both in architecture and in all facets of life. He guest lectures for STEM programs and architecture schools, teaches ESL to immigrant students, and supports incarcerated youth with GED skills. At PHFE, Timothy contributes across the organization, including training vocational students in green construction, preparing the next generation of builders while fostering creativity, skill, and confidence in every young person.
Jose R. Berlingeri
CEO/President, Sto Corp.
Jose R. Berlingeri is the Chief Executive Officer and President of Sto Americas, a position he has held since January 2020. Under his leadership, Sto has strengthened its position as an innovative world leader in full system facades, prefabrication, air barriers, coatings, and restoration solutions across North and South America.
Berlingeri joined Sto Corp. in 2010 as General Manager for Latin America, a newly created role designed to expand the company’s footprint in the region. Over the next decade, he successfully established Sto’s presence in multiple markets, fostering growth through strategic partnerships, market development, and team leadership. His track record of building businesses from the ground up and his deep understanding of Sto’s culture, products, and people led to his appointment as President and CEO.
In addition to leading Sto Americas, Berlingeri serves as President of the EIFS Industry Members Association (EIMA), where he advocates for the advancement and awareness of high-performance exterior insulation and finish systems.
With more than two decades of industry experience, Berlingeri is committed to driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and shaping a more sustainable future for the built environment.
Rebecca Fitzgerald
Senior Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships, Pratt Institute Office of Research and Strategic Partnerships
Rebecca Fitzgerald is the Associate Director for Strategic Partnerships in the Office of Research & Strategic Partnerships at Pratt Institute. In this role, she cultivates external partnerships across industry, government, academic, and non-profit sectors, and supports faculty in developing applied and interdisciplinary research and partnered programs. Her background is in architecture and community planning, and her work has focused on building and portfolio decarbonization, affordable housing, and participatory planning. She has worked in the public and private sectors developing and implementing sustainability and resilience standards for buildings, infrastructure, and open spaces.
She is an Advisor for Earth Matter NY and a member of the AIA NY Housing Committee and the Global Housing Research Working Group.
Richard Orr
Director, Kizuna Global
Richard Orr is an experienced strategic leader in asset management, regeneration, and sustainable housing with an emphasis on community wealth building With over two decades of senior-level experience, he has delivered award winning investment programmes and overseen complex regeneration projects from concept to completion. Richard’s career spans leadership roles in affordable housing, property and asset management, and strategic consultancy, where he has championed net-zero strategies, heat network expansion, and innovative funding models for community benefit.
A collaborative and values-driven leader, he brings a track record of aligning strategic vision with operational delivery to achieve long-term social, environmental, and financial impact.
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Nancy Kleppel
Principal, Nancy Kleppel Consulting
Nancy Kleppel is an independent consultant providing tactical and strategic marketing and business development services to architects, engineers, and a diverse group of A/E/C industry professionals. She persuasively articulates the objective value her clients provide to their own clientele. She understands the particular challenges that A/E/C industry firms face in building a design identity and gaining recognition in a highly competitive environment. She brings a clarity and focus to that effort, providing firm strategy and management advice, client and project development, branding, communications and outreach for design and construction professionals. In tandem with her consulting practice, she is a co-founder of Live Give Play, (L|G|P) a real estate development entity developing purpose-built rental real estate communities embracing passive house design principles in walkable downtown locations.
She is also a co-founder of the Brick & Wonder Collective and a co-founder of Mentorship for Women in Architecture, a seminar series and network for women entering the profession, providing support and establishing relationships among all participants with the goal of ensuring young women in architecture stay the course to thrive in this historically male dominated profession. Nancy is a native New Yorker and holds a BA from Brown University and a M. Arch from Harvard University.She has lectured at The Pratt Institute, Columbia University and the Cooper Union for The Advancement of Science and Art.
Tomas O’Leary
Managing Director, Mosart
Tomas O’Leary is the Managing Director at Mosart. His day to day professional activities are diverse, including Landscape Design, Landscape Character Assessment, Landscape Impact Assessment and, since 2002, Passive House Design, specification and construction. Tomás and his family live in Ireland’s very first Passive House, which he built in 2005. He has co-drafted several national Best Practice Guidelines including those on Landscape Assessment, Wind Farm Planning and Passive House Design. He regularly presents papers at national and international conferences and is also involved in training corporate bodies and local authorities on sustainable building.
Gillian Beckford
Architectural Drafting Teacher, Boys and Girls High School
Gillian Beckford has been the Architectural Drafting teacher at Boys and Girls High School for the past ten years, inspiring students to explore the power of design and construction. For the past five years, she has also integrated Passive House principles into her lessons, equipping students with knowledge of sustainable building practices and the future of high-performance design.
Her passion for architecture began in high school, where she was drawn to creating order out of chaos and experiencing the beauty of thoughtfully planned spaces. After starting a family, she discovered education to be her calling. In 2025, she was a recipient of the Outstanding Career and Technical Educator Award at the UFT Annual Career and Technical Awards Ceremony.
Outside the classroom, she enjoys gardening and finding creative ways to reuse and repurpose everyday items, reflecting her belief in sustainability and resourcefulness.
Todd Kimmel
US Senior Manager – Sustainable Solutions, Rockwool
Todd Kimmel is the US Senior Manager of Sustainable Solutions for ROCKWOOL North America and Co-Founder & Chairperson of the Rainscreen Association in North America (RAiNA). Todd has over 20 years of leadership experience working on building enclosures and façade systems. This includes the construction management and oversight of large-scale commercial building enclosures, working as the product and technical manager at Trespa North America, steering strategic business development as the NYC Architectural Manager for ROCKWOOL and serving as a technical consultant for Dorken Systems.
He was part of the working group to develop the AAMA 509 testing standard for drained and back ventilated rainscreen. He is a Construction Documents Technician (CDT), a Certified Passive House Designer (CPHD - Passive House Institute) and currently sits on the board of directors for New York Passive House (NYPH). He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University and a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from New York University with a focus on sustainability in the built environment.
Aaron McCormack
Director of Technical Development,
475 High Performance Building Supply
Aaron McCormack has been with 475 High Performance Building Supply since 2017 after working their our European partners, Ecological Building Systems in Ireland for 4 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architectural Design and Technology from Cardiff Metropolitan University. Aaron is a Certified Passive House Consultant and is trained in WUFI hygrothermal modeling. He manages their team of Product Consultants and engages in product development and testing. He stays connected to his homeland by watching Ireland play Rugby, Gaelic Football, and Hurling.
Rebecca Graziano
President, RZG Editorial Solutions
Rebecca Graziano has focused her career in the field of education. After teaching in public schools for five years, she transitioned to educational publishing, where she developed programs for students in grades K–12. Focused primarily on English Language Arts and Social Studies, Graziano was a Vice President of Product Development at Pearson. In 2020, she founded RZG Editorial Solutions, supporting multiple clients as they build educational products for schools. Graziano also holds a Certified Senior Advisor designation as a specialist in aging. Graziano earned a BA in American Studies from Wesleyan University and a Master's in English from Hofstra University.
Cliff Braverman
Video Producer
Cliff Braverman brings four decades of experience in producing, directing, writing and editing video at television stations, film companies, and government agencies. During his 18 years at the U.S. National Science Foundation, he was responsible for production of hundreds of videos designed to bring the excitement of science to young people at home and in the classroom and to increase science literacy among the general public. At NSF he also co-produced a radio feature on new scientific discoveries, aired weekly across the country.
Shanyn Fiske
Associate Professor of English and Communications, Rutgers University
Shanyn Fiske is an Associate Professor of English and Communication and Director of the graduate program in English and Media Studies at Rutgers University (Camden), where she has been teaching for 22 years. She is also a photographer and documentary filmmaker with studios in Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia, PA.