Ervin has led highly successful private-public partnerships to accelerate green technologies and markets for nearly 20 years.  As the US Green Building Council’s first CEO, she led its growth from a startup nonprofit organization into a powerful market force with 5,000 companies and organizations as members, 50 staff and 70 chapters.  During her tenure, the LEED® building rating program became the de facto national green building standard adopted throughout the US and several other countries.  She also led launch of the popular Greenbuild international conference and tradeshow which drew 29,000 attendees in 2009.   

Ervin served as US Assistant Secretary of Energy from 1993-1997, directing $1 billion in clean energy technologies in buildings, industry, transportation and utility sectors.  Among her initiatives were the EPA-DOE ENERGY STAR partnership; Million Solar Roofs; the nation’s first sustainable community resource center; streamlined appliance standards; and the High Performance Building Technology roadmap.  In addition, many of the Administration’s voluntary climate change programs were under her purview.  Previously, she directed the highly respected Oregon Department of Energy. 

Ervin consults, speaks and writes from her own Portland-based firm.  She serves on numerous public and private boards ranging from the American Council on Renewable Energy and Green Electronics Council to startup companies and venture capital firms.  She also serves as an Editor-at-Large for Greener World Media. Read Less ^