October 27, 2025 – Portland, Ore. – The Board of Directors of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) has announced the recipients of the 2025 Leadership in Energy Efficiency Awards.

The annual awards recognize professionals across the region for their contributions to advancing energy efficiency through strategic leadership, effective collaboration, and long-term service. This year’s ceremony will be hosted as a hybrid event in Portland, Ore. on Monday, December 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Pacific).

Winners were selected from peer nominations in three categories: Rising Star, Innovative Collaboration, and Lifetime Achievement. Each honoree has demonstrated measurable impact through their work, helping to strengthen energy efficiency efforts across the Northwest.

The 2025 Leadership in Energy Efficiency Award winners are:

• April Cannon, with ASK Energy, is being recognized with the Leadership in Energy Efficiency Rising Star Award. Cannon has quickly become a recognized leader in her field. She plays an active role in both regional and national efforts to support professional growth, serving as Chapter Secretary and Planning Committee Co-Chair for the Northwest Strategic Energy Management Collaborative, and as Co-Chair of the Women in Energy Committee at the Association of Energy Services Professionals. Her creativity, drive, and collaborative spirit are helping shape the future of the energy efficiency workforce.
• Holly Braun, with NW Natural is being recognized with the Leadership in Energy Efficiency Award for Innovative Collaboration. Braun co-founded and co-leads the Utility Networked Geothermal Collaborative (UNGC), which has grown from a small group of 10 utilities in 2022 to a network of more than 30 organizations across North America. She has built strong partnerships with leading geothermal organizations and created a space for utilities to share insights and practices. Braun’s ability to bring people together and guide meaningful conversations has made her a trusted convener and a driving force behind new approaches to regional collaboration that are advancing thermal infrastructure as well as natural gas and dual-fuel energy efficiency.
• Ken Robinette, with the South Central Community Action Partnership (SCCAP), is being recognized with the Tom Eckman Leadership in Energy Efficiency Award for Lifetime Achievement. For more than 45 years, Robinette has worked to improve homes and lives across Southern and Central Idaho through weatherization and energy efficiency programs. He has shared his knowledge widely, serving on boards and advisory groups to represent the needs of rural communities. Even after retiring in 2024, Ken continues to lead Home Energy Management, a subsidiary he helped launch to support SCCAP’s mission of helping residents with rent, utilities, food, and heating costs. His leadership and dedication have left a lasting mark both locally and nationally.

In addition to the three peer-nominated awards, the Chairperson’s Award is determined by NEEA’s Board Chair and Executive Director and recognizes individual dedication and commitment to advancing the alliance’s work. This year’s Chairperson’s Award recipient is:

• John Hairston, Administrator and CEO of Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). Since joining BPA in 1991, Hairston has held roles spanning energy efficiency, peak load management, and executive leadership, culminating in his appointment as Administrator and CEO in 2021. Throughout his career, he has championed BPA’s mission to deliver reliable, efficient, and economical power, supporting efforts to reduce energy waste and working closely with BPA’s customers and constituents. Hairston’s long-standing support of NEEA and his commitment to advancing energy conservation and transforming markets for the benefit of all consumers across the Northwest reflects a career grounded in practical solutions and public service. His leadership continues to influence how the region approaches energy planning, customer engagement, and long-term resource management.

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners, and to this year’s nominees for their incredible demonstration of leadership in energy efficiency.

2025 Nominees:

Leadership in Energy Efficiency Rising Star Award:

1. Lydia Bazikos, Bellevue 2030 District (formerly)
2. April Cannon, ASK Energy
3. Rebeca Enriquez, NW Natural
4. Kim Stevens, Puget Sound Energy
5. Joseph Wachunas, New Building Institute

Leadership in Energy Efficiency Award for Innovative Collaboration:

1. Holly Braun, NW Natural
2. Clean Buildings Accelerator Program: Katie Costley, Puget Sound Energy; Amy Fowler, City of Seattle’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment; Graham Goodman, Seattle City Light; Kelsey Lewis, Snohomish PUD
3. Cyrus Collins, Evergreen Consulting Group
4. Lindsey Diercksen, LD Consulting
5. Ecotope: Omer Ali, Jon Heller, Henry Odum and Scott Spielman
6. Empower Me: Hana Gregory, Francesca Hays, Ihsan Kassa, and Nasiya Odawa, Kambo Energy Group
7. Garden Park Apartment Project: Shelly Carlton, Energy Trust of Oregon; Adam Gage and Neil Grigsby, NEEA; Ben and Sam Larson, Larson Energy Research; Rick Hodges, Portland General Electric; Trisha Paul, Amarna Energy (Energy Trust Subcontractor); David West, Innovative Housing Inc.;
8. High-Performance, High-Capacity Heat Pump project: Jamie Anthony, Debra Bristow, Amy Burke, Mike Cohan, Nathan Kelly, Tony Koch, and Keshmira McVey, Bonneville Power Administration; John Bush and Regina Hong, OTS Energy; Matt Booth, Washington State University Energy Program; Bob Davis, Ecotope; Erin Connor, KEEL Energy; Christopher Dymond and Aaron James, NEEA; Ben Larson, Larson Energy Research;
9. Michael Ivanovich, AMCA
10. Jaguar Land Rover at Redfox Commons: Jim Brown, Instant Group; Nathan Clark, Fortis Construction; Samra Egger, Cummings Group; Beth Jamieson, Brightworks Sustainability; Anna Langley, Langley Investment; Kelsey Loverro and Amalia Mohr (project lead), LRS Architects; Paul Rathbone, Jaguar Land Rover
11. Perry Technical Institute: “Building Our Future” Scholarship Fundraising Campaign
12. Andrea Rydberg, Best Buy
13. Seattle City Light Midstream HVAC+ Open Q Proposal Team: Lynea Baudino and Tiffany Brundage, Seattle City Light; Lars Henrikson (formerly Seattle City Light)
14. Snohomish PUD Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) program: Jerusha Bond, Washington Energy Services; Joe Fairey, Harts Plumbing; Allison Grinczel (project lead), Snohomish PUD; Tom Hagar, Washington Water Heaters; Michael Hoag, Albert Lee; Garett Valenzuela, C+C; Mike Kirk, Fast Water Heat; David Richardson, Judd & Black
15. Prerna Tomar, Samsung Electronics America
16. The Eugene Mission Weatherization Project: Sheryl Balthrop and Rustin Roundy, The Eugene Mission; Esteban Montero Chacon and Marc Hashagen, Homes for Good; Steve Divan and Danielle Stafford, Oregon Housing and Community Services; Rebeca Enriquez and Tavia Henley-Storm, NW Natural; Bill Hough, Eugene Water & Electric Board;  
17. Tom Smith, Puget Sound Energy
18. University of Washington’s Center for Integrated Design: Heather Burpee, Chris Meek and Teresa Moroseos, University of Washington Integrated Design Lab
19. Washington State Capitol Campus Decarbonization Report: Justin Burwinkle, Lauren Donley, Veronica Guerrero, Scott McVey and Justin Pape, Millig Design Build; Jon Lyons, Roby Poche and Oliver Wu, Washington Department of Enterprise Services
20. Washington State Department of Commerce Clean Buildings Team: Dillon Ackerman, Annalyn Bergin, Luke Howard, Jeff Rasmussen, Emily Salzberg and Donny Westfall

Tom Eckman Leadership in Energy Efficiency Lifetime Achievement Award:

1. Rob Boteler, Electrical Apparatus Service Association, Inc. (EASA)
2. Bruce Manclark, Earth Advantage
3. Ken Robinette, South Central Community Action Partnership (SCCAP)
4. Dan Wildenhaus, Center for Energy and Environment

---

NEEA is an alliance of more than 140 utilities and energy efficiency organizations working on behalf of over 14.5 million energy consumers across the four Northwest states.

Since 1996, NEEA has taken a market-driven approach to energy efficiency that is grounded in data, collaboration, and rigorous evaluation. NEEA works to transform markets by filling information gaps and identifying and removing barriers so that the market can align around evolving electric and natural gas energy efficiency needs.

Media Contact:
Carolyn VanWinkle, NEEA