The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) Board of Directors has announced the recipients of the 2026 Leadership in Energy Efficiency Awards.

These annual awards recognize professionals across Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington for their work advancing energy efficiency through strategic leadership, fresh approaches, effective collaboration, and long-term service. This year’s ceremony will be a hybrid event in Portland, Ore., on Friday, Dec. 4, from 9 to 11 a.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, strengthening energy efficiency efforts across the Northwest.

The 2026 Leadership in Energy Efficiency Award winners are:

• Leadership in Energy Efficiency Rising Star Award: Madeline O’Dwyer, Oregon Department of Energy
  As a Policy Analyst with the Oregon Department of Energy, Madeline has quickly become a trusted resource, partner and leader supporting implementation of Oregon’s Building Performance Standards, a key regional policy for improving energy performance in existing commercial buildings. To help city staff boost energy savings and performance, she created the Oregon Building Performance Standards Guide for Oregon Municipalities and supported the creation of 13 other guidance documents. Madeline’s commitment to good data governance and technical knowledge of building standards is matched by her communications skills and desire to help others succeed.
• Leadership in Energy Efficiency Award for Innovative Collaboration: Dual-Fuel Residential HVAC Demonstration Project (Matt Babbitts and Steve Andersen with Clark Public Utilities; Meg Waltner, Barend Dronkers, Rebecca Hovey and Andy Krall with Energy 350; Holly Braun and Kellye Dundon with NW Natural; and Aaron Winer, Noe Contreras and Deborah Sunada with NEEA)
  A groundbreaking partnership between natural gas and electric utilities, this project truly embodies both innovation and collaboration. The dual-fuel pilot project sought to address one of the Northwest’s most complex energy challenges: how to improve energy efficiency, support lower carbon emissions, maintain reliability, and manage growing winter peak demand. Together, the partners tested new technologies, evaluated customer experience, explored innovative control strategies, and identified new approaches for coordinated electric-gas utility planning.
• Tom Eckman Leadership in Energy Efficiency Lifetime Achievement Award: Eileen V. Quigley, Clean Energy Transition Institute
  Over the course of three decades, Eileen V. Quigley has lent her expertise in energy policy, strategic innovation and nonprofit management to make a lasting impact on the regional energy ecosystem. Along the way, she has mentored and inspired many young leaders in the industry. A pioneering expert in her field, Eileen is the founding executive director of the Clean Energy Transition Institute (CETI). She spearheaded the Net-Zero Northwest project, the nation’s first regional energy pathway analysis with associated health and workforce implications. Before founding CETI, Eileen worked at Climate Solutions, where she led work to identify low-carbon energy transition pathways in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

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:

• Todd Greenwell, Idaho Power
  In his 16 years as a senior engineer with Idaho Power, Todd has become one of the Northwest’s most respected advocates of efficient technologies, particularly in the advancement of heat pumps. Throughout his career, he has furthered alliance work by sharing his expertise and time to help advance regional workgroups and Market Transformation energy efficiency initiatives. Todd brings a unique combination of technical knowledge, market awareness, and strategic thinking that helps regional stakeholders understand both opportunities and challenges in achieving Market Transformation.

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

2026 Nominees:

Leadership in Energy Efficiency Rising Star Award:

1. Nikki Burton, Waypoint Energy
2. Mia Deonate, Energy Trust of Oregon
3. Maddie Hansen-Connell, Minnesota Center for Energy and Environment
4. Olga Jimenez, CLEAResult
5. Sophie Joinnides, Idaho Power
6. Karen Liu, Seattle City Light
7. Maddy Otto, Energy Trust of Oregon
8. Amy Randel, Energy Trust of Oregon
9. Amanda Wagnon, Springfield Utility Board

Leadership in Energy Efficiency Award for Innovative Collaboration:

1. Advanced Heat Pump Coalition: Jackie Albanese, TRC Companies; Matt Christie, TRC Companies; Parker Wall, TRC Companies; Lauren Eagan, Evergreen Energy Partners; Mike Hedlund, ESource; Dave Lis, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP); Justin Margolies, Slipstream; Rick Olson-Huddle, Resource Innovations; Ben Schoenbauer, Mvuala Suami, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan); Suzi Asmus, NEEA; Noe Contreras, NEEA; Christopher Dymond, NEEA; Stephen O’Guin, NEEA
2. Sam Baraso, Portland Clean Energy Fund
3. Heather Burpee, University of Washington’s Integrated Design Lab
4. City of Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) and Touchstone IQ (TIQ) Delivery Team: Nicole Ballinger, Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE); Zack Hart, Touchstone IQ (TIQ)
5. Empower Me Seattle: A partnership between Kambo Energy Group and Seattle City Light
6. Energy Program Team: Reed Lehto, Matthew Kristiansen, Riley Flores, Maggie Barton and Joseph Miscimarra at Pacific Energy Concepts, LLC
7. Energy Trust’s Future Ready Buildings Dream Team: Clark Brockman, Brockman Climate Strategies; Cory Fulton, CLEAResult; ML Vidas, CLEAResult; Shelly Carlton, Energy Trust of Oregon; Naomi Cole, Konstrukt; Alexi Miller, New Buildings Institute; Noah Gabriel, New Buildings Institute; Karina Hershberg, PAE Engineers; Forest Tanier-Gesner, PAE Engineers; Josh Cabot, SERA Architects; Lindsey Kahler, SERA Architects; Misti Nelmes, SERA Architects
8. EnergyWise Custodial Training Program: Kathleen Belkhayat, Energy Trust of Oregon; Beth Baxter, TRC Companies; Elly Bunzendahl, Franklin Energy; Lindsey Diercksen, LD Consulting; Caren Hahn, Portillo Consulting; Frances Portillo, Portillo Consulting; April Randall, ASK Energy Inc; Angel Swanson, Beira Consulting; Jessica Yu, LD Consulting
9. Leona Haley, Avista
10. Brad Hoover, DNV
11. Hot Water Innovation Prize: Larson Energy Research; Suzanne Foster Porter, Kannah Consulting; Brian Lum, C+C; Britt Cutsforth Dawkins, NEEA; Adam Gage, NEEA; Veronica Marzilli, NEEA; Emily Rosenbloom, NEEA; Carolyn VanWinkle, NEEA
12. Michael Ivanovich, Air Movement and Control Association International
13. Motor Coalition/Power Index Metric: National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA): Daniel Abbate, Alexa Burr, Matt Haynie, Zack Valdez
14. Eric Mullendore, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)
15. Jonathan Moscatello, Daikin Comfort Technologies
16. Northwest Heat Pump Symposium Leadership Team and Participants: Sam Beeson, LG; Lindsey Dorman, Carrier; Griselda Gonsalez, Chelan PUD; Jonathan Moscatello, Daikin; Irina Rasputin, Seattle City Light; Suzi Asmus, NEEA; Christopher Dymond, NEEA
17. Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) Energy and Mechanical Code Team: Anne Gire, Sustainability Policy Analyst; Mark Heizer, Mechanical and Energy Code Programs Chief; Kelly Thomas, Energy Policy Analyst
18. Seattle City Light’s Mult-Family Retrofit Program: Brian Muoneke, Seattle City Light; Walker Dodson, Seattle City Light; Lisa Espinosa, Seattle City Light
19. Umatilla Electric Cooperative’s Energy Efficiency Team: Jackie Caldera, Umatilla Electric Cooperative

Tom Eckman Leadership in Energy Efficiency Lifetime Achievement Award:

1. Beth Baxter, TRC Companies
2. Lisa Espinosa, Seattle City Light
3. Nancy Goddard, Pacific Power
4. Michael Hatten, Solarc Energy Group
5. Shelley Martin, Idaho Power