Michelle Foster

Michelle Foster has over 30 years of work experience in various roles related to sustainability, green building, and urban planning. Michelle most recently worked as the Vice President of Sustainability at Home Innovation Research Labs since July 2019. Prior to that, they held positions such as Vice-President of Innovation Services and Director of Green Building Programs at the same company. In these roles, they managed the Research Center's Green Building Program and worked with builders and product manufacturers to promote green building and certification.

Before joining Home Innovation Research Labs, Michelle was a Founding Board Member at GreenSPACE, a learning center and meeting place for green building professionals. Michelle also served as a Board Member and Executive Committee member at GreenHOME, an organization focused on making affordable housing and neighborhoods green.

Earlier in their career, Michelle worked as a Planner at the National Capital Planning Commission, where they analyzed urban issues, formulated policy, and managed projects related to Washington D.C.'s park system. Michelle also served as a Senior Product Developer at Fannie Mae, where they developed loan products and promoted initiatives related to energy efficiency and location efficiency in housing.

Michelle's early work experience includes roles at the National Association of Home Builders, where they represented the home building industry on policy issues related to endangered species, air quality, and waste management. Michelle also worked at the NYC Department of City Planning as the Director of Intergovernmental Relations and as an Assistant to the Executive Director at the NYC Urban Fellow program.

Overall, Michelle Foster has a diverse background in sustainability, green building, and urban planning, with extensive experience in managing programs, promoting initiatives, and representing industry interests.

Michelle Foster attended Sewanhaka High School from 1979 to 1982, where they earned their high school diploma. Michelle then went on to study at Syracuse University from 1982 to 1984, focusing on geography but did not obtain a degree. Following this, from 1984 to 1986, they attended the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where they earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies and Planning. Lastly, they pursued a Master of Science degree in Urban Planning/Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia from 1992 to 1996.