ASHRAE announces 2026-27 President, Officers and Directors

ATLANTA, Georgia, United States, 29 June 2026: ASHRAE said it has installed its 2026-27 Society President, along with newly elected officers and directors, during its 2026 Annual Conference, which took place from June 27 to July 1 in Austin, Texas.

Making the announcement through a June 29 Press Release, ASHRAE said Sarah E Maston, LEED AP, will serve as the 2026-27 Society President. ASHRAE added that in her inaugural presidential address, Maston introduced the theme for the 2026-27 Society Year: ‘Changing the Game: Retrofitting for Resilience’. ASHRAE said the theme focuses on how the building industry can work together to develop a game plan to improve the efficiency, performance and resilience of existing buildings in the face of growing climate and infrastructure challenges.

Maston said: “ASHRAE has been providing leadership and guidance in energy efficiency, Indoor Air Quality and carbon emissions reduction. So, where do we go from here? This year, ASHRAE will focus on three key areas: Increase awareness of the importance of building codes and their role in resilience, the importance of cross-functional teams and creating a game plan to improve building operations and gamification of education, so we can continue to attract the brightest minds to tackle the dilemmas we face. There is no one-size-fits-all solution or game plan for retrofitting buildings. Every building has its own constraints. That’s why teamwork is absolutely essential.”

ASHRAE said Maston is the Geographic Discipline Leader for Commissioning and Energy Services in New England for Colliers Project Leader.

ASHRAE said elected officers who will serve one-year terms are as follows. Ashish Rakheja, Fellow ASHRAE, will serve as President-Elect; Rakheja is Director and Chief Operating Officer at AEON, Uttar Pradesh, India. Wade H Conlan, Fellow ASHRAE, LEED AP, will serve as Treasurer; Conlan is Assistant Vice President and Commissioning and Energy Discipline Manager at Hanson Professional Services, Maitland, Florida, in the United States.

ASHRAE introduced its newest Vice Presidents, who will serve two-year terms covering Society Years 2026-2027 and 2027-2028. Mahroo Eftekhari, Fellow ASHRAE, FCIBSE, is a Professor of Building Services Engineering at Loughborough University, Loughborough, England. Blake E Ellis, Fellow ASHRAE, LEED AP, is Principal at Burns and McDonnell, Overland Park, Kansas, in the Unites States.

ASHRAE also introduced its newest Directors and Regional Chairs, who will serve three-year terms from 2026-2029. Caroline Kelty, LEED AP, Region VII Director and Regional Chair, is a Project Manager and Mechanical Engineer at CMTA, Lexington, Kentucky, in the United States. Keith Reihl, Region VIII Director and Regional Chair, is Principal Engineer at Southland, Houston, Texas, in the United States. Daniel C Russell, Region IX Director and Regional Chair, is an Application Engineer at Norbryhn Equipment Co., Nampa, Idaho, in the United States. Colin E Laisure-Pool, Region X Director and Regional Chair, is an Account Executive at MPSW, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona. Eduardo Maldonado, Life Member ASHRAE, Region XIV Director and Regional Chair, is a Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.

ASHRAE also introduced its newest Directors-at-Large. Martin Dieryckx is General Manager, Environment Research Center at Daikin Europe EV, Oostende, Belgium. Krishnan Gowri, Fellow Life Member ASHRAE, LEED AP, is a Senior Engineering Fellow at Energy Solutions, Bothell, Washington, in the United States. Filza H Walters, Fellow ASHRAE, FESD, is Senior Associate and Director of Mechanical Engineering at Albert Kahn Associates, Westland, Michigan, in the United States.