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2027 Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium

Baltimore, MD | April 12-13, 2027

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2027 Women in ASHRAE
Leadership Symposium 

Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor | Baltimore, MD

April 12-13, 2027

 

At the Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium, we are building more than connections, we are shaping the future of the built environment through Inclusion, Leadership, and Action.

Join a dynamic community of women across the HVACR industry as we come together to advance inclusive practices, strengthen leadership skills, and turn ideas into meaningful impact. From emerging professionals to industry leaders, this symposium empowers every attendee to lead with purpose and drive change where it matters most.

Inclusion, Leadership, Action!

Countdown to 2027 WIA Leadership Symposium

Become a Member

  • Thank You To Our Sponsors

    Diamond Level

    Platinum & Lanyard Sponsor

  • Keynotes

     

    Description of image

    Kinga Porst Hydras, MSc, MBA, CEM, ASHRAE Fellow

    Kinga currently serves as the Director of Federal Programs at NORESCO, where she leads multi-million-dollar energy resilience projects for federal agencies and national utilities. With 30 years of hands-on experience across both the public and commercial building sectors she has built a career centered on real-world results and meaningful innovation. Before joining NORESCO, Kinga spent 15 years in federal service, most notably as the Deputy Director of the GSA Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings. She has become a trusted go-to authority on smart building technologies, grid integration, and performance contracting, known for turning complex government mandates into successful, high-value infrastructure. Her impact on the ASHRAE community runs deep. In 2010, she made history as the first woman elected President of the National Capital Chapter of ASHRAE. Her dedication to sustainable engineering has earned her the prestigious title of ASHRAE Fellow, alongside the DOE FEMP Federal Energy and Water Management Director's Award. Academically, Kinga holds a Master’s in Engineering from the Technical University of Budapest and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University. She is also a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and a LEED-AP.

    Shanna Kabatznic

    Empowering Women Executives & Sales Leaders | Keynote Speaker & Leadership Consultant

    Shanna Kabatznick is a bilingual (English and Spanish) keynote speaker and leadership consultant. Her unique blend of skills and experiences allows her to specialize in empowering women executives and sales leaders to overcome gender bias, balance assertiveness with likability, and navigate cross-cultural dynamics. With her tailored leadership development programs and cross-cultural communication training, Shanna equips women in sales leadership with the tools they need to overcome unconscious bias and achieve exceptional sales performance.

    Shanna draws from her own experiences and expertise and helps organizations build inclusive, high-performing teams by fostering strategic connections and enhancing relational sales skills. Her dynamic presentations provide practical, actionable strategies that result in increased confidence, stronger client relationships, and improved sales outcomes, empowering her audience with tangible tools for success.

    Shanna’s ability to create impactful, engaging experiences has made her a favorite among organizations seeking to unlock the potential of their female leaders. Whether through her keynote presentations, workshops, or networking events, she inspires women to step into their power, lead with confidence, and drive lasting business success.

    Kathy Miller, MAPP, MBA, ACC

    Kathy Miller is a senior operations executive, leadership advisor, keynote speaker, and author who has spent her career leading in complex, traditionally male-dominated industries. She has led more than $3 billion in manufacturing operations and held global leadership roles with General Motors, Parker Hannifin, Rolls-Royce, and Vertiv, building cultures that deliver stronger business results. 

    A Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductee and two-time Shingo Award recipient, Kathy is the founder and CEO of MORE 4 Leaders, an executive advisory and leadership development company. She brings together decades of real-world leadership experience and the science of human flourishing to show leaders how meaning, optimism, and strong relationships create environments where both people and performance can thrive.

    Kathy is the author of MORE Is Better: Leading Operations with Meaning, Optimism, and Relationships for Excellence and co-author of Steel Toes and Stilettos: A True Story of Women Manufacturing Leaders and Lean Transformation Success. 

  • Workshops

    Sara Safari, Ph.D.

    Climb Your Everest, Lead Your Team to Their Mountain Top Experience

    Avalanche Survivor, Empowerment Activist, Author "Follow My Footsteps"

    Dr. Sara Safari knows how to inspire teams, overcome obstacles, and create peak performance. After growing up as a woman in Iran, she moved to the United States at the age of 20. She spent the next 20 years not only getting her education in electrical engineering and her PhD in leadership, but becoming the first Iranian woman to Summit all seven peaks, including Mount Everest. Her initial Everest climb is featured in the Netflix documentary, “Aftershock” where in 2015 she hung on a vertical ladder as an 8.4 earthquake shook the mountain. Seven years later in 2022, she returned to face the mountain again, but this time with clarity on her purpose. Candidly sharing her fears, her failures, and her harrowing journey, Sara is a sought after speaker for teams and companies looking to create a new level of performance and an inspired workforce.

    Jane Sidebottom

    Executive Presence Without Pretending: Find Your Voice in Any Room

    President/Founder of AMK, LLC

    Jane Sidebottom is the President/Founder of Applied Marketing Knowledge, LLC, (AMK, LLC) a marketing and management consulting company that works with manufacturers, distributors, and service companies to grow their businesses. Jane founded AMK in 2007 to fill a gap for market growth expertise in the industry and has worked with more than 50 companies to grow their revenue in the commercial, residential, and industrial categories. She was recognized as 20 Women to Watch in 2020 by Engineered Systems. Jane began her career in the consulting engineering industry and held positions of leadership in Trane and Carrier before starting AMK. She served on the Board of Director for Friedrich Air Conditioning from 2017 to 2021.

    Jane has a B.A. in International Affairs from the University of Maryland, has completed graduate work in International Law and Business and the Leadership Development Program at the Center for Creative Leadership. She has traveled extensively, speaks Spanish, French and Arabic, and has lived and worked in many countries around the world.

  • Sponsorship

    The conference organizers are pleased to offer several sponsorship opportunities to engage industry participation. All sponsors will have their company logo on the conference web site and recognition during the conference. A summary of the specific benefits of each sponsorship level is included. If you have questions or are interesting in being a sponsor, please contact Staci Loeffler, sloeffler@ashrae.org

    Sponsorship Prospectus

  • Hotel + Travel

    The conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor located at 300 Light St, Baltimore, MD 21202.

    ASHRAE has a block of rooms available at the negotiated group rate of $219 + tax per night.

  • Steering Committee
    Jennifer Leach, Co-Chair Jeanette Hay
    Tiffany Abruzzo, Co-Chair Jennifer Mott
    Meagan Garrett Dunstan Macauley
    Kim Pierson Heather Schopplein
    Hailey Brennan

    Haotian Liu, CEC Representative

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