By Allison Hambrick, ASHRAE Journal Associate Editor
LOS ANGELES—In April, women throughout the HVAC&R industry gathered for the 2026 Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium (WIALS) at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel, where they explored a combination of technical and soft skill sessions over the course of two days.
Following its sold-out debut in 2024, the 2026 conference brought together 280 attendees from various stages of their careers. Promoting the event on ASHRAE Journal Podcast, WIALS co-chair Nancy Kohout described it as “one of the most inclusive experiences I've had with ASHRAE.”
“Anyone who's interested in elevating and bolstering women's involvement in HVAC is invited,” Kohout said. “We love to have people who care about women's success in ASHRAE at this conference.” She continued that attending WIALS is “kind of an investment in yourself at any level of a career.”
Kicking off WIALS in style, the welcome reception, themed black and white party, allowed members to mingle before delving into the technical program. Day 1 opened with an address from ASHRAE President-Elect Sarah Maston. She discussed the need for “diversity of experience” in leadership and the industry as a whole.
Sarah Maston, P.E., ASHRAE President-Elect, addresses symposium attendees.
“This gathering represents something bigger than a single event,” Maston said. ”It reflects a shift in our industry. One that recognizes that leadership is strongest when it is diverse, inclusive and reflective of the world that we serve.” She added that while “ASHRAE has always been a technical society grounded in excellence,” the “real innovation” begins with people, especially those “willing to ask new questions, challenge old assumptions and bring different perspectives to the table.” Per Maston, “that's exactly what Women in ASHRAE is cultivating.” This initiative is “not just about creating spaces for women,” but “about creating momentum.”
“It's about ensuring that women are not only present in our industry, but are leading projects, influencing standards, driving research and shaping strategies at its highest level,” Maston concluded. “It's about building confidence. Opening doors and making sure that leadership pathways are visible and accessible.”
Following Maston, Dr. Gail Brager, Director of the Center for the Built Environment (CBE), discussed the parallels between the natural world, the built one and those shaping the future of both. “When you look at the animal kingdom, it turns out that some of the most intelligent social species like elephants are led by the oldest female,” Brager explained. “And they don't lead by dominance; they lead by memory and connection and caring for the greater good.”
Brager continued, “Women's leadership is often about lifting up others and creating space, not just for new ideas but for the voices of people who are often left out of the conversation.” She implored attendees to “be the advocates for [building] occupants, for the neurodiverse, for the future generations who inherit our buildings and inherit the Earth,” noting that “a better world is possible” and “it is being shaped right here in rooms like this.”
Brager’s sentiments were echoed by keynote speaker Amy Marks, Senior Vice President at Compass Datacenters, who discussed how unique perspectives catalyze innovation. “If you've ever noticed, in some of these more innovative places, there are a lot of women,” Marks noted. “And I think that our benefit that we don't really think about [is] that biologically, we're predisposed to be more creative and innovative… Why? Because I have to raise a 17-year-old and be a CEO at the exact same time.”
280 participants attended the 2026 Women In ASHRAE Leadership Symposium.
Keeping the momentum going, attendees had the choice of delving into their own professional development or industry hot topics through expert-led sessions. Several of the technically-focused seminars hit standing room only as participants explored artificial intelligence, decarbonization, ASHRAE codes and standards, and designing building systems for resilience. Simultaneously, WIALS offered insightful sessions on soft skills, including energy management, emotional intelligence, and finding balance between professionalism and authenticity.
Later that evening, attendees visited historic Dodger Stadium to see the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the New York Mets. Fittingly, the WIALS outing coincides with a Dodgers tradition: Hello Kitty Night. The home team won 4-0, as ASHRAE members shared in the camaraderie of America’s pastime.
Day 2 of WIALS brought a unique opportunity for participants to share their perspectives. Led by members of the WIALS steering committee, four breakfast roundtables allowed attendees to select which professional development topic they wanted to engage with, including authenticity, work-life balance, confident leadership and the importance of connection.
Afterward, Dr. Sara Safari, an author and activist, gave a keynote speech sharing insights from her quest to become the first Iranian woman to climb all seven summits, including Mount Everest. Her first attempt to summit Everest ended in tragedy as an earthquake claimed 22 lives in 2015, but Safari took the fear and channeled it into purpose, conquering the mountain in 2022. In her speech, she stressed the importance of not “giving power” to your fears, but learning to love and grow from the challenges you face, professionally or otherwise.
The WIALS 2026 steering committee included Jennifer Leach (BR+A Consulting Engineers), Kellie Huff (Varitec Solutions), Nancy Kohout (SmithGroup), Jennifer Mott (California Polytechnic State University), Tiffany Abruzzo (Baltimore Aircoil Company) and Karine Leblanc (Daikin Applied Americas), among others.
Another highlight of the Day 2 program was a session spotlighting the contributions of Young Engineers in ASHRAE. Marya Thawer of Introba, Jill Warabrak BR+A Consulting Engineers and Mamta Chauhan of Jones Lang LaSalle Inc., each led their own lecture examining practical skills to succeed in a professional setting, including the importance of micro-negotiations, being your authentic self in a male-dominated industry and how to reframe rejection into opportunity. Their presentations epitomized the mission of WIALS, bringing together the women of ASHRAE and showcasing how they can shape the industry.
After an energizing event, WIALS ended on a high note as co-chair Karine Leblanc led a panel discussion titled “From Technical Expert to Strategic Leader: The Hidden Leap Women Don’t Talk About.” Maston, Alicia Chan of University of California San Diego, Megan Fellinger of Morrison Products and Angie Simon of Heavy Metal Summer Experience opened up about their career journeys from working on project teams to leading them. Their practical insights brought WIALS full circle, providing a powerful example of how hard work can grow into expert leadership.
ASHRAE will hold the next Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium on April 12-13, 2027, in Baltimore, Md. For information on this symposium or other ASHRAE conferences, visit https://www.ashrae.org/conferences/topical-conferences.