Alyson Laura is an all-around Sustainability Maven, who seeks to evolve human success and planetary delight. She is currently the Director of Education for GBES. Her responsibilities include ensuring the highest quality product in their study materials, developing new on-demand webinar content, and staying updated on the latest green building trends and certifications. "Think bigger. Don't just get stuck at what other people are doing or what seems to work, challenge yourself to really push that envelope and dream big." - Alyson Laura She was also a Sustainability Consultant for SIG prior to joining GBES. And, she taught in-person exam prep classes all over the United States. Coming from an architectural background, she became captivated by the triple bottom line of the green building movement. She worked as a LEED Reviewer for one of USGBC's veteran review firms, has reviewed hundreds of LEED certification applications, and has worked on dozens of successful LEED Consulting projects. Influence in Sustainability Alyson grew up in Florida, which gave her an advantage in sustainability. The place valued recycling, composting, and rain water catching. There was a lot of support. They were so close to sea level, and so placed a high priority on conserving their environment. Her father was also a civil engineer who worked on conserving the Everglades. Into the Green Building Movement With the rise of technology in the early 2000s, she initially applied to Georgia Tech as a Computer Science major. But she changed her major into Architecture. During which, she was able to spend her entire senior year abroad in Paris, France. "A big part of my education was being on a bicycle in the major city of Paris, seeing recycling bins on the public sidewalks -- just really living and breathing what it means to be in a connected society." - Alyson Laura When she returned home in Atlanta, she challenged herself to live car-free and take advantage of the transits and bicycles. Specializing in LEED It was not easy for Alyson to break into the field of sustainability. There wasn't always a clear path for her to get to where she wanted. She first heard about LEED while working at an architectural firm. "These are the buildings I wanted to be a part of. This is what I want to attach my name to." - Alyson Laura It was the perfect marriage for her and her career. It allowed her to utilize her architectural education and background and to drive towards those that mattered most to her. Her first role in the industry was that of a LEED reviewer. To hear about Alyson Laura and her contributions in making the world a better place with the green building movement, download and listen to the episode! Connect with Alyson Laura: Green Building Education Services Enlightenment Now Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES: Charlie on LinkedIn Green Building Educational Services GBES on Twitter Connect on LinkedIn Like on Facebook Google+ GBES Pinterest Pins GBES on Instagram Don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes if you truly enjoyed the show. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Green Building Matters Podcast!