Presenters: Our international team of presenters is from Germany, Japan and India/Sri Lanka. Additional presenters are: Sayo Okada and Sangeetha Sambandam. Sayo Okada, AIA, CPHC, CPHB Sayo is a sustainable consultant with Studio G Architects, Cube Zero from Japan and a part time faculty at Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston MA. She is a board member of Passive House Institute of Japan. With Izumi Kitajima from Peabody Fine Architects, she conducts Phius’s CPHC training in Japan. Sangeetha Sambandam, CPHC, LEED AP, WELL AP, LFA Sangeetha is an Associate, Project Manager and Certified Passive House Consultant at WRT, LLC. Her work includes high performance buildings including buildings designed to meet Passive House standards. She is currently working on a multi-phase, multi-family, mixed use project where all six phases have been awarded tax credits and the first three phases have been certified to Passive House standards. The project will provide around 420 new low-income rental units. Also, as a LEED AP, WELL AP and a Living Future Accredited professional, she is passionate about sustainable built environments, encouraging equity, beauty, health, and happiness. She has been a presenter at the New Gravity Housing conference, PhiusCon 2021, 2022, Building Energy Boston and a guest on the Passive House Accelerator’s Podcast and Happy Hour. Sangeetha is on the board of Green Building United and an active volunteer for the Haverford School District and her local community. She has recently joined the technical advisory group for Energy & Carbon with the Living Future Institute and is looking forward to working towards a regenerative future. Ilka Cassidy, Dipl. Ing. Architecture, CPHC, Co-founder of Holzraum System, is passionate about Passive House envelope design and building science, focusing on the benefits of natural building materials. She grew up in Germany and received her Diploma of Engineering/ Architecture degree from the RWTH Aachen. In her work with pre-manufactured systems, she connects architectural concepts and design seamlessly with construction and engineering, incorporating sustainability goals and occupants’ health in every aspect of the design process. She has worked on multiple projects as a Certified Passive House Consultant and is an active member of Green Building United in Philadelphia as well as a podcast host for the Passive House Accelerator. Ilka co-founded C2 Architecture, a Philadelphia based full-service Architecture firm, in 2005. Christina Aßmann is a senior architect and building scientist with close to 20 years of professional experience working on a variety of project types at various firms. Her work embraces design, sustainability, regenerative design, carbon reduction, social justice and the synergy of different high-performance building standards. Christina is passionate about incorporating her sustainability research into her role as an educator and Energy Code Trainer through NYSERDA’s initiative to educate building professionals. She currently serves as a consultant for NYSERDA participating in Stakeholder Advisory and Technical Working Groups for NYStretch 2023 Energy Code Development and Energy Code Advancement. Her interest in sustainability strategies stems from her upbringing in Germany where her parents instilled her with a focus on environmental stewardship. She holds the German equivalent of a M.S. in Architecture from the Universität Stuttgart, Germany and a MArch from the University of Kansas, where she was part of the renowned Studio 804. Christina is a licensed architect, LEED Accredited Professional, WELL Accredited Professional and Certified Passive House Consultant.