Sustainability Summit Speakers

Jenae Batt works across utility operations to develop meaningful customer engagement and leads a variety of projects targeted to communicate the value of energy services, bolster customer loyalty, and support utility system growth. She provides a broad range of experience from change management to event planning and education. Prior to joining Ever-Green Energy, Jenae worked in communications and donor relations at the University of Minnesota Medical School. She holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and a master’s degree in English Literature from Boston College.

Cecile Bedor joined the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity team as Chief Real Estate Officer in February 2024. Cecile possesses an unwavering commitment to Habitat’s mission and brings executive leadership skills and practical experience to lead all home building efforts. In addition to serving on the Executive Leadership Team, she is responsible for directing strategic and coordinated functions of land and other acquisitions, the construction and rehabilitation of homes (staff and volunteers), and public fundraising and related compliance.

Cecile’s previous roles included Executive Vice President, Real Estate for CommonBond Communities, Executive Vice President of GREATER MSP, the region’s economic development partnership, and the City of Saint Paul’s Director of Planning and Economic Development and Executive Director of the Housing & Redevelopment Authority. She previously held additional positions with the Minneapolis Public Library System, National Equity Fund, and the Metropolitan Council. Cecile has supported various organizations through board and volunteer service. She currently serves on the Itasca Working Group and chairs the boards of MN Housing Partnership and Wilderness Inquiry. She has two adult children and lives in south Minneapolis.

Tim Dain is CEO of NorthstarMLS, a regional MLS serving more than 22,600 REALTORS in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. An industry innovator, Dain possesses a wealth of experience, including serving as vice president and general manager for real estate technology company Remine, as President and CEO of MARIS MLS, as Director of MLS for ACTRIS and SIRMLS, and as a REALTOR® salesperson and broker-owner. He was named to the Swanepoel Power 200 list of the most powerful and influential executives in the residential real estate industry in 2017, 2022, and 2023.

Tim Delhey Eian was born and raised in Germany. He is a master carpenter and a graduate of the Technical University of Kaiserslautern, from which he received an engineer’s title in architecture. Tim moved to Minneapolis in 2001 and worked with a sustainable design/build firm for close to 7 years. In 2008, Tim founded TE Studio to focus on Passive House buildings. He is one of the first certified Passive House professionals and designed the third certified Passive House in the Americas. Tim founded Passive House MN in 2008. He has been instrumental in educating and transforming how owners, legislators, and professionals think about high-performance buildings. Tim and his family live in Minneapolis’ first certified Passive House Plus home.

Kerri Hartnett is the Women’s Council of REALTORS® 2024 National President. A third-generation REALTOR®, Hartnett has over 19 years of personal real estate experience and has been a consistent top-producing REALTOR® since 2004. She served as the Portland Metropolitan Association of REALTORS® President in 2017 and was honored as PMAR's REALTOR® of the Year in 2018. Kerri also currently serves the Oregon REALTORS® as a State Director and as a member of the Political Affairs Key Committee. Kerri has been an NAR Director since 2015 and will be representing Women's Council on the Institute Advisory Committee in 2024.

Kerri is a Principal Broker and owner at Hartnett Homes Group, Brokered by Premiere Property Group, LLC, in Oregon, where she serves her communities between Astoria and Portland. She is also the owner of Ohm Girl Consulting, LLC, where she coaches and consults real estate professionals on how to bring mindfulness into their business practices to create a life worth living and a business worth owning. She is passionate about finding balance between work, life, and leadership and strives to inspire others to do the same.

Rod Helm (GRI, CRS), a REALTOR® from Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the 2024 Immediate Past Chair of the Sustainability Advisory Group. He has been a REALTOR® since 1991 and works for Coldwell Banker Realty located in Minneapolis, where he specializes in residential real estate.

At the national level, Rod served as the 2019 Region 8 Vice President and has had various committee and board rolls over the years, most notable are multiple terms on the NAR Board of Directors, the Chair of Emerging Business and Technology Forum, and on NAR’s Professional Standards Committee.

He is a member of the Minnesota REALTORS® (MNR), where he received the award for Minnesota REALTOR® of the Year in 2015. In 2014, he served as the president of MNR. Rod has also served in multiple rolls over his volunteer career as committee chairs and director positions for both MNR and for his local association, Minneapolis Association of REALTORS® (MAR).

Rod has been an active member in RPAC as well, both as a major investor and as a past trustee for MN-RPAC. He has served multiple terms as the MN Major Investor Liaison for NAR and is member of RPACs Hall of Fame.

Rod holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Minnesota. He is married to his wife, Jolene, and has two adult, children, Alexa (25) and Charlie (23).

Dr. Jessica Lautz is Deputy Chief Economist and Vice President of Research at the National Association of REALTORS®. The core of her research focuses on analyzing trends for both NAR members and housing consumers. Through the management of surveys, focus groups, and data analysis, she presents new and innovative ways to showcase results. She effectively utilizes Research data to educate and impact policymakers on the state of the housing market and discusses research findings in major media outlets and international presentations. In 2021, Dr. Lautz was named one of Housing Wire’s Women of Influence, a list representing 100 of the most influential women in leadership in the housing industry. In 2022 and 2023, Dr. Lautz was named a RISMedia Newsmaker in the Influencer and the Crusader categories, respectively. She also volunteers at Nottingham Trent University as an industry fellow mentoring real estate graduate students.

Jessica received her Doctorate of Real Estate from Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom. She also holds a Master’s in Public Policy from American University and undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Law and Justice from Central Washington University.

Prior to real estate, Christopher spent five years working in marine biology. Working closely with marine animals gave him first-hand experience with a variety of environmental issues. Also coming from a family of builders, architects, master craftsmen, and REALTORS®, he grew up deeply entrenched in housing.

Leadership and visibility in the space, quickly allowed him to become a leading voice on the intersection of sustainability and real estate in Georgia. In 2018, he was tapped to lead and create an all-new sustainability committee at the Atlanta REALTORS® Association, the largest local REALTOR® association in Georgia with over 14,000 members. In this role, he led a team that collaboratively worked with non-profits, local governments, and businesses in the sustainability space to connect and educate REALTORS® on this rapidly growing sector of real estate. Educating fellow REALTORS® leads to more green-competent agents and helps support the value of solar and energy efficiency features at the time of sale.

His leadership experience has since included the 2024 class of NAR Leadership Academy, involvement on the Sustainability Advisory Group for NAR, serving as 2021 President of LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance Atlanta chapter, and multiple awards for leading progress in the REALTOR® organization including 2023 REALTOR of the year for Atlanta REALTORS Association. Christopher and his husband have been enjoying the many benefits of driving EV-only, since 2014.

Russell Riggs is Director of Environmental and Sustainability Policy for the National Association of REALTORS® in Washington, D.C. For the past 27 years, Russell has advocated on behalf of REALTORS® on environment, property rights, visas, and natural resource issues before Congress and federal regulatory agencies. Russell also serves as the Advocacy Liaison to the REALTORS® Land Institute, and the NAR's Global and Business Affairs Group.

Prior to his position with NAR, Russell held positions with the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Governors Association, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Russell holds a Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, and Master’s Degrees from Tufts University and New York University. He resides with his family in Falls Church, Va.

John has been watching real estate markets professionally for 34 years. His perspective includes being an active award-winning sales agent, Designated Broker/co-owner of Stanberry REALTORS®, as well as time spent as President of the Austin Board of REALTORS®, Regional Vice President of Texas REALTORS®, Director of the National Association of REALTORS®, member of NAR GREEN Resource Council Advisory Board, and Chair of the NAR Smart Growth Advisory Board.

He is the current Chairman of the NAR Sustainability Advisory Group and the Chair of the Texas REALTORS® Public Policy Committee on Infrastructure. He has also taught the National Association’s Smart Growth class in 34 cities in 17 states. He was a contributor to NAR’s new certificate class ‘Planning and Zoning’.

John has lived southwest of Austin, Texas, since marrying Sharon in 1985. They have four grown sons, a lovely daughter-in-law, and two incredible grandkids. He lives on five acres just outside the Austin city limits to accommodate his wife’s love of animals, organic gardening, and other growing things. Besides real estate, John has a passion for movies and World Cup Soccer.

Steve Winkelman, Executive Director of the Ottawa Climate Action Fund, has 30+ years of experience in climate change, urban planning, transportation, clean energy, infrastructure resilience, and climate finance. He has supported senior government officials, development banks, NGOs, companies, and researchers in more than 25 countries with policy development, project finance, implementation, evaluation, and capacity building. He thrives in bridging silos across sectors to advance holistic, lasting solutions.

Steve is co-author of two books on the climate change and economic case for smart growth: "Growing Cooler" and "Growing Wealthier." His recent article for the Ottawa Board of Trade, “Prevent, Prepare, Prosper” explains how local climate solutions can bolster the local economy.

Steve was raised in suburban Detroit and now lives in a walkable, vibrant neighborhood in Montreal.