Amanda Sturgeon has been promoted to executive director of the International Living Future Institute, the institute announced.

The promotion was effective Aug. 1.

Sturgeon, a Bainbridge Island resident, served as institute vice president and Living Building Challenge program director and has been with the institute since 2010.

As executive director, Sturgeon will manage day-to-day operations and oversee strategic efforts around all of the Institute’s signature programs. She will continue to lead the Living Building Challenge program.

Sturgeon replaces Richard Graves, who plans to pursue interests closer to his home in Minnesota.

“We are incredibly excited to have Amanda step into this critical role,” says Institute CEO Jason F. McLennan. “In her time as Vice President and Director of the Living Building Challenge, Amanda helped develop the Challenge from a fledgling endeavor to a robust, international certification program.”

“As our new and existing programs grow, it is critical that we have strong and focused leadership, and that’s just what Amanda brings to her new position,” he added.

Sturgeon is an award-winning architect and green building pioneer in the Pacific Northwest, where she has practiced since 1998.

A founding board member of the Cascadia Green Building Council in 2000-2002, she has been recognized for her leadership in the restorative building movement throughout the Pacific Northwest and nationally.

Sturgeon is a widely respected leader in her field, as evidenced by the many accolades she’s received for her contributions to the green building industry. She was both elected to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows and recognized as a LEED Fellow by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2013 in recognition of her commitment to advancing restorative and green building practice and for her extensive public service throughout the past 15 years.

Sturgeon has also served on numerous boards and committees and is a tireless advocate for finding a pathway towards a Living Future.