Michelle Apigian is a Managing Principal and ESG Leader at ICON Architecture, a women-owned, Boston, MA based design firm. An architect, planner and urban designer, she combines optimism and pragmatism to design sustainable environments that strengthen communities and celebrate the uniqueness of place. She has worked on an array of project types and scales, from large, multi-phase master plans of new multifamily developments, to strategic infill, adaptive reuse and modernization projects. In addition to the first Passive House certified multifamily project in Massachusetts and several other certified buildings, her work includes numerous LEED and Enterprise Green certified projects, as well as several Deep Energy Retrofits now in design. Michelle received a B.A. from Dartmouth and an M.Arch and Master of City Planning from MIT. She serves on the DOER’s Net Zero Task Force, as well as the boards of Passive House Massachusetts and the Somerville Community Corporation.

Jesse Thompson is an award-winning architect who has become a national leader in green design, building science, and affordable housing. Jesse started his career working construction in high school in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. Since then, he’s been through every stage of design and building. Jesse is relentlessly practical, but he sees possibility for greatness in every project. He is a sucker for a good challenge.

Jesse’s always working on balancing elements - art and design with engineering, beauty with affordability, function with potential. Jesse is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a graduate of the University of Oregon, was there at the beginning of Passivhaus Maine, and has served as past President of AIA Maine.