2026 Emerging Leader Fellows Created in late 2018, the Emerging Leader Fellowship offers today’s up-and-coming HERS® industry professionals, who are passionate about HERS and energy performance, the chance to attend the RESNET® Conference. The 2026 Fellows are also now members of the RESNET Emerging Leadership Council. In 2016, the RESNET Board of Directors established the Emerging Leadership Council to recruit and engage the next generation of leaders for the organization and the rating industry. Please join us in congratulating the 2026 RESNET Emerging Leader Fellows. Hayden Cantoni New Ecology (HERS Rater) View Hayden’s application video. I’ve had an interest in sustainability and energy reduction since I was young, which guided my decision to study Building Construction Technology and Sustainable Community Development in college. While searching a state-funded sustainability job board, I found an opportunity with a local HERS rating company. Over time, I expanded into multifamily buildings and became involved in additional certification programs such as ENERGY STAR, the Efficient New Homes Program, and PHIUS. This progression helped me understand the field of high-performance construction and how the rating process fits into advancing energy goals at multiple scales. Abigail Eipert Bremen Energy Auditors, LLC (HERS Rater) View Abigail’s application video. As a second-generation HERS rater, I have been involved in the industry in various capacities throughout my life. In 2010, my family’s business shifted from building new construction houses to the HERS Rating industry. During my middle school and high school years, I worked summers with my father, assisting with testing and inspections. I witnessed my parents grow their business from fewer than 500 ratings annually to nearly 2,000. Most importantly, I saw the clear need for knowledgeable HERS raters, as builders and subcontractors faced performance requirements with little guidance on how to meet them. Alex Haworth Southern Energy Management (HERS Rater) View Courtney’s application video. In college, I studied sustainable development and sustainable technology. Building energy-efficient homes is a happy marriage of these two fields of study. Building energy-efficient homes is the easiest way to reduce energy usage and battle climate change while still meeting the housing needs of the current generation. There is no real excuse today to not build an energy-efficient home due to prior innovations in the building industry and the option of completing a HERS rating on a new home. Previous Fellow Winners Meet the previous winners of the RESNET Conference Fellowship! Previous Winners
