Michelle Benavides Joins as Executive Director of the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP)

03 February 2022

Corvallis, Ore.: International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) welcomes Michelle Benavides, LEED AP BD+C, as Executive Director.

“It will take collective action to create the future envisioned by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our mission is to empower professionals to advance sustainability in organizations and communities around the globe. My goal is to inspire everyone to step into their power to create a more sustainable tomorrow — because we truly are better together,” said Benavides. “I am excited to step into this new role with a global focus to empower sustainability professionals to advance their knowledge, connect, and support one another in this critical mission.”



Michelle Benavides joins ISSP as a successful business leader, international trainer, and strategic community-builder. During her time as CEO and Co-Founder of L.E. Rigby Innovations, Michelle built an organization to support the sustainability industry’s need to move faster, empowering sustainability specialists to accelerate action in the field. As a LEED AP BD+C-credentialed high-performance buildings educator, U.S. Green Buildings Council faculty member, and Fitwel Ambassador, Michelle trained more than 2,000 professionals worldwide by delivering on-demand courses and in-person sessions. In her community-building work, she has represented ASHRAE, USGBC, IDEAS for Us and other organizations to teach sustainability fundamentals. In alignment with ISSP’s own orientation, Michelle has ensured that the UN Sustainable Development Goals—with their central tenet to leave no one behind—are core to her work as leader and educator. In short, she brings accessibility to an often-technical field and paves the way for every individual to engage in this mission.

“I am thrilled to work with Michelle, my fellow Governing Board members, and the ISSP staff to support you, our international community of leading and emerging sustainability professionals, with new platforms to better support you in the vital work that you are leading” said Denise DeLuca, PE, SEA, ISSP Governing Board President.

About ISSP

The International Society of Sustainability Professionals is the world’s leading professional association of sustainability practitioners. A member-driven organization, ISSP moves the sustainability profession forward by empowering each other and defining professional excellence. ISSP launched the Sustainability Excellence Associate (SEA) and Sustainability Excellence Professional (SEP) credentials (formerly the ISSP Sustainability Associate and ISSP Certified Sustainability Professional credentials) in 2016 to define and recognize competency in the field of sustainability. ISSP has since partnered with GBCI, which formally acquired the credentials in 2019, to enhance, scale and promote the credentials in order to drive positive environmental, social and economic outcomes in organizations and communities worldwide.