Strong facilities leadership is often demonstrated through the day-to-day interactions that build trust within a department. During a recent Healthy Green Schools & Colleges conversation with Assistant Director of Building Services at University of Wisconsin – Madison, Jodi Krause, she shared some of the leadership lessons that have emerged over the course of her career.
Lessons in Facilities Leadership: An Interview with Jodi Krause
The People Behind the Work: Why Staff Engagement Matters
Facilities departments are constantly changing. New equipment is installed, products and procedures are updated, personnel changes, budgets are reduced, and new goals and initiatives are introduced. Technology changes how work is assigned and tracked, and how processes are implemented. All of these changes require facilities teams to work differently and adapt. Whether new initiatives and
2026 HGSC Virtual Summer Summit Recap
Thank you to all who participated in the 2026 Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Virtual Summer Summit. Over the course of our four summit sessions, we made new connections, shared challenges and insights, listened to presentations from leaders sharing their experiences and strategies for developing leadership skills in themselves and others, and hosted a riveting panel discussion with three incredible women leaders. Read the full recap.
Session 4 Recap: 2026 HGSC Virtual Summer Summit
The fourth and final session of the 2026 Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Virtual Summer Summit brought together a panel of women leaders in custodial and facilities operations for a candid conversation about career pathways, leadership development, barriers, mentorship, and what it takes to grow into leadership in a field that has historically been male-dominated.
Session 3 Recap: 2026 HGSC Virtual Summer Summit
The third session of the 2026 Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Virtual Summer Summit focused on practical management tools facilities leaders can use to strengthen teams, support professional growth, and lead more effectively. The session, CDEF – Management Tools for Success, was presented by Ada Baldwin, Director of Environmental Services at North Carolina State University.
Session 2 Recap: 2026 HGSC Virtual Summer Summit
The second session of the 2026 Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Virtual Summer Summit, Cared For, Valued, & Respected – How Compassion Transforms Custodial Teams, explored how people-first leadership can make a measurable difference for custodial teams. The session opened with a presentation by Custodial Director at Rice University, Melissa Salinas, on how compassion shows up in day-to-day leadership, followed by an guided reflection and action-planning activity to help participants apply the ideas to their own teams and current challenges.
Session 1 Recap: 2026 HGSC Virtual Summer Summit
The 2026 Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Virtual Summer Summit opened with a collaborative discussion focused on the challenges, opportunities, and insights facilities management professionals are carrying into the 2026–2027 school year. This session highlighted both the pressure and possibility of the year ahead. Facilities leaders are navigating tight budgets, evolving technology, staffing retention realities, sustainability goals, and rising expectations. At the same time, they are finding creative ways to strengthen their teams, advocate for their work, and continue the the journey toward creating healthier, greener schools.
Announcing the 2026 HGSC Virtual Summer Summit: Registration is Now Open
Registration is now open for the 2026 HGSC Virtual Summer Summit! K-12 and higher education facilities professionals and current HGSC Program sponsors are invited to join us for “Leading Through Change: Building Stronger Teams to Advance Healthy Green Schools,” a 4-part virtual series every Tuesday and Thursday from July 14-23.
Lessons in Stepping Into Senior Facilities Leadership Positions – A Conversation with Lazell Ofield II
During a recent Healthy Green Schools & Colleges conversation, Lazell Ofield II, Chief Operations Officer at Columbia Public Schools, reflected on his first two years overseeing transportation, custodial services, nutrition services, technology, and facilities and construction across a district serving more than 18,000 students and 43 schools, and shares lessons he has learned. The first
How School Facilities Teams Can Turn Evaluation Into a Roadmap for Continuous Improvement
In a time when school facilities teams are asked to do more with less, effective evaluation can be a strategic foundation that helps school facilities teams deliver healthier, more efficient, and more sustainable learning environments while avoiding unnecessary cost or complexity. School facilities teams are faced with aging infrastructure, shrinking budgets, and workforce retention challenges.