Yestermorrow Design/Build School, a center for sustainable building design and craftsmanship education, is pleased to announce the selection of Michael Crowley as its first new executive director in more than eight years. Crowley, who began his new role March 1, has 16 years of experience designing and leading highly impactful climate and sustainability programs for universities, nonprofits, and cities. He comes to Yestermorrow from the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) in Montpelier, where he built the capacity of urban sustainability leaders in climate resilience, smart cities, and energy efficiency through peer-learning workshops and collaborative research.
“I am thrilled to join the team of staff members and instructors at Yestermorrow and honored to be part of a 35-year legacy of teaching sustainability-focused design/build to committed students from all walks of life,” says Crowley. “Yestermorrow is a true leader in the ongoing and much needed transition toward a more beautiful and resilient built environment.”
Crowley holds a BA in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont, and a MSc. in Holistic Science from Schumacher College/University of Plymouth. Prior to his tenure at ISC, he was the sustainability program manager at Environmental Health & Engineering, an environmental consulting firm in Massachusetts, and was the assistant director of the Harvard University Office for Sustainability, where he established Harvard’s first green building program. At Yestermorrow, Crowley will oversee several program areas, including Energy Efficiency & Renewables, Architectural Craft & Woodworking, and Ecosystems & Working Landscapes, along with the core Sustainable Building & Design programs Yestermorrow is known for. He will also guide planning for facility improvement and expansion.
Yestermorrow Design/Build School was founded in 1980 on the belief that the best built structures, furnishings, and environments depend on the joint cooperation of designers, builders, and occupants. The school empowers students to develop skills through an integrated design/build process, and to “think with their hands,” whether building a chair or designing a house. Yestermorrow’s hands-on workshops, certificate programs, and semester program are taught by nationally recognized architects, builders, and craftspeople and are for people of all experience levels. Classes are held at the Yestermorrow campus, where meals and lodging options are available. More than 700 students attend the school each year for programs ranging from two days to four months in length.