HVACR Executive Director Amy O’ Grady

The nonprofit organization’s 13-member board celebrates how women in the skilled trades can redefine leadership roles

Women in HVACR (WHVACR), a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration trades, wants to lead by example, and its 13-member board of directors showcases how women have advanced in the skilled trades industry since the group’s inception in 2002.

“This board includes some of the most powerful women in the HVACR and home comfort industries,” said Women in HVACR Executive Director Amy O’ Grady. “Women in HVACR wants to lead by example, and this board exemplifies this goal. This is a group that will encourage any woman entering the skilled trades industries by creating the type of dynamic environment that inspires them to succeed.”

The executive board of directors is comprised of five members, including:

• President Lori Tschohl: Tschohl is the owner of Eagle Pipe & Mechanical, a leading HVAC contractor in Poulsbo, WA, specializing in gas piping, heating and cooling. With more than 35 years of industry experience, she has been a driving force behind the company’s growth and success since 2015. She has received the Service Nation Women of the Year award in 2022 and the Boundless Benefactor Award in 2023 for her exceptional leadership and has received numerous awards for her charity work. She also serves as an advisory board moderator for AB80 Queens of Contracting and is a founding member and state chapter president of Women in Plumbing and Piping (WIPP).
• Vice President Kristin Gallup: Gallup is the director of product management for Carrier Enterprise, a joint venture between Watsco, Inc. and Carrier Corporation.  She has been in HVAC Distribution for over 17 years in multiple leadership capacities and has been a supporting member of WHAVCR for more than 10 years.
• Immediate Past President Marcia Christiansen: Christiansen is the business unit manager for PECO Control Systems, an Astronics company, a manufacturer of thermostats for the HVAC, industrial and commercial cooking industries in Portland, Oregon. She is a key technical resource for PECO and has worked in the industry for 27 years.
• Secretary Tanya Steindl: Steindl serves as the director of marketing for the aftermarket parts division of Daikin Comfort Technologies, a company that provides heating, cooling, ventilation, air purification, refrigerants, and connected devices for residential and commercial spaces, located in Waller, Texas. During her time at Daikin, she has been instrumental in the development of private label parts and controls brands, which offers universal options available to any contractor.
• Treasurer Sarah Hammond: Hammond is the president of Atlas Electrical, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Plumbing Services in Alton, Texas. She also oversees Hummingbird Trailer Park and Alton X-Plex and is an investor in several local businesses. She also serves as the CEO for the Better Business Bureau in South Texas, and is the president of FemCity RGV, a community of more than 70 businesswomen in McAllen, Texas.

Other board members include:

• Erica Leonor, director of business development for Goodleap in Riverton, Utah.
• Laurelyn Arriaga, OME sales manager for McDaniel Metals, Inc. in Houston, Texas.
• Becky Hoelscher, senior account manager for Arkema in Sidney, Ohio.
• Jane Sidebottom, president and founder of AMK in Bonita Springs, Florida.
• Crystal Williams, founder and marketing strategist for Lemonseed Marketing in Burke, Texas.
• Linda Rodriguez, marketing and events manager for Quietflex in Houston.
• Angela Miller, brand ambassador for Goettl Air Conditioning & Plumbing in Las Vegas.
• Nicole Norris, strategic relationship manager for Service Nation in Coppell, Texas.

For more information about Women in HVACR, visit www.womeninhvacr.org.