2026 Leadership-in-Action Award Recipient
Helen Wilmot
Senior Vice President, Facilities ServicesStanford Health Care
Award Category: Minimizing the Corporate Footprint
Helen Wilmot, Senior Vice President of Facilities Services at Stanford Health Care, was nominated for the NAEM Excellence Awards’ Leadership in Action – Minimizing the Corporate Footprint category in recognition of her more than 25 years in the profession and her leadership in integrating sustainability into one of the most complex, energy- and resource-intensive healthcare environments.
In 2022, Wilmot established Stanford Health Care’s Sustainability Program Office and built a governance structure that embedded sustainability into the organization’s Integrated Strategic Plan, annual operating goals, capital decisions, and executive oversight, including securing affirmation from the Board of Directors. Under her leadership, Stanford Health Care has achieved a 12.2% reduction in Energy Use Intensity, a 33.1% reduction in Landfill Waste Intensity, and a 53.8% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions while generating approximately $6 million in cost savings through energy efficiency, infrastructure, waste-reduction, and procurement initiatives. Her team’s work has included optimizing HVAC and lighting systems, improving equipment efficiency, transitioning nitrous oxide delivery systems to reduce more than 4,300 metric tons of CO₂e while saving over $62,000, expanding reusable and reprocessable clinical products, and advancing sustainable building design and electrification strategies across Stanford’s facilities. Wilmot also helped establish the Environmental Citizenship Composite Score to connect environmental performance with financial outcomes and strengthened accountability through cross-functional governance and frontline engagement.
Her leadership has contributed to Stanford Health Care earning Joint Commission Sustainability Certification in 2024 and 2026, Practice Greenhealth Top 25 Environmental Excellence recognition in 2025 and 2026, and the 2025 Vizient Environmental Excellence Award, demonstrating that ambitious environmental performance can be achieved alongside clinical excellence, regulatory compliance, operational resilience, and measurable business value.