Impact Stories

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Bees and High Tech: Kian Nikzad Creates a Buzz

Kian Nikzad was a computer science student at UCLA when he signed up for the Green Foothills Leadership Program to...

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Building Bridges Over Barriers

Mel Sarmento’s passion is connecting people with the outdoors. This 2020 graduate of the Green Foothills Leadership Program works for...

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Bryan

Learning By Doing: How One Concerned Citizen Deepened His Impact

Bryan Beck is an accomplished computer engineer who has always been passionate about helping the environment. His first foray into...

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The Importance of Nature and Giving Back

Ravi Pathak is someone who seems to always have a smile on his face. With his presence alone, he offers...

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photo of Cherise Orange

From Fed to Local: Planning for a Better Future

When Cherise Orange took a job as a Planner with Santa Clara County’s Parks and Recreation Department in 2016, she...

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Chris Sturken – Keeping a Broad Perspective for Change

Chris Sturken applied to the Green Foothills Leadership Program at the recommendation of his cousin, Andrea Savage (class of 2014)....

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Ofelia Bello – In Service of Community in EPA

The daughter of Mexican-born immigrants, Ofelia Bello knew at a young age that she wanted to make an impact through...

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From Retirement to Reach Codes

After a long career at the Environmental Protection Agency, Kathleen Goforth had a 35-year backlog of personal projects to do....

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Kyra Brown: More Than Just a Bench

Kyra Brown had been working at Youth United for Community Action (YUCA), a social justice and environmental justice organization, when...

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Ray Larios: Leading from the Back, For Now

Author: David Simon “You don’t just gain knowledge; you gain wisdom,” says Ray Larios of his experience in the 2020...

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Cheryl Weiden with her "granddog" Charlie

Cheryl Weiden: Small but Mighty Steps for Climate Action

A self-described “worker bee,” Cheryl has a vision for getting across the climate protection finish line through small but mighty...
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Kat Baumgartner-Wilson: From Fighting Fires to Fighting for the Environment

Experiencing the rich diversity of views in her Leadership Academy cohort and learning about the importance of relationships in advocacy...
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