A self-described “worker bee,” Cheryl has a vision for getting across the climate protection finish line through small but mighty local actions. The advocacy skills Cheryl learned through the Leadership Academy in 2017 – including speaking to elected officials, creating coalitions, mentoring others to advocate – have been instrumental in her success so far.
Category: Impact Stories
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 taught Kat how vital coalitions are. Since graduating from the Leadership Academy in 2018, she has done plenty of civic work as a community member and as a paid professional.
Roxana Franco: Environmental Justice for Future Generations
Roxana is currently advocating to assure community voices are heard and their expertise is acknowledged. She seeks to be a good role model to her baby daughter by showing that women of color can be powerful and effective leaders in advocating for their communities, particularly when it comes to environmental justice.
Alexii Sigona: Partnerships for Indigenous Sovereignty
Through the Leadership Academy, Alexii learned how to connect with local governments and persuade electeds in service of his tribe. He believes that tribal governments could be more influential than they currently are and wants to see them take their power back as legitimate and equal peers to local governments. He envisions a future where indigenous communities lead decision-making that affects the health of their homelands.
Trina Hineser: Lifting Others Into Leadership Roles
For Trina, the most gratifying part of her work has been facilitating connections that bring people together to find solutions to issues big and small. This is serving her well in her new Executive Director role, working collaboratively with other agencies and organizations like Green Foothills to protect the natural habitats and agricultural lands of Santa Clara County.
Deb Kramer: Becoming a More Efficient Community Organizer
Deb joined the Leadership Academy to improve her understanding of the political process and how city staff and agencies interact with nonprofits. She feels the Leadership Academy is influencing her daily work to create an urban open space park in Coyote Meadows. For Deb, the most powerful part of the program was creating her own mission and vision statement to keep her focused on why she does what she does and how she goes about doing it.
Uriel Hernandez: Speaking Up for My Community
Thanks to the Leadership Academy, Uriel is more committed than ever to staying engaged and speaking up for the changes he wants to see. He knows it’s up to him as a community member to show up and keep the pressure on government so they know people care. Uriel is already starting to be recognized for his leadership on environmental issues. In March 2017 he received Bay Nature’s Local Hero award for Youth Engagement.
Violet Saena: Reaffirmed Passion
Within the Leadership Academy, Violet found the support and network to help those who most need it. She says it reaffirmed her passion to work on climate change and build community resilience. Recently, she founded her own non-profit, which cultivates environmental awareness and builds stronger alliances between communities in East Palo Alto and Belle Haven.
Morgan Aitken-Young: Equipped to Win Campaigns
One of the most meaningful parts of the Leadership Academy for Morgan was the friendships she made with 30 other local leaders, who come from every walk of life. Seeing these people every month invigorated her. They supported one another, improved one another, and reminded one other that they can each make an impact.