Environmental Awards 2023
Watch the video of the 2023 SCCC awards ceremony honoring Sonoma County environmentalists.
Environmentalists of the Year 2023
Sustainable Development Advocacy
Kathy Pons & Sonia Taylor
Kathy Pons (Glen Ellen) is a founder and current president of the Valley of the Moon Alliance (VOTMA), a group that advocates for wise stewardship of the natural resources and sustainable growth in the Valley of the Moon corridor, and provides oversight of major development projects, water issues, and winery/event venue density.
Kathy was involved in forming the Sonoma Valley Groundwater Management Plan before the state mandate of GSAs, measuring water levels in volunteer wells to collect data about local groundwater levels. She focuses on the community impacts from development of traffic along Highway 12 through Sonoma Valley as well as planning for wildfire evacuation plans. Kathy’s long term and continued commitment to preserving and protecting the Valley of the Moon from on-going development pressures has led to tangible results in achieving these goals. Kathy and her allies will continue to express the concerns of the community with projects such as Kenwood Ranch, Sonoma Developmental Center, Hanna Housing Project and the Elnoka development.
Sonia Taylor (Santa Rosa), environmental, affordable housing and sustainable development advocate, will be recognized for her activism on many fronts. An indefatigable researcher with an insider’s knowledge of how government operates, Sonia works behind the scenes in the permit and planning process and has been involved with crafting policy positions on – among others – the Santa Rosa General Plan, Chanate Road development, and fire safety. Her graphic design skills have benefited many progressive campaigns. Sonia’s defense of CEQA, insistence on government transparency and enforcement of environmental protections have enlightened the public as well as decision makers.
Lifetime Environmental Achievement Award
Margaret Briare (Bodega Bay): According to her colleagues at Bodega Bay Concerned Citizens, Margaret Briare has been an unsung heroine of the Bodega Bay environment for more than 30 years. Her many accomplishments include helping protect a heron rookery on Bay Flat Rd from destruction, mapping wetlands, resolving code violations by the Harbor View development, and pressuring legal council for the California Coastal Commission Counsel to address violations of Coastal Act regulations. “Saving the Sonoma Coast (especially Bodega Bay) has been a longtime goal of mine since spending time here as a child when the bay was being dredged and the marina was being built.”
Norman Gilroy (Glen Ellen) is a tireless champion of the environment. “Retired” to the Sonoma Valley after 30 years with The Institute for the Human Environment, where he worked on environmental problem solving internationally, he has defeated proposals for a huge Amazon warehouse and a LPG tanker storage yard.
At the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), he served on the local Policy Committee and on CAFF’s statewide Board. He helped implement new earthquake-compliant facilities for Sonoma Valley Hospital, served for nine years on the Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission, and now serves on the Advisory Committee for the Sonoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA). His current passion is saving the land and resources at the former Sonoma Developmental Center from over-development.
After decades of experience as an architect and planner, leading projects from design to completion, Norman has a brilliant capacity for synthesis of concepts and finding breakthrough solutions to complex issues. He is a team player who can gracefully bring people together by focusing on common goals and long-term impacts.
Youth Environmental Award
Galen Freed-Wilhelm: According to Tony Passantino of the Sonoma Ecology Center, Galen Freed-Wilhelm, is “An exceptional young individual whose unwavering dedication to environmental conservation, profound passion for reptiles, and remarkable accomplishments within our community warrant the highest recognition.”
Galen’s fascination with the natural world and his special interest in reptiles, set him apart as a contributor to understanding local biodiversity. He has documented an impressive 1,145 individual species on the Sonoma Developmental Center property, and he conducts regular naturalist walks at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, captivating audiences of all ages with his expertise and infectious passion. Demonstrating his commitment to the safety of both humans and animals, Galen relocates rattlesnakes from the Sugarloaf Ridge State Park campground to safer habitats.
In his own words, Galen says, “I have loved exploring and learning about nature since the time I could walk. I really like teaching people about animals and their behaviors, especially helping them overcome their fears.”
Special Recognition
Tom Devlin (Petaluma) received a Special Recognition Award for his long-time and dedicated work helping to keep the Sonoma County Environmental Center running efficiently and open for use by member groups and visitors.
Environmental Awards 2023 Read More »
range of River-related services, including environmental education, River cleanup, park development, and programs for dealing with fire damage, erosion and drought. Don speaks for the Russian River in this difficult time of climate change, advocating for water policies and regulations that will allow the River ecosystem to thrive while balancing the needs of people. Don’s advocacy in this year of historic drought has been especially critical.
contributions include marine mammal protection, ocean water quality monitoring, coastal trail promotion and coastal access for under-represented communities (as Executive Director for Coastwalk), working on the kelp forest ecosystem breakdown and climate adaptation, and advocating for the coast during the county’s Local Coastal Plan Update.
protection of seals, whales and redwoods, the Stewards expanded, partnering with California State Parks and many other conservation and environmental stewardship organizations to bring people and the land together. The Stewards’ programs under Michele Luna have included restoration projects, fish passages, monitoring seals and sea lions in the Russian River estuary, volunteer trail work, training youth stewards, removing barriers to parks access, and fire ecology training.
Richard Retecki: As a planner for Sonoma County in the 1970’s, Richard worked on the county’s very first Local Coastal Plan. During his career, Richard Retecki has worked as a planner, grant writer and project manager for the county and the California Coastal Conservancy. He has completed an impressive list of restoration and parks projects that benefit the people of Sonoma County. As a volunteer he has served on the board of Coastwalk and the Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation, helping to raise money for parks and for coastal access. Currently he is using his long experience with the coast as a founding member of the Save Sonoma Coast Group with the purpose of reviewing and recommending improvements to the Sonoma County Draft Local Coastal Plan.
Jamie Nakama, the Youth Program Manager at 
Janina Turner, Energy Program Coordinator, 
While best known as a top local chef, Duskie Estes has been a committed and dynamic sustainability advocate for many years, while supporting local food and small farmers. Recently she has focused on the issue of food waste through her work as the Executive Director of 
Rick Coates, Director of 
Chris Poehlmann, in his 15 years volunteering (7 as President) with 
Maya Khosla is a 
Following a 2018 campaign in Petaluma to stop a gas station from being built next to a school, an effort began to stop a new gas station project on Hwy 116 near Cotati. This campaign was picked up and amplified by Woody and in the end the application was withdrawn.
When Pat & Ted Eliot moved to Sonoma County in the 1980’s, they began volunteering to preserve open space and create public trails. They were involved in passing the ballot measures that set up and funded the Agricultural Preservation and Open Space district.The Eliots helped create the Sonoma Mountain Preservation Group and the Sonoma leg of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, and advocated for open space in the upcoming plan for the future of the Sonoma Developmental Center. Between them they supported and served on the boards of Landpaths, the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Madrone Audubon, Point Blue Conservation Science and many other organizations.