SCCC Awards 2022
Watch the video of the 2022 public awards ceremony honoring Sonoma County environmentalists.
Environmentalists of the Year 2022
Fire-Safe Roads Advocates
When fires swept through Sonoma County in 2017 and 2019, thousands of residents were forced to evacuate on narrow, winding roads. This scenario has been repeated far too often throughout California since then with ensuing and sometimes deadly traffic jams.
A trio of local leaders – Marylee Guinon, Judith Olney and Deborah Eppstein – have worked tirelessly for the Fire-Safe Roads initiative, with the goal of preventing similar scenes from unfolding again here in Sonoma County and around the State. As part of the State Alliance for Firesafe Road Regulations (SAFRR), they went head-to-head with the California Board of Forestry, the County of Sonoma and building and rural development advocates, and fought to change State regulations governing the fire-safe design of roads and new development approval in fire-prone areas.
Their efforts were rewarded in August 2022, when the BOF reversed its proposed adoption of looser standards and narrower roads. They continue their advocacy, following up with local jurisdictions to require implementation of the new standards.
Click to view SAFRR Presentation (pdf)
Lifetime Environmental Achievement Award
Willard “Will” Richards, this year’s posthumous Lifetime Environmental Achievement awardee, is remembered by his friends and colleagues at the Sonoma County Transportation and Land-Use Coalition (SCTLC) as a dedicated advocate for environmentally sound land-use and transportation in the North Bay.
As co-founder and chairman of the SCTLC, he lobbied for the SMART train, transit-oriented development near railways, and improved pedestrian/bicycle pathways. He was an expert on air pollution, and led research studies for 30 years to understand the negative impacts that atmospheric particles from power plants and major urban areas have on visibility in National Parks and wilderness areas.
The Sonoma County Environmentalist of the Year Award, initiated in 1975, recognizes people who made outstanding efforts to protect natural resources in Sonoma County, directly or indirectly, or advanced their better stewardship. The Ernestine I. Smith Lifetime Environmental Commitment Award initiated in 1994, was granted to persons recognized by the SCCC as having devoted a major part of their lives working for the conservation and improvement of the natural environment. Additionally the SCCC has made awards for Young Environmentalist of the Year; for Outstanding Educators, Projects and Programs; and for Special Recognitions.
In 2016 the SCCC Board merged the Sonoma County Environmentalist of the Year Award with the Ernestine I Smith Lifetime Environmental Commitment Award. This award is now called the Ernestine I. Smith Sonoma County Environmentalist of the Year Award. Ernie Smith was one of the key early Conservation Council leaders and a long-standing Sonoma County environmentalist. This award recognizes Ernie’s inspirational legacy, her generation of trail-blazing environmental leaders, and environmental trail-blazers of today.
Ernestine I. Smith Sonoma County Environmentalists of the Year
2022 Marylee Guinon, Judith Olney & Deborah Eppstein
2021 Don McEnhill
2020 Rick Coates, Chris Poehlmann and Maya Khosla
2019 Woody Hastings
2018 Chris Brokate
2017 Teri Shore
2016 no award
2015 Kimberly Burr and Larry Hanson
2014 Stephen Fuller-Rowell
2013 Dennis Rosatti
2012 Steve Birdlebough
2011 John Herrick
2010 Jane Neilson
2009 David Keller
2008 Daisy Pistey-Lhyne
2007 Anne Hudgins and Suzanne Doyle
2006 Dave Henson and Keith Kaulum
2005 Rue Furch
2004 Peter Ashcroft
2003 Pavitra Crimmel
2002 Margaret Pennington
2001 Diane Hichwa
2000 “Look around, there’s on within 10 feet”
1999 Peeter Vilms
1998 Christa Shaw
1997 Mark Green
1996 Sandra Elles
1995 Krista Rector
1994 Juliana Doms
1993 Richard Charter
1992 Dick Day
1991 Joan Vilms
1990 Elizabeth Eddins
1989 Dee Swanhuyser
1988 Helen Libeu
1987 Carol Vellutini and Brenda Adelman
1986 Bill and Lucy Kortum
1985 David and Shirley Thatcher and Len Swenson
1984 Clark Nattkemper
1983 Barbara Meyn
1982 Joel Hedgpeth
1981 Ken Stocking
1980 Ernie Smith, Martha Bentley and Iva Warner
1979 Virginia Hechtman
1978 Chuck Rhinehart
1977 John Crevelli
1975 Chuck and Jean Hinkle
Special Recognitions
2020 Janina Turner and Jamie Nakama, Inspiring Youth; Duskie Estes, Local Produce Rescue
2018 Caitlin Cornwall and Betty Young, Leadership in Post-Fire Ecosystem Regeneration
2014 Wendy Krupnik, Queen Bee
2012 Duane De Witt, Outstanding Grassroots Environmentalist
2008 Iva Warner
2007 City of Sebastopol Sustainability Program
2006 Portia Sinnott, Environmental Innovator of the Year (LITE Initiatives)
2005 Pat Wiggins and Keith Kaulum (COAAST founders)
2004 Ann Hancock
2003 Ann Stroberger
1998 Frances Tanti
1997 Teresa Ramondo
Sonoma County Young Environmentalist of the Year
Initiated in 2011, this award is granted to younger people who are stepping up to help protect and restore our environment.
2011 Jessica Jones, Student Vice President of Santa Rosa Junior College
Lifetime Environmental Achievement Award
Initiated in 1994, this award is granted to persons who are recognized by the SCCC as having devoted a major part of their lives working for the conservation and improvement of the natural environment in Sonoma County.
2022 Willard Richards
2021 Cea Higgins, Michele Luna, Richard Retecki
2019 Pat & Ted Eliot
2014 Anne Teller and family, Oak Hill Farm
2012 Roger Raiche
2009 Betty Guggolz and Betty Burridge
2008 Brenda Adelman
2007 Bernie Album
2006 Peter Leveque and Phyllis Schmitt
2005 Marty Griffin and Ken Stocking
2003 Barbara Biebush
2002 Martha Bentley
2001 George Ellman
2000 Dick Day
1999 Bill Kortum
1998 Chuck Rhinehart
1997 Len Swenson
1996 Clark Nattkemper
1995 Barbara Meyn
1994 Ernestine Smith
Outstanding Educators, Projects and Programs Award
Initiated in 1990, these awards are granted to persons, projects and programs recognized by the SCCC as having used special innovation and insight to teach students – young and old, about the environment.
2014 STRAW: Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed
2012 Nichole Warwick, Sebastopol schools
2011 Conservation Corps: North Bay
2010 Daily Acts (Trathen Heckman)
2009 Cotati Creek Critters (Jenny Blaker and Wade Belew)
2009 Pachamama Alliance
2008 Cool Schools Program, Climate Protection Campaign (Maitreyi Siriguri)
2008 Leadership Training for a Sustainable Future and Sonoma Academy Youth Program (Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy)
2007 Michael Teller
2007 In Our Own Backyard and Adventures in the Big Outdoors (Land Paths)
2007 Sonoma County Conservation Action
2006 Danny Bever, Jeff Tobes, Wendy Losee, and Tina Poles
2006 The Student Commute Project (Analy High School AP Statistics Class)
2006 Environmental Pilot Program (Oak Grove Union School District)
2006 Bouverie Preserve Docents and Audubon Canyon Ranch (Madrone Audubon)
2006 Russian River State Parks Environmental Education Program (Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods)
2005 Bonny Stene
2004 Dave Casey and John Klobas
2003 Fred Hall
2002 Krista McAtee
2001 North Bay Science Project (Sharon Janulaw)
2000 Sharon Mansfield
1999 Marci Cook and David Neubacher
1998 Kathy Angell and Mike Heffernan
1997 Tom Furrer, Jennifer Creeth and Ron Head
1996 Chris Peterson, Paula Fogarty, Kathy Angell, Anne Harris, and Leslie Supan
1995 Kathy Vyenielo