Photo by Kyle Ellis. All Rights Reserved Sierra Club.
On April 2nd 2025, more than 900 guests filled the iconic David Geffen Theater at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles for the first-ever Sierra Symposium: Nature, Climate Resilience, and Cohabitation in the Age of Wildfires & Extreme Weather. With thousands more joining via livestream, the gathering marked a powerful convergence of science, policy, storytelling, and environmental leadership.
As wildfires rage year-round, biodiversity declines, and the climate crisis escalates, the Sierra Club created the Symposium as a space to bridge knowledge and action. Framed as a transformative prelude to the Trail Blazers Ball, the program invited changemakers across sectors—environmental scientists, students, artists, youth leaders, and philanthropists—to explore how we meet this moment together.
At the center of the afternoon’s program was a moving conversation between Dr. Jane Goodall and journalist Giselle Fernandez, where Dr. Goodall reflected on her lifetime of conservation work, the power of youth activism, and the urgency of protecting ecosystems under threat. “Every single one of us makes an impact on the planet every single day—and we have a choice about what kind of difference we make,” she reminded the audience, to a standing ovation.
The day also featured a series of expert-led presentations, including:
- Samuel Lopez (Development Director, San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians Gabrieleno/Tongva Tribal Council) spoke about his lived experience and the loss of biodiversity, ceremony, and culture, stating, “As Indigenous peoples, we understand that the land is not a resource to be exploited but a living being with whom we share a sacred bond."
- Dr. Christopher Boone (Dean, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy), who explored urban sustainability and equitable community design
- Dr. Alex Hall (Director, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability), who presented climate and wildfire research with a lens on institutional leadership
- Dr. Lilian Pintea (VP of Conservation Science, Jane Goodall Institute), who shared how JGI’s Tacare model merges community-led conservation with satellite and bioacoustic technologies to combat wildfires and deforestation
- Ben Jealous (Executive Director, Sierra Club), who tied the threads together with a passionate reflection on climate justice, rights of nature, and the need for inclusive, people-powered solutions
Throughout the program, one thing was clear: climate resilience cannot be built in silos. It demands collaboration across disciplines, generations, and geographies. The Sierra Symposium was designed to spark that collaboration—and this is just the beginning.
Want to relive the experience or share it with others?
Scroll down to view photos from the event, learn more about the speakers, and explore actions you can take to build a more just, sustainable, and climate-resilient future.
Together, we are the climate leaders we’ve been waiting for.
Photos from the Event:
Dr. Jane Goodall and Giselle Fernandez
Dr. Jane Goodall and Giselle Fernandez
Ben Jealous, Executive Director of Sierra Club, speaking
Sierra Club LA volunteers / staff (left to right): Nicole Levin, Field Organizer, Dirty Fuels; Matthew Polestsky, Volunteer Organizer, Dirty Fuels; Kim Orbe, Angeles Chapter, Sr. Program Manager
Sierra Club Symposium speakers - (left to right) Dr. Alex Hall, Ben Jealous, Dr. Jane Goodall, Dean Christopher Boone, Dr. Lilian Pintea
Ben Jealous and Tenara Leelaratne, 8-year-old Sierra Club member and Jane Goodall fan, introducing Dr. Jane Goodall
How to Get Involved!
Support Clean Energy in our Communities
- Tell Air Quality regulators that EVERYONE deserves healthy homes and buildings
- Find More Ways to Support A Clean Break from Dirty Fuels
Preserve Our Wild Spaces
Explore the Land - Join a Hike!
Protect our Resources - Water Conservation
Photos and bios of the speakers:
| Samuel Lopez is the Development Director for the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians, led by the Gabrieleno/Tongva Tribal Council. With a diverse background in land restoration, entertainment, and undergraduate admissions, he brings a unique blend of environmental stewardship and community engagement to his work. As a dedicated member of the Tongva Land Stewardship Crew, he actively cares for the land while supporting his community through educational presentations and events that foster connection, awareness, and shared responsibility. | |
| Christopher G. Boone is Dean and the C. Erwin and Ione L. Piper Chair for the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. At the USC Price School, he holds an academic appointment as Professor of Public Policy. Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, he graduated from Queen’s University with a BA (honours) in Geography. He received a master’s and PhD degree in Geography from the University of Toronto, focusing his research on Brazilian urbanization, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the School of the Environment at McGill University. | |
| Dr. Alex Hall is the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability Faculty Director, Sustainable LA Grand Challenge Professor, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Dr. Hall is a climate scientist at UCLA, where he is a professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences and an expert in climate change in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. | |
| Dr. Lilian Pintea is the Vice President of Conservation Science for the Jane Goodall Institute USA, leading its science strategy and promoting community-led conservation efforts using innovative geospatial technologies. With a background in conservation biology, he has worked extensively in Africa to support habitat protection, co-authored a book on community-led conservation, and contributes to global primate conservation initiatives | |
| Benjamin Todd "Ben" Jealous is the seventh executive director of the Sierra Club. Formerly the National President and CEO of the NAACP, he has led two of the nation’s most influential groups pursuing equity and justice and protecting democracy and the environment. Ben is also a Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. | |
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Giselle is a 9-time Emmy award winning journalist and throughout her career has been known for her cutting- edge reporting in hot spots throughout the world and interviewing prominent global and local leaders. Today, this veteran anchor, three- time winner of the LA Press Club's Journalist of the Year, The President's Award for Impact on Media, showcases her talent each evening on "The Rush Hour," on Spectrum News 1, and on the Emmy Award-winning weekly series "L.A. Stories with Giselle Fernandez" and Podcast “LA Stories Unfiltered,” highlighting people who shape lives and create an impact throughout the community. | |
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Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, is a world renowned ethologist and conservationist inspiring greater understanding and action on behalf of the natural world. She is one of the world’s most revered conservationists. In conversation with Giselle Fernandez, they did a deep dive into Dr. Goodall’s decades-long work in conservation, climate resilience, and youth-driven activism, creating a powerful call to action for individuals, businesses, and industries to take meaningful steps in protecting the planet. |