Sierra Club Announces 2026 National Award Winners

The organization’s top honor, the Sierra Club Changemaker of the Year Award, goes posthumously to Rocky Milburn of Florida. For 25 years, Rocky opened the outdoors to thousands of young people from underserved communities through Tampa Bay’s Inspiring Connections Outdoors program and the Tampa Bay Group.

The Club’s top award for volunteers, the William Colby Volunteer Leadership Award, goes to Patrick Murphy of Texas. A volunteer since 1995, Murphy has served in nearly every leadership role, including Board President, and is known for taking on the Club’s hardest challenges with courage and good humor.

The Edgar Wayburn Environmental Champion Award, the Club’s top honor for public officials championing environmental causes, goes to New Mexico Representative Matthew McQueen. In twelve years in the House, ten as chair of the Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Committee, he has become one of the Legislature’s most effective champions for environmental protection.

The Environmental Achievement Award, which honors public servants for a particular action of singular importance to the environment, goes to two recipients:

• Tasha Boerner (California) – Assemblymember and chair of the Select Committee on Sea Level Rise. Her unwavering commitment to environmental protection has made a profound impact on California’s communities and natural resources.
• Dane County Board of Supervisors (Wisconsin) – Their visionary decision to advocate for environmentally significant wetlands resulted in a 32–1 vote to protect 165 acres and donate that to the Ho-Chunk Nation.

The William O. Douglas Award, which recognizes outstanding use of the legal system to achieve environmental goals, goes to Linda Krop, Chief Counsel of the Environmental Defense Center, for more than 35 years of protecting California’s coast, wildlife, and communities, including her work challenging the restart of the Santa Ynez Unit pipelines.

The Rachel Carson Award, which honors sustained achievement by professional journalists and authors, goes to two recipients:

• Tony Davis (Arizona) – Environmental Reporter whose two decades covering key environmental issues, including the Rosemont Mine and the Colorado River crisis, have kept critical challenges such as the complex water issues of the Colorado River watershed  in the public eye.
• Wendell Berry (Kentucky) – Author of over fifty books including The Unsettling of America, whose writing has shaped how generations understand rural economies, sustainable agriculture, and the connection between land use and community. Berry passed away in August, but will be honored at our award ceremony through a keynote by his daughter Mary Berry of the Berry Center.

The Environmental Alliance Award, which recognizes members who advance environmental goals through collaboration with non-Sierra Club constituencies, goes to Pamela Heatherington of California, a coalition builder and conservation leader, who has led her region’s Wildlife and Habitat Conservation Coalition, the Quality of Life Coalition, and the 30x30 regional group to protect both land and wildlife.

The Communication Excellence Award, which honors the best use of communications by a volunteer to further the Club’s mission, goes to Marjie Fields of Washington, who for more than two decades, has  transformed Sierra Club communications in her chapter through exceptional editorial skill, vision, and unwavering dedication.

The Emerging Changemaker Award, which includes a $500 prize, goes to Anise Welty of Idaho, a youth organizer who has testified before the state utilities commission, led walkouts, and helped mobilize opposition to selling public lands.

Others receiving national awards from the Sierra Club this year are:

Atlas Award (for administrative contributions critical to chapter/group success):

• Dave Keesee (North Carolina) – Nineteen years of volunteer leadership, now as North Carolina Chapter treasurer.
• Joe Testa (New Jersey) – Six years as Chair of the Council of Club Leaders, guiding one of the Club’s most complex volunteer bodies.
• Krystal Fairfax (Idaho) – The driving force behind outings, events, and member engagement in the Palouse Group and Idaho Chapter.

Madelyn Pyeatt Outdoors for All Award (expanding inclusive access to outings):

• Meryl Davids (Florida) – Nearly a decade leading a free outdoor program for hundreds of underserved children in Palm Beach County.

Oliver Kehrlein Award (sustained service to the Sierra Club Outings Program):

• Dave Campbell (Missouri) – Trained nearly 120 outings volunteers and led more than 400 hours of tornado relief in St. Louis.

Outings for Action Award (combining outings with education and advocacy):

• Kirsten Strough (Idaho) – Founded Big Gal Backpackers Boise and led the Idaho Chapter’s first ADA-accessible outing.

Volunteer Achievement Award (single act of particular importance):

• Sierra Club San Diego Seal Society (California) – Secured lasting protections for harbor seals and habitat in La Jolla.
• Ann Bennett (Virginia) – Her data center research helped to lay the foundation of the Club’s national data center strategy.
• Dave Hogan (California) – Overturned a flawed San Diego County climate action plan, setting an important precedent for climate accountability and land use, and negotiated landmark conservation settlements.

Volunteer Service Award (strong, consistent commitment over time):

• Susan Martin (New Mexico) – Three decades of transformative leadership in the Rio Grande Chapter.
• Amy Mueller (Wisconsin) – Wildlife advocate who created the chapter’s annual Wolf Awareness Week Campaign.
• Martha Klein (Connecticut) – Rebuilt the Connecticut Chapter and secured funding for its first director.
• Tanya Sheth (Illinois) – Chicago Group leader behind a field program that reached more than 15,000 voters.
• Leah Weisburd (Florida) – Backbone of the Broward Group for six years and creator of its Junior Team.

A virtual celebration to honor the Sierra Club’s 2026 award recipients will be held on October 14, 2026 @ 7 PM ET. For details on how to watch, visit www.sierraclub.org/awards.