Dear Friends,
We’ve always believed that strong leaders make stronger communities. We face very real and very urgent threats to our planet. Now, more than ever we need strong activists’ leaders. We need their grit, guts, smarts and heart. We need their example. For more than 40 years, we have worked with some of the best leaders in the world on behalf of our beautiful planet. We launched the Alnoba Leadership Awards to honor brave and brilliant leaders whose courage, wisdom or potential inspire us to act more boldly for environmental justice.
We encourage you to read about the awards and click to learn more about the extraordinary men and women we’ve been privileged to honor over the years.
Love and peace,
The Lewis Family
2023 Alnoba Leadership Awards
The 2023 Alnoba Leadership Awards Dinner and Teach-In will be celebrated on Wednesday October 4, 2023.
Lewis Family Lifetime Award for Daring Leadership
As T.E. Lawrence described it, “Dreamers of the day are dangerous men, that they may act their dreams with open eyes to make them possible.” This award is presented to a person who exemplifies that “dreaming by day”, demonstrating a lifetime of daring leadership that changes worlds.
2022 Award Recipient
Dr. Willy Chambulo
Founder, Tanganyika Foundation, Kibo Safaris & Tanganyika Wilderness Camps
Maasi leader who has transformed Tanzania through creating jobs, funding schools, nurturing young leaders and sharing Indigenous values.
Alan E. Lewis Moral Courage in Leadership Award
Presented to a visionary leader whose body of work, vision, passion and personal example have made a meaningful and measurable difference. One who has shown moral courage and willingness to go the distance to help save our planet. The recipient is known as a strong mentor and leaves a lasting legacy by the cadre of bold next generation leaders they coached. Nonprofit, public service, civic or citizen leaders are eligible.
AWARD:
$10,000 donation in recipient’s name to nonprofit of their choice.
2023 Award Recipient
Bradley Campbell
President, Conservation Law Foundation
Environmental leader taking on Big Oil through major litigation over coastal petroleum facilities.
2022 Award Recipient
Doc Hendley
Founder, Wine to Water
Former bartender who followed a dream to bring clean water to more than 1.4 million people.
2021 Award Recipient
Patricia Gualinga
President, Fundacion Tiam
Kichwa de Sarayaku leader who faces threats to protect the Ecuadorian Amazon from oil extraction and the destruction of the rainforest.
2019 Award Recipient
James Aadaki, Carleton Bowekaty, Terry Knight, Shaun Chapoose and Clark Tenakhongva
Leaders of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition
Leaders of the Hopi, Navajo, Ute Mountain and Zuni tribes who came together to protect and promote the sacred landscape of Bears Ears.
2018 Award Recipient
Jane Difley
President, Society For the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
Successfully defended the New Hampshire landscape from the development of the Northern Pass transmission line.
Alnoba International Indigenous Leadership Award
Throughout the years and through our travels, we have learned much from the teachings of Indigenous people throughout the world. For 35 years, our travel companies, Overseas Adventure Travel and Grand Circle Corporation have supported indigenous people in more than 50 countries. We believe they understand our role as protectors and caretakers of the earth and community at a much different and higher level. This award honors an Indigenous leader outside the U.S. who serves as a bold defender of Mother Earth, inspires communities to action and one who honors and applies traditional beliefs to the most pressing environmental problems of our day.
AWARD:
$10,000 donation in recipient’s name to nonprofit of their choice.
2023 Award Recipient
Célia Xakriabá
Indigenous Representative, Brazil Chamber of Deputies (Congress)
Teacher, poet, and activist from the Cerrado biodome of Brazil who founded the National Associatino of Ancestral Indigenous Women Warriors (ANMIGA).
2022 Award Recipient
Josefina Tunki
President, Shuar People of Ecuador
First female president of the Shuar, taking on the state and the mining companies in her fight to protect the Amazon.
2021 Award Recipient
Janene Yazzie
Founder, Sixth World Solutions
Dine’ (Navajo) activist fighting the impact of environmental racism and indigenous rights violations in New Mexico.
2019 Award Recipient
Francinara Soares Martins Baré
Federation Coordinator, Coordinating Body of Indigenous Organizations from the Brazilian Amazon
Tireless advocate for Indigenous rights in the Amazon as leader of an organization representing 160 distinct Indigenous peoples.
Alnoba Emerging Environmental Entrepreneur Award
This award recognizes achievement and potential. It is presented to an extraordinary person under 40 who has shown grit, leadership, integrity and results on behalf of the environment and sustainability. The recipient demonstrates the entrepreneurial spirit and started, founded, or invented an innovative organization, service or product that has measurably made a difference.
AWARD:
$10,000 donation in recipient’s name to nonprofit of their choice.
2023 Award Recipient
Franziska Trautmann
Co-founder and CEO, Glass Half Full
Founder of New Orleans’ first glass recycling facility that breathes new, eco-friendly life into waste glass.
2022 Award Recipient
Sam Evans-Brown
Executive Director, Clean Energy NH
Former podcaster leading the fight for a cleaner, more affordable and more resilient energy system in New Hampshire.
2019 Award Recipient
Steph Speirs
Co-Founder, Solstice
Making solar energy available to renters, low-credit households and other Americans left out of the clean energy transition.
2018 Award Recipient
Alex Fried
Founder and Co-Director, Post Landfull Action Network (PLAN)
Guiding campuses to launch and sustain student-led zero waste projects.
Alnoba CEO Environmental Leadership Award
The CEO Environmental Leadership Award is established to support, inspire and recognize business leaders who help save the earth we share. The vision is for the award to increase action towards a more sustainable future through the recipient’s continued leadership within his or her business, industry and community.
CRITERIA
- Must be CEO/Owner of a privately held company with review of less than $1B
- Evidence that the company’s green policies and practices and philanthropic efforts have had a measurable impact
- Serve as an example and through their practices have minimal impact on the environment and contribute to a more sustainable future
AWARD:
$10,000 donation in recipient’s name to nonprofit of their choice.
2023 Award Recipient
Briana Warner
CEO, Atlantic Sea Farms
Promoting and expanding the use of seaweed as a climate-positive retail food product while supporting Maine’s working waterfront.
2022 Award Recipient
Geeta Aiyer
Founder and CEO, Boston Common Asset Management
Innovative thinker leading the way in the environmental, social and governance investment field.
2021 Award Recipient
Rebecca Hamilton & Emily Schwerin-Whyte
CEO’s, W.S. Badger & Company
Bold Co-CEO’s bringing over 100 organic and natural products made in environmentally friendly manufacturing facilities to over 20 countries.
2019 Award Recipient
Matt O’Malia
Founder, GO Logic, GO Home, OPAL and GO Lab
Pioneering architect bringing Passive House standard design to New England, including here at Alnoba.
2018 Award Recipient
Phil Coupe, Bill Behrens, Fortunat Meuller, Dan Clapp
Leadership Team of ReVision Energy
Founders of the #1 renewable energy company in northern New England, expanding access to clean solar energy across the region.
Alnoba Moment of Truth Award
In life and in leadership we all face moments of truth. Daring leaders face the fire when things are raging hot, confront the tough issues and take decisive action. This award honors an activist leader who had the courage to raise the world’s attention to a big issue of our time, and rally allies and resources to make a real and lasting impact.
AWARD:
$10,000 donation in recipient’s name to nonprofit of their choice.
2023 Award Recipient
Ruchira Gupta
Founder, APNE AAP Women Worldwide
With 22 other women in prostitution, founded a grassroots Indian organization that empowers marginalized girls and women to resist and end sex trafficking.
2022 Award Recipient
Loretta J. Ross
Activist, Public Intellectual and Professor
Fifty-year veteran of social justice activism who co-created the theory of Reproductive Justice.
2021 Award Recipient
Christa Big Canoe
Legal Advocacy Director, Aboriginal Legal Services
Courageous leader working with the families of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW) helping them navigate the legal system to find justice for their loved ones.
