Environmentalist of the Year Awards

Date: Friday, November 14th, 2025, 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Fox & Goose Public House, 1001 R St, Sacramento, CA 95811

Awardees
Tickets
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Silent Auction
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ECOS is hosting the awards ceremony and dinner on Friday, November 14th, 2025 at 6pm, at one of Sacramento’s most treasured spots, the Fox & Goose Public House. This will be an evening of celebration, inspiration, and connection.

ECOS has presented Environmentalist of the Year awards since 1973. This ceremony allows us to reflect on the successes of each year, to recognize the important work that is being done by environmental stewards across many fields, and to build collaboration for the future.

Silent Auction

2025 Environmentalist of the Year Awardees

Susan Herre – Environmentalist of the Year
Award presented by Kevin McCarty, Mayor, City of Sacramento

Edith Thacher – Environmentalist of the Year
Award presented by Heather Fargo, President of the ECOS Board of Directors; Former Mayor, City of Sacramento

Mackenzie Hollander – Rising Star Award
Award presented by Karina Talamantes, Vice Mayor, City of Sacramento

Dr. Andrea Willey – Wildlife Award
Award presented by Roger Niello, Senator, CA Senate District 6

Susan Herre – Environmentalist of the Year

Under Susan’s leadership ECOS became better organized, and more viable and relevant. Susan’s efforts diversified the ECOS leadership and staff, while broadening ECOS advocacy and fundraising effectiveness. Under her leadership and participation she created even more networking and collaboration with other community stakeholders regarding environmental issues. Susan Herre’s work through ECOS is invaluable. She is generous with her time and energy and unselfish in her support of others. Susan Herre is now Immediate Past President of the Board of ECOS. She was president during 2022 through 2024. She is an urban planner and architect. After her retirement from the US Department of Transportation she became an activist for public transit and the preservation of open space. For fun, Susan paints and does ceramics.

Edith Thacher – Environmentalist of the Year

Edith Thacher has provided project management services to the Natomas Team to advance the Save Natomas Farmland campaign. Without her our campaign could not have been successful. She has managed volunteers, staff and consultants with grace and patience. Edith has mentored young people and neighbors and supported the core team. In addition to her work with ECOS, she is a co-lead of the Sacramento/Roseville chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

Mackenzie Hollender – Rising Star Award

Mackenzie Hollender is a highschool Junior at Natomas Charter School, who has worked with ECOS, 350 Sacramento, the Sacramento Audubon SocietyShe is an up and coming star who produced videos of the Natomas farmland and habitat. Her poise, passion for birds and nature, and speaking ability have been very helpful to the Natomas Campaign. She should be recognized for her initiative, leadership, spunk, and effectiveness on behalf of ECOS and our campaign to save our open space in Natomas.(ECOS is grateful for her energy and skills as a birder, videographer, photographer and passionate environmentalist.

Dr. Andrea Willey – Wildlife Award

Andrea Willey, MD, a Dermatologic Surgeon and Sacramento native, witnessed a Great Blue Heron’s fatal encounter with fishing line. She founded the Waterbird Habitat Project in 2023, collaborating with anglers and local communities to retrieve abandoned fishing gear from the American River. Designated receptacle for fishing gear and signage was installed. As the project continues to grow, so does its impact. As a result of her personal determination, the Waterbird Habitat Program is on the road to becoming a statewide model.

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For 2025, we’ve switched our sponsorships to tomatoes to honor this glorious Sacramento icon. Become a sponsor through the form below.

2025 Flyer

Our awardees work in these fields and more:

INTEGRATION OF TRANSIT AND LAND USE: Work to convey to elected officials and the public the importance of expanded transit and infill development to housing affordability, the economic revitalization of existing developed areas, and reduction of car trips; also the importance of upholding planning actions of regional significance such as the urban service boundary and habitat conservation plans in SacCounty; and fighting against developments that ignore these planning actions.
CLIMATE: Work on local government climate plans, including studying, commenting, and encouragement of aggressive and well-supported plans, so our region does its part to reduce GHG emissions; work on the conversion to all-electric for homes and businesses.
AIR: Air quality monitoring and community education, as steps toward air quality improvement.
HABITAT: Outreach to neighborhoods and elected officials to increase awareness of the importance of the Sacramento region’s wildlife habitat and habitat-supportive farmland, its habitat conservation plans, its location in the Pacific Flyway and in one of the Earth’s biodiversity hotspots.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: Work to remedy environmental injustices from the past, such as redlining, and those happening now, such as air pollution from freeways and siting of industrial uses near schools and residences;
SERVICE: Faithful and productive service on the ECOS Board.
FUNDING: Work to promote ballot measures to fund transit, safe and complete streets, and affordable housing in our region.
WATER: Work to improve the management of the region’s surface and ground water quality and supply.