Press Release: NAAEE Awards Changemaker Grants to EE 30 Under 30 Alumni Leading Transformative Environmental Projects

"EE 30 Under 30 Changemakers" with grid of nine faces

Date

Category

Press Release

Topic

Program

  • EE 30 Under 30
  • Leadership

Media Contact
Name: Stacie Pierpoint
Email: stacie@naaee.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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NAAEE Awards Changemaker Grants to EE 30 Under 30 Alumni Leading Transformative Environmental Projects

[Washington, D.C., United States, January 14, 2026] The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) recognizes its 2025–2026 Changemaker grantees. Nine leaders from six continents will receive small grants, training, and a community of support to boost their impact as they implement projects to build more sustainable communities around the world.

NAAEE’s Changemaker grantees are chosen from NAAEE’s EE 30 Under 30 current and past awardees. They will work on a range of sustainability issues—from transforming local environmental and agricultural challenges into viable business opportunities in Cameroon to building climate-responsive healthcare in Canada. These Changemaker grantees will lead their projects over the course of nine months, and in addition to funding and professional development, they’ll get an opportunity to present about their work at NAAEE’s 55th international conference in Portland, Oregon, in October 2026.

“These nine young leaders from around the world represent the future of environmental education,” said Judy Braus, executive director of NAAEE. "By investing in their innovative projects today, we're helping build the sustainable communities we all need for tomorrow.”

The 2025–2026 EE 30 Under 30 Changemaker grantees include:

Stephanie Quon, a doctor of medicine student at the University of British Columbia and a trained electrical engineer, is a 2025–2026 Changemaker Grantee and EE 30 Under 30 Class of 2019 alum. She  says, “the [EE 30 Under 30 Changemaker] grant will allow us to pilot a new model of climate-health education, CLIMATE Rx, to bridge the gap between climate science and clinical decision-making. I am incredibly grateful for this investment in a more resilient and sustainable healthcare system for all!”

Since 2020, the Changemaker Grants program has provided a number of NAAEE’s EE 30 Under 30 alumni, exemplary leaders under the age of 30 who are harnessing the power of education to create a more sustainable future, with financial and professional development support to bring new transformative ideas to life and sustain their ongoing work. This program is made possible by NAAEE, the Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP), the Sam and Mary Lawrence Foundation, and the Weeden Foundation. Additional support was provided by the Environmental Stewardship Fund, a fund of Tides Foundation and the Lampert Byrd Family Foundation.

Learn more about all of this year’s grantees: https://naaee.org/programs/ee-30-under-30/changemaker-grantees

About NAAEE

For more than five decades, the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) has served as the professional association, champion, and backbone organization for the field of environmental education (EE), working with EE professionals across United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as globally, to advance environmental literacy and civic engagement to create a healthier and more sustainable future. For more information on NAAEE, visit https://naaee.org.