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Contact: Stacie Pierpoint | stacie@naaee.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Young Environmental Educators Named 2022 EE 30 Under 30
The North American Association for Environmental Education announces its new class of 30 visionaries, ranging in age from 15 to 30 and from 19 countries.
[Washington, D.C., August 17, 2022] The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) announces its seventh class of 30 leaders under age 30 who are using environmental education (EE) to build sustainable and equitable communities around the world.
The awardees in this year’s EE 30 Under 30 Class of 2022 range in age from 15 to 30, and include social entrepreneurs, artists, journalists, researchers, activists, and educators from 19 countries. From teaching ecological citizenship in the Philippines to fostering ocean stewardship with virtual reality in the United States to creating student-run kitchen gardens in Kenya, these leaders are using environmental education to address complex sustainability issues in their communities. Their collective work reaches more than 360,000 people each year, many of whom are on the frontlines of climate crises.
As EE 30 Under 30, these exceptional young leaders in EE will expand their impact and inspire and mentor the next generation of sustainability leaders with their unique and passionate commitment to meaningful change. The Class of 2022 will join the global EE 30 Under 30 community of inspiring leaders, and will receive ongoing support through networking, peer mentoring, global recognition, and opportunities for professional development and grants.
Since 2016, NAAEE's EE 30 Under 30 program has recognized 210 individuals from 42 countries who are making a difference through environmental education. This program is made possible by NAAEE, the Global Environmental Education Partnership, and the U.S. Forest Service.
The award has had a tremendous impact on these young leaders. “Being an EE 30 Under 30 means a lot to me. It has opened up collaborative opportunities, especially from the EE30U30 alumni network. Fellow alumni have shared resources, grant opportunities, and promoted my work,” says Mariam Kabamba, EE 30 Under 30 2019. “NAAEE’s EE 30 Under 30 program has developed and increased my leadership skills, and empowered me to take more action and become a champion of environmental education.”
Executive Director of NAAEE Judy Braus says, “Today’s young people are at the forefront of environmental and social change, using their passion, skills, and commitment to create a more just and sustainable world. We are honored to highlight how these 30 young leaders are using environmental education and their ingenuity to confront the key issues of our time, including the existential threat from climate change. Congratulations to NAAEE’s EE 30 Under 30 Class of 2022!”
Learn more about this year’s winners, listed below, by reading their biographies on our website: naaee.org/ee30under30
Ajani Stella, 15, United States Ming-Feng Lee, 28, Taiwan Brian Gómez, 26, United States Musa Kondeh, 25, Sierra Leone Charles Emogor, 27, Nigeria Nicolás Chesta, 22, Chile Eva Makandi, 28, Kenya Pauline Owiti, 25, Kenya Gabby Tan, 21, Malaysia Rae Landriau, 22, Canada Ghislain Irakoze, 22, Rwanda Raj Fadadu, 25, United States Harrison Ashangwa, 27, Cameroon Reekelitsoe Molapo, 28, Lesotho Hazel Araujo, 27, Guatemala Renata Koch Alvarenga, 25, Brazil Iman Ebrahimi, 28, Iran Rosa Na, 28, Canada Iyeshima Harris, 26, United States Rosalind Skillen, 24, United Kingdom Jack Baker, 25, United Kingdom Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka, 30, American Samoa John Leo Algo, 28, Philippines Shreya K.C., 24, Nepal Kosisochukwu Ifeji, 18, United States Taimoor Siddiqui, 25, Pakistan Laurence Lloyd Lumagbas, 29, Philippines Tobias Odhacha, 29, Kenya Lindsay French, 30, United States Valeria Cañedo Montaño, 26, Mexico
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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 more equitable and sustainable future. For more information on NAAEE, visit https://naaee.org.