John Ebneter was a member of the first-ever Green Foothills Leadership Program class in 2013-14. In 2015 he became a...
Leadership Program Alumni Impact
Advancing Environmental Justice and Conservation
The Green Foothills Leadership Program prepares community changemakers to be effective in reaching their goals and build up a more effective and inclusive environmental movement in our region, advancing environmental justice. We bring in students who are current or potential community leaders for an eight-month training course. Following that, the associated alumni program supports them in their community work and/or career and allows us to coordinate our work with theirs.
Leadership Program alumni assume leadership roles in community, public, private, and nonprofit organizations, where they apply a lens of environmental advocacy and cultural humility to their work. They initiate and join successful campaigns that advance Green Foothills’ mission and vision and are involved in the Green Foothills community.
By the Numbers Since 2014
Alumni Stories
Our alumni come from all walks of life and have a wide range of experiences and priorities, so their individual impact is incredibly unique. These stories provide examples of the impact members of the Alumni Program are making in their communities.
Emily Schwing: Building a Collective Food System
In the heart of East San Jose, next to the Hwy 101 and I-680 interchange, sits a vibrant urban oasis...
Protecting Our Groundwater From Mining Contamination
Santa Clara County has enacted a new ordinance requiring mining operations to maintain a 50-foot protective buffer from groundwater. We’re...
Tamara Smith-Jones: The Need for Healing
Tamara Smith-Jones is the founder of Helping Others Maintain Earth (H.O.M.E.), an organization whose mission is community empowerment. She participated...
Peter Ruddock: A Passion for Sustainable Food Production
Many of us dream of ditching our day jobs to follow our passion, but few people actually do it. Former...
Wendy Chou: Becoming an Advocate for Environmental Justice
Wendy Chou is a climate change advocate who works as the Coalition and Project Senior Manager at Acterra: Action for...
Using Her Leadership Skills to Help Her Tribe: Isabella ‘Amne Gomez
Isabella ‘Amne Gomez is a Muwekma Ohlone Youth Ambassador and a first-year undergraduate student at Santa Clara University. Because of...
Everything Comes from the Earth: An Interview with Lizbeth “Xochipapalo” Amador
The connection between Aztec dancing and the environment might not be immediately apparent, but Lizbeth “Xochipapalo” Amador will tell you...
Bees and High Tech: Kian Nikzad Creates a Buzz
Kian Nikzad was a computer science student at UCLA when he signed up for the Green Foothills Leadership Program to...