PennFuture's 2021 Celebrating Women in Conservation Awards

Thursday, Sept. 9th, 2021  - 6pm

This will be a virtual/live hybrid online event. Your ticket gives you access to the live Zoom broadcast of the award ceremony!

Each year, PennFuture honors the accomplishments of outstanding women conservationists in Pennsylvania. The 2021 Celebrating Women in Conservation Awards are designed to recognize excellence in conservation and to forge a stronger network of women who are deeply committed to working to protect Pennsylvania’s environment. Since its inception in 2015, this event has traveled around the state to different communities to ensure recognition of local leaders, volunteers, and career professionals. We are pleased to bring the 2021 event to the Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania. 

Meet PennFuture's 2021 Women in Conservation Honorees

Young Woman of Conservation Leadership: Hannah Burke, Schuylkill County

A Senior at Blue Mountain Area High School, CEO of Best Buds All Natural Gardening -  a conservation business she founded in 2017, Schuylkill Haven Community Garden Manager, and Vice President of the Schuylkill County 4-H teen council. Read more about Hannah here.
 

Woman of the Environmental Arts: Kelly Finan, Susquehanna County

Science Illustrator/Designer – clients include The Children’s Discovery Museum, Clean Oceans International, Frost Museum of Science, Harvard University, The National Aquarium in Baltimore, The Nature Conservancy, Northeast Wilderness Trust, & Yosemite National Park. Read more about Kelly here. 
 

Woman of Environmental Media, Marketing, and Communications: Meg McGuire

Founder and publisher of the Delaware Currents an online news project dedicated to telling the story of the Delaware River from its headwaters to where it meets the ocean, regular guest on WJFF’s program “Making Waves.” Read more about Meg here. 
 

Woman of the Watershed: Elissa Garofalo, Carbon County

Executive Director for the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Board of Directors member of the Alliance of National Heritage Areas. Read more about Elissa here.
 

Woman of Environmental Justice: Rashida Lovely, Lackawanna County

Created the "Science in the Summer" programs for underprivileged families and promotes teaching black/ brown / underserved communities how to value the environment by incorporating daily “resource sustaining” practices. Read more about Rashida here. 
 

Woman of Climate and Renewable Energy: Diana Dakey, Lackawanna County

Volunteer advocate for the environment and good government, through Protect Northern PA, PennFuture, League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County, Open Primaries PA Coalition, and Fair Districts PA. Read more about Diana here. 

 

Woman of Environmental Education: Dr. Jessica Nolan, Lackawanna County

Professor of Conservation Psychology and Director of the Environmental Studies Concentration at the University of Scranton, Founder of Green Drinks Scranton. Read more about Jessica here. 
 

Woman of Lifetime Achievement in Conservation: Marian Keegan, Pike County

President of Grey Towers Heritage Association, Director of Community Conservation at Hemlock Farms Community Association, lead formation for Pocono Source Water Protection Collaborative, co-authored “Standards of Forestry Practice in Pennsylvania,” contributing author of “Deer Management for Forest Landowners and Managers," graduate of Duke University School of the Environment. Read more about Marian here. 
 

Woman of Lifetime Achievement in Conservation: Dr. Laurie Goodrich, Schuylkill County

Leads Hawk Mountain Sanctuary’s local-to-global research and professional training programs as its Sarkis Acopian Director of Conservation Science, co-published Hawk Mountain’s first scientific paper on raptor migration trends, co-wrote the Hawk Mountain Land Management Plan, and helped to develop the nationally award-winning Raptor Population Index Project. She helped establish the first raptor migration monitoring and conservation site in Mexico which records more than 4 million migratory hawks each autumn. Read more about Laurie here. 
 

Woman of Lifetime Achievement in Conservation: Heidi Secord, Monroe County

State President and Board Chair of the Pennsylvania Farmers Union, Board member of the National Farmers Union, former board member for the Pennsylvania State Council of Farm Organizations, PASA Sustainable Agriculture and Monroe County Conservation District, Owner/Operator of Josie Porter Farm. Recently nominated for State Conservation Commission by Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary Redding. Read more about Heidi here.
 

Posthumous Woman of Lifetime Achievement in Conservation: Louise Dunlap (1946-2021)

Louise was a vital liaison between the PA Abandoned Mine Land Campaign, legislators, and staffers in Washington DC who helped to advance the Reauthorization of the Abandoned Mine Land Trust Fund and the RECLAIM Act. She helped found the Environmental Policy Center (EPC) in 1972. She served on the boards of the League of Conservation Voters, the Clean Water Fund, Scenic America, the Environmental Policy Institute and the National Clean Air Coalition, while holding posts with the National Parks Conservation Association and Friends of the Earth. Read more about Louise here. 

In the coming weeks we'll be providing individual profiles of each of these amazing women - stay tuned!!

 

Special thanks to our Host Committee!
Jacquelyn Bonomo
Diana Dakey
​Ann Foster
Sue Hostler
Arundhati “Tinku” Khanwalkar​
Mark Lichty
Joyce Martin
 

Special thanks to our sponsors for their continued support.  If you would like information about sponsorship opportunities for this event, please contact Susanne Whitehead at whitehead@pennfuture.org.

EVENT SPONSORS

AWARD SPONSORS

Special Opportunity for Small Businesses & Organizations:
Be an Award Sponsor!

Eleven Award Sponsorships are available: one for each woman - for only $150 each. 
In addition to a Login Ticket and the PennFuture Swag Bag, we'll include your logo in all future promotional materials as well as provide special recognition during the event. 

 

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR HONOREE SPONSORS!

 

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary - for Dr. Laurie Goodrich


The Bridgewater Riding Club - for Kelly Finan

 

Jessie L. Smith - for Heidi Secord

 

Connie Dunlap Santarelli - for Louise Dunlap

 

Hotel Fauchere - for Marian Keegan

 

If you would like information about being an Award Sponsor, please contact Susanne Whitehead at whitehead@pennfuture.org.