Community Environmental Council CEO Recognized for her 25 Years of Trailblazing Leadership on Climate Action and Environmental Stewardship
Sigrid Wright. Courtesy photo.
SANTA BARBARA — Congressmember Salud Carbajal has announced the winners of the fifth annual Congressional Women of the Year Award, including Community Environmental Council CEO Sigrid Wright. This prestigious award honors six exceptional women across the 24th Congressional District who have left a positive impact on their communities.
“With the many daunting challenges of the growing climate crisis, Sigrid’s dedicated environmental leadership in Santa Barbara has guided the community in facing those changes,” Congressman Carbajal said. “I am honored to recognize her contributions to our community.”
“Sigrid is one of the most thoughtful and strategic leaders I know,” said Geoff Green, Community Environmental Council Board member and CEO for the Foundation for Santa Barbara City College. “Her clarity, strength, and long-term vision are remarkable. She has an uncanny ability to find and connect people and resources from all corners of the community. Sigrid constantly strives to learn and grow. She’s innately curious, a voracious reader, and has a wonderful ability to seek input from all sources and make sense of it.”
Wright was recognized for her far-reaching contributions to the Central Coast. With over 25 years at the Community Environmental Council, serving seven years as CEO, she has worked tirelessly to transition the region to carbon neutrality and empower greater numbers of community members to become better stewards of the climate.
For over 15 years, Wright led the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival, which she grew to one of the largest, consistently held Earth Day celebrations in the U.S. Carbajal will present the award to Wright during the Environmental Hero Award Ceremony at CEC’s 2022 Santa Barbara Earth Day event on Saturday, April 23 at the Arlington Theatre. He also will emcee the Award Ceremony at 2:30 p.m., where CEC will recognize Kenny Loggins, as well as the inaugural cohorts of Community Environmental Council’s UC Climate Stewards course.
The six winners of this year’s award span a variety of backgrounds and professions and represent the thousands of women working tirelessly to improve quality of life on the Central Coast. Joining Wright are: Reverend Doctor Caroline Hall of Los Osos, Dee Lacey of Paso Robles, Barbara Levenson of Pismo Beach, Lawanda Lyons-Pruitt of Santa Maria and Linda Tyler-Ryles of Buellton.
Carbajal will recognize the winners by entering a special written tribute for each woman into the official Congressional Record, preserving their stories and their impact on the community. An award ceremony will be held at a later date and each honoree will also receive a special congressional pin.
About Sigrid Wright — A resident of Goleta, Sigrid Wright brings over 25 years of experience in non-profit environmental management and has built multiple programs for climate, energy, and food related issues. Under her leadership, CEC has grown its impact and stature. In 2020, Community Environmental Council was recognized as a California Non-Profit of the Year by then District 37 Assemblywoman Monique Limón, as well as a 2020 Spirit of Service Climate Hero by the City of Santa Barbara.
Wright is a co-founder and steering committee member of the Central Coast Climate Justice Network, a co-founder of the Central Coast Climate Collaborative, and a co-founder and Board member of the Santa Barbara County Food Action Network. She is the co-author or editor of more than a dozen policy and planning documents, including The Santa Barbara County Regional Energy Blueprint. Prior to becoming the organization’s first female CEO in 2015, she led the annual Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival production team for more than 15 years.
In addition, Wright sits on the boards of, Leading From Within and the Santa Barbara Foundation’s Collaboration for Social Impact. She is an alum of the Santa Barbara Foundation’s Katherine Harvey Fellows program and the Courage to Lead program for nonprofit leaders. Her achievements led her to receive the 2015 Women of Achievement Award from the Association of Women in Communications, Santa Barbara. Wright holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon, and a master’s degree in Communications Design from the Yale Gordon College of Liberal Arts at the University of Baltimore.
About CEC — Recognized as a 2020 California Nonprofit of the Year and 2020 City of Santa Barbara Climate Hero, CEC has worked since 1970 to incubate and innovate real life environmental solutions that directly affect the California Central Coast. Our current work advances rapid and equitable solutions to the climate crisis – including ambitious zero carbon goals, drawdown of excess carbon, and protection against the impacts of climate change. Our programs lead to clean vehicles, solar energy, resilient food systems and reduction of single-use plastic. Learn more about why CEC is one of only five nonprofits in Santa Barbara County to have the highest possible ratings on Charity Navigator and Guidestar at CECSB.org/impact. Find CEC on the web at CECSB.org and on Facebook.com/CECSB, Instagram.com/CEC_SB, Twitter.com/CECSB, and LinkedIn.com/CECSB.
About Representative Salud Carbajal — Rep. Salud Carbajal represents California’s 24th Congressional District, encompassing Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and part of Ventura County. He sits on the House Armed Services Committee, Agriculture Committee, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he serves as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.