Archives: People

Laura is a Latina immigrant from Colombia, passionate about grassroots work to support communities and the environment. She manages resource mobilization and networking for Prize winners, and coordinates Prize winner security and defense. Laura has worked internationally and has extensive climate and environmental nonprofit experience in philanthropy and civil society advocacy spaces. Prior to joining…

Paige Smith is a content marketing writer who covers everything from culture and health to business and finance.

A member of the Jury since 2009, Yolanda Kakabadse’s distinguished career in conservation and international development spans civil society, government, and the private sector. Her career in the environment began as the executive director of Fundación Natura in Ecuador (1979 – 1990), where she led the organization to become one of Latin America’s most important…

A member of the Jury since 2019, Wanjira Mathai has over 20 years of experience advocating for social and environmental change on both local and international platforms. She is currently the vice president and regional director for Africa at the World Resources Institute (WRI), and previously served as co-chair of WRI’s Global Restoration Council and…

A member of the Jury since 1991, Alvaro Umaña’s international career spans academia, government, philanthropy, and NGOs. As Costa Rica’s first Minister of Environment (1986-1990), under President Oscar Arias, he was internationally recognized for his pathbreaking contribution to conservation, including the implementation of innovative financial instruments like debt-for-nature swaps. Dr. Umaña created the National Biodiversity…

Susie Gelman is a vice president of the Goldman Environmental Foundation. She is president and managing director of The Morningstar Foundation, a private family foundation based in Bethesda, Maryland. She also chairs the board of the Israel Policy Forum, an organization that has existed since 1993 to advance and promote the two-state solution to the…

John Goldman is a civic volunteer, active in various philanthropic and community organizations following his business and government career. A passionate advocate for the environment, he is the current President of the Goldman Environmental Foundation. John is the immediate past President of the San Francisco Symphony and continues to serve on its board. He is…

Jennifer is a vice president of the Goldman Environmental Foundation. She started her career as a CPA in the audit practice at Ernst & Young and later created a mobile app to nudge users toward sustainable transportation decisions. During graduate school, Jennifer led the MBA Stanford Impact Fund’s Environment and Energy deal team. She also…

Ellen is excited to elevate the stories and amplify the impact of Goldman Prize recipients around the globe. She manages the Prize’s digital presence, produces written and visual content, and contributes to strategic communications planning. Prior to joining the Prize, Ellen held various roles in the solar industry, from marketing to education program management. She…

Katie has been with the Prize since 2012. She manages the Prize tour, nominations, as well as nominator recruitment and communications. Prior to joining the Prize, she worked at the American Jewish World Service and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society spearheading cross-departmental efforts to steward key donors and fundraisers. She received her BA in Family…