Thank you to everyone who participated in our 2021 Guardians of Nature Benefit in honor of Kathryn Phillips. I hope that you left our online event inspired and encouraged by our honoree, speakers, and Chapter volunteers.
To relive our 2021 Guardians of Nature Benefit, you may watch the recording of the event.
I thank again our 2021 honoree Kathryn Phillips, guest speaker California Attorney Rob Bonta, to all who sponsored, purchased tickets and donated to our silent auction. I am especially grateful for the wonderful volunteer crew who made our event yet another successful Benefit: David Simon for producing the event and creating video content, Mike Kerhin for producing the tribute in honor of Kathryn Phillips, and to Megan Tobias for creating the video about the Chapter’s advocacy for the Reach Codes. It was a joy and a privilege to celebrate with you!
Our annual Benefit brings together the Loma Prieta community to celebrate extraordinary people who dedicate their lives to protecting our environment, and it raises critical funds for your Chapter’s operations. As you may know, only a sliver of your dues to the Sierra Club National is returned directly to your local Chapter, however, 100% of more than $70,000 raised during the event will be spent on ensuring that your Loma Prieta Chapter is a solid and independent champion for the environment.
If you have not had a chance to join other Benefit supporters, would you consider making a gift of $25, $50, or $75 to protect our local wildlife and their habitat, and help people discover and fall in love with our local nature? We will immediately put your contribution to work for a lasting impact.
Happy trails,James Eggers, DirectorLoma Prieta Chapter, Sierra Club
Honoree - Kathryn Phillips
Kathryn Phillips is an environmental policy advocate who has devoted decades to protecting California's environment. As the Sierra Club California Director, and before then a policy director at the Environmental Defense Fund and policy advisor at the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, she has been engaged in nearly every significant environmental policy issue impacting California in the last 20 years.
Kathryn graduated from U.C. Berkeley in History and then earned a master’s in journalism from the University of Missouri, Columbia. For nearly twenty years she worked as a print journalist, mostly as a freelance writer, eventually evolving into a science writer. During this time she wrote two books on environmental topics—Tracking the Vanishing Frogs and Paradise by Design.
Kathryn left journalism to complete a master’s degree in public policy at UCLA, with an emphasis on natural resources policy and transportation policy. After graduation in 2001, she joined the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies in Sacramento as a policy advisor. There, she worked on energy, fuels, and transportation regulatory issues as California entered a period of extraordinary leadership in climate policy.
In 2004, she joined the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to work on reducing diesel-generated air pollution in the San Joaquin Valley and federal farm and transportation bills.
After seven years with EDF, Kathryn left the organization to lead Sierra Club California (SCC). During her years as the SCC director, she helped pass and influence the implementation of key California policies designed to cut climate pollution. She helped develop and pass the first "Buy Clean" bill in the nation and has advised others working on adopting similar policies across the country. She also helped block attempts by industry interests to destroy existing California laws to protect environmental review, timber harvest planning, and endangered species, and has helped keep the pressure on to prevent the wasteful Delta tunnel project from becoming a reality.
In April 2021, Kathryn retired from SCC after nearly a decade there.
In her spare time, Kathryn enjoys baking, gardening, fly fishing, hiking, biking, reading, and learning to play the guitar. She makes her home in Sacramento with her spouse, Julie Wilson, and their Vizsla dog, Zsula.
Guest Speaker - Attorney General Rob Bonta
On April 23, 2021, Rob Bonta was sworn in as the 34th Attorney General of the State of California, the first person of Filipino descent and the second Asian-American to occupy the position.
Attorney General Bonta's passion for justice and fairness was instilled in him by his parents, who served on the frontlines of some of America's most important social justice movements. Instilling in him the lessons they learned from the United Farm Workers and the civil rights movement, Attorney General Bonta's parents lit a fire inside him to fight against injustice — to stand up for those who are taken advantage of or harmed. It's why he decided to become a lawyer — to help right historic wrongs and fight for people who have been harmed. He worked his way through college and graduated with honors from Yale University and attended Yale Law School.
In the State Assembly, Attorney General Bonta enacted nation-leading reforms to inject more justice and fairness into government and institutions. As the People's Attorney, he sees seeking accountability from those who abuse their power and harm others as one of the most important functions of the job. In elected office, he has taken on powerful interests and advanced systemic change — pursuing corporate accountability, standing up for workers, punishing big polluters, and fighting racial injustice. He has been a national leader in the fight to transform the criminal justice system, banning private prisons and detention facilities in California, as well as pushing to eliminate cash bail in the state. He has led statewide fights for racial, economic, and environmental justice and worked to further the rights of immigrant families, renters, and working Californians.
Prior to serving in the Assembly, Attorney General Bonta worked as a Deputy City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, where he represented the City and County and its employees, and fought to protect Californians from exploitation and racial profiling.
Born in Quezon City, Philippines, Attorney General Bonta immigrated to California with his family as an infant. He is the son of a proud native Filipino mother and a father who taught him the value of public service to his community. He is married to Mia Bonta, and they are the proud parents of three children Reina, Iliana, and Andres, as well as their dog Legolas.
Honorary Hosts
City of Redwood City Alicia C. Aguirre, City of Mountain View Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga, City of Burlingame Councilmember Emily Beach, City of Santa Clara Councilmember Anthony J. Becker, California Assemblymember Marc Berman, Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, Town of Atherton Councilmember Rick DeGolia, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, City of San Jose Councilmember Pam Foley, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Vice- Chair Shay Franco-Clausen, San Mateo County Supervisor Carole Groom, City of Foster City Councilmember Sam Hindi, City of Santa Clara Councilmember Sudhanshu Jain, City of San Jose Councilmember Sergio Jimenez, City of Mountain View Mayor Ellen Kamei, Midpeninsula Open Space District Director Zoe Kersteen-Tucker, City of Palo Alto Councilmember Lydia Kou, City of Mountain Councilmember Sally Lieber, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, City of Mountain View Councilmember Lisa Matichak, California Assemblymember Kevin Mullin, 2019 Guardians of Nature Benefit Honoree Enid Pearson, City of San Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez, San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine, 2019 Guardians of Nature Benefit Honoree Emily Renzel, 2016 Guardians of Nature Benefit Honoree Lennie Roberts, Santa Clara County Supervisor and 2018 Guardians of Nature Honoree Joe Simitian, City of Morgan Hill Councilmember Rene Spring, City of Palo Alto Councilmember Greer Stone.
Sponsors
John Muir Heir
Sierra Nevada Sentinel
Past Guardians of Nature Benefits
Event Committee
Mary Buxton, James Eggers, Barbara Kelsey, Justyna Guterman
Contact us
Questions about the event and to volunteer: Justyna Guterman (Justyna.Guterman@sierraclub.org or 650-390-8494)
All proceeds benefit the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter. Tickets purchases and gifts to the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter are not tax-deductible; they support our effective, citizen-based advocacy and lobbying efforts.