Honoree Receives Audubon/Toyota TogetherGreen Fellowship
New York, NY. —A San Antonio, Texas woman is the recipient of a new national fellowship designed to advance the work of individuals with outstanding potential to help shape a brighter environmental future.
Iliana Peña is one of only 40 people selected from competitors nationwide for the TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership Program, part of a new conservation initiative of the National Audubon Society with support from Toyota. Fellows receive specialized training in conservation planning and execution, the chance to work and share best practices with gifted conservation professionals, and assistance with project outreach and evaluation. Each Fellow will also receive $10,000 towards a community-focused project to engage local residents in conserving land, water and energy, and contributing to greater environmental health.
Peña will focus her efforts on expanding the reach of a semester-long program for 4th grade students that teaches them about ecology by spending time outdoors recording and listening to nature sounds. The effort is called Soundscape Science, and it enhances critical thinking skills while connecting kids to nature—perhaps inspiring them to protect it in the future. Peña hopes to broaden the Soundscapes curriculum throughout Texas and advocate for an environmental education school curriculum – bringing nature into the classrooms of kids who might otherwise miss out on such opportunities.
The Director of Conservation Education for Audubon Texas has been involved in conservation efforts for 10 years. Four years ago, Peña helped the community turn a sludge lagoon site into the educational and engaging green space: that is now the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center. Peña helped staff the center by training the first 25 docents from the small, but strong Mitchell Lake Wetland Society. Since she first started her career, as a conservation intern for the Welder Wildlife Foundation, Peña has demonstrated an incredible drive to make engaging environmental education programs accessible to everyone.
“Iliana is the kind of person who can make a real difference in the health of our environment and the quality of our future,” said Audubon President John Flicker. “Each of our TogetherGreen Fellows demonstrates exceptional environmental understanding and commitment, combined with tremendous potential to inspire and lead others. Together, they represent the talented and diverse leadership the environmental community will need to tackle the huge challenges and opportunities confronting us now and in the years to come.”
“I’m excited about being one of the 40 people that this fellowship brings together,” said Peña. “It is a wonderful vehicle in which to learn and explore new ideas from stimulating people from all over the country. I know this fellowship will help me garner new knowledge that will benefit me, my community and our environment.”
Peña has been affiliated with Audubon Texas since 2003. Half of the TogetherGreen fellows come from within Audubon’s far-reaching national network; half channel their environmental efforts through other organizations.
Peña received a Masters in range and wildlife management from Texas A&M University-Kingsville in 2002. Prior to that she graduated from Texas A&M Unversity – College Station with a Bachelors in wildlife and fisheries science in 1998. In addition to her duties with Audubon Texas, Peña also sits on the South Central Texas Regional Water Planning Group and the San Antonio River Improvement Mission Reach Environmental Committee.
“Toyota believes in the power of grassroots efforts to develop the environmental leaders of tomorrow,” said Patricia Salas Pineda, Group Vice President, Toyota Motor North America. “These 40 TogetherGreen Fellows will receive invaluable training for the future while immediately making a difference today with on-the-ground community projects.”
A complete list of TogetherGreen fellows can be found online at www.TogetherGreen.org/fellows.
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San Antonio Woman Singled Out for Environmental Leadership
