Ashley Boren Wins State Leadership Award

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Sustainable Conservation is pleased to announce Executive Director Ashley Boren is one of six 2007 winners of the prestigious James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. Now in its second year, the award celebrates individuals throughout California who embody ingenuity, dedication and collaboration in solving pressing issues facing the state.

Ashley's award honors her unwavering commitment to innovative, balanced problem-solving to address a variety of critical environmental problems facing California. As Executive Director for more than a decade, Ashley has drawn on her business and conservation experience to find practical ways for agriculture and other industries to embrace environmental sustainability - without compromising their bottom lines.

Her work with the state's dairy industry, for example, has promoted the growing adoption of renewable energy strategies that enable dairy farmers to generate renewable electricity from cow manure - significantly reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs. As a result, 15 methane digesters are now operating across the state, which help divert more than 500,000 tons of manure. The digesters also generate enough energy to run 3,000 homes and offset more than $2 million in energy costs to dairy farmers each year.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger lauded Ashley and the other award recipients - who have made significant impacts on issues ranging from education in low-performing schools to the role of theater in building community to global warming, air quality, and flood control.

"The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award recipients are model citizens for their exceptional work to improve their communities and California," said Schwarzenegger. "These Californians have demonstrated visionary leadership in their ability to successfully work across sectors in business, education, environment, and the arts. I want to congratulate all of the recipients for their extraordinary achievements in each of their respective fields."

Jim Canales, President and CEO of the James Irvine Foundation, adds, "The Leadership Award recipients once again remind us that, as insurmountable as some challenges may appear, solutions are in reach. And through their work with a variety of stakeholders, this year's recipients prove that solutions can truly be a win-win for everyone involved. These leaders remind us that remarkable results are possible when we develop innovations with everyone at the table."

Each award recipient receives $125,000 to further their organizations' missions. The other winners include: Cesar Calderon, Soledad Enrichment Action (Los Angeles); John Carlon and Tom Griggs, River Partners (Chico); Yvonne Chan, Vaughn Next Century Learning Center (Pacoima); and Sheldon Epps, Pasadena Playhouse (Pasadena).