Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt

Nominations are now open for our 2026
Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt Awards!

Nominate a Hero

Honoring climate change makers across the bay

The federal government has spent the past year dismantling the very foundation of American climate policy. When the EPA revoked its longstanding finding that greenhouse gases threaten public health, it signaled that we can no longer count on Washington to protect our communities from the accelerating consequences of climate change.

But here’s what that shift has made undeniable: local action has never mattered more.

Now in its sixth year, this celebration has become a powerful platform for amplifying those stories — and for reminding us that progress is still being made, right here, right now.

Join us in Oakland for an end-of-summer bash as residents, nonprofits, government, and businesses come together to honor this year’s honorees and reaffirm our collective commitment to the Bay Area we’re building together.

2025 Hidden Hero Recipients

Nature-Based Adaptation Awardee

Miguel is a Park Ranger for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex. He was the first in his family to graduate college, earning a BA in Environmental Studies with an option in Natural Resource Land Use Management from Cal State University Hayward in 2006.

Miguel connects with the surrounding community through outreach, education programs, volunteer clean-ups, and outdoor recreation. He often visits local schools to speak with students about his career path and the importance of wildlife conservation and habitat restoration. Before joining the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about five years ago, Miguel was a Park Ranger with the National Park Service in Washington DC, Hot Springs Arkansas, and San Francisco, serving as a park guide, supervisory park ranger, and interpretive specialist. Being an Interpretive Ranger allows him to share stories of the past, work at historical sites, lead hiking, biking, and kayak tours, and inspire, educate, and connect with people from within his community and abroad.

Miguel enjoys connecting and sharing his passion for wildlife with others and building future stewards of public lands. From the West Coast to the East, and down south and back to the Bay, he continues to promote environmental education, build community, and share his love for the outdoors.

Park Ranger at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Fremont

Planning For Resilience Awardee

As the Sustainability and Resilience Manager for the City of Alameda, Danielle is responsible for equitably implementing the City’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. Danielle co-chairs the Oakland Alameda Adaptation Committee (OAAC), a coalition of local, regional, state, and federal stakeholders and community-based organizations working to co-create a coordinated and inclusive future-looking action plan to accelerate sea level rise adaptation, protect and restore water quality, recreation and habitat, and promote community resilience.

Danielle brings extensive experience to this work from her past roles in local and regional resilience planning. She previously managed San Francisco's Lifelines Council, Earthquake Safety Implementation Program and Tall Buildings Study, and the Association of Bay Area Governments’ Resilience Program.

She received a B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from UC Berkeley and a B.A. in Sociology from UC Santa Cruz. Danielle is a long-time resident of Alameda where she is raising her two sons who enjoy riding bikes and visiting Alameda’s parks and beaches.

Sustainability and Resilience Manager
City of Alameda

Abundant SMART Housing Awardee

Rachael A. Tanner is a leader in planning, land use, and public policy, currently serving as the Director of Citywide Planning for the City and County of San Francisco. Surrounded by the best long-range planning team in the state of California and under Rich Hillis’ leadership, Rachael works closely with the Mayor, Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, and other stakeholders. 

Prior to joining the Department in February of 2024, Rachael served the City of Palo Alto and the City of Long Beach. She also served on the San Francisco Board of Appeals and as the President of the San Francisco Planning Commission.

As a multi-faceted entrepreneur, Rachael built practices in different disciplines including wedding officiating, career and life coaching, and organizational development. In her personal time, Rachael enjoys exploring the natural beauty and urban wonders throughout the Bay and California, attending Glide Memorial Church on Sundays, and beautifying the Hub neighborhood where she lives.

Director of Planning
Department City and County of San Francisco

Explore Our Hidden Hero Archive Learn more about our previous Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt
“The through lane for my work as an artist, community organizer, sustainability manager, policymaker is the three pillars that I orient my life around: community, connection, and creativity. I'm very much driven by that dedication to the broader good.”
Dr. Hoi-Fei Mok
Dr. Hoi-Fei MokSustainability Manager at City of San Leandro
“Having housing near jobs and reducing people's commute patterns and GHG emissions is positive for the climate. But what always excites me is it's actually positive for people's lives.”
Erin Morris
Erin Morris Director of Community Development at the City of Vacaville
“Part of prevention is changing someone's behavior. It isn't always about telling someone what they need to do. It is, how can someone do their part to be part of the solution.”
Christine Reed
Christine ReedBattalion Chief/Fire Marshal for the Central County Fire Department
"People look to the Bay Area and to California as a place of innovation. We have the ability to pilot things to learn from that can be replicated elsewhere. I'm excited about the problem we have to solve but also the level of ingenuity and innovation when we bring nature into the recipe to develop our way forward."
Emily Corwin
Emily CorwinSenior Environmental Engineer at Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District
"The whole idea of restoring watersheds—we started in that 30 years ago for the sake of nature, but now it’s nature-based solutions for the sake of climate change."
John Steere
John SteereWatershed Planner
"Affordable housing along with sustainability go hand in hand. Building permanently affordable housing has been right up there as an agenda in (East Palo Alto) since the get-go. It's great to always live, work, and play in the same place."
Amy Chen
Amy ChenDirector, East Palo Alto Community and Economic Development Department
“It’s critically important to focus on what we're leaving behind and the state that we're leaving it in. We have a responsibility to conserve land, community character, and a functional way of life for future generations.”
Misti Arias
Misti AriasGeneral Manager at Sonoma Ag and Open Space
“The decision to preserve Coyote Valley was the last opportunity to say let's not continue with the sprawl from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and let's preserve what really was the last part of Santa Clara County and the valley that was agriculture and open space.”
Michael Brilliot
Michael BrilliotUrban Planner
“When you're looking at land use and transportation and how these interact with each other, if you layer on gender and race, you can see how they intersect with each other and then add on climate. Climate SMART housing is not just about designing a house or a building that's climate-smart. It has to be interconnected.”
Lakshmi Rajagopalan
Lakshmi RajagopalanPlanner IV with the City of Oakland

Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt is an annual benefit for Greenbelt Alliance that honors the often unseen yet remarkable government staff leading extraordinary work at the intersection of land use and climate change in the Bay Area.

Throughout our 65+ year history, we’ve worked alongside dedicated government staff catalyzing impact in their communities across the Bay Area. Many of these heroes are creating systemic change for our cities by taking on complex projects to increase housing opportunities while protecting nature, expanding outdoor access, and building climate resilience. From launching parklet plans during the pandemic to facilitating wildfire education and building living levees, these local climate champions are creating lasting change.

The Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt event is a festive day when residents, nonprofits, government, and businesses come together and celebrate our collective commitment to this work. Over four years, this celebration has become a powerful platform amplifying the inspiring stories of those who transform how our region addresses its pressing environmental challenges.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Off the Grid

Fuel up with local flavors from Off the Grid’s rotating roster of Bay Area food trucks — because great work deserves a great meal.

Open Bar

Sip, mingle, and toast to the changemakers making the Bay Area a better place — drinks are on us.

Live Music

Dance, connect, and celebrate alongside the nonprofits, advocates, and neighbors who make this region shine.

BECOME A SPONSOR

By becoming a 2026 Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt sponsor, you are signaling your organization’s support of local champions and enabling us to continue to be a resource to local government when it’s needed most. Learn more about sponsor benefits and support our work today!

BECOME A SPONSOR

JOIN US THIS SUMMER TO CELEBRATE OUR

HIDDEN HEROES

Oakland

Summer 2026

 

Come Discover Our Boldest Community Leaders

NOMINATE A HERO
SPONSOR
CONTACT US

FAQS

Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt is Greenbelt Alliance's annual awards celebration honoring non-elected local government staff doing extraordinary work at the intersection of land use and climate change in the Bay Area. Now in its sixth year, the event brings together residents, nonprofits, government staff, and businesses to recognize the behind-the-scenes public servants building a more resilient region.

Anyone can nominate a local government staff member (non-elected) from a Bay Area city, county, or public agency. Simply fill out our nomination form describing the nominee's work and its impact. Nominations are reviewed by an assessment panel, which selects one winner per category. Winners are notified directly, and nominators are also informed whether their nominee was selected.

Nominees must be non-elected local government staff (city, county, or agency) working in the San Francisco Bay Area at the intersection of land use and climate change. We recognize work across three categories: Nature-based Adaptation, Planning for Resilience, and Abundant Smart Housing. Elected officials are not eligible.

Yes, you may submit multiple nominations. Each nominee requires a separate form submission.

Nominations for the 2026 Hidden Heroes Awards close on May 3, 2026. Late nominations cannot be considered.

Winners who accept the award will be featured in a short video produced by Greenbelt Alliance. They will also be honored on stage at the celebration and featured in our communications. Award recipients must be available for a film shoot (date to be scheduled) and to attend the event this late summer in Oakland.

Sponsor the event — Corporate and organizational sponsorships help make this celebration possible and demonstrate your commitment to climate resilience in the Bay Area. Learn about sponsorship opportunities here.

Spread the word — Share the nomination call with colleagues, elected officials, and community members who may know a deserving Hidden Hero.

Nominate someone — You don’t have to attend to make a difference. If you know a local government staff member doing remarkable work, nominate them by May 3, 2026.

Tickets include entry to the full celebration at Preservation Park, including food and drinks, networking with fellow advocates and past honorees, inspiring remarks from this year's Hidden Heroes, and interactive exhibits showcasing climate solutions from across the Bay Area. It's a festive community gathering — not a formal sit-down dinner — so come ready to connect and celebrate.

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