Sun Valley Forum Launches Inaugural Resilient Leadership Awards

Carole King to Present Lifetime Achievement Award at 6/23 Ceremony

KETCHUM, ID, UNITED STATES, June 22, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Sun Valley Forum announces the inaugural Sun Valley Forum Resilient Leadership Awards on June 23, 2025, at Trail Creek Cabin in Sun Valley, ID. This milestone event is part of the 10th annual Sun Valley Forum, themed “All In For Nature: Building A Resilient World,” from June 23-26, Argyros Performing Arts Center. The awards recognize individuals who make exceptional contributions to resilience, sustainability, and nature-based solutions. Media are invited to attend the ceremony & the Forum’s dynamic programming.

2025 Sun Valley Forum Resilient Leadership Award Honorees
Lifetime Achievement Award: Brock Evans
Presented by Carole King, singer-songwriter and environmental advocate
Brock Evans is celebrated for a five-decade career championing America’s wild places, serving in pivotal roles with the Sierra Club, National Audubon Society, and Endangered Species Coalition. His advocacy helped protect Hells Canyon, secure millions of acres of ancient forests, and achieve permanent wilderness status for Idaho’s Boulder-White Clouds. Evans’s relentless approach—“Endless pressure, endlessly applied”— inspired generations and shaped environmental policy nationwide.

Change Agent Award: Emmy Scott, Executive Director, Earth Guardians
Presented by Justin Winters, Co-founder & Executive Director, One Earth
Emmy Scott is recognized for her transformative leadership in intersectional climate justice and youth empowerment. Under her direction, Earth Guardians mobilized young leaders in over 60 countries, centering marginalized voices and advancing climate, racial, and gender equity. Scott’s work emphasizes mental health, place-based solutions, and collective action for a just future.

Gigaton Scale Award: Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, Founder & CEO, 1st Avenue Capital and Avantus (8Minute Solar)
Presented by Monica Medina, Arnhold Distinguished Fellow, Conservation International
Dr. Tom Buttgenbach has pioneered large-scale solar and storage power systems, developing the largest U.S. pipeline—enough to power 20M homes. With over 40 clean energy patents, Buttgenbach’s leadership at Avantus delivered industry firsts, like the Springbok II Solar Farm and the Eland Solar plants, setting new benchmarks for cost, reliability, and scale in renewable energy.

Catalyst Award: Jean Oelwang, Founding CEO, Virgin Unite & Planetary Guardians
Presented by Kristy Drutman, Co-CEO, Green Jobs Board
Jean Oelwang led the creation of global initiatives, including The Elders, The B Team, and The Planetary Guardians. Her work elevates Planetary Boundaries science and inspires collective stewardship of the Earth. Oelwang’s leadership helped embed purpose across industries and catalyze partnerships for systemic change.

Sacred Stewardship Award: Wade Crowfoot, Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency
Wade Crowfoot is honored for his visionary leadership in restoring the Klamath River and its watershed—the largest dam removal project in U.S. history. By forging partnerships with Tribal nations, states, and local communities, Crowfoot set a new standard for collaborative conservation, restoring salmon habitat and honoring Indigenous stewardship.

Celebrating a Decade of Impact
Founded in 2015 by Aimée Christensen, the Sun Valley Forum convenes global leaders from business, government, philanthropy, and the arts to advance transformative solutions for a resilient world. The Forum’s 10th anniversary features keynote talks, panels, workshops, and immersive experiences, including outdoor adventures and networking events.

“We are so pleased to be celebrating our 10th year of impact and inspiration, and it is the perfect time for the inaugural Sun Valley Resilient Leadership Awards to recognize those who have made a real difference for nature and us all,” said Aimée Christensen, founder and host of the Sun Valley Forum. “From an iconic lifetime leader to a courageous youth advocate, from builders of transformative projects to conveners of strategic collaborations, these awardees embody the spirit of resilient leadership.”

Event Details & Registration
Awards Ceremony: 6/23/25, 7:15 PM, Trail Creek Cabin, Sun Valley, ID
Forum Dates: June 23-26, 2025, Argyros Performing Arts Center, Ketchum, ID

Registration: www.sunvalleyforum.com/forum-2025
Media registration: pamela@christensenglobal.com

About the Sun Valley Forum
The Sun Valley Forum, hosted by Christensen Global, is a leading platform for resilience and sustainability, catalyzing solutions from Idaho to the world. Past speakers include Senator Cory Booker, Dr. Sylvia Earle, and Carole King. The Forum’s work has fostered a thriving community of changemakers.

Contact:
Aimée Christensen, CEO, Sun Valley Forum Host, 208-721-8619, aimee@christensenglobal.com
Brittany DeGirolamo, Director of Marketing, 908-295-0702, brittany@christensenglobal.com

Aimee Christensen
Christensen Global
+12087218619 ext.
pamela@christensenglobal.com
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