People for the Planet Awards Individual Member Changemaker of 2019: Clare Gallagher

We're honored to name Clare Gallagher the recipient of our Individual Member Changemaker of 2019. She's an advocate, activist, professional endurance athlete and an all-around inspirational member of our network. Clare focuses her advocacy efforts on the impact of climate change in mountain communities and speaks out on the importance of protecting natural areas.

Clare lives in Boulder, Colorado where she is a professional endurance athlete and environmental advocate. She's sponsored by Patagonia, Petzl, La Sportiva, and Honey Stinger. As a Patagonia Global Sport Activist, Clare uses her role in the sport community to drive positive social and environmental change. She's won the Leadville 100 and Western States 100-mile runs, but more importantly, she's an advocate for climate change mitigation policy and the protection of public lands.

When she started running professionally, she began to see governmental changes that were threatening the environment and the natural areas she was so connected to as a trail runner. This inspired her to combine activism and trail running to start running with a cause.

Clare focuses her advocacy efforts on the impacts to the mountain communities and the conservation of natural areas. She works with Protect Our Winters, a nonprofit dedicated to helping outdoor enthusiasts protect the places they love most. Clare advocates at the state and national level for renewable energy policies and testified in Colorado on air quality and renewable energy bills. Clare sees the climate crisis as a marathon we need to start sprinting.

"We need to engage with democracy in order to help mitigate climate change, which is the human-caused warming of our earth, causing mass extinction, human starvation and conflict. It's an insidious crisis that's impacting the world's poorest people at the worst rates. We can begin to make a difference by voting for elected officials committed to policy to help mitigate climate change."—Clare Gallagher

Clare Gallagher’s commitment to using her platform to advocate for the planet and speak out for what she believes in is an admirable example of being 1% better. By fighting for the land she loves the most, Clare is fighting for people and the planet and making change that will be seen for generations to come; the true definition of a changemaker.