Sanctuary Wavemaker Award

Chairwoman Violet Sage Walker 

Chairwoman Violet Sage Walker is the Chair of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, and the nominator of the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. Her expertise guides NCTC’s multifaceted work in California and beyond, with decades of experience in cultural resource management and ten years working on the Chumash Heritage Sanctuary campaign. She travels globally advocating for and sharing knowledge on collaborative management, social justice, and Tribal equity. Her work touches on the intersectional issues of her Chumash homelands–the Central Coast of California–as well as on a national and global scale, including marine protections, ecological restoration, combining Traditional Ecological Knowledge with western science, and more. Throughout her many roles is the ever-present connection to her family’s long-standing legacy of protecting the ecosystems, culture, and ancestors of this beautiful space we share. She carries on this legacy left by her late Father, Tribal Chief Fred Collins. Her leadership is backed by an understanding of what it means to take care of our place, be good stewards, and foster community.

Sanctuary Wavemaker Award

Chief Fred Collins 

Chief Fred Collins was an outspoken advocate for a thriving future on the California Central Coast and beyond. He was a dreamer and a doer, with a tenacity that moved mountains. In his time as Chair of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, he fought tirelessly demanding respect for the cultural heritage and rights of the Chumash Peoples and environmental justice for all. His legacy shaped the Central Coast we see today in many ways. In 2015, Fred and the Northern Chumash Tribal Council nominated the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary to protect more than 7,000 square miles of coastal waters. In November 2021, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced their intent to begin the designation of the Chumash Heritage Sanctuary–just 40 days after Fred passed into spirit. The list of Fred’s many accomplishments could go on, but the breadth of his influence is impossible to fully encapsulate. His legacy will carry on for many generations to come as he continues to inspire us to fight for a thriving future.

Leadership Award

Chair Brenda Mallory

Brenda Mallory is the 12th Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the first African American to serve in this position. Chair Mallory has decades of experience in both the private and public sector, including spending nearly 20 years at the Environmental Protection Agency and CEQ, serving in a number of senior roles. Chair Mallory first served as the General Counsel of CEQ under President Obama where she helped shape many of President Obama’s signature environmental and natural resource policy successes. Now, as Chair, she is advancing President Biden’s ambitious climate agenda and is particularly focused on addressing the environmental justice and climate change challenges the nation faces while advancing opportunities for job growth and economic development. Chair Mallory was the first in her family to attend college, graduating from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in history and sociology before earning a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School.

Conservation Innovation Award

National Geographic Pristine Seas 

National Geographic Pristine Seas is an exploration, research and media project that inspires the creation of marine protected areas around the world.  Founded and led by National Geographic Explorer in Residence Dr. Enric Sala, the team uses a combination of expeditions, science, policy, filmmaking, and strategic communications to support national and local conservation efforts. The project has helped to create 27 marine reserves that cover more than 6.6 million square kilometers of ocean. These “national parks of the sea” preserve the wonders of the ocean while increasing the food supply, providing economic benefits, and building resilience against a changing climate. 

In 2023, Pristine Seas launched a bold new conservation effort to explore little known areas of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Working aboard the Argo—a 130-foot customized research vessel and media center—local and international scientists conduct underwater research and share their knowledge, insights, and personal connection to the study areas. The boat is Pristine Seas’ modern-day equivalent of Jacques Cousteau’s famous ship Calypso, but with an ocean conservation purpose. 

Today, only 8% of the ocean is somehow protected—and less than 3% is fully protected from fishing and other damaging activities. Pristine Seas supports the global goal of conserving at least 30% of the ocean by 2030, which will not only benefit marine life but also provide value to communities.