(Photo courtesy of E2 Solar)
From their work facilitating rooftop solar installations and hands-on river restoration to wildlife advocacy and grassroots organizing, many Central Oregon women are making a positive impact in sustainable industries and in their communities.
We got to know seven of these women, whose backgrounds span boardrooms, backyards, classrooms and conservation fields. Among them all, we found leaders, advocates and change makers who are driving progress in Oregon. Read on to learn more about them.
Lindsey Hardy, Climate Solutions Program Director at The Environmental Center
“In my son’s mind, my job is simply ‘saving the planet,’” says Lindsey Hardy, Climate Solutions Program Director at The Environmental Center. He takes this responsibility seriously, much like his mom, who is always “building bridges: connecting people to the resources, tools and policies that make sustainable choices more accessible and achievable.” Recently, Hardy co-launched a zero-interest loan program for home energy upgrades, focused on communities often excluded from traditional programs.
Her view on sustainability is refreshingly honest: “It’s not about perfect,” says Hardy. “It’s about doing what you can, when you can.” Whether preserving local food in the fall, investing in a heat pump, hang-drying cloth diapers or shaping policy efforts, she is making sure that future generations, including her children, inherit a livable planet.
Advice for women: “I’ve been incredibly lucky to work alongside amazing women who have supported me in this work. Just in the last year, I’ve learned from so many great collaborators… So find your people. Learn from them, cheer for them and let them cheer for you!”
Adrienne Horel, Permit Technician at E2 Solar
As E2 Solar’s permit technician, Adrienne Horel makes it easier for Oregonians to adopt clean energy and decrease strain on the grid. “The health of our planet is what motivates me,” she says. Her recent work permitting for Habitat for Humanity’s latest build was “challenging but rewarding,” says Horel, reflecting her belief that everyone deserves an affordable, sustainable home.
Solar touches both personal and professional aspects of her life, explains Horel. “We have solar on our home and our office at E2,” she says. Her sustainability efforts, which include digital permitting, driving eco-friendly vehicles and working from home, are everyday choices that add up. “I believe everyone should power their home affordably, and in an environmentally friendly way,” she says.
Advice for women: “Don’t be forced to stay little on things that matter to you. Get big, be loud, hold your ground and don’t back down just because others might have a different opinion.”
Lace Thornberg, Communications Director at Central Oregon Landwatch
Lace Thornberg’s love for the environment began in childhood, when she helped to band monarch butterflies at a nature preserve during day camp. Today, as Communications Director for Central Oregon LandWatch, she makes it simple for people to get involved in conservation work. Currently, Thornberg is advocating for a wildlife crossing project along Highway 20, a practical solution to protect animals, restore habitat connections and prevent car accidents.
Outside the office, she embraces sustainable living through biking, eating a plant-based diet, installing solar on her home, native gardening and reducing single-use plastics. She also believes “collective action matters.” Thornberg explains, “I am buoyed to see how many people sign petitions, send messages, go to rallies, vote with their wallets and take other steps to make their wishes heard.”
Advice for women: “There’s a huge potential and need to shift large and small businesses toward sustainability. I’d encourage environmentally-minded women to seek out positions with the power and authority to make those shifts.”
Alice Weston, Community Organizer at The Sierra Club
“I have genuine hope for a climate-just future where we can all thrive — breathe clean air, drink clean water and continue to enjoy nature,” says Alice Weston, Community Organizer for the Sierra Club Oregon. Her work spans endangered species protection, forest and public land advocacy, and supporting Oregon’s transition to 100 percent renewable energy.
With a master’s in Social Design and naturalist certification underway, Weston makes environmental science and policy work more acceptable to people so they can imagine, propose and help implement community-based climate solutions. This summer, she co-led “Action Night in the Garden,” inviting residents together to learn, connect and take steps on environmental and social justice issues.
Advice for women: “Talk about climate issues with friends and family. Consider how you can use your passions, skills and interests to support the environment. Join a local environmental group (like the Sierra Club Oregon Chapter!) and show up in whatever way you can. It’s the love of our natural environment that fuels this movement. Go outside and enjoy it!”
Molly Honea, Development and Communications Coordinator at Think Wild
A love of the outdoors has shaped Molly Honea’s career and her daily life. As Think Wild’s Development and Communications Coordinator, her work spans organizing events, fundraising, media outreach, mentoring interns and helping release rehabilitated wildlife back into their habitats. “For me, the wildlife patients we care for are a daily reminder of both the impact people have — and the hope we can create when we act responsibly,” she says.
Honea is especially proud of helping launch Think Wild’s hotline internship program, which offers guidance to residents seeking to help wildlife. A former science teacher, she brings those communication skills into every conversation. “When people get excited about protecting habitat,” she says, “it gives me hope.”
Advice for women: “Find a job, volunteer role, board position or way to connect with a local organization whose cause aligns with your passions. You’ll find wonderful people who share your motivations and interests, which to me is what makes this work possible and sustainable.”
Helen Wallace, HR Specialist and Accountant at E2 Solar
“I have always felt grateful for the gifts nature provides,” says Helen Wallace, Bookkeeper and HR specialist at E2 Solar. “Growing up, I spent a lot of time outdoors on trails, rivers and lakes, which instilled in me a deep appreciation for our planet,” she adds. Wallace leads by example in sustainability, fostering a workplace that values people and the environment. And because no act is too small when it comes to protecting the environment, she’s switched to reusable grocery bags as well as reusable water bottles instead of single-use plastic. “I’ve made it a practice to ban water bottles from my routine,” she says.
Advice for women: “Focus on areas where you already have knowledge, skills or personal interests, whether it’s gardening, reducing plastic waste or advocating for policy change. Remember to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!”
Katie Wareham, Education and Outreach Coordinator at Upper Deschutes Watershed Council
“Nature has always been my happy place — a source of comfort, joy and clarity,” says Katie Wareham. As the Education and Outreach Coordinator with the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, she shares that joy with students, helping them discover their sense of place outdoors through hands-on programs and restoration projects. “Each student’s spark of curiosity is a seed for a lifetime of environmental stewardship,” she says.
This summer, Wareham worked with local teens to build beaver dam analogues along Whychus Creek. “It’s incredibly rewarding for them to see the immediate impact of their efforts,” she says. With a Master’s in Science Education and Master Environmental Educator certification, Wareham leads by example: composting food scraps, planting natives and shopping local.
Advice for women: “Don’t be afraid to speak up and take a stand for what you believe in. Your voice matters, and your unique perspective is powerful. Embrace your femininity —whatever that means to you — and use it as a force for change. There’s a reason we call her ‘Mother Earth.’”
