The energy was electric at our 27th Annual Sustainability Awards Celebration. Almost 300 government leaders, community advocates and business changemakers gathered to celebrate the local pioneers proving that environmental health and economic prosperity go hand-in-hand.

This year’s event was more than just a ceremony; it was an invitation. With a new format and accessible ticket pricing, SSMC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring sustainability is a conversation everyone can join. From the youth displaying what is to come, to our award winners’ impact here and now, the evening showcased how our collective power in San Mateo County creates ripples of progress that are felt far beyond our borders.

Connecting for Change

The evening started with a packed networking reception. Guests connected over vegetarian snacks and engaged with over 20 students who shared their work to fight climate change. It was an opportunity to view what’s new and possible when youth focus their creativity and boundless courage on finding innovative solutions to old problems.

The program began with Executive Director Sarah Hubbard’s inspiring words about how local action is what creates the ripples that change the world. She challenged everyone in the room to take home the examples and energy from the night and to keep pushing boundaries and making San Mateo County the gold standard for a sustainable future.

Sustainability Award Winners:

Each of this year’s honorees were then recognized for their dedication to our region and for shaping our future:

Elaine Salinger: Honored for her transformative work turning climate anxiety into political agency for thousands of students.
JobTrain: An engine of economic mobility that prepares those most in need for sustainable careers in high-demand fields like building electrification.
Peninsula Precious Plastics: A champion of the circular economy that transforms plastic waste into functional, useful items.

Youth Sustainability Award:

Chiara Luey: A powerhouse 12th grader who co-led “Electric-First” campaigns, reduced landfill waste by 25% across four high schools and built a clean energy curriculum that has been taught globally.

Green Cities Award Presented by Peninsula Clean Energy:

City of Menlo Park: Recognized for its outstanding municipal leadership in driving new building codes to accelerate building electrification.

Green Building Award:

Genentech’s Global Security Operations Center: A revolutionary project achieving net-zero energy and deep whole-life carbon reduction in an emergency operations setting.
Honorable Mention: Millbrae Recreation Center: A net-zero-energy civic hub that utilizes cross-laminated timber and generates more power than it consumes.

A Heartfelt Thank You

An evening of this scale is a massive team effort. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to our volunteers—including photographers Don Rasmussen and Tessa Burt (see their work below!), and the talented students from Andy Pitman’s Digital Media Production class at the College of San Mateo—who brought the stories of our winners to life (watch all the winner’s videos here!)

A special thank you to our Champion Sponsors, Peninsula Clean Energy and IBEW Local 617, and our Benefactors, Lyngso Garden Materials, California Water Service, the Housing Leadership Council, and the San Mateo Daily Journal. We are also incredibly grateful to our community sponsors, city and county funders, and our dedicated SSMC board members who provide the vision for our impact.

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