Speaker

Sally Jewell, a lifelong outdoor enthusiast, served on President Obama’s cabinet as U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 2013–2017. Prior to public service, her diverse career, from engineering to commercial banking to leading outdoor retailer REI, was shaped by a deep commitment to volunteer service and community engagement.

Jewell is dedicated to connecting people to nature, particularly youth. During her tenure as Interior Secretary, she championed efforts to create a continuum of engagement that encouraged tens of millions of young people to play, learn, serve and work on public lands, including launching the popular “Every Kid in a Park” program, that continues to give free access to public lands for all fourth graders and their families. She was also recognized for taking the long-view, using a science-based, landscape-level, collaborative approach to natural resources management, including supporting President Obama’s protection of more vulnerable lands and waters than any other president in U.S. history.

Jewell remains committed to supporting a robust economy coupled with long-term sustainability of our natural world and its diverse people. Since leaving Interior, she has focused on students, first at Harvard’s Kennedy School and now as a Distinguished Fellow in the University of Washington College of the Environment, sharing her perspectives with future leaders on the multiple facets of our democracy needed to shape a future we are proud to leave to succeeding generations.