Congratulations, MMWD Director Cynthia Koehler! On Thursday, April 11, 2013, Koehler will receive The Bay Institute’s Bay Heroes Award. The newest of the annual awards given out by The Bay Institute, the Bay Heroes Award was created in 2011 to honor individuals whose efforts have led to increased protection of the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary.
Koehler, who is also the director of programs for Carpe Diem West, a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of healthy headwaters throughout the Western United States, was chosen for the award for her service as the California water legislative director for the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Koehler served as a chief negotiator for the historic 2009 Bay Delta Water Reform Act and led the State Water Resources Control Board’s 2010 decision, for the first time, to establish public trust flow criteria for the San Francisco Bay Delta Estuary.
Koehler will receive her award at The Bay Institute’s annual recognition event this Thursday to honor selected individuals for their outstanding achievements in protecting and restoring the San Francisco Bay. The evening will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a reception in the lobby of the Bay Theater at Aquarium of the Bay before the awards ceremony commences inside the theater.
Since 1992, The Bay Institute has recognized people within the community that have continually shown support for and made significant contributions to the San Francisco Bay and its watershed. The Bay Institute is the leader in protecting and restoring the entire watershed which drains into San Francisco Bay.
Koehler represents Mill Valley and surrounding communities on the MMWD Board of Directors. She has been on the board since January 2005. This year she is serving as the chair of the MMWD Finance Committee.