Tonya Graham, Executive Director
Geos Institute
Ashland, OR

Tonya Graham is an energetic and committed leader in a field that is trying to solve the world’s most immense and intractable environmental dilemma – global climate change.  At the Geos Institute, Tonya has developed an innovative way to bring the issue home:  helping local communities prepare for climate change. 

The Geos Institute provides research and advocacy on climate change, and works to protect the temperate rainforests that are a key part of our planet’s ability to sequester carbon. 

“I came into contact with ICL when I was a brand new executive director,” recalls Tonya. 

She was recognized for her raw talent for development, after starting her career as a volunteer hanging posters around town.  Then, she became an executive director, with responsibilities that include fundraising, but also managing personnel, strategic planning, financial management, board relations. 

“It was an incredible variety of tasks that I didn’t understand,” recalls Tonya.  The Executive Director Leadership Program at ICL helped Tonya realize that organizations go through natural life cycles, and there are different tools to address the challenges at each stage. 

“It gave me concrete information and knowledge about the various aspects of being an executive director,” says Tonya.   “If I had to stumble through that on my own, I would probably not be an executive director today or even have stayed in the conservation field.”

Now, Tonya feels at ease in her role as she expands programs and works directly with communities on climate change issues.  She has eight ClimateWise® projects finished or underway, working on the tough issues of adjusting to a changing climate – managing water for fish, communities and farmers, adapting to new flood cycles, and reducing greenhouse gas pollution. At the same time, The Geos Institute is working on managing forests to sequester more carbon, especially in temperate rainforests.

“The experience with ICL made me understand that all the struggles I was having as a new ED were the struggles that everybody goes through.  And, now I have a way forward.”