This award celebrates an individual whose grassroots activities have had a transformative impact on their community—which can be defined broadly or narrowly—and the natural world of the Bay Area.​

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Richard Tejeda
Founder, Executive Director, Saved By Nature

Richard founded Saved By Nature in 2018 to acquaint underserved South Bay communities with the healing power of nature experiences—and to share his own story of how fishing, and time in nature, helped him overcome a South San José childhood marred by gang violence. His nonprofit offers both in-person and virtual nature hikes to youth of color, boys and girls clubs, seniors, and people living with disabilities.

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A cum laude graduate of San José State University with a BA in Environmental Studies, Richard has a decade of experience developing natural and cultural educational programs for parks organizations like the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, where he created and delivered hands-on field trips for special needs and K-12 students. Through his years of fishing South Bay creeks, he also became a champion advocate for steelhead, rainbow trout and Chinook salmon.