City of Alameda Sustainability and Resilience Manager Danielle Mieler is being honored this year at the Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt Awards for her inspirational work in planning for climate change resilience.
[1]For the fifth consecutive year, regional environmental nonprofit Greenbelt Alliance [2] is honoring three extraordinary government staff leaders, recognizing their extraordinary work at the intersection of land use and climate change in the Bay Area. Joining Mieler as honorees are Park Ranger Miguel Marquez from the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Fremont, who is being recognized for his work fostering nature-based climate adaptation, and San Francisco Planning Department Director Rachael Tanner, for her work in promoting abundant climate-smart housing.
The Greenbelt Alliance notes that the awards take on “profound significance this year by illuminating the critical contributions of local public servants, especially at a time when many of them are under attack at the national level.”
About Danielle Mieler
“Cities are testbeds and places for experimentation,” Mieler says. “No matter what’s going on at a national level, at the local level we can focus on our communities and respond to our own needs.”
As Sustainability and Resilience Manager for the City of Alameda, Mieler drives forward the City’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. She co-chairs the Oakland Alameda Adaptation Committee (OAAC), a coalition of local, regional, state, and federal stakeholders and community-based organizations working to co-create a coordinated and inclusive future-looking action plan to accelerate sea level rise adaptation, protect and restore water quality, recreation and habitat, and promote community resilience.
Mieler’s interest in planning for resilience was sparked by a life-altering experience, living through the Loma Prieta earthquake as a young kid. Inspired by her father’s contribution to the recovery efforts, she pursued her studies in civil engineering and sociology, which later led her to public service. She brings extensive experience to this work from her past roles in local and regional resilience planning, according to the Greenbelt Alliance. She previously managed San Francisco’s Lifelines Council, Earthquake Safety Implementation Program, and Tall Buildings Study, and the Association of Bay Area Governments’ Resilience Program.
A long-time resident of Alameda, Mieler enjoys riding bikes and visiting Alameda’s parks and beaches with her two sons.
About Miguel Marquez
“You can’t love or protect something if you don’t experience it,” Maquez says. “That’s why we’re big on bringing students and the youth out to the Refuge, because they are the future park rangers. They are the voters.”
As a park ranger, Marquez connects with the surrounding community through outreach, education programs, volunteer clean-ups, and outdoor recreation. He often visits local schools to speak with students about his career path and the importance of wildlife conservation and habitat restoration.
Before joining the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about five years ago, he was a Park Ranger with the National Park Service in Washington DC, Hot Springs Arkansas, and San Francisco, serving as a park guide, supervisory park ranger, and interpretive specialist. Being an Interpretive Ranger allows him to share stories of the past, work at historical sites, lead hiking, biking, and kayak tours, and inspire, educate, and connect with people from within his community and abroad.
About Rachael Tanner
“The more we can have cities where people don’t have to use a car to get around and the more that they can use public transportation, biking, walking, or other means to get places, the fewer greenhouse gases we’ll be emitting,” Tanner says.
Currently serving as the Director of Citywide Planning for the City and County of San Francisco, Rachael Tanner is a leader in planning, land use, and public policy. She works closely with the Mayor, Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, and other stakeholders.
Prior to joining the Department in February of 2024, Tanner served the City of Palo Alto and the City of Long Beach,. She also served on the San Francisco Board of Appeals and as the President of the San Francisco Planning Commission.
Join the awards celebration
The Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt Awards will be presented at a community event—organizers describe it as a “block party”—at Oakland’s historic Preservation Park on Wednesday, August 27, at 5:30 p.m.
The event will feature live music from Miles Turk & Friends, a selection of food trucks from Off the Grid, fun activities, an open bar, and an informative panel discussion featuring some of the Bay Area’s boldest community leaders.
Learn more and purchase tickets online [3]; all funds go toward the Greenbelt Alliance.