"Katya consistently elevates the health of our world, our people, and our community through her efforts around climate adaptation." -from Minnesota Climate Adaptation Awards nomination
Katya Gordon lives in Two Harbors, Minnesota with her husband and daughters. She has worked for over 10 years as a community leader, climate activist, and science communicator. She has made a significant impact on the Northland in education, engagement, recruitment to action, social justice, and broader awareness and understanding of the need for climate adaptation.
Katya was nominated for 13 years of work across multiple projects. She is perhaps best known for her family's non-profit sailing program Sea Change Expeditions. She is also a volunteer State Coordinator for the Citizens' Climate Lobby, a board member for her local community radio station, and a former columnist for the Lake County Chronicle. She hosts a weekly radio interview addressing weather and climate, and in 2020 she and her husband hosted webinars for high school students across the country. She has led community engagement sessions to help people understand how climate change affects them personally, and meetings for local conservatives to ask questions and grow in a friendly environment.
Katya brings climate science to her community, engaging everyone "from students through senior citizens; from community leaders and local officials to formal and informal educators; from agency partners to communities of faith; from farmers to outdoor enthusiasts; as well as skeptics and members of the climate-change choir." Her long-term, cross-sectional work is inspiring and worthy of this year's climate communicator award.