We are thrilled to announce the addition of Patricia Gualinga and Tom Virden to the Pachamama Alliance Board of Directors. Both bring extensive leadership and a deep commitment to social and environmental justice, strengthening our mission to protect the Amazon and its indigenous communities.
Patricia Gualinga: Defender of Indigenous Rights
Patricia Gualinga, an internationally renowned Indigenous rights activist, brings invaluable experience to the Pachamama Alliance Board. A member of the Pueblo Kichwa de Sarayaku in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Patricia has been a leading voice in the fight for the rights of Indigenous communities and the protection of the Amazon rainforest.
As the foreign relations leader for the Kichwa People of Sarayaku, Patricia played a pivotal role in a landmark 2012 case before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The case resulted in a historic ruling against the Ecuadorian government for human rights violations related to unauthorized oil exploration on Sarayaku lands. This victory has since become a beacon of hope for Indigenous communities facing similar threats.
Patricia’s advocacy extends beyond Ecuador, as she represented Amazonian communities at the 2018 Climate Change Summit (COP23) in Germany. At the summit, she passionately voiced the demands of her people, “We fight for Mother Earth. We demand a profound transformation of the energy system and no new extraction. We demand a just transition to a 100% safe renewable energy for everyone. We’ve had enough with the financing of fossil fuels and false solutions.”
Tom Virden: Tech Entrepreneur with a Purpose
Tom Virden joins the board with over 35 years of experience in high-tech marketing and entrepreneurship. A key player in the early days of the personal computer revolution, Tom spent a decade at Apple before founding and leading several successful startups across the U.S., U.K., and France. His latest venture, Nymbl Science, focuses on improving the lives of older adults by using mobile technology to reduce falls, addressing a critical concern in the aging population.
In addition to his entrepreneurial success, Tom teaches Sustainable Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado Boulder and is a passionate advocate for social impact investing. Tom’s current passion project is Carbon Crew, an initiative that empowers high school students to take action on climate change. He says his involvement with Carbon Crew was largely inspired by his participation in Pachamama Alliance’s Game Changer Intensive course.
Tom has also been a long supporter of Pachamama Alliance, participating in our programs and even joining Pachamama Journeys to Ecuador. His unwavering commitment to our work makes Tom’s appointment to the board a natural next step in his impactful journey.
Looking Ahead
The addition of Tom Virden and Patricia Gualinga to our Board of Directors reflects Pachamama Alliance’s ongoing commitment to uniting diverse leaders in the fight for a just, sustainable future. Their expertise, vision, and dedication will help guide us as we continue to protect the Amazon and foster global change.
We are honored to welcome Tom and Patricia to the Pachamama Alliance family and look forward to the incredible work we will accomplish together.
