Illinois Environmental Council
Environmental
Leadership Dinner
October 2, 2026 | Hilton Chicago
Get inspired by the incredible work of decision-makers, advocates, and the organizations who champion some of the most ambitious environmental policies in the nation with the Illinois Environmental Council.
Dinner sponsors are our biggest supporters, stepping up because they believe in IEC.
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We can’t imagine celebrating without you. Secure your tickets and be there among Illinois’ most fabulous enviros.
Click here if you’d like your dinner ticket purchase to support our 501(c)(4) advocacy work. Contributions to IEC are not tax-deductible.
Click here if you’d like your dinner ticket purchase to support our 501(c)(3) education work. Contributions to IECEF are tax-deductible.
2026 Environmental Leadership Awards
Milestone Achievement Award
State Senator Celina Villanueva &State Representative Lilian Jiménez
Senator Celina Villanueva and Representative Lilian Jiménez demonstrated extraordinary leadership in advancing environmental justice in Illinois through their sponsorship and stewardship of SB 3772. Their work elevated the voices of communities that have long borne disproportionate environmental and public health burdens while creating a stronger framework for considering cumulative impacts in permitting decisions.
Milestone Achievement Award
City of Aurora Mayor John Laesch
Mayor John Laesch is receiving the Milestone Achievement Award for his leadership in advancing responsible data center policy. By championing Aurora’s landmark data center ordinance, he established strong protections for water resources, energy reliability, transparency, and neighborhood quality of life. His work reflects many of the same principles as Illinois’ proposed POWER Act and has helped shape the conversation on responsible data center development across the state.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Leader Bill Cunningham
Leader Bill Cunningham is receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his decades of leadership advancing Illinois’ clean energy future. As a chief architect of both the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) and the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, he has helped deliver some of the nation’s most transformative state-level clean energy policies—expanding renewable energy, investing in environmental justice, creating pathways to family-supporting clean energy jobs, strengthening grid reliability, and ensuring Illinois remains a national leader in climate action. His steady leadership, commitment to collaboration, and ability to bring together diverse stakeholders have left a lasting legacy that will benefit Illinois communities for generations to come.
Environmental Champion Award
City of Chicago 47th Ward Alder Matt Martin
Alderperson Matt Martin has been a consistent and effective champion for environmental progress in Chicago, leading waste‑reduction efforts such as passing the residential composting ordinance and convening the City Council hearing on single‑use plastics that ultimately resulted in introducing an ordinance that will put an end to the city’s purchase of toxic polystyrene foodware. He has also advanced sustainable transportation by passing the Complete Streets ordinance and long advocating for transit efforts that hold the Chicago Transit Authority accountable. Finally, the alderperson played a critical role in re-establishing the Chicago Department of Environment.
2026 Dinner Sponsors
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