Canopy is thrilled to welcome back Dr. Gretchen C. Daily,  celebrated ecologist, author, researcher, global thought leader, Stanford professor, and ardent nature lover. Daily is a longtime friend of Canopy and last spoke to our community in 2013, after the release of her book The Power of Trees, a moving collaboration with photographer Chuck Katz.

In 2005,  Daily co-founded the Stanford Natural Capital Project, a global partnership whose goal is to integrate the values of nature into planning, policy, finance, and management. Daily’s work is focused on understanding human dependence and impacts on nature and the deep societal transformations needed to secure people and nature. She has authored dozens of publications, including her 2018 book One Tree / Un árbol único, another partnership with Chuck Katz and tribute to the significant role a single tree can play in our lives and communities.

In her research, writing, and speaking, Daily inspires hope for healing human connections with nature, and protecting our planet’s most precious local and global resources.

Canopy is excited to bring you two dynamic local leaders to guide you through the evening’s festivities:

Laura Martinez is a lifelong community leader, advocate, and public servant. A longtime East Palo Alto resident, she became the first latina council member to serve the City and, in 2011, was elected the youngest serving and first Latina mayor in East Palo Alto’s history. Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal selected her as a “Top 100 Women of Influence” in 2012 and “40 Under 40” in 2015. Continuing her passion for youth and community engagement, Laura currently serves as the Assistant Director of Admission and Tuition Assistance at Castilleja School, and as the Vice Chair of Canopy’s Board of Directors.

Bresy Pedraza-Perez is a graduating senior at Eastside College Preparatory School in East Palo Alto. She has worked as a Canopy Teen Urban Forester since 2019, leading planting and tree care volunteers, gathering community input for urban greening projects, educating the public on the importance of trees, and more. Whether teaching Canopy’s Junior Foresters or playing with her own young siblings, Bresy has a passion for mentoring children and giving back to her community. This summer, she’ll be an intern at a Stanford virology lab.

In honor of Canopy’s 25th year, generous foundation and individual funders have come together to create the Growing Resilience Match Challenge. These supporters are DOUBLING every event donation up to $75,000, making your gift for community trees go twice as far.

Get your gift doubled today. Thank you for your support!

Profound thanks to our match challenge funders:

• Morgan Family Foundation
• Miranda Lux Foundation – supporting Canopy’s Teen Urban Forester
• Susan Ellis and Mark Linton
• Kammy Lo and Kowsik Guruswamy
• Susan Rosenberg