Contacts: Marilu C. Flores ([email protected]); Susan Holmes, ([email protected]) (202) 329-1553
Washington D.C. — October 5, 2026 — The Endangered Species Coalition (ESC) will present its Enduring Conservation Impact Award to former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt and its Rising Conservation Leader Award to Brooke Shifrin, Wildlife Program Manager at the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, at an event at the GeorgeTown Club today.
The Honorable Bruce Babbitt served as Secretary of the Interior from 1993 to 2001 and championed biodiversity, public lands, and wildlife habitat. His legacy includes helping advance the Pacific Northwest Forest Plan, protecting the California desert, strengthening the National Wildlife Refuge System, establishing 22 national monuments, and creating the National Landscape Conservation System.
As Secretary, Babbitt also helped lead the 1995 reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park. Today, approximately 110 wolves live in the park and around 500 in the greater Yellowstone region. Babbitt also advanced restoration of the two-million-acre Florida Everglades, home to 36 threatened and endangered species.
The Rising Conservation Leader Award celebrates a young conservation leader making an impact on species protection. Brooke Shifrin is being recognized for her decade of work to protect grizzly bears, gray wolves, and other wildlife across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. A Colorado native whose first visit to Yellowstone sparked a lasting connection to the region, Shifrin now leads efforts to reduce human–wildlife conflict, connect landscapes, and support species recovery.
“Tonight, we celebrate the foresight, inspiration, and accomplishments of these extraordinary conservation leaders,” said Susan Holmes, Endangered Species Coalition Executive Director. “Their work reminds us that protecting wildlife takes passion, dedication, collaboration, and perseverance.” The coalition congratulates both honorees and celebrates their contributions to a future where wildlife can thrive.
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The Endangered Species Coalition is a national coalition of 480 member organizations and 540,000+ activists working together to protect and recover at-risk threatened and endangered species and to defend the Endangered Species Act and other wildlife laws and policies.