THOMPSON ANNOUNCES 2026 SONOMA COUNTY CLIMATE CRISIS CHAMPION

St. Helena, CA - Sunday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) announced that Richard Dale was chosen as the 2026 Sonoma County Climate Crisis Champion. Each year, Rep. Thompson recognizes community members across California's Fourth Congressional District to honor for their outstanding efforts to address our ongoing climate crisis.

"Mr. Dale is a great leader in climate restoration and education," said Thompson. "As Co-founder and Executive Director of the Sonoma Ecology Center, he's developed the Sonoma Ecology Center into a regionally respected agency working on research, education, and restoration efforts in our watershed. He's helped preserve thousands of acres of ecologically significant open space and helped to establish the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor. Not to mention he jumped into action after the 2017 fires, helping to create Sonoma Valley Collaborative to support our community. I am honored to name Richard Dale a Climate Crisis Champion."

Rep. Thompson was honored to award this year's Climate Crisis Champions across each of our five counties in the 4th District: Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo. Champions are selected for their significant efforts to combat our continuing climate crisis and protect our environment at home in our communities. Through their advocacy, Climate Crisis Champions are helping to build a more sustainable future for all.

This year's venue, Crocker & Starr, is an industry leader in environmental awareness and winery sustainability. Being a Napa Certified Green Winery is at the core of Crocker & Starr as they have always strived to be good stewards of the land.

A complete list of 2026 Climate Crisis Champions include:

• Luis Santana - Lake County Climate Crisis Champion
• Christina Benz - Napa County Climate Crisis Champion
• Sean McNamara - Solano County Climate Crisis Champion
• Richard Dale - Sonoma County Climate Crisis Champion
• Dr. Ruihong Zhang - Yolo County Climate Crisis Champion