Protect Our Winters Names Mario Molina As New Executive Director

Protect Our Winters (POW), the leading climate nonprofit in the outdoor industry, is thrilled to announce that Mario Molina has joined the team as executive director. An avid alpinist, snowboarder, mountain biker, guide, and life adventurer, Molina previously served as international director at The Climate Reality Project, where he designed the organization's climate leadership trainings and oversaw its post-Paris Agreement international strategy. Prior to his work at Climate Reality, Molina led strategy and programs as deputy director at the Alliance for Climate Education (ACE).

Mario Molina, new executive director of Protect Our Winters. Photo: LinkedIn

"Mario represents a new chapter at POW," said founder Jeremy Jones, welcoming the appointment. "We are ten years into fighting climate change as an organization and have evolved to attract the smartest, most dedicated leaders out there. Mario has committed his life to climate solutions. He brings passion, expertise, and leadership to our organization that will complement our current staff of climate rock stars."

Molina grew up in the highlands of Guatemala, and has a deeply rooted respect and relationship with the mountains and outdoor culture. He has trained corporate leaders, government officials, NGO groups, athletes and activists, on climate change strategies, communications, and engagement. He has spoken widely on climate policy including for the World Bank, IBM, the Mexican Senate, the Brazilian Forum on Climate Change, and various global stages. He holds a Masters of Science in Geosystems Analysis from Appalachian State University and has launched pioneering non-profit programs with measurable impact in Africa, Australia, Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean, and the U.S. Molina now calls the Rockies home, where he lives with his wife and peak-bagging Australian Shepherd outside Nederland, Colorado. "I have long-admired POW's work and am greatly motivated by what the outdoor community is accomplishing as it rises to lead on climate action," he said. "It is an honor and delight to bring this work home and to work with our tribe."

Board Chair Auden Schendler said that: "In our ED search, POW was looking for someone with deep climate action experience, ideally a core member of the outdoor community, and, of course, someone you could spend a week with in a tent and still be friends afterwards." Schendler continues, "We got all that and more!"

Molina will officially begin work on November 1.