BOSTON, MA: A staunch advocate for pediatric health headlines Clean Water Action’s just-released list of 2026 environmental champions, to be honored at their 2026 event, Build the Future. Ben Thomas, Boston Children’s Hospital’s Director of State Government Relations, is receiving the organization’s 2026 Clean Water Champion award for his work advocating for protections for Massachusetts children from air pollution and toxic threats during the 25-26 legislative session. The honorees will be celebrated at Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund’s annual event, Build the Future, happening on the evening of June 11th at the Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge.
“This has been a challenging time for environmental justice advocates, but our work stands strong because of decades of organizing, coalition building, rallying, and door knocking,” said Cynthia Mendes, Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund Massachusetts Director. “As we celebrate Clean Water Action’s history of people-powered change, we’re also honoring the leaders who built that foundation for our future and celebrating the grassroots activists who are relentlessly continuing that work today. Together, we are building the just future we all deserve.”
The 2026 awardees are as follows:
Clean Water Champion – Ben Thomas: Ben Thomas, the Director of State Government Relations at Boston Children’s Hospital, is receiving the 2026 Clean Water Champion Award for his exemplary commitment to the Air Quality and Toxic Free Kids legislative campaigns. Ben’s leadership has brought a new level of visibility and momentum, introducing these campaigns to key audiences, attracting significant new funding, and broadening support.
2026 John O’Connor Awards: Clean Water Action/Clean Water Fund gives two awards each year in honor of John O’Connor, who founded, led, and supported many environmental health organizations and campaigns, and is remembered for his love of organizing and his deep appreciation of Clean Water Action’s canvass teams.
John O'Connor Grassroots Leadership Award – Cindy Qiao: Cindy, a Newton North High School senior, is being honored for her Zero Waste work founding the Full Fork Initiative, which now diverts untouched cafeteria food from seven Newton schools, reducing waste while distributing weekly snack bags to 100 students in need.
John O'Connor Award for Canvassing – Violet Henriques: Violet, a field manager and leader in the Northampton canvassing office, is being awarded for her tenacity in the winter of 2026 where she not only successfully organized door to door through freezing weather, but she also inspired and trained newer staff to join her.
Youth Leadership Award – Kidus Tsige: Kidus, a sophomore at Malden High School and a graduate of Clean Water Fund’s Youth Action Collaborative, is being honored for his leadership in the youth climate movement, expanding youth coalitions, rallying young leaders, and lobbying legislators for climate action.
Clean Water Champion - Brad Dye: Brad is being honored for his extraordinary volunteer leadership in helping lead and strengthen Clean Water Action’s elections and endorsements work this year. Drawing on 14 years of experience in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Brad has brought deep political knowledge, strategic thinking, and innovative systems-building to his role as chair of the Elections and Endorsements Committee.
For more information about the event, including tickets and sponsorships, please visit cleanwater.org/ma-spring-event.
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Since our founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking, and people power to the table. www.cleanwater.org