Phil Radford, Class of 1999: Taking the Helm of Greenpeace at Age 33

Phil Radford launched his environmental career with Green Corps in the Class of 1999. Today, as the executive director of Greenpeace USA, Phil heads one of the largest and most influential environmental groups in the country.

At age 33, he leads a national team of 500 highly-skilled environmental leaders and is responsible for turning Greenpeace into a grassroots organizing powerhouse.

“Without Green Corps, I wouldn’t have this behind-the-scenes insight into how you win a campaign—from media to fundraising to political strategy and everything in between,” said Phil. “Green Corps gave me the foundation that I needed to go on to lead Greenpeace.”

Since joining Greenpeace in 2003, Phil increased the group’s field presence and strengthened its volunteer networks. He built a team of 250 canvassers in 15 cities, started the online organizing team, and grew a significant student organizing network through the creation of the Greenpeace Organizing Term, a semester of advanced training for student activists seeking campaign training.

Phil led Greenpeace to its most recent victory, saving Canada's Boreal Forest.  Since 2004, Greenpeace activists have conducted hundreds of protests, released scientific reports, and engaged shareholders to call attention to the destruction of the world's endangered forests.  Their work convinced Kimberly-Clark, the world's largest tissue distributor, to stop using fiber from endangered forests.