Anne McMahon was a prominent political activist and beloved leader in the environmental community, who worked tirelessly to preserve beautiful areas important to San Luis Obispo County, such as the Santa Margarita Ranch and Carrizo Plains. Anne wore many hats, including reporter for New Times, staffer to the late Walter Capps, aide to former county supervisor David Blakely, and Federal Program Manager with the California Coastal Commission. Jim Hayes, her former journalism professor at Cal Poly, remembered her as “…smart, shrewd and determined to learn. Annie – as her friends knew her – had a heart as big as the outdoors she loved so well.” Congresswoman Lois Capps, eulogizing Anne in the House of Representatives on January 21, 2010, described her as a tireless advocate for the environment and someone with a “relentless commitment to leaving the world a better place than she found it.”
It is in this spirit that Central Coast Bioneers is proud to offer a conference scholarship in the memory of Anne McMahon, who was taken from us in December 2009. The scholarship is open to individuals 15 years and older as of October 1st, who have demonstrated leadership potential in the fields of public policy, politics, education or journalism. Thanks to the generosity of our Central Coast Bioneers community, we have several scholarships available for students this year.
Please fill out the application form below to be considered for scholarship.