Dianne Dillon–Ridgley, Environmentalist and Human Rights Activist (Iowa City, IA). A lifelong advocate for human rights, female empowerment, and sustainability, Dillon-Ridgley made her first foray into the environmental field as a college intern during the early days of the EPA. Since then, the Dallas native has traveled around the globe promoting women’s rights and fighting for environmental sustainability. For nearly a decade, she served as the United Nations representative for the World YWCA. She attended the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio by appointment of the White House, followed by the 1997 UN General Assembly and the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa. She is the only person to have participated in all three US delegations.

Dillon-Ridgley served four terms as the President of the Association of Iowa Human Rights Agencies. She has also served as the CEO of the Women’s Environment and Development Organization. From 1997-2014, she served on the board of Interface, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet tiles and a global leader in sustainable design. She has contributed her expertise, insights, and boundless energy to the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) as a member of the Board of Trustees and the first female Chair of the CIEL board (2014-2015).