
Working at the intersection of environmental impact, storytelling, outdoor recreation and social change.
campaign director | film producer | media & event host
Strong leaders are good storytellers.
While I like to think of myself as both, I can't really call myself a storyteller, let alone a leader, without telling any stories. So here they are, the many hats I’ve worn, in a few stories:
THE SOCIAL INTRAPRENEUR | My first job out of college, I was lucky enough to work for Ashoka. I remember meeting the incredible Ashoka Fellow candidates at panel interviews in Austria and Kenya and realizing: this is the kind of changemaking I want to support for the rest of my life. My “a-ha moment,” if you will.
THE MANAGER | Touring two countries with a film, the filmmakers, athlete ambassadors, a PR team to please, a company to impress and a petition to sign, I went full on. I became the logistics mastermind I never knew I was, collecting over 10,000 signatures and solidifying friendships that felt more like siblings by the end.
THE WRITER | I was tasked with dissecting technical footwear supply chains enough to understand the complexities of turning plastic bottles into shoes, and then to writing about it (and several other company innovations) so a consumer could also understand. The end goal? Hopefully helping shift the global market of sports products for the better.
THE PRODUCER | It was deep in the jungle of Borneo, in a traditional longhouse, that my audio recorder ran out of battery. The electricity only turns on overnight, so I was fresh out of charge. Thankfully, the audio I did get was usable, and became part of a short film about one of 22 indigenous communities winning a prize from the UNDP for their work in climate action. The film was shown, along with 21 others, at an awards ceremony during Climate Week 2019.
THE ANTHROPOLOGIST | I am a nomad. I thirst for travel. I feel extremely lucky having worked in 17 countries around the world conducting design research, writing marketing plans, producing films and supporting social entrepreneurship. The country list is growing.
THE GRAD STUDENT | I think I was about 15 hours into a 24-hour trail race, winding from Italy through Switzerland and ending in France, when I thought: I need to broaden my horizon. There we were, runners from all over the world, feeling the earth beneath our feet as giant jagged mountains raked the sky above us, and I wondered how I could educate myself to preserve landscapes like this. I bought a GRE book and started studying to apply for my MPA on the flight home.
THE ATHLETE | So yes, trail running is a big part of my life. I’m never happier than when I’m on a trail or high up a mountain.
partners include:
Apple | Nike | UN Development Programme | Patagonia | NNormal | Merrell | Lululemon | Subaru | Kilian Jornet Foundation | UN Foundation | American Forest Foundation | Coral Gardeners

adeline thompson
climate | equity | policy | conservation | adventure