Join friends, neighbors, and fellow environmental supporters for an inspiring evening celebrating four remarkable leaders who have made a difference in Newton and beyond. From climate policy and City government to civic engagement and sustainable business, their work shows the many ways people can help create a healthier, more sustainable community.
Meet this year’s honorees below—and join us October 1!
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026
Time: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Hibernian Hall, 151 Watertown St, Watertown
(Right over the Newton line)
Celebrating the People Shaping Newton’s Future
Green Newton is celebrating four remarkable environmental leaders at our October 1 Environmental Leadership Celebration. Meet the people whose work—from climate policy and City government to civic engagement and sustainable business—is helping create a healthier, more sustainable Newton.
Learn more about this year’s honorees below – and join us October 1!
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026
Time: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Hibernian Hall, Hibernian Hall, 151 Watertown St, Watertown
(Right over the Newton line)
Meet Our 2026 Environmental Leaders
Senator Cynthia Creem
Senator Cynthia Creem has spent decades turning environmental concerns into action at the State House. As a longtime champion of climate and clean energy legislation, she has helped advance policies addressing clean energy, transportation, buildings, and the transition away from fossil fuels. Today, as Senate Majority Leader, she continues to be a powerful voice for climate action and environmental protection in Massachusetts. We are delighted to celebrate her extraordinary record of leadership and her commitment to building a healthier, more sustainable Commonwealth.
Bill Ferguson
For more than a decade, Bill Ferguson helped make Newton a leader in municipal sustainability. During his 11 years with the City, he spearheaded 18 solar installations on municipal buildings, expanded the City’s electric vehicle fleet and charging infrastructure, secured significant funding for energy and electrification projects, and played a pivotal role in developing and passing Newton’s landmark BERDO ordinance. But Bill’s impact goes beyond the impressive list of accomplishments: he built partnerships, earned trust, and showed what determined, thoughtful leadership can accomplish.
Newton Energy Commission
For decades, the Newton Energy Commission has been a driving force behind the City’s climate leadership. The Commission was instrumental in developing Newton’s first Climate Action Plan and has continued to play a key role in turning climate goals into action. Its work has helped lead to major policy accomplishments, including Newton’s Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) and the City’s electrification ordinance, as well as other efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition to clean energy. The Commission’s members have brought expertise, persistence, and a willingness to do the often-unheralded work of turning good ideas into policy. Newton’s progress on climate would not be where it is today without their leadership.
Kay Masterson
Kay Masterson shows what it looks like when a local business makes sustainability part of the way it does business. Since taking over Johnny’s Luncheonette with her husband Kevin in 2014, Kay has expanded the restaurant’s commitment to local sourcing, composting and waste reduction—and introduced reusable takeout containers that can be used again and again. Just as importantly, she sees Johnny’s and Cabot’s as community institutions and uses them to educate, connect, and give back. Her approach is practical, welcoming, and contagious: make changes that work, bring people along, and keep looking for what you can do next.