Kiersten Iwai (she/her/hers), has spent her career advocating for climate justice and young people’s access to civic education in the mountain west. 

Hailing from San Diego, Kiersten moved north to Oregon to study Environmental Studies as a collegiate athlete. While she completed her undergraduate degree, she received a coveted Civic Engagement Award. 

She deepened her understanding of public policy as she earned her Masters of Public Administration from Montana State University and won the MPA Merit Award from the Department of Political Science in 2018. Despite a rigorous, accelerated post-graduate track, she served her community at a local nonprofit dedicated to survivors of domestic violence.

Before her current role, Kiersten organized around her passion for climate action. From digital organizing to large-scale mass mobilizations, Kiersten’s campaigning helped push corporations and governments to transition to renewable energy.

She currently serves as the Executive Director of Forward Montana, a statewide organization that fosters civic engagement and voting among young Montanans through civic education, grassroots organizing, and leadership development. Under her leadership, the organization has achieved remarkable success, including playing a vital role in overturning unconstitutional voter suppression laws in Montana. Kiersten has significantly expanded Forward Montana’s geographic reach and statewide programming during her three years at the helm. Through these efforts, Forward Montana has emerged as a key player in building sustainable political power in Montana.

Kiersten approaches her work with the same energy she approaches life – seeing the joy in every situation and the human behind every conversation. She loves playing in the mountains, escaping reality with a good book, and dancing the night away.