The Conservation Alliance is proud to announce that the leaders of two longtime members have joined their Board of Directors.
Magda Boulet, President of GU Energy Labs
Magda is a seasoned business leader, Olympic athlete, professional athletic coach, Board Member, and key influencer in the endurance community. Magda’s passion for human physiology and metabolism was born while studying Exercise Physiology and coaching at UC Berkeley. Later while working towards her Master’s degree, Prior to becoming President at GU in 2021, Magda was a research assistant, led Innovation & R&D, and held various interim leadership positions.
As a professional athlete for two decades, Magda competed in more than 100 races worldwide and is a champion of the Western States Endurance Run, Leadville 100 and Marathon des Sables. She passionately advocates for the transformative power of movement, and champions a more diverse, accessible, and inclusive outdoor industry. Magda volunteers her time with Running for a Better Oakland that promotes healthy lifestyle through running for K-12th grade Oakland students and is on the Board of Directors for the Western States Endurance Run. You can find her running most mornings on the beautiful Bay Area trails, directing a local trail race called the Miwok 100K, and spending quality time with family and friends in Oakland.
Penn Newhard, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Backbone Media
Penn Newhard is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Backbone Media, a leading digital marketing agency based in Colorado. Founded in 1997, Backbone works with approximately 100 brands across the active lifestyle, outdoor, snow sports, hunt & fish, general recreation, and travel & tourism segments.
A father of four and avid skier, climber, and surfer, Penn co-authored 50 Classic Ski Descents of North America and has served on the boards of Protect Our Winters, the 5 Point Film Festival, and the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club. He currently serves on the board of the Surfrider Foundation.
Penn holds degrees in Political Science and Organizational Behavior and Management from Brown University.
Penn and Magda join a Board of Directors that supports TCA’s mission to protect North America’s outdoor spaces, guiding our team by providing fiduciary oversight, strategic planning guidance, and membership recruitment support.
About The Conservation Alliance
The Conservation Alliance is the leading business coalition for conservation. Uniting companies across industries, perspectives, and geographies, they harness the collective power of their members to protect lands and waters for future generations. Their dual top-down and bottom-up approach pairs corporate advocacy with funding for grassroots action on the ground. Investing in The Conservation Alliance is not only an investment in protecting the resources businesses depend on—it’s a way to strengthen the outdoor economy, ensure recreational access, and provide long-term business resilience. For complete information about The Conservation Alliance, visit conservationalliance.com.
Media Contact:
Lilly Zoller
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