“Be the change you want to see in the world” is Marilee Movius’s personal mantra and it truly shows.
Marilee takes her love for Lake Tahoe to work everyday as the Community Engagement Manager at the League to Save Lake Tahoe. She and her team are responsible for picking up 1,473 pounds of trash from last year’s Lake Tahoe’s shoreline during the Keep Tahoe Red, White and Blue Beach Cleanup event. Between managing volunteer programs, organizing community events, and creating new solutions to Lake Tahoe’s litter issues, Marilee is also a devoted volunteer at SOS Outreach and V-Day South Lake Tahoe. Learn more about this passionate young professional in her Q&A below.
Congratulations to this week’s 40 under 40 honoree, Marilee Movius!
Can you tell us a little about your responsibilities and accomplishments in your current position?
As the Community Engagement Manager of the League to Save Lake Tahoe, I am responsible for fostering a more informed and engaged community to support efforts to protect Lake Tahoe. I manage the League’s volunteer program, cultivate local partnerships, organize the League’s community events, engage students through our school program, design our educational materials, supervise the outreach team, create and execute new programs that are direct solutions to Lake Tahoe’s litter issues and co- execute the branding and communications.
Over the years, hundreds of volunteers have removed thousands of pounds of litter from Tahoe’s beaches and neighborhoods and improved hundreds of square feet of Tahoe’s forests, meadows, marshes and streams, restoring their function as natural filters for pollution.
What has been your favorite professional moment in the last year?
My team and I have accomplished so many things in the last year, so it is difficult to choose. However, I would like to point out the 6th annual Keep Tahoe Red, White and Blue Beach Cleanup. I coordinated ten partners at five host sites around the Lake on July 5 and more than 500 volunteers cleaned up over nine miles of shoreline at eight beaches. Volunteers picked up 1,473 pounds of trash including 8,121 cigarette butts and thousands of pieces of plastic. The event was covered by 26 media outlets from Tahoe, Northern CA region and Northern and Southern Nevada. It is great to see the biggest turnout yet for this event last year and the awareness grow that we need to reduce use and pack out what we pack in.
Do you have a professional/life mantra that you live by?
“Be the change you want to see in the world” – Gandhi
Who is your role model?
Yvon Chouinard is an environmentalist that built a company to create well made products that not only equip people to enjoy the silent sports outdoors, but also to fuel activism that protects the environment. He built a business that strives to be responsible, sustainable, cause no unnecessary harm and save our home planet.
Why choose Tahoe to make your home and career?
I believe that it is important to love where you live and protect what you love. Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places in the world and whenever I am outside recreating, I am inspired to want to continue to protect it. I feel lucky that everyday, I get to work to Keep Tahoe Blue.
Are you active in any volunteer roles or community groups?
I am in my fourth year volunteering for SOS Outreach as a mentor. This is a non-profit that provides life development for at-risk youth through outdoor adventures and community service. I am also currently volunteering as a cast member for the V-Day South Lake Tahoe, which hosts productions of The Vagina Monologues. V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls, by raising funds and awareness. I have also graduated from the City of South Lake Tahoe Citizen Academy and the UCCE Master Gardeners of Lake Tahoe programs. I am a member of the Tahoe Regional Young Professionals.
What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?
There are so many wonderful ways to enjoy Lake Tahoe in all seasons! I love to get outside whenever possible and hike, backpack, bike ride, paddle board, enjoy the beach, snowboard and cross country ski. I also enjoy yoga, spending time with friends, live music, dining out and designing/crafting.
Where are your favorite South Shore stomping grounds?
Fallen Leaf Lake, Desolation Wilderness, Camp Richardson to Baldwin Beach and going to businesses at the “Y”.
Get in touch with Marilee today:
Email Marilee