Gillian Caldwell

Gillian Caldwell is the Campaign Director of 1Sky 1, one of the largest collaborative campaigns on climate change in the United States. 1Sky’s goal is to create 5 million green jobs through a massive energy efficiency and conservation wave, to get a federal cap on global warming pollution with steep, science-based reductions in carbon pollution, and to transition the US off dirty coal and onto renewable energy sources.

Since Caldwell was hired to launch the campaign in September of 2007, it has grown to encompass over 500 allied organizations 2, 174,000 advocates, a full time team of 50 with organizers in 30 states, and more than 2,300 Climate Precinct Captains (volunteer organizers) 3 covering every state nationwide and more than 380 congressional districts.

Prior to her work at 1Sky, Caldwell served as Executive Director at WITNESS 4 for almost 10 years. WITNESS was co-founded by musician Peter Gabriel to empower human rights advocates to use video to create change. At WITNESS, Caldwell co-authored Video For Change: A Guide to Advocacy and Activism 5 and produced and directed dozens of videos on human rights challenges worldwide, including Outlawed: Extraordinary Rendition, Torture and Disappearances in the War on Terror, Operation Fine Girl: The Use of [...] as a Weapon of War in Sierra Leone and Behind the Labels: Garment Workers on US Saipan.

From 1995-1997, Caldwell served as the Co-Director of the Global Survival Network where she organized a two year undercover investigation into Russian Mafia involvement in trafficking women for forced prostitution with her colleague Steven Galster. They produced Bought & Sold: An Investigative Documentary into the Trade in Women which received widespread media coverage in the US and abroad, including specials on ABC Primetime Live, CNN, and BBC.

Prior to that, Caldwell has worked on numerous other human and civil rights issues here and abroad. Caldwell was a Public Interest Law Scholar at Georgetown University (1989-1992), and graduated with high honors from Harvard University in 1988.

She lives in Takoma Park, Maryland with her partner Louis Spitzer and their children Tess and Finley.

Select Fellowships & Awards

  • Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, 2005-2007. Recipient of an international award to support innovative social entrepreneurs and their organizations: $615,000 over 3 years.
  • Tech Award, 2003. Honored as a Tech Laureate in Human Rights by the Tech Museum and received a grant of $50,000 in recognition of WITNESS’ outstanding work.
  • Ashoka Special Partner, 2002. Selected as a special partner for Ashoka USA and received a grant of $30,000 in recognition of a lifetime of leadership in social entrepreneurship.
  • Remarque Forum, 2002. One of thirty promising leaders from Europe and North America invited to participate in an informal discussion retreat.
  • Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, 2001. Recipient of this international award to recognize 100 outstanding leaders in social entrepreneurship worldwide. All Fellows receive all expenses paid participation at the World Economic Forum in Davos annually.
  • New York Lawyer, 2001. Profiled as one of “Fifteen Lawyers Under 40 Shaping Law for the 21st Century.”
  • Rockefeller Foundation Next Generation Leaders Award, 2000. One of 24 Fellows identified through a national selection committee for demonstrated leadership skills. NGL Fellows receive a stipend and 25 days of intensive leadership training in the United States and abroad.
  • The Secretary’s Open Forum Public Service Award, 1998. On behalf of the U.S. Department of State and the Agency for International Development in recognition of a contribution to international affairs and participation in the Open Forum’s Distinguished Lecture Series.
  • Echoing Green Graduate Public Service Fellowship, July 1996-July 1998. Fellowship to direct investigation into trafficking women out of Russia for prostitution, and coordinate outreach program disseminating results.
  • Equal Justice Foundation Fellowship, 1991. Fellowship for summer employment at the Legal Resources Centre, Durban, South Africa.
  • New York City Urban Fellow, Sept. 1988-May 1989; New York City Government Scholar, June-Aug. 1988. Participated in a work program and seminar series sponsored by the NYC Government.
  • Harvard Foundation Grant Recipient, 1986. Funding for a symposium to improve race relations on campus.

Select Media Coverage

  • Multiple televised appearances worldwide including ABC Primetime Live, ABC 20/20, ABC Good Morning America, CBS Evening News, BBC Newsnight, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CNN and PBS
  • National Public Radio’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show etc
  • New York Times, Washington Post, US News & World Report and featured Extraordinary Leader by Marie Claire Magazine