Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Michelle Dunn Honored With Governor’s Lifetime Environmental Achievement Award
From left: Jessica Shirley, Secretary, PA Department of Environmental Protection; Thomas Gilbert, President, Pennsylvania Environmental Council; Phobe Wetzel, Chair, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, Michele Dunn, 2026 Governors Lifetime Achievement Award recipient; Shannon Reiter, Executive Director, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful; Natasha Fackler, Chief of Staff, PA Department of Environmental Protection; Heidi Pedicone, Director of Programs, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful; Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
From left: Jessica Shirley, Secretary, PA Department of Environmental Protection; Thomas Gilbert, President, Pennsylvania Environmental Council; Phobe Wetzel, Chair, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, Michele Dunn, 2026 Governors Lifetime Achievement Award recipient; Shannon Reiter, Executive Director, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful; Natasha Fackler, Chief of Staff, PA Department of Environmental Protection; Heidi Pedicone, Director of Programs, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful; Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
(PA Environmental Digest) Michelle Dunn, a longtime leader with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, has been awarded the Governor’s Award for Lifetime Environmental Achievement in recognition of more than two decades of dedicated service to communities across the Commonwealth.
The award was presented on June 25 at the Harrisburg Hilton during the Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence ceremony, hosted by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
Michelle joined Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful in 2004 as a Program Coordinator, traveling across Pennsylvania to help communities organize volunteer illegal dumpsite cleanups.
Over the years, her role expanded along with her impact, and she became a guiding force behind Pick Up Pennsylvania, the state’s signature community improvement program.
Known for her warmth, patience, and unwavering dedication, Michelle has spent more than twenty years encouraging volunteers, supporting community partners, and building lasting relationships in towns and neighborhoods statewide.
At the heart of her work is a simple but powerful belief: everyone can make a difference. She understands that volunteerism and stewardship do more than clean up communities, they bring people together, build pride of place, and foster a lasting sense of shared responsibility.
