The Power of Moms Award celebrates mothers at the forefront of climate advocacy.
Katherine Batiste was joined by her son, 8-time Grammy Award winner Jon Batiste.
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Washington, DC — Katherine G. Batiste was honored in Washington, DC on Friday, August 21 with the inaugural Power of Moms Award at a luncheon hosted by Moms Clean Air Force. The event included a Q&A session with Ms. Batiste and her son Jon Batiste, who released “Petrichor” in 2025, a song inspired by his family’s experience in Hurricane Katrina and the growing climate crisis.
Ms. Batiste was selected for the award based on her strong commitment to environmental stewardship during her 19-year-long career with the United States government, including her tenure as the Program Manager for the Pollution Prevention, Waste Management, and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Programs at the Department of Energy’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
“It’s important to teach children to care for the natural environment because they are the future caretakers of our planet,” says Katherine Batiste, recipient of the first-ever Power of Moms Award. “When children learn to respect nature, avoid pollution, conserve resources, and protect plants and animals, they develop habits that can help create a healthier world. A clean environment also provides clean air and water, supports good health, and ensures that our future generations can enjoy the beauty and resources of nature.”
Ms. Batiste earned a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) in Environmental Management from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1997. This advanced education, combined with nearly two decades of professional environmental experience, contributed to a career focused on protecting the environment while supporting the operational and regulatory needs of the U.S. Department of Energy.
Her son, Jon Batiste, credits his own interest in advocacy, in part, to his mother’s lifelong dedication to environmental stewardship and social justice.
“My mother is somebody who has a sense of vision for a future and that is one of the highest gifts a person can have,” says Jon Batiste. “Some people accept life as it is. She believes things can change and she can envision that change, which means that you can create that change. That’s what’s beautiful about her.”
The award was presented by Moms Clean Air Force at a luncheon hosted at Marcus DC.
“The Power of Moms Award celebrates the influence of mothers to create positive change in their community and recognizes the intergenerational legacy of climate advocacy,” says Moms Clean Air Force’s Associate Vice President Isabel Gonzalez Whitaker, who moderated the Q&A session with Katherine and Jon Batiste. “With a long history of environmental stewardship in both her personal life and professional career, Katherine Batiste perfectly embodies the spirit of this award. It was a privilege to recognize her as the first-ever Power of Moms recipient today on behalf of the 1.6 million members of Moms Clean Air Force.”
VISUALS
Photos from the event are available here. Media are welcome to use them in coverage