Cindy Lowry wins Wonderful Outstanding Women Award at the 11th annual Metro Birmingham Branch NAACP Women History Celebration

Birmingham, Ala. Cindy Lowry, executive director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, was honored with a Women’s History Award at the 11th annual Women History Celebration of the Metro Birmingham Branch NAACP on Saturday, March 31, 2012. These awards are given to “outstanding women who serve untiring for the greater good and excel in their fields of endeavor.”

“I am honored to be considered among such outstanding women,” Lowry said. “It is especially an honor to be recognized by such a distinguished organization as the NAACP.”

The Metro Birmingham NAACP began giving these awards in 2001 as a formal tribute to recognize the achievement and community service of Birmingham women. The awards are presented at the annual NAACP Women History Celebration, which takes place each March during Women’s History Month.

Lowry first became involved with the Metro Birmingham Branch NAACP in August 2011, when the United Methodist Women brought their National Justice Seminar to Birmingham and Joyce Lanning, longtime Alabama environmental advocate and informal environmental educator, helped to bring together a collaboration between the seminar, local environmental organizations, and the NAACP to coordinate a Sustain Our State Rally in Linn Park for local allies interested in improving Water, Air/Energy and Transportation for Alabama citizens.

“That event brought NAACP as a welcome new ally for environmental groups looking at environment and social justice issues, and we thank Cindy for her leadership,” Lanning said. “I am happy to see her honored with this award for her continuing community involvement and her work to gather new allies in the fight to protect Alabama’s environment.”

Born and raised in Oneonta, AL, Lowry received her BS degree in Wildlife Science from Auburn University and her Masters of Public Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Prior to joining the Alabama Rivers Alliance staff, she interned with the Cahaba River Society in the spring of 2002 and worked as the development assistant for the Alabama Wildlife Center. She joined the Alabama Rivers Alliance staff in 2005 as the watershed leadership coordinator and was promoted to executive director in 2007. As executive director, Lowry shepherds the organization’s work to unite Alabama citizens and advocate for clean, healthy rivers. In addition to her work with the Alabama Rivers Alliance, Lowry is an active volunteer and serves on the board of Friends of the Locust Fork River locally and Clean Water Network nationally. She is also the vice president of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Masters of Public Administration Alumni Association.