Jill A. Soffer ’81

Jill A. Soffer ’81, of Carbondale, Colo.; Oct. 23, of cancer. After college she moved to Santa Monica, Calif., and built her reputation as an interior designer and LEED developer of sustainable homes. She had an unwavering commitment to nature and environmental causes. She was a major donor to the Natural Resources Defense Council and a board member of the Sierra Club Foundation and the Wilderness Workshop. She created Our Part, a nonprofit that funds initiatives to fight the climate crisis and protect democracy. She also launched Banking for Climate, a network of high-net-worth individuals who pressured their banks to stop funding and supporting the fossil fuel industry. In 2020, she financially supported land acquisitions that blocked the development of the Tar Sands Pipeline in Northern Minnesota. In 2023 she dedicated 285 acres of her own land between Spring Park Reservoir and the base of Basalt Mountain as a conservation easement, forever limiting development and protection for the wildlife habitat. She is survived by her partner, Steve Elder; her father; seven siblings; and her four dogs.