Leading with a Long View: Sonja Bochart
A Q&A led by Susan Bang
Since receiving the Women in Sustainability Leadership Award, Sonja Bochart has continued to advance a vision of leadership grounded in regeneration, stewardship, and service to something larger than ourselves. In this conversation with editor and interviewer Susan Bang, she reflects on the influence of the award, the value of the WSLA Alumnae community, and the importance of leading with purpose, curiosity, and care. Her insights offer a thoughtful perspective on creating impact through connection, resilience, and shared responsibility.
Q. How has the award influenced your work and leadership globally over the years?
Receiving the WSLA recognition was both an honor and a quiet affirmation of the path I had chosen. Over the past few years, it has strengthened my commitment to regenerative design and development, and to the deeper work of reconnecting people to place, purpose, and the living essence within organizations and communities. The award gave greater visibility and credibility to ideas that at the time still felt emerging, helping me advance conversations around regeneration, stewardship, and systems thinking across sectors and geographies. More than recognition, it offered encouragement to continue listening closely, leading thoughtfully, and creating work rooted in relationship, resilience, and belonging.
Q. How has the award impacted your career since you joined the WSLA Alumnae Group?
Being part of the WSLA Alumnae Group has been both grounding and inspiring. It connected me to a community of thoughtful women who lead with courage, generosity, and vision, reminding me that leadership does not happen in isolation. Over the years, the network has offered support, mentorship, and a shared commitment to meaningful change rooted in integrity and care. As my work has expanded into strategic planning and climate action - helping organizations and individuals lead more fully from their essence and values - this community has continually affirmed the importance of aligned leadership that creates deeper impact and more lasting results. It has given me both confidence and encouragement to continue this work.
Q. How has WSLA supported your leadership?
WSLA has supported my leadership by fostering a community where reflection, dialogue, and shared wisdom are valued as much as achievement. Through the relationships and conversations within the network, I have been better able to navigate change, remain open to new perspectives, and continue evolving my work in ways that are both practical and deeply human. It has reinforced the importance of leading with curiosity, compassion, and a long view toward the future.
Q. What has being part of this unique community meant to you over the years?
Being part of this community has meant belonging to a circle of women who understandthat leadership is ultimately about service, relationship, and responsibility to somethinglarger than ourselves. Over the years, WSLA has been a place of encouragement andrenewal - a reminder that meaningful work grows through connection, trust, and sharedpurpose. There is something powerful about being among women who are not onlyshaping industries but also shaping the culture of leadership itself.
Q. What would you say to emerging sustainability leaders who seek to pursue the accolade?
I would encourage emerging sustainability leaders to stay rooted in what they know to be true, even when the path forward is uncertain. The work of sustainability and regeneration asks us to think beyond short-term outcomes and toward the long rhythms of community, ecology, and future generations. Pursuing this accolade is not simply about achievement, but about joining a community committed to thoughtful leadership and meaningful impact. Lead with integrity, remain connected to place and people, and trust that the work you nurture with care will create ripples far beyond what you can see.