Mickey Strauss Grassroots Award Winners

Megan Rios Receives Mickey Strauss Grassroots Award

The California Landscape Contractors Association presented Megan Rios its 2024 Mickey Strauss Grassroots Award, honoring her grass roots advocacy leadership.

The Mickey Strauss Grassroots Award recognizes a CLCA member who works to build relationships with members of the state Legislature, candidates for the Legislature or possible future candidates. The recipient must be actively involved in a chapter and currently engaged in grassroots activity in support of CLCA’s governmental affairs objectives.

The award is named in honor of Mickey Strauss, CLCA’s 1981 President and the initial driving force behind CLCA’s capitol advocacy efforts. The 2024 award was announced during the association’s annual Leadership Conference, which has held in Sacramento January 14-15, 2025.

As CLCA’s Director of Legislation, Megan plays a key role in championing the association’s legislative priorities and agenda. She works to educate lawmakers and represent the association’s interests in the capitol and to regulators and other stakeholders.

In addition to keeping CLCA members informed about activity in the capitol, she is also active in other like-minded organizations, including the National Association of Women Business Owners, the Bakersfield Republican Women and the Golden Empire Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

With this award, Megan makes CLCA history as the first person to win the award twice. Furthermore, Rios Design Studio is the only CLCA member company with two winners on staff — Jim Rios won the award in 2015.

Mickey Strauss Grassroots Award Winners