Ovie Mughelli is an award winning and nationally recognized retired professional athlete, turned environmental advocate. During his nine seasons playing in the National Football League, Ovie was considered one of the best fullbacks in the NFL, while playing for the Atlanta Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens.
Since retiring from the sport in 2012, Ovie has continued to leverage his platform as an environmental spokesperson, advocate and author, media correspondent, and owner of a medical business, ONO Consulting.
Ovie is a devoted husband and father of three young children. Becoming a father awakened Ovie to the connection of human health to our planet's health through a series of family difficulties when his two youngest children were born premature. Ovie recognized that we need a shift in our culture of how we connect with, see and treat our planet.
As a result, he founded The Ovie Mughelli Foundation where he is educating and empowering the next generation of green leaders. He is working to diversify the exponentially growing green industry, giving equal access to all the benefits that green spaces provide. Ultimately, he wants to leave a legacy that will allow youth to have a better future - advocating for healthy environmental practices and opening kids eyes to the need for everyone to take an active role in saving the planet.
Ovie has created innovative, fun and enriching programs that leverage sports, technology and entertainment to fulfil on that legacy. He has educated business leaders, influential individuals and curriculum creators on climate justice and opportunities in the green sector.
He has advocated on the issue at the highest levels, including at the United Nations, increased employee giving to green initiatives, started a national initiative to change the throw-away culture surrounding sporting events into one that is eco-friendly and sustainable, and is closing the skills gap for kids from underrepresented and underserved communities.
His proudest achievement is a STEM-focused and diverse graphic novel, gamification app and curriculum that educates kids and teens on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the environment, which is free for schools. His latest initiative is challenging the public to help get the ‘Gridiron Green’ comic into 20,000 schools across the United States.
Ovie has worked with and been acknowledged by leaders in the Earth protection movement, including sustainability leaders Ted Turner, Al Gore and Van Jones, and has developed partnerships with the EPA, NRDC, Sierra Club, Green Sports Alliance, NEXUS, and served on the board with the U.S. Green Building Council.
He was named one of the world’s top Eco Athlete’s by the Planet Green Foundation, was the closing speaker at the White House's Sports and Sustainability Conference, spoke at the Climate Change Awards, and was the MC for both the Global Green and the Global Climate Action Summit.
