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Timothy Mansfield “Tim” DeChristopher (1981-) was born in West Milford, West Virginia. He grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Arizona State University. DeChristopher moved to Utah in 2005, working as a wilderness guide for troubled and at-risk youth. Always interested in environmentalism, working as a wilderness guide inspired DeChristopher towards activism. He began to study economics at the University of Utah, graduating in 2009; during his studies, DeChristopher deepened his understanding of climate change and became increasingly involved in environmental activism.

On December 19, 2008, DeChristopher disrupted a United States Bureau of Land Mangement oil and gas lease auction. After he bid $1.8 million to win bids on parcels near Arches and Canyonlands national parks and drove up prices on several others, BLM agents removed him from the auction. DeChristopher acknowledged his false bidding, saying it was an act of civil disobedience in protest of George W. Bush administration policies that he insisted were worsening the global climate crisis. On January 17, 2009, U.S. District Judge Ricardo Urbina temporarily halted the sale of 77 parcels, finding that the BLM had violated certain environmental protection laws pertaining to air quality and historical preservation. On April 1, 2009, a federal grand jury handed up a two-count felony indictment against DeChristopher that accused him of violating the terms of the auction he promised to observe when he signed up to bid.

Through his act of civil disobedience, DeChristopher became increasingly connected with other environmental activists, cofounding Peaceful Uprising, a volunteer-based climate action group. On March 3, 2011, a jury convicted DeChristopher of two federal felonies. On July 26, 2011, Judge Benson sentenced DeChristopher to two years in prison, imposed a $10,000 fine, and ordered him into immediate custody. The court's decision resulted in popular protest in Salt Lake City and other cities across the United States. DeChristopher was released on April 21, 2013, after two years in federal prison. After his release, DeChristopher attended Harvard Divinity School. He has continued his environmental activism, cofounding the Climate Disobedience Center, which provides legal resources and support to climate activists who engage in civil disobedience.