Keynote Speaker: Kelly Hanna

Kelly Hanna is a first-year law student at the Kline School of Law at Drexel University. She graduated cum laude from Monmouth University in 2019 where she earned her B.S. in Marine and Environmental Biology and Policy. During her time at Monmouth, she participated in a variety of research projects regarding conservation, sustainability, and environmental policy. She traveled to Eleuthera, the Bahamas, to assess the impacts of human development on migratory fish species, mangrove dispersal, and reef health. Hanna has researched the impacts of invasive plant species in coastal New Jersey and the effects they have on terrapin nesting choices. She presented research regarding the environmental impacts of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations coupled with the threats imposed by climate change at the Climate Change, Coasts, & Communities Symposium. She has also conducted research in the Phytoplankton and Harmful Algal Bloom Lab to examine the decline of water quality at popular beaches in Monmouth County after storm events. She contributed research towards Professor Randall S. Abate’s book, Climate Change and the Voiceless: Protecting Future Generations, Wildlife, and Natural Resources regarding the exportability of progressive animal and natural resource litigation in India to the U.S. courts. Hanna also interned with Richman Law Group, a firm that combats greenwashing and humane washing in order to promote sustainability in marketing. Last summer, she interned with the Earth Law Center and performed outreach with African organizations to help advance the Rights of Nature campaign in African countries with the hope of promoting sustainability in policy and litigation. Kelly also captained the Division I field hockey team at Monmouth and won two conference championships in her tenure. She hopes to pursue a career in environmental law, promoting sustainability in order to protect the planet for future generations.