As a Representative for the Northwest field team, Kathleen leads Defenders’ policy engagement on endangered species in Washington State, working with local policymakers and coalition partners on the recovery of southern resident orcas, salmon, and grizzly bears.

Kathleen brings ten years of experience in policy, advocacy, and fundraising to her role at Defenders, spanning a range of topics from climate change to international peacebuilding. A creative thinker, she brings a fresh perspective to challenging topics and excels in promoting collaboration across disparate sectors and groups. In her previous role at the United Nations Foundation, she spearheaded a global campaign to include safe and sustainable energy access in standard humanitarian assistance for refugees and displaced people. In partnership with the UN Refugee Agency, the World Food Programme, and local NGOs, she led humanitarian energy workshops in Rwanda, Kenya, and Ethiopia, touching on related issues such as food security, environmental degradation, and gender-based violence.

Kathleen holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and Legal Studies from Bowdoin College and a Masters in Comparative Ethnic Conflict from Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland. In her spare time she loves to travel, play with dogs, and watch fantasy/sci-fi series.