Rita Flanagan (she/her/hers)

Lifelong experiences on her family’s animal rescue farm instilled in Rita a deep commitment to land, water, and human and non-human life. You can take the girl outta the farm, but not the farm outta the girl—ask Rita to see a photo of Darla the hen or Benny the donkey, and she will enthusiastically oblige! She brings these experiences into her graduate coursework: As a dual-degree student, Rita is currently earning her JD from Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University and Master of Environmental Management from Yale School of the Environment. Water justice and food system transformation are at the center of her coursework and professional experiences. She aims to continue this kind of work as a lawyer and advocate in the non-profit sector upon graduation. Rita joined the Center with the goal of fostering genuine relationships and conducting meaningful work. She cares about process as much as she does about substantive outcome. This shaped her work ethic as she prepared for and staffed the Environmental Joy conference in October 2023.