Speaker's Biographies:

Kerry Duggan's interest in environmental justice and politics can be traced back to the University of Vermont's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Environmental Program, where she earned a bachelor's degree in environmental studies. A Detroit Country Day School graduate, Kerry attended St. Johns University in Queens, New York, before transferring to Vermont. She is the recipient of numerous academic and athletic awards, including a teaching position in Vermont's Environmental Program and Michigan's Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department. She graduated in December 2006 with a Master of Science degree in Resource Policy and Behavior after just a year and a half at the School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE) at Michigan.

               Prior to graduate school, her professional experience involves policy surrounding various environmental issues. As a policy specialist with the Michigan Environment Council (MEC) in Lansing, she worked on energy, water and agricultural issues. Working with elected officials through her positions with the National and Michigan League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club was a direct result of her representation of MEC to its seventy statewide member organizations.

               While at UM, she served as a liaison to the administration in student government. She was recently awarded for her demonstrated leadership. SNRE gave Kerry a world-class education and provided opportunities to represent her classmates and the University to donors, business leaders and board members.  Also, she co-founded and co-authored the SNRE student newsletter.  She helped frame the upcoming Coping with Climate Change Summit and facilitated the development of her interdisciplinary master's project, "Planning for the Strategic Redevelopment of Downtown Detroit".