Hannah Greenfader ’19 leads global climate efforts with World Wildlife Fund

On the ground in Azerbaijan this week with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for the United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties, Hannah Greenfader ’19 is connecting people to spur action to protect the planet.

The annual international summit invites world leaders, policymakers, scientists and activists to meet and assess global goals of limiting climate change that inform U.N. policies. As a WWF program officer, Greenfader is organizing events and meetings that connect stakeholders and advance action.

“Our goal is to show up and commit to the world that we are still working to meet climate targets no matter what,” Greenfader said before the conference began. “We’re bringing more than 100 people in our delegation of partners and members to network and facilitate these important discussions about the future of the planet.”

It’s hard work that involves coordinating many moving parts, but Greenfader — who graduated with a degree in environmental studies — says the feedback received afterward shows they’re making a difference.

“On the last day, when you’ve hosted 25 events, private meetings, roundtable discussions and networking receptions, it’s fulfilling when you look back and can see people being engaged, see their satisfaction and feel the impact you’ve made in advancing climate action,” Greenfader said. “It’s a unique opportunity that I don’t take for granted. It’s meaningful work and I’m proud of the work I do.”

From early in her childhood in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she was enamored with nature. She grew up by the ocean and remembers following leatherback sea turtle hatchlings on their perilous journey into the surf. Her love of nature turned to action as she matured, leading recycling efforts at school and other efforts to protect the environment.

Arriving at Elon, she knew she wanted to engage in conservation and preservation for her career, and encouragement from faculty in the Department of Environmental Studies proved she was on the right path. She was recruited as a teaching and learning assistant during her first year and worked with the Office of Sustainability as an undergraduate.

She particularly recalls the mentorship of former Lecturer in Environmental Studies Steve Moore, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Amanda Chunco and Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies Ryan Kirk as instrumental to her path. She spent long hours in computer labs for challenging Global Information Systems classes, had hands-on experiences in environmental science labs and benefitted from a close-knit environmental studies community that motivated her to take every opportunity to learn and connect.

“My degree is directly applicable to what I’m doing today,” Greenfader said, noting that her coursework provided a foundation in climate policy and environmental science she finds indispensable in her role today.

After graduating, she interned for the Miami-Dade County, Florida, Office of Resilience, advancing sustainable solutions communities there. She moved to Washington, D.C., in 2020 to earn a master’s in environmental resource policy at George Washington University and was hired for an internship at the World Wildlife Fund. She’d been a donor to the organization since childhood, collecting its signature stuffed animals. They made her feel like part of the team — and was doing “meaningful and important work” — from day one.

“My degree is directly applicable to what I’m doing today,” Greenfader said, noting that her coursework provided a foundation in climate policy and environmental science that is indispensable in her role today.

“I’m passionate about protecting the planet from climate change, and I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing,” Greenfader said. “No matter the outcome of the U.S. election, our climate work will continue — and it must. We have the power to drive meaningful progress forward.”