Food Sovereignty Project

Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, to French immigrant parents, Hugo grew up surrounded by local orange groves and wetlands while spending summers in France. This dual identity sharpened his perspective as he studied environmental science at the University of Central Florida, where he contrasted France's aggressive sustainability policies with local environmental challenges. Motivated to make an impact, Hugo began volunteering with a local nonprofit—mapping transportation networks, advocating in city government, and mobilizing community turnout in elections. This work led to an internship where Hugo eventually became a founder for the Orlando Food Network Initiative, expanding community gardens on vacant public land, removing zoning barriers, and providing residents with free gardening supplies. Hugo is eager to work to support communities, build local food sovereignty, and advance sustainable food systems. 

Kelly grew up in Northern California, where her first introduction to the legal system was in eighth grade when she read Twelve Angry Men. From that moment, Kelly set her sights on pursuing a legal career. 

Kelly earned an English Literature degree with minors in Legal Studies and Philosophy from the University of Oregon, focusing her studies on rhetorical analysis and effective argumentation. 

After graduating, Kelly worked for two years as a civil litigation legal assistant in Portland. Inspired by the Pacific Northwest’s natural landscape, Kelly returned to the University of Oregon for law school, where she remains motivated to contribute to research that advances environmental justice, sustainable stewardship, and equitable community representation. 

As a 1L summer law clerk, Kelly returned to the civil litigation firm where she previously worked. For her 2L summer, Kelly worked at an employment law firm in Sacramento, where she supported employers through prelitigation and litigation matters. 

Now entering her eighth year of living in Oregon, Kelly enjoys exploring the region’s natural beauty, with her favorite spot being Thor’s Well on the Oregon Coast.

Hannah grew up in Michigan near the shores of the Great Lakes. Summers spent on Lakes Michigan and Huron sparked her love of the outdoors and connection to water. She earned a B.A. in political science, with a concentration in environmental studies, from Kalamazoo College. After graduating, she moved to Bellingham, Washington, where she served an AmeriCorps term at a local environmental nonprofit, leading community science efforts on the Salish Sea.

At Oregon Law, Hannah has continued to pursue her goals in public interest environmental law. As a 1L, she served as a Land Air Water representative, and she now serves as Conference Co-Director for the 2027 Public Interest Environmental Law Conference. During her 1L summer, Hannah interned at Great Lakes Environmental Law Center in Detroit, Michigan (GLELC). While at GLELC, she supported litigation and public comments on Detroit environmental issues, with a focus on environmental racism and justice. This work affirmed her interest in food sovereignty, and she hopes to continue exploring how environmental justice can support communities' rights to grow, access, and control their own food systems. 

In her free time, Hannah enjoys mountain biking, photography, reading, and exploring the outdoors.

Paige grew up in Breckenridge, Colorado, where she developed a deep appreciation for the Rocky Mountains and the complexity of the surrounding landscapes. She explored this interest further at Montana State University, studying Environmental Biology, Microbiology, and Soil Science. While there, she conducted extensive research on the microbial ecology of Yellowstone National Park hot springs. She started her professional career as an environmental microbiologist consulting on remediation of mine-affected waters, then shifted to a position supporting food sustainability and community access to local produce. 

During her first year at Oregon Law, Paige served on the board of Land Air Water as the apprentice editor of the Western Environmental Law Update (WELU). Now a 2L, she continues as the WELU Director. During her 1L summer, Paige clerked in the 18th District Court of Colorado. There, she worked directly with civil court judges to draft orders, research legal issues, and develop a deeper understanding of the civil court system as a tool to address environmental issues. After graduation, Paige hopes to use her law degree to help bridge the gap between environmental science and policy.

Edward spent most of his life in the desert before finding his new home in Oregon. Making his rounds through Texas, Nevada, and Arizona, Edward finally made the leap to Oregon with the mission of getting the best education in environmental law. 

Edward's passion for environmental law proceeds his professional pursuits in the field. Having fought wildland fire (back when he had a chainsaw in his hands and cartilage in his knees), he has a longstanding commitment to protecting the outdoors and its wild inhabitants. He completed his graduate studies in Sustainability Solutions at Arizona State University, where he worked with engineers, legal experts, and community leaders to install Phoenix's first plastics recycling plant that could mold virtually anything—from plastic lumber to skateboards—from communal plastic waste. 

Since starting at Oregon Law, Edward has made meaningful connections with environmental advocates in local non-profit organizations like Our Children's Trust, Cascadia Wildlands, and the Western Environmental Law Center. At the end of his 2L year, he was invited to the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights at Oxford University to explore legal responses to war and climate crises. Now a 3L, Edward continues pursuing his passion for environmental law as an editor for the Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation. In his free time, Edward enjoys orienteering, sparring, and painting.