Audrey Leonard, Staff Attorney
audrey@columbiariverkeeper.org | (541) 399-4775
Audrey Leonard (she/her) focuses on protecting the Columbia from fracked gas, oil-by-rail, and other fossil fuel infrastructure. A Midwesterner at heart, Audrey grew up on a farm in rural Indiana and strives to use that background to meet the unique challenges faced by people in rural areas.
She fell in love with the Pacific Northwest while attending Lewis & Clark Law School, where she was the Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Law, volunteered for the Northwest Environmental Defense Center, and worked for Earthrise Law Center. Audrey was previously a legal fellow for the Center for Food Safety, doing federal environmental litigation to fight the harms of industrial agriculture.
What inspires you to do this work?
I’m inspired by the opportunity to do place-based work, protecting an area with an incredibly rich history. I am also inspired by the variety of tools Columbia Riverkeeper uses to protect the river. This relentless creativity has the power to uplift the communities that truly understand the preciousness of this place.
Riverkeeper’s team includes scientists, environmental lawyers, and community organizers. We work to organize and empower local communities, enforce environmental laws, and build strategic coalitions. Our mission is to protect and restore the Columbia River and all life connected to it.
