September 19, 2014

Mandy Rude (’13) lands her dream job thanks to IELP experience

Amanda (Mandy) Rude, a 2013 graduate from Lewis & Clark with an environmental law certificate, has just been hired into her “dream job” as the Environmental Crime Program Specialist with the U.S. Department of State- INL Bureau (International Narcotics and Law Enforcement).  The INL environmental crime team focuses on U.S. policy aimed at combating wildlife trafficking. Mandy’s role will be a mixture of collaborative program management and policy research on wildlife and environmental crime.  In addition, the team builds coalitions across U.S. agencies, NGOs, and international bodies to develop collaborative approaches to combat wildlife crime.

Amanda (Mandy) Rude, a 2013 graduate from Lewis & Clark law school with an environmental law certificate, has just been hired into her “dream job” as the Environmental Crime Program Specialist with the U.S. Department of State- INL Bureau (International Narcotics and Law Enforcement).  The INL environmental crime team focuses on U.S. policy aimed at combating wildlife trafficking. Mandy’s role will be a mixture of collaborative program management and policy research on wildlife and environmental crime.  In addition, the team builds coalitions across U.S. agencies, NGOs, and international bodies to develop collaborative approaches to combat wildlife crime.

Those who know Mandy can appreciate the great fit she is for this position. While at Lewis & Clark, Mandy founded Students for International Environmental Law, was an editor on the Animal Law Review, was named to the Cornelius Honor Society for superior scholarship, leadership, and commitment to the law school, and received the Steven Manas Memorial Scholarship for excellence in environmental law.

Wildlife trade law captured her attention when she attended the Conference on International Trade in Endangered Species in Bangkok, Thailand in 2013.  She participated as a member of an NGO delegation through Lewis & Clark law’s International Environmental Law Project (IELP).  IELP offered Mandy firsthand experience negotiating with delegates, researching policy, and building her network in the field.  As Mandy recently told us: “IELP, and the unique focused classes I took at Lewis & Clark, got me the exact experience I needed to enter this field and find this position.  I am so thankful for the mentoring and experience I had with the great group of people at Lewis & Clark and IELP.  I’m excited to get started and know that the program prepared me well for this work.”

For more information on IELP and opportunities for students visit:

http://law.lclark.edu/clinics/international_environmental_law_project/