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Breanna Detwiler

2010-2011

Warrenton, VA

A native of Warrenton, Va., Bre graduated from Elon University with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies with minors in non-violence and religious studies.

During her time at Elon, she was awarded the Truman Scholarship for her outstanding public service work and the Udall Scholarship for her environmental scholarship. Among other efforts, Bre founded Elon’s Community Garden, which supplied food for homeless families in the area, and a nutrition program for at-risk families in the local community. Following her graduation, she completed her master’s in environmental management at Queen’s University Belfast as a Mitchell Scholar.

At MDC, Bre spent much of her time on the Rural People, Rural Policy program, thinking about the ways that rural communities can adapt to a shifting agricultural economy in the United States. Currently, she works as the environmental policy coordinator and assistant to the president of the Airlie Conference Center in Warrenton, Va. In this position, she oversees the Center’s green certification, promotes energy conservation on the site, and manages a vegetable garden for the community to use.

As a result of her time at MDC, Bre continues to see equity as an important lens through which to view the environmental movement.