Rachel Kennard

In 2024, Rachel Kennard was recognized as an environmental scholar by the University of California, Davis School of Law for her persistent commitment to environmental justice. Through her academic and professional endeavors, she uncovered and made public the financial impact of harmful algal blooms on water treatment systems in disadvantaged communities using Clear Lake, California as a case study. Her work helped one of the poorest counties in California obtain critical funding for environmental programs. Rachel also fights for change in the workplace. At twenty years old, she created a full time position that changed the hierarchy of a utility that is over one hundred years old. More recently, she independently built an environmental compliance department that now employs two full-time employees and one part-time employee. Rachel makes strides to achieve environmental justice in her community. Rachel is a 1L at UC Davis School of Law.