Abby Needell is a Research Intern for the Forest Legality Initiative. She works to expand WRI’s working knowledge of theories of change for deforestation-free commodity supply chains with a focus on coffee and cocoa.

Prior to joining WRI, Abby worked as a Research Intern, Conservation Educator, and Planetarium Speaker. As a Research Intern for Riau Ecosystem Restoration, she studied the environmental impacts and community perceptions of local fishing practices in Sumatra. She also held the Lead Educator role at the Amphibian Foundation, a conservation and research non-profit in Atlanta, where she created and taught conservation-based curriculum. While in Atlanta, she ran nightly planetarium shows at the Fernbank Science Center.

Abby holds a Professional Master’s degree in International Forestry from the University of British Columbia and a B.A. in Political Science from Colorado College.

Abby lives in Atlanta, GA and enjoys escape rooms, tintype photography, and playing soccer.