Senior Associate, Climate and Environment Research
Kristyn Ostanek is the Senior Associate for Climate and Environment Research at the United Nations Foundation, where she supports the ocean and climate science programs by bridging the nexus of climate change science, policy, and communications. Before joining the Foundation, she received a Juris Doctorate and a Master of Environmental Law and Policy at Vermont Law School, with a concentration in comparative international law. While at Vermont Law School, Kristyn was a teaching assistant for the International Climate Change Law course and attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP25 as a student delegate for Palau and Nauru. She also completed a legal internship at Conservation Law Foundation, with a focus on federal fisheries law. Additionally, Kristyn completed an internship with the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust, where she focused on ocean-related climate commitments among small island nations. Kristyn has conducted international environmental field work in Italy, Cambodia, Myanmar, China, Vietnam, and Chile. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Marine Affairs from University of Miami.
