Kersten Parrella

Kersten is a rising third year student at the University of Virginia in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. In addition to public policy, Kersten is pursuing a double major in Politics and minoring in Entrepreneurship. Kersten is passionate about climate change and advocacy, currently holding an executive position as Vice-President of Sustainability at UVA’s Net Impact. This fall, she plans to head projects on sustainability and connect with environmental non-profits and groups in the Charlottesville area. Before joining the team, Kersten worked as an intern under Larry Sabato at the UVA Center for Politics, where she was selected to work with the Youth Leadership Initiative by designing outreach projects to improve civic engagement among youth on the state and national level.

Politics, Virginia
What’s at Stake in 2021 for Virginia Climate Policy
December 23, 2020 by Kersten Parrella

As the end of 2020 comes to a close, it is worth noting the historical changes that have happened in climate policy in Virginia this year. In the beginning of the year, the state passed a landmark piece of legislation...

Politics, Virginia
Virginia Prioritizes Environmental Justice in its Beginning Phases of Climate Disaster Planning
November 6, 2020 by Kersten Parrella

Since Democrats gained majorities in both houses of the Virginia legislature in the midterm election, the Virginia General Assembly has been making vast strides in the development of climate legislation. With the significant passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act...