Laurel Hanson (SLA ’11)

Laurel Hanson graduated from Tulane University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Development and Spanish. She also holds a Master of Arts in Disasters, Adaptation and Development from King’s College in London. While at Tulane after Hurricane Katrina, she developed an interest in disaster risk reduction – how to prevent and reduce the impacts of hazards, and manage disasters.

Laurel currently works at the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), where her work focuses on advancing coherence between disaster risk reduction, climate action, environmental protection, and sustainable development. Before joining the United Nations, Laurel worked in the non-governmental sector. Most recently, she worked in Mongolia with the organization People in Need, managing disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation programs.  She has also worked with Save the Children in Rakhine, Myanmar, at the United States border with Mexico, and in Washington, DC. She began her career after graduating from Tulane with the Foundation for Sustainable Development, working on environmental programs in Nicaragua.

Laurel credits her time at Tulane for leading her to the career path she has chosen and instilling in her a lifelong sense of service. While at Tulane, she served on Newcomb Senate, which helped her develop her leadership skills. She is honored to be able to give back through volunteering for Newcomb to preserve its legacy and support Tulane alumni and graduates.