Meet The Team

Kelly Keenan Aylward

Kelly is the Executive Director of Federal Affairs & Policy for the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society and has run their Federal Affairs Program since opening the Washington, D.C. Office in 2003. She works to advance U.S. domestic and international conservation, climate and pandemic prevention policies and corresponding federal budget initiatives. She manages relationships with Members of the U.S. Congress, the Administration, think tanks, and coalition partners. Serving as the head of Washington, D.C. based strategic communications Kelly is a media spokesperson, a lobbyist, a senior organizational representative and message coordinator for grassroots and grasstops advocacy.

Prior to working at the Wildlife Conservation Society, Kelly worked as Legislative Counsel to now retired Rep. Michael McNulty, and her portfolio on Capital included appropriations, the environment, energy, education, agriculture, and animal issues. After earning her Juris Doctor at Albany Law School of Union University, in Albany, New York she clerked for the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division specializing in environmental quality review and land use planning appeals.

Kelly is a founding member of the International Conservation Partnership, sits on the International Conservation Caucus Foundation Advisory Council, a founding Board Member of the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders Program, and a member of the WCS Women And Gender Equality Employee Resource Group.