Biography

Kelly McNamara is Director of Climate & Nature at FSI, where she leads initiatives to position sustainable proteins as a powerful solution for climate mitigation and nature protection. Her work focuses on mobilizing capital and aligning stakeholders across philanthropy, finance, and civil society to accelerate the transition toward more sustainable food systems.

Kelly’s approach combines rigorous analysis with strategic relationship-building to influence the financial systems shaping global agriculture. At FSI, she works to ensure that sustainable proteins are recognized not only as a food innovation opportunity but as a central climate strategy—one capable of reducing emissions, protecting biodiversity, and transforming the economics of food production.

Prior to joining FSI, Kelly led policy and research initiatives at Friends of the Earth US, where she developed strategies to redirect capital away from industrial livestock operations toward more sustainable agri-food systems. Her work involved engaging major US banks, development finance institutions, government agencies, and global coalitions to build regulatory, market, and philanthropic support for transformative food system innovation.

Kelly has played a meaningful role in shaping sustainability frameworks across the sustainable protein ecosystem. She has collaborated with organizations including the Farm Animal Risk and Return Initiative (FAIRR) and the Good Food Institute (GFI), contributed to standards development alongside global bodies such as ISSB, SASB, and SBTi, and served on the Technical Advisory Group for the Climate Bonds Initiative. Through research, policy advocacy, and cross-sector convenings, she has helped advance conversations around the role of finance in driving food system transformation.

Kelly holds an MPhil in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently pursuing an MBA in Sustainability at Bard College and holds both a CFA Institute ESG Certificate and a certification from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s Sustainable Finance program.