Sarah Hanneken, J.D.

As interim General Counsel, Sarah oversees legal risk management, governance, compliance, and nonprofit regulatory matters, and works closely with leadership and cross-functional teams to ensure that GFI’s operations align with best practices and regulatory frameworks. Her areas of focus include lobbying compliance, intellectual property, contract negotiation and management, nonprofit and tax-exempt law, employment and people operations support, and managing international affiliate agreements. Sarah brings deep experience in nonprofit law and public interest governance, with a focus on advancing science- and policy-driven solutions for a more sustainable food system.

Sarah has nearly a decade of experience working both in-house at nonprofits and as outside counsel for corporate clients. Prior to joining GFI, Sarah worked for over four years at Animal Equality, where she served as legal counsel and pursued strategic lawsuits and legislative initiatives to protect the interests of animals in agriculture. Beyond her nonprofit work, Sarah has represented a wide variety of clients, from artists and small vegan businesses to international household brands.

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sarah received her B.A. in Linguistics and later moved to Chicago where she graduated from law school magna cum laude. She now lives in Portland, Oregon, where she enjoys hiking endless trail options, eating at endless plant-based restaurants, and growing far too many tomatoes.