Caitlin “Kate” Schiliro is an MSL student in Lewis & Clark Law School’s Animal Law Program, pursuing a graduate degree in animal welfare and environmental public policy. She earned her BA in Political Science from Colorado College and studied marine biology and conservation through Boston University’s SEA Semester, conducting coral reef and climate research in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Kate’s commitment to animal advocacy began early. As a child, she crafted “ROUS Crossing” signs—an homage to The Princess Bride and a response to seeing local rats repeatedly run over—and invariably championed animals in media (with her favorite character being Bruce the shark, from Jaws). She went on to volunteer and lead school fundraisers for local shelters and, at 16, attended The Mountain School, where she worked on a farm and studied the impacts of industrial agriculture on animal welfare, the environment, and rural communities. These formative experiences deepened her belief in humane animal care and sustainability while sparking a lifelong interest in public policy.
Professionally, Kate has served in the U.S. Senate Offices of Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, as a U.S. Senate Page, and as an intern with the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee. After graduating, she joined the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Legislative Affairs, supporting the Biden administration under Secretary Janet Yellen on issues ranging from federal funding for Ukraine to the expansion of American green tax credits.
At Lewis & Clark, Kate aims to strengthen her legal training and return to federal service, where she will advance systemic protections for animals, with a particular focus on marine and environmental law.
“Be decent. It’s the simplest and strongest foundation for lasting change.”