Hi, I’m Monica Sanders

Founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities via Internet infrastructure and service centered IoT solutions. 

She also holds a faculty role at the Georgetown University Law Center and is a Senior Fellow at the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders’ practical experience includes serving as a Senior Committee Counsel for both the House of Representatives and Senate Committees on Homeland Security. In those roles, she focused on oversight of disaster response and recovery programs, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure protection. She also served as the Senior Legal Advisor for International Response and Programs at the American Red Cross, and as an attorney for the Small Business Administration during the Hurricane Maria and 2017 western wildfire responses. She also studied security and defense–civilian coordination in the European Union Visitor’s Program and remains involved in crisis response operations as part of the Team Rubicon USA and UNDP rosters. She has been profiled in publications such as Forbes, Authority Magazine and Thrive Global.
 

Education

Master of Laws (LL.M.)

University of London
London, UK, 2011

International Business Law

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

The Catholic University of America
Washington, D.C., 2008

Comparative and International Law

Post – JD Fellowship / Certificate

Harvard Law School
Cambridge, MA, 2008

Comparative and International Law

Certificate

Universidad de Costa Rica
San José, Costa Rica, 2007

International Commercial Arbitration
Latin American Legal Systems

Certificate

Uniwersytet Jagiellonski Krakowie
Kraków, Poland, 2006

Law of the European Union
International Business and Trade Law

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) & Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

The University of Miami
Coral Gables, Florida,  1998

Communications (Broadcast Journalism, Spanish, and Economics)

Curriculum Vitae

Georgetown University

Adjunct Professor of Law
2021 – Present
Washington, DC

Adjunct Professor of Law, Georgetown Environmental Justice Program. 2020 Tropaia Outstanding Faculty Award Recipient. Teach: LAW 1542, Law, Policy and Practice of Disasters and Complex Emergencies, Spring 2021, 2021, MPDM-700-140, Hazard Economics, Spring, Summer 2020. Teach MPEM-501-01 Theory Regional Collaboration and Framework (School of Continuing Studies, Emergency, and Disaster Management) Fall 2019, 2020

University of Delaware

Associate Professor
2019 – 2021
Newark, DE

Designed and taught a special topics course, SOCI 467 “Katrina: 15 Years Later,” Spring 2020. Designed a new course, SOCI 367 “Law, Policy, and Society,” introduced for Fall 2020, using inclusive course design concepts. Elevated a university program from department to college level initiative, developed sustainable budget and added four partners within first six months of directorship. Oversaw communications and marketing strategy and rebranding.

School of the New York Times Summer Academy

Professor
2019 – 2021
Washington, D.C.

Instructor at the School of the New York Times, D.C. Summer Academy. I taught Inside the Hill: Government and Politics (summer 2019), as well as International Relations and Development (summer 2020)

I2 (Internet Infrastructure) Coalition

Policy Director
2018 – 2019
Washington, D.C.

Policy Director for Internet Infrastructure coalition, designed advocacy and legislative strategy, organized annual policy fly-in. Advised organizational leadership and executive board on Internet policy and legal issues.

The British-American Project (BAP)

Fellow
2017 – Present
London, UK

The British-American Project is a transatlantic fellowship comprising a broad spectrum of occupations, backgrounds and political views.

Small Business Administration

Attorney – Puerto Rico Response
2017 – 2018
Washington, D.C.

Served as counsel on a team assisting with the recovery of Puerto Rican communities and businesses impacted by Hurricane Maria. Conducted legal reviews and opinions, case management, and direct client assistance for a portfolio of several hundred disaster victims for loans valuing more than $1M.

Washington & Lee University

Coordinator & Professor of Practice
2015 – 2018
Lexington, VA

Designed and taught Disaster Law and Policy (formerly numbered Law 303P), a course on legal issues surrounding disasters and humanitarian interventions. Evaluated students on a wide variety of topics, including governance, legal instruments in disaster law, climate change, and resilience. Taught LAW 533: D.C. Externship and Professional Conduct.

International Judicial Relations Committee

Management Analyst & Attorney
2015 – 2017
Washington, D.C.

Organized and arranged annual meetings, two international briefings, and technical assistance trips for an international committee focused on judicial exchange programs. Developed and hosted discussions on Rule of Law and governance as well as a diverse range of sub-issues, including trafficking, corruption, and legal reform. Provided traveling judges and stakeholders for UNDP, the Department of State, and the Department of Justice with counsel and advice regarding international relations and law.

American Red Cross

Senior Legal Advisor
2013 – 2015
Washington, D.C.

Counsel and oversight for and programs delivering disaster aid, and focused on response, recovery, disaster risk reduction, and response to complex emergencies. Prepared and released positions on environmental and urban emergencies as well as UNFCC and NATO security.

Senior Policy & Legal Advisor
2013 – 2014
Washington, D.C.

Served as National Society Legal Advisor for all issues related to international humanitarian and disaster law. Drafted resolutions and statements of principles in alignment with the Red Cross’ objectives and goals. Constructed humanitarian assistance frameworks.

United States Congress

Senior Cousel, House & Senate Committees on Homeland Security
2009 – 2013
Washington, D.C.

Served as Senior Counsel on both House and Senate Committees on Homeland Security. Drafted first ever Congressional committee report on regulations and their impact on national security. Panelist and contributor to NATO, EU and UN workshops on international law. Developed and presented international security and competition law workshop to US- EU delegates. Drafted and successfully passed legislation on credentialing, chemical security, and Merida Initiative to pass. Conducted hearings and counseled Senator on critical infrastructure, border security and humanitarian issues.

Publications & Media

Author of “Creating Inclusive and Engaging Online Courses”

Would U.S. statehood make relief any different for Puerto Rico after disasters like Hurricane Fiona?

GRID News September 2022

Credit: Christin Ouellet

“Moving Beyond Empowering the ‘Vulnerable’ to Deliver Value and Outcomes in Disaster Legal Services to the Marginalized”

Chapter Author, “Meeting the Legal Needs of Disaster Survivors: Third Responders”,  2021 American Bar Association

“The need for cultural competence in disaster and humanitarian response.”

Encyclopedia on Homeland Security, 2023 inaugural publication in process.

“Monica Sanders: ‘Conviction'”

Thrive Global Interview, December 2020, 



Chatting with Monica Sanders – 09.01.21

TV Interview on Ozarks Fox  September 2021

Tear Gas is Way More Dangerous Than Police Let On – Especially During the Coronavirus Pandemic.

ProPublica Interview June 2020

Featured Speaker

“Building Resilience through Public Private Partnership” Conference. Equity in Emergency Management, 2020

Expert Monica Sanders analyzes disproportionate impact of disasters on BIPOC Communities

Forbes (Culture) October 2022

“COVID-19, Black Women and Why Equitable Recovery Matters”

Medium Article 2020.

“Professional Roles of the Practicing Attorney”

March 2020. Texas A&M Law School Course Guest Speaker.

“Things We Don’t Say and People We Don’t See”

2019. A LinkedIn blog written in response to Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas and the parallels to the inequities revealed in the Hurricane Katrina response and recovery.

“NSF Convergence Accelerator: Symposium on Big Data and AI-Driven Disaster Management for Planning, Response, Recovery, and Resiliency”

December 2019. University of South Carolina

“An Open Inclusive Internet is a Global Economic Driver.”

2018. Internet Infrastructure Coalition, Washington, DC.

More Media Appearance Highlights

Gallery

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