“I find FTA is a great contact to find sustainable fashion events to take part in all over Canada. It was even helpful to find retail points for my brand.The girls are awesome at staying aware of every aspect of the fast changing domain that is sustainable fashion. They always gave great advice when I was wondering about how to make my brand and product as coherent as possible.
Kelly and Sarah are truly enthusiastic and passionate about their work and about helping us sustainable designers get more visibility.”
Kelly Drennan, Founder & Executive Director
Kelly Drennan is a social entrepreneur devoted to making change within the fashion industry - known for its many negative social and environmental impacts including labour, energy, waste, water, and the use of toxic chemicals.
With a background in media, PR and event planning, Kelly's role at FTA is to help bridge the gap between sustainable fashion brands and consumers. She achieves this through her social media networks, consumer events, public speaking engagements, television segments, newspaper and magazine articles, and blog features. Kelly also helps members communicate their message in an authentic way in order to avoid green-wash.
A proven public speaker, Kelly has participated in a number of events including Sustainable Fashion 101, Women in Leadership's Managing Change and Sustainability, R4 Fashion, Toronto Greenhouse, The Green Business Strategy Summit (2010), WHEN's Connect Beauty, The Ministry of the Environment United Way Fashion Show, Alternative Fashion Week and The Retail Council of Canada's Energy & Sustainability Symposium. Kelly also regularly speaks at colleges and universities including Ryerson, Queen's, University of Ottawa, George Brown College, and Seneca College.
A recognized "green" event planner, Kelly has produced or handled the PR for several key events such as Canada's Greenest Fashion Event - The Green Gala (2007 & 2008), Eco Wedding & Lifestyle Show (2008), Brewers Plate Toronto, Green Business Strategy Summit and Shop Sustainable.
With nearly 11,000 followers on twitter, Kelly is a social media maven, ranked in the "top 75 environmentalists to follow on twitter" by Mashable, and winner of the 2011 Treehugger Best in Green Award.
Kelly can be reached at kelly@fashiontakesaction.com