Research Report: National Animal Welfare, Rights, & Protection 2011

Miguel Abi-Hassan is the Executive Director of Halifax Humane Society and a consultant for Animal Welfare Consulting, where he advised animal welfare organizations on business structures formation, construction, drafting policies and improving services. He has over 8 years of experience in Shelter Management and over 15 in general animal welfare including Wildlife, Parks, Rehabilitations and Animal Assisted Therapy around the globe. Previously he was Director of Animal Welfare Initiatives and Outreach at Atlanta Humane Society and Public Safety Command & Director of Animal Welfare at Fayette County.

Sally Andersen is the Projects Director for The Humane League's Philadelphia Office, coordinating veg outreach, fundraising, animal rescue, and other efforts. She lives in the Manayunk secion of Philadelphia.

Helen Woodward Animal Center President Michael Arms is a pioneer in the animal welfare industry. He is recognized worldwide as the creator of both the International Pet Adoptathon and "Iams Home 4 the Holidays". Mike is credited with saving the lives of more orphaned animals than anyone else in the history of the planet. Since his arrival in 1999, Helen Woodward Animal Center has grown dramatically. Pet adoptions have leaped to record levels. Their Education program has multiplied as we teach children about the unconditional love that only comes from animals. And their therapy programs touch the lives of tens of thousands of people each year. He consults organizations worldwide.

Kari Bagnall is founder and director of Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary. Kari was working as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused and neglected children when a 'pet' monkey named Samantha was given to her in 1993. Soon after Samantha came into Kari's life, more monkeys followed and Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary was born. Jungle Friends is home to over 100 new-world monkeys with an ever-growing waiting list. Most were cast offs from the exotic pet trade, others were retired from laboratory research.

Matthew Ball is the Executive Director of Vegan Outreach, an organization that has great success in opening people's minds to the idea of veganism.

Francis Battista is one of the founders of Best Friends Animal Society. Along with his wife, Silva, Francis created Best Friends' Los Angeles Programs, launching many model programs such as the Best Friends Brigade, the Animal Helpline, the Catnippers spay/neuter program for feral cats, celebrity events such as the Lint Roller Party, Pet Adoption Festivals and public awareness campaigns such as DeSex and the City, a spay/neuter campaign. Francis' and Silva's work in Los Angeles has brought Best Friends to the attention of the entertainment industry, which has very generously supported the society's work with public service announcements, public appearances, campaign support and promotions to help homeless pets. Francis was part of the team of founders who developed the animal care protocols that are the foundation of all of Best Friends' outreach work. He is also a contributing writer for Best Friends magazine. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Francis devoted six months to the rescue effort. He spent four months on the ground in the Gulf Coast region helping to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home lost and abandoned pets. Francis is currently on the Best Friends Board of Directors and works as an advisor to Best Friends Community Programs and Services. Francis was born in New York City and attended New York University and the State University of New York at Albany, where he studied engineering. Prior to his involvement with Best Friends, he worked in his father's business in suburban New York. He has been active in social and animal causes since 1970.

Kathryn Bayne is Global Director for the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC International). In this role she directs the accreditation program worldwide and travels extensively to advance AAALAC’s accreditation program and laboratory animal welfare. Prior to this position she worked at the National Institutes of Health leading a research program on nonhuman primate psychological well-being and environmental enrichment programs for primates, dogs, cats and swine. She has published over forty articles on the subject, is a certified applied animal behaviorist, and is internationally renowned for her work in laboratory animal behavior. She has also published extensively on accreditation of laboratory animal care and use programs.

Hope Bohanec has been active in animal protection and environmental activism for over 20 years and currently lends her talents to In Defense of Animals as their Grassroots Campaigns Director. Hope founded Compassionate Living Outreach, and offers a power-point presentation called Eco-Eating: A Cool Diet for a Hot Planet that addresses the environmental impact of animal agriculture through peer reviewed scientific research. She is a nationally recognized leader and speaker in the animal protection movement, and a well-known presenter across the U.S.

Briggs has been involved in a leadership capacity with ACC&D since 2004 and has served as President since 2006. During this time she has helped substantially advance interest in, work toward, and support for creating non-surgical sterilants for progressive population control of cats and dogs. She has led the organization’s strategic planning, fundraising, and program development, established a respected Scientific Advisory Board, and produced and directed two major scientific symposiums and two scientific think tanks. She has played a key cultivation role in developing strategic partnerships advancing this field. Briggs has been a leader in national animal welfare for over fifteen years, through top general management, marketing, development, program and public relations positions at national nonprofit organizations, and as a management consultant bridging nonprofits, corporations and communities. As executive director of PetSmart Charities from 1999 - 2004, Briggs developed and oversaw the grants program which raised and distributed $23 million to the animal welfare cause, supporting pet adoption and spay/neuter programs. With 2400 adoption partners in adoption centers in over 620 PetSmart stores, PetSmart Charities found homes for over 1.2 million once-homeless pets in that time. Briggs was senior director of marketing and PR for the American Humane Association. She also served on the national Board of Directors for the Delta Society for three years and is active with the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland (ASAP) a regional coalition of animal shelters. Prior to working full-time in animal protection, Briggs held corporate positions for 15 years. Her career spans management positions with New York City advertising agencies, including Ogilvy & Mather, and marketing leadership positions with Nabisco, Nutri-System and the Franklin Mint. She holds a master's degree in advertising from Northwestern University. Briggs shares her home in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, daughter, two dogs, and two hens.

Thomas Brooks, Ph.D., is NatureServe's vice president for science and chief scientist. In his role, Brooks lead a conservation science group comprised of research botanists and zoologists; terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecologists; and science information specialists. As chief scientist, Brooks will play a central role enhancing the unique scientific knowledge, methods, and tools that NatureServe maintains and develops. He brings an exceptional range of experience to the organization, and his distinguished 18-year record of achievement spans the study of species declines, the effects of habitat destruction, protected-area gap analysis, and the values that biodiversity conservation provide to human well-being. His skills will be invaluable across numerous initiatives related to the impacts of climate change and renewable energy development, conservation action planning, and efforts to improve the condition of at-risk species and habitats before they are lost. Brooks joins NatureServe from Conservation International, where he was vice president of Conservation Priorities and Outreach at the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science. In that role he strengthened the connections between scientific and conservation activities by developing deeper knowledge about the earth’s hotspots of biodiversity, including the emerging fields of ecosystem services and climate change. He played a key role in scientific outreach through data management, publishing, and communications, and served on the executive committee of the BP Conservation Leadership Programme. Brooks also previously worked for The Nature Conservancy on a joint project with the University of Arkansas. Born in Brighton, U.K., Brooks studied geography at the University of Cambridge and earned his Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Tennessee. Brooks has conducted ornithological and ecological fieldwork in the tropical forests of eastern Paraguay, the Kenya highlands, the Philippines and Indonesia, and the Florida Everglades. ”I’m delighted to join NatureServe,” said Brooks. “I am particularly enthusiastic about helping to maximize the conservation impact of the fantastic biodiversity data collected through the network’s natural heritage programs and conservation data centers.” Brooks is the author more than 170 scientific and popular articles — 19 of which were published in the prestigious journals Nature and Science. He has also co-edited seven books. He holds visiting positions at the World Agroforestry Center at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, in the Department of Geography at the University of Tasmania, and in the Center for Tropical Research at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has served on the IUCN Species Survival Commission Steering Committee since 2004 and co-chairs the joint IUCN Species Survival Commission/World Commission on Protected Areas taskforce on “Biodiversity and Protected Areas.”

Bonney Brown is the Executive Director of Nevada Humane Society in Reno, Nevada. Bonney is a former Chief Operating Officer for Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. She also served as Best Friends’ Communication Director and National No More Homeless Pets Director. As the Campaign Director for Alley Cat Allies Bonney managed their Katrina rescue and recover project. Bonney has written several manuals on grassroots fundraising and management for humane organizations, and is a speaker on these topics. In 1992, Bonney founded Neponset Valley Humane Society in Canton, Massachusetts, and served as the organization’s Executive Director for seven years. She is also a Co-Founder and former Director of the Humane Coalition of Massachusetts. Bonney served as Vice-President of Doing Things for Animals for two years, and edited the first editions of the newsletter No-Kill News. She has also worked at Alley Cat Allies for about 2 years, and worked for Best Friends Animal Society and Neponset Valley Humane Society in Massachusetts. Bonney has over 10 years of experience in retail buying and management, and is a 1980 graduate from Boston University with a degree in fine arts. She is a board member of the Humane Network, is on the advisory board of the Stubby Dog Project and PetsMart Charities National Pet Adoption Project. She is an alternate board member for Animal People Newspaper. She has spoken at conferences put on by the No Kill Advocacy Center, and have spoken at other conferences at the invitation of Maddie’s Fund.

Karen Brown is Program Director for RedRover. RedRover, formerly known as United Animal Nations, works to strengthen the bond between people and animals with a commitment to help, shelter and connect suffering animals with people who care. RedRover brings animals from crisis to care by providing temporary emergency animal sheltering to communities overwhelmed with animals displaced by disasters or rescued from large-scale animal cruelty situations; by providing financial assistance to pet owners and Good Samaritans who need urgent veterinary care for an animal; and by helping children develop compassion and empathy through a unique, literacy-based humane education program. With nearly 3,000 active, trained volunteers, RedRover provides meaningful involvement opportunities for animal lovers at every level of experience. Karen Brown has worked to preserve and grow the bond between people and animals for 12 years in various positions as an educator, animal trainer and dog training instructor; and with RedRover has specifically developed expertise in the Premarin issue, disaster preparedness and response, and online volunteer management. She holds a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of California at Davis.

Barbara Bruigom is the President/Founder of the Rescue Ranch. They are dedicated to domestic and wild animal rescues as well as spay/neuter programs and educating the public about the importance of spay and neuter. They focus on wildlife conservation, rehabilitation and education - especially for those who are gifted, challenged or physically limited.

Alice Calabrese is the President and CEO at Lollypop Farm at the Humane Society of Greater Rochester. She is also currently a client at Ad Council of Rochester. Previously, she was Treasurer at Society of Animal Welfare Administrators. Alice received her MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester. She also received her BA from the University of Rochester.

Jacquie Calnan is president of Americans for Medical Progress, which promotes nurturing nurtures public understanding of and support for the humane, necessary and valuable use of animals in medicine. It is a charity supported by the nation’s top universities, private research facilities, research-related businesses, scientific and professional societies and foundation grants. Its site lists groups that support animal research.

Jon Camp is the Director of Outreach at Vegan Outreach. Vegan Outreach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the suffering of farmed animals by promoting informed, ethical eating. As of May 2011, Jon has handed booklets directly to over 700,000 students across the country – and thousands and thousands more at other venues – since the inception of the Adopt a College program in 2003. For years, he has inspired many new people to get involved with Vegan Outreach – leafleting and contributing. Jon got involved in animal rights when he took an ethics course at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, IL in spring 2005. One day, the professor talked about factory farming and animal rights issues. He gave some arguments that Jon couldn’t refute, and Jon started to grasp the depth of suffering that so many of today’s animals endure. From there, Jon slowly got more and more involved in activism.

Jamey Cantrell began working with animals in 1993 and his first job in a shelter was as a Kennel Technician for the Humane Society of North Texas in 1995.  He learned to perform every service the shelter provided, from adoptions to emergency rescues of injured animals to cruelty investigations, and worked his way up to the position of Staff Coordinator by 1997.  After a brief stint as an Animal Services Officer for the City of Benbrook, Jamey was lured back to HSNT where he took over the position of Director of Shelter Operations.  He held that position for five years, managing the day to day operations of the largest full-service animal shelter in North Texas, until leaving in July of 2003 to become the Animal Services Manager for the City of Lubbock.  After making great strides in a relatively short amount of time, Jamey returned to the D/FW area when he accepted the position of Animal Control Supervisor for the City of Bedford in July 2004.  He led Bedford to the prestigious Texas Animal Control Association’s Animal Control & Welfare Agency of the Year award for 2005 despite the fact that one third of his staff was laid off due to budget cuts that year.  In early 2007, Jamey accepted his current position of Animal Services Manager for the City of Plano where he is working to expand the shelter’s outreach and educational programs and improve upon the city’s placement rate of more than 80% of all animals handled.  Jamey has wide-ranging experience and has managed small (1-6 employees), medium (20-25 employees), and large (50+ employees) shelters, private shelters run entirely on donations, private shelters with municipal contracts, and tax-funded municipal shelters.

Barbara Carr is the Executive Director of Erie County SPCA. She has been actively involved in animal protection for 25 years. She has served on many state federation boards and also served as the chair of the National Federation of Humane Societies. In addition to running the SPCA she often works for the Humane Society for the United States as a consultant to other animal sheltering organizations and she lectures several times a year at national or state conferences.

As Director of Education and Animal Health Services, Jo Ellen Cimmino brings a wide range of experience that underscores the organization’s commitment to each and every animal in its care. Jo Ellen is responsible for all Noah’s Wish In-Field volunteer training across the United States and Canada. As a licensed veterinary technician, Jo Ellen’s has a wealth of practical field skills, as well as educational experience that includes; temporary adjunct professor for the City University of New York (CUNY) La Guardia, assisting in teaching radiology, lab animal science and clinical laboratory techniques. Also, she has been an adjunct professor in the Radiology program at Mercy College and has experience in Veterinary Technology instruction at the college level. Jo Ellen’s outstanding record of achievement has been recognized by the New York State Association of Veterinary Technicians (NYSAVT), which awarded her the honor of Outstanding Technician Award in 1993. As a former president of NYSAVT and a current member, Jo Ellen has dedicated much of her time to educating the public about her profession.

Paula Clifford is the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research. PSBR’s mission is to promote a better public understanding of the value of animal-based biomedical research and the vital role the responsible use of animals plays in improving the quality of human and animal health.

Nick Cooney is the founder and director of The Humane League, an animal advocacy organization based in Philadelphia, PA that focuses on farm animal protection issues. Nick has written for publications including The Philadelphia Inquirer and Z Magazine, and his advocacy work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including Time magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and National Public Radio. He holds a degree in Non-Violence Studies from Hofstra University and formerly worked conducting nutrition education programs with the University of Pennsylvania's Urban Nutrition Initiative.

Ilka Daniel is the Director of Animal Protective Services at Humane Society of Vero Beach & Indian River County. While Ilka spent much of her youth on her parents’ Arabian horse farm in Bucks County, PA; she found her way to Vero Beach in the late ‘70’s where she worked with veterinarians specializing in the equine, companion animals, and exotics fields. She joined the Humane Society staff in 2000 as an Animal Cruelty Investigator and now directs our Animal Protection Services. She enjoys kayaking, hiking, gardening, fishing, photography, and spending time with her two grandchildren, who live in Sebastian.

Margo DeMello has a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and currently lectures at Central New Mexico Community College, teaching sociology, cultural studies, and anthropology. She also is the Executive Director of House Rabbit Society, an international rabbit rescue and education organization. Her books include Bodies of Inscription: A Cultural History of the Modern Tattoo Community (2000), Stories Rabbits Tell: A Natural and Cultural History of a Misunderstood Creature (2003), Low-Carb Vegetarian (2004), Why Animals Matter: The Case for Animal Protection (2007), The Encyclopedia of Body Adornment (2007), A Cultural Encyclopedia of Feet and Footwear (2010) and the edited collection, Teaching the Animal: Human Animal Studies Across the Disciplines (2010).

Denise Deisler is the Executive Director of the Humane Society of Manatee. She has held this position for 2.5 years. She likes to work with a lot of fabulous people who are passionate about saving animals' lives.

John has an extensive background in both the animal care and non-profit sectors with over 20 years administrative experience in animal conservation, management and zoo operations. He has held key positions at the Cincinnati Zoo, Detroit Zoo and Binder Park Zoo. Additionally, he has served in the U.S. Peace Corps providing animal husbandry workshops, technical training and land grant assistance to farmers in Costa Rica. “I'm very excited to be joining the staff of the Toledo Area Humane Society” states Dinon. “This community is lucky to have such a strong organization that not only shelters and provides adoption services for unwanted and homeless animals but also actively intervenes in animal cruelty cases, advocates for animal protection legislation and provides community education about animal welfare issues.” John is a graduate of Michigan State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with high honors in dairy science. John resides in Toledo with his wife, Randi, who is a curator at the Toledo Zoo. He is currently on the board of Ohioans for Humane Farms, and on the Board of Toledo Unleashed.

Alan Dittrich is the President of the Massachusetts Society for Medical Research (MSMR). They promote and enhance biomedical and biological research, including the humane care and use of animals, for the improved health and well-being of people, animals, and the environment. Alan also serves on the MSMR Board of Directors and is the acting treasurer and a board member for States United for Biomedical Research.

Adele Douglass, founder and executive director of Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), began her work over 20 years ago in Representative Bill Green’s (NY) office, where she was in charge of animal welfare issues. She went on to become the American Humane Association’s director of public policy, lobbying on behalf of two of the nation’s most vulnerable populations: animals and children. In 1998, Douglass traveled to Europe to see for herself how farms in the U.K. were successfully implementing humane handling practices. While there, she met with representatives of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and learned about their Freedom Foods program, which successfully marketed the meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products of animals raised under humane care standards. Rather than relying on the often slow legal process to effect change for farm animals, Douglass immediately saw how such a program in the United States would enable consumers to vote with their wallets for more humane production practices. Douglass initiated the concept of humane certification for farm animal products in the United States with her launch of the Free Farmed program for Farm Animal Services. In 2003, she founded HFAC, the only nonprofit organization in the United States to enforce a humane labeling program for animals from birth through slaughter. In 2007, only four years after the program began, the standards implemented by HFAC helped over 26 million farm animals to be raised under humane conditions. Douglass directs all Humane Farm Animal Care programs and activities. In 2006, in honor of her more than 25 years of advocacy for children and animals’ rights, the ASPCA granted Douglass our Lifetime Achievement Award.

DuCharme came to the animal welfare world with a background in sales, marketing and management working in the heavy equipment industry.  He started in animal welfare by volunteering at various shelters and rescues and spent years observing and researching the issues.  In 2001 DuCharme was appointed by Mayor Delaney of Jacksonville to serve on the “Mayor’s Task Force for Animal Control” and was a strong advocate for an effective spay/neuter program. In 2002 DuCharme founded First Coast No More Homeless Pets, an organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in Jacksonville. Also in 2002 the SpayJax program was introduced as one of the first in the southeast government funded targeted spay/neuter programs. The SpayJax program continues today and is widely given credit for reversing the trend of increasing volumes of dogs and cats entering and dying in Jacksonville’s shelters.

Ian was appointed President and CEO of the Alaska SeaLife Center in December 2008.  He joined the Center from The Nature Conservancy, where he served as Deputy Director of the Asia-Pacific region responsible for conservation programs employing 400 staff in nine countries. He previously worked throughout the United States, Asia and Australia as an academic, in the private sector and in government on a range of land and marine research, education and natural resources management initiatives. Ian holds a doctorate in environmental monitoring from the University of Queensland. His research interests include climate change adaptation, measuring management effectiveness and integrating social and biological sciences.

Rebecca Ellish-Stengle is the Executive Director of Michigan Society for Medical Research. MISMR is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) science educational organization to promote understanding of biomedical research and testing, including the appropriate use of animals.

Monica Engebretson is Senior Program Associate for Born Free USA and is based in Sacramento, CA. She has worked professionally in the animal protection movement since 1999, specializing in several issues including wildlife conflicts, trapping, exotic birds, pet shops, and animals used in agriculture and fur production. A frequent speaker on these issues, Monica has also authored multiple articles and publications on many of these subjects. She also has experience in undercover investigation design, coordination, and implementation. Monica is also a Member of the Board of the Midwest Avian Adoption and Rescue Services (MAARS) and the Avian Welfare Coalition and serves as an advisor to the Indonesian Parrot Project. Monica is a graduate of Humboldt State University where she majored in wildlife with an emphasis on environmental ethics.

Jennifer Feuerstein is the Sanctuary Director for Save the Chimps, a group that cares for abandoned and orphaned chimpanzees. She is currently on the board of Laboratory Primate Advocacy Group (which is curerently inactive).

Patty Finch has worked in local, national and international humane organizations including nine years at The Humane Society of the United States, where she served as Vice President Youth Education, Executive Director of the National Association of Humane And Environmental Education, and as a founding Vice President of EarthKind and Humane Society International. While with HSUS, she advanced KIND News from a fledgling publication to a flourishing humane education program, which has since educated more than 200 million youth; and she began the trainer-of-trainer humane education workshops in Costa Rica, which continue to this day, featuring an award-winning curriculum. Patty has also served on five humane organization boards. Her grant experience includes serving as a main author of a successful $9.2 million grant from the US Dept. of Education; designing and overseeing two grant award programs for the Think Tank at Maricopa Community College District; serving as a bi-state grant manager for the University of California at Fullerton; and conceptualizing the forerunner of the current grants program at PetSmart Charities, overseeing up to 375 active grants annually and evaluating up to 600 applications per year. She also initiated and guided development of the webinar offerings of PetSmart Charities, where she served in several positions, including Director of Charitable Giving and Programs, overseeing the distribution of more than $10 million in annual grants. Patty has a Master’s Degree, summa cum laude, from Arizona State University.

Annette Fisher is the executive director of Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary, Inc. Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary is located in Ravenna, Ohio and has an extensive website and lists farm animals available for adoption.  Visit www.happytrailsfarm.org. Private donations fund the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that rescues abused farm animals. She is trained and certified as a humane officer in Ohio, is certified for animals in disasters through FEMA, and is certified through AHA (American Humane Association) at level 1 for handling animals in natural disasters.

Sue has worked on issues relating to the exploitation of endangered species for 15 years. She has worked for WDCS for over ten years, running its programs against whaling and trade. Sue is a UK-trained attorney, but hated commercial practice and left to volunteer at a cat shelter. Sue emigrated to the USA in 2002 and is based in Portland, Oregon. She spends most of her free time endeavoring to keep up with, and feed, her two small boys and trying not to think about the emails piling up on her computer.

Phillip Flynn is the Executive Director of Save the Chimps, a group that cares for abandoned and orphaned chimpanzees.

Camilla H. Fox is the Founding Director of Project Coyote and Wildlife Consultant for the Animal Welfare Institute. With 20 years of experience working on behalf of wildlife and wildlands and a Masters degree in wildlife ecology, policy, and conservation, Camilla’s work has been featured in several films and the New York Times, the BBC, NPR, Orion, and USA Today magazine. A frequent speaker and blogger on these issues,Camilla has authored more than 70 publications and is co-author of Coyotes in Our Midst: Coexisting with an Adaptable and Resilient Carnivore, co-editor and lead author of the book, Cull of the Wild: A Contemporary Analysis of Trapping in the United States and producer of the award-winning documentary Cull of the Wild ~ The Truth Behind Trapping. Camilla has served as an appointed member on the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture's National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee and currently serves on the steering committee of the international Human Wildlife Conflict Collaboration and on several non-profit advisory boards including Living with Wolves and the Felidae Conservation Fund.

Dr. Robin Ganzert is the President and Chief Executive Officer for American Humane Association, the nation’s leading voice for the protection of children and animals. Through its numerous globally recognized programs and initiatives, American Humane’s work has brought about sustained, measured change and social impact to protecting society’s most vulnerable. Prior to joining American Humane in 2010, Dr. Ganzert served as the Deputy Director of Philanthropic Services at The Pew Charitable Trusts. In her role, she provided leadership and management for the team of advisors for strategic high-impact philanthropy. Before joining Pew, Dr. Ganzert was the Senior Vice President and National Director of Philanthropic Strategies with Wachovia Wealth Management, a division of Wachovia Bank, N.A. She formerly served as the National Director of the Wachovia Center for Planned Giving. Dr. Ganzert received her B.S. and M.B.A. from Wake Forest University and her doctorate from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. She holds five professional financial management and accounting certifications, including Accredited Investment Fiduciary and Certified in Management Accounting. She also serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors with the ALS Association based in Washington, DC.

Chris Genovali is the Executive Director of the Canada-based Raincoast Conservation Foundation, a post he has served in for over 12 years. He has published articles on Canadian wildlife and conservation issues in the Globe and Mail, Vancouver Sun, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, as well as for the Huffington Post, Common Dreams and others. He has also appeared as a spokesperson on CBC, US National Public Radio, BBC radio and television, Channel 4 UK and the Discovery Channel.

Green joined the ACC&D team in 2006, bringing knowledge and experience gained during 10 years working in animal welfare. As senior director of ACC&D, she manages the Organizational Partners Program, EsterilSol Small Grants Program, website and e-newsletters, and other communication with animal health and welfare stakeholders. Additionally, she contributes to the day-to-day management of the organization, including development, planning, and program administration. Previously, Green worked for Best Friends Animal Society as the assistant director of the national No More Homeless Pets campaign, where she oversaw community program and consultation efforts and assisted with the development and management of the campaign. Prior to that, as the community programs manager for the western U.S., Karen consulted with shelters, rescue groups, other humane organizations and individuals across the country. Additionally, she developed resources and assisted with organization of No More Homeless Pets conferences and workshops. Her other roles at Best Friends focused on pet retention, re-homing, adoption, and medical care. Green holds a BA in Organizational Communication and a Certificate in Conflict Resolution and Mediation from Marylhurst University. She shares her home in Portland, Oregon, with one dog and one very large cat.

Che Green is a former analyst, investment banker, and research manager with significant experience developing and implementing research projects of all kinds. In addition to his for-profit experience, Che has worked and volunteered for animal advocacy groups at both the local grassroots and national levels. As HRC's executive director and lead researcher, he brings a unique and informed perspective to the problems facing animal advocates. Che has a BA in business administration, with a concentration in finance; he founded HRC in 2000 to empower animal advocates through research. He is on the board of Food Empowerment Project, Four Feet Forward, and the Humane Research Council.

A former Fortune 1000 business consultant, Steve Gross helped to pioneer the wave of savvy, new outreach strategies to corporate America that has transformed both animal advocacy and corporate support for animal welfare improvements in the last 10 years. Gross has led negotiations between animal advocacy groups and some of the nation’s largest companies, including Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Safeway, and Whole Foods. Prior to this work, Gross founded and ran the Illinois Humane PAC, passing an unheard-of 10 animal protection laws in a decade with an average annual budget of less than 50 thousand dollars. As a board member of Global Animal Partnership, he has helped to create a groundbreaking five-tier welfare certification program for all animal products.

Andrew Gunther, Program Director, joined the Animal Welfare Approved program in April 2008 as program director. Previously, he was the senior global animal compassionate product procurement and development specialist for Whole Foods Market, leading the team that designed and launched the company’s five-step welfare program in the United Kingdom. From a truly agricultural background, Andrew, with his wife and children, pioneered the world’s first organic poultry hatchery for chickens. The Gunther family also managed the production for the largest independent organic chicken producer in the United Kingdom. As Program Director for Animal Welfare Approved, Andrew has spearheaded the program’s unprecedented growth, increasing the number of approved farms tenfold, promoting farm viability for humane livestock farmers and growing market strength. The Animal Welfare Approved standards have been rated “most stringent” in both 2008 and 2009 by the World Society for the Protection of Animals. Andrew also works with restaurants groups and retailers to increase the availability of Animal Welfare Approved meat, dairy and eggs in traditional retail settings. Andrew is currently part of the Texas State Board of Agriculture’s organic advisory board and a member of the American Association of Agricultural scientists.

Frank Hamilton joined the faculty at Eckerd College in 2004 after spending 22 years traveling the world as an officer in the US Army serving in a variety of leadership positions including the Pentagon. After retiring, he founded his own business. Frank and his wife started a high-quality, high-volume, low-cost spay/neuter clinic focusing on the reduction of companion animal euthanasia in Hillsborough County. His work has appeared in The Academy of Management Review, Human Relations, Anthrozoos, The Journal of Ethics in Leadership, The Journal of Market Focused Management, Key Concepts in Leadership Studies, and in the Public Affairs Times. He is on the board of scientific advisors for Alley Cat Allies, and President of the Board for Animal Coalition of Tampa. He has published an article in Feral Cat Activist (2006) and Anthrozoos (2010) on animal welfare issues.

Laura Handzel joined the Center for Animal Law Studies as the first-ever Animal Law Program Assistant. Before joining the Center, Ms. Handzel freelanced at various law firms in Tucson, Arizona, while also focusing much of her time on grassroots animal rescue, humane education & animal protection advocacy work. Ms. Handzel earned her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where she also completed a Certificate of Special Training in Environmental Law & Policy Analysis. She is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Arizona and also studied at the University of Pau, France. As Assistant Director, she handles numerous elements of the Center’s premier program, including legal research and writing, finances, marketing, public relations, web design, program development, student advising, administering the National Animal Law Competitions and the Summer Intensive Animal Law Program, and the list goes on.  Laura grew up on a working farm in the Midwest and comes from a family of lawyers, fostering a passion for both environmental and animal law.  Within the field of animal law, Laura has special interests in farmed animals, wildlife, the link between domestic violence and animal cruelty, breed discrimination, social justice, as well as public health and policy issues.  Laura enjoys spending time outdoors, especially with friends and family, which include her four rescued companion animals.

Jane Hoffman has been the President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals since its inception in 2002. The Mayor's Alliance, which acts as a liaison between the government of the City of New York and the NYC animal care community, is a coalition of over 80 NYC animal rescue groups and shelters that have joined together to reduce the killing of cats and dogs in NYC shelters. Jane is a Founding Member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York's Committee on Legal Issues Pertaining to Animals. The Committee, which formed in 1990, is one of the first animal law committees in the country. Jane has been in private practice since 1992, specializing in executive compensation and estate planning. Prior to starting her own practice, she was a Vice President and Senior Consultant at Handy Associates, a management-consulting firm and an associate at the law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, where she specialized in taxation and executive compensation. Jane lives in New York City with her partner Ellen Celnik, three dogs, and more cats than she will admit to.

Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), is the undisputed leader of America’s nutritional scolds. From fettuccine alfredo to soda to french fries, Jacobson is more than willing to use junk science and sensationalism to scare Americans about the food they eat. He notes that “CSPI is proud about finding something wrong with practically everything.” Jacobson founded CSPI in 1971 with two co-workers from Ralph Nader’s Center for the Study of Responsive Law, so it’s no surprise that he is a strong supporter of fast-food lawsuits. He hopes that “regulation through litigation” will result in limits on children’s access to food advertising, extra taxes on foods he considers unhealthy, and government-mandated nutritional information on restaurant menus all across America. Jacobson is a vegetarian and sits on the national board of the animal-rights-oriented “Great American Meatout.” And he won’t even touch a cookie. Indeed, Jacobson will not tolerate any of his employees eating “bad” foods at work. CSPI’s in-house eating policy is so puritanical that Jacobson once planned to permanently remove the office coffee machine -- until one-third of his 60 staffers threatened to quit.

Dr. Jefferson joined Austin Pets Alive! in 2008 and began applying best practices in efficiency and operations to resolve Austin’s problem of killing thousands of healthy and treatable pets each year. Within the first year of her leadership, Austin Pets Alive! reduced the killing of homeless cats and dogs in Austin by more than 20%, with the downward trend continuing. Ellen’s experience with EmanciPET, which she founded in 1999 and directed for nine years, had already made her a leader nationally as well as in Austin’s animal welfare community. Before that she worked nights as an emergency room veterinarian and days volunteering at the local animal shelter. She graduated from Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997. Ellen is the Mayor’s appointee to Austin’s Animal Advisory Commission since 2008 and was a 2009 finalist for the Austin Under Forty Awards. She also served on the National Spay/Neuter Task Force from 2007-2009 and has had work published in the Journal of Veterinary Medicine.

Elisabeth Jennings is the Executive Director of Animal Protection of New Mexico. Animal Protection of New Mexico, Inc. (APNM) has been working to promote the humane treatment of animals since 1979.

Rick Johnson is the Executive Director of the Sacramento SPCA. He says his group is working to reduce local shelter populations. With the help of the Sacramento County and City Animal shelters, SPCA has stepped up the number of animals it spays and neuters.

Frances Jonon is the Executive Director at the Austin Humane Society a non-profit animal shelter serving over 8,000 dogs and cats annually through adoption and spay/neuter services.  She has been on staff at AHS for 15 years and has held a variety of positions – from Foster Care Coordinator to Operations Director to Executive Director.  As Executive Director Frances has overseen a 50% increase in adoption, 65% increase to the annual operating budget, the addition of an endowment, a core of over 750 volunteers, a partnership with Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine, and the launch of a Feral Cat Clinic now sterilizing over 5,000 feral cats annually. Frances has also worked hard to build an effective coalition of animal welfare partners in Austin that includes the municipal shelter Town Lake Animal Center, the ASPCA, Animal Trustees of Austin and Emancipet.  She enjoys spending time with her cats and dog – all AHS alumni.

Susanne Kogut joined the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) as Executive Director in March 2005. At the time she joined the organization, the SPCA was euthanizing over 53% of all cats and 17% of all dogs. Within two years, she had brought the SPCA, an open-access impound facility for the city and county, to No Kill status. The Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA now saves 92% of all animals that come into its facility. Prior to her career change, Susanne held several positions at Capital One Financial Corporation, including associate general counsel, director of corporate finance and director of community reinvestment. Prior to that, Susanne was in corporate finance securities in the Washington, D.C. offices of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Brown & Wood. She received her B.A. in Finance in 1996 and J.D. in 1990 from the University of Houston. In 2002 and 2003, preparing for a career change to animal welfare, Susanne traveled around the United States and Canada, attending conferences and visiting many animal welfare organizations. She also completed a dog-training certification course at Arizona Canine Academy.

Stacy LeBaron is the president of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, one of the most progressive and successful such groups in the country. And to think, the organization got its start because feral cats were taking over Dumpsters on the Newburyport waterfront. "In the early '90s, cats were living in the wild down by the water, getting into garbage and threatening to spread disease," said LeBaron, who works out of the organization's main shelter in Salisbury. "About five founders got together to control the population and create access to spaying and neutering. "I got involved at the shelter like a lot of concerned people by showing up with a bag of food and some cat litter, thinking it might help. Soon after, I took the job as secretary and joined the board," said LeBaron, who became president in 1996. "I think we've made a positive impact not only in the Newburyport area that we serve but by being mobile, in many towns and cities on the North Shore." The society has generated significant support in the community, according to the impressive statistics it has amassed. It has an annual budget of $900,000, about $350,000 of which it raises itself. Other revenue comes from sources such as veterinary and adoption services. The MRFRS handles close to 7,000 cats per year, and when it needs to get a message out to the community, it has an e-mail list with 7,500 names.

Sharie Lesniak is the Creative Director of Born Free USA. Born Free USA is a national animal advocacy nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, contributions to which are tax-deductible. Our mission is to end the suffering of wild animals in captivity, rescue individual animals in need, protect wildlife — including highly endangered species — in their natural habitats, and encourage compassionate conservation globally.

Dr. Lindner served for ten years as Clinical Director of New Directions for Homeless Veterans at the West L. A. VA Medical Center where she began PTSD programs for veterans returning from military service. After leaving New Directions, she combined her parrot rescue work with helping veterans and founded Serenity Park Sanctuary on the grounds of the West L.A. VA, an ecotherapy program where veterans suffering from trauma care for parrots who are similarly traumatized- each helping the other recover. Dr. Lindner is also an instructor in the Department of Psychology at Santa Monica College teaching psychology from an environmental perspective. She has worked with Animals and Society (formerly Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for 25 years and has lectured worldwide on "The Link" between domestic violence, child abuse and cruelty towards animals. Dr. Lindner is the Vice President of the Board of the New England Anti-Vivisection Society (NEAVS) and has published two articles on the effects of trauma on nonhuman primates, the first time such articles were published in peer reviewed human psychology journals. She has recently initiated a new program helping young people and adults recover from trauma using horses, wolfdogs and parrots at a retreat center she began at her ranch in the Los Padres National Forest in Ventura County.

Tom Linney works with ALDF’s Animal Law Program. Among other duties, Tom is responsible for developing and marketing ALDF’s Animal Law Pro Bono Program to interested firms and attorneys and for helping students transition from law student to legal professional. He also provides support to professionals interested in teaching animal law and collaborates with ALDF’s Litigation and Criminal Justice Program to assign appropriate pro bono counsel to ALDF projects and cases. Tom is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law where he helped establish the school’s first Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapter. He coordinated several projects as SALDF President and successfully petitioned the school to add an animal law class to its curriculum. While in law school, Tom worked for Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, the Texas Legislative Council, and an animal law attorney. Tom also became the first student to receive a Baron & Budd Fellowship from UT Law to pursue animal protection work. He served as legislative intern for the Texas Humane Legislation Network researching and drafting legislation to promote the humane treatment of animals. Tom has also worked for a state senator, a county judge and an in-house counsel for a federal agency.

Cathy Liss serves as president of the Animal Welfare Institute and Legislative Director of the Society for Animal Protective Legislation (AWI's legislative division). Liss began working for the Animal Welfare Institute and Society for Animal Protective Legislation as an intern while attending Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. After graduating in 1982, she joined the institute full-time and was promoted to executive director of the Institute in 1991 and elected president in 2002. Liss works on a variety of legislative initiatives before the U.S. Congress and various state bodies, including federal legislation to end horse slaughter, prohibit interstate and foreign commerce in steel jaw leghold traps and furs obtained through their use, and to prevent the sale of dogs and cats by random source dealers. She has particular expertise regarding the federal Animal Welfare Act and has pushed for adoption of the 1985 Improved Standards for Laboratory Animals amendment to the Animal Welfare Act. Liss has extensive experience working with the varied government agencies involved in use of and/or oversight of animals. She has conducted site visits of animal research laboratories, animal dealer premises, animal auctions, animal factories and family farms, and has been involved in development of less cruel alternatives to the steel jaw leghold trap. Liss is a member of the National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee and a member of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group on Humane Trap Standards, under the auspices of the American National Standards Institute.

Michael Markarian is executive vice president and chief operating officer of The HSUS. He also serves as president of The Fund for Animals, an affiliate of The HSUS providing direct care, food and medical treatment to thousands of animals each year at its wildlife rehabilitation centers and sanctuaries. Additionally, as president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, he oversees the lobbying and political activity of that affiliate. Markarian began working at The Fund for Animals in 1993, and tutored under the group's founder and president, famed author and animal advocate Cleveland Amory. Markarian became executive vice president of the organization after Amory's death in 1998, and later was elected president of the organization in 2002. He helped grow The Fund for Animals' staff to 50 employees, revenues to more than $7 million annually, and assets to $22 million. The Fund operates the world-famous Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, Texas, which is home to more than 1,200 animals rescued from abuse or abandonment, as well as a network of wildlife rehabilitation centers and veterinary clinics. In 2004, Markarian and Wayne Pacelle (president and CEO of The HSUS) helped engineer a merger of The HSUS and The Fund for Animals, creating the nation's largest animal protection organization. The HSUS and its family of organizations now has more than 11 million members and constituents, annual revenues of $130 million, and assets of $200 million. The union of two of the movement's leading organizations has set the precedent for mergers with other major American animal protection organizations, including the Doris Day Animal League in 2006. Since the early 1990s, Pacelle and Markarian have directed more than 15 successful statewide ballot measure campaigns. Those successes include initiatives to ban the use of bait and dogs in hunting bears, cougars, and bobcats in Colorado (Amendment 10 in 1992), Massachusetts (Question One in 1996), Oregon (Measure 18 in 1994), and Washington (Initiative 655 in 1996); to ban the use of cruel traps in California (Proposition 4 in 1998), Colorado (Amendment 14 in 1996), Massachusetts (Question One in 1996), and Washington (Initiative 713 in 2000); to outlaw cockfighting in Arizona (Proposition 201 in 1998), Missouri (Proposition A in 1998), and Oklahoma (State Question 698 in 2002); to ban mourning dove hunting in Michigan (Proposal 3 in 2006); and to outlaw the use of gestation crates for housing breeding sows in Florida (Amendment 10 in 2002), gestation and veal crates in Arizona (Proposition 204 in 2006), and gestation and veal crates as well as battery cages to house egg laying hens in California (Proposition 2 in 2008). Markarian's work on animal issues has been featured in newspapers and magazines across the country, and he has appeared on major television networks such as CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, and NBC's "Today Show." In addition, Markarian is an experienced writer with numerous pieces published in a variety of newspapers, journals and magazines including The Animals' Agenda, A Dog's Life, Bird Talk, University of Baltimore Journal of Environmental Law, and Campaigns & Elections. He has had Op-Ed pieces published in dozens of major dailies, including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, Arizona Republic, Seattle Times, Des Moines Register, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. In 2007, he began writing the "Animals & Politics" blog for the Humane Society Legislative Fund. Markarian is currently the chairman of Humane USA, a non-partisan and unaffiliated Political Action Committee of the animal protection movement, and he is the president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization that lobbies for animal welfare legislation and works to elect humane-minded candidates to public office. Working with both organizations, Markarian has helped to defeat some of the strongest anti-animal welfare politicians in the United States, including Rep. Richard Pombo of California (2006) and Rep. Chris John of Louisiana (2004). In 2007, he co-founded the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, a new trade association principally representing animal sanctuaries across the nation and the world. He serves on the board of the federation.In 2007, Campaigns & Elections magazine named Markarian one of its "Rising Star in Politics," largely for his work on animal protection legislation and political campaigns. One of the most prestigious honors in politics, the award goes to people 35 or under who have already made a significant mark in political consulting or advocacy. Past Rising Stars have included Paul Begala, Ed Gillespie, Alexis Herman, Karen Hughes, Laura Ingraham, Jim Pinkerton, Ralph Reed and George Stephanopoulos, to name just a few. Markarian has a master's degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Maryland, and he is a graduate of the University of Missouri's National Animal Cruelty Investigations School.

Emily Marquez-Dulin is the executive director of the Humane Society of Greater Miami Adopt-A-Pet, a charitable animal welfare agency. When Emily was appointed to this post, she was posed with the daunting challenge of coping with financial instability and lack of organizational structure and effective leadership. However slowly and steadily, Emily effectively addressed all these problems by taking major initiatives like creating a Senior Leadership Council, working closely with the Board of Directors on a new and clear mission, conducting productivity studies and forming coalitions with several other animal welfare organizations that ultimately helped the Humane Society to emerge as a financially solid, mission-focused organization in the Miami-Dade animal welfare community. Emily’s decision to appoint a Medical Director whose responsibilities included creating tighter inventory controls, overseeing spay/neuter surgeries and maintaining medical protocols for shelter pets, have resulted in a 200% increase in the average monthly spay/ neuter surgeries. Thanks to her emphasis on animal care and shelter operations, new policies and procedures have been implemented for animal intake and medical care which increased annual adoptions and dramatically reduced euthanasia numbers.

One of the "founding mothers" of ATA, Missy has watched the program grow from a tiny rescue group to a well-respected member of the animal welfare community. Missy has a BFA and M.Ed. from the University of Texas and taught Special Education for 16 years. After retiring in 1989, she followed her life-long dream of working with animals. She lives in the piney woods with a huge herd of dogs and loves every minute of her life dedicated to animals and the Animal Trustees of Austin. Missy has one dog-loving son, Quinn, and has the privilege of being owned by ATA's guiding spirit, Jessie Rose.

Dianne McGill is Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Banfield Charitable Trust. Since joining Banfield Charitable Trust in December 2006, Dianne has helped the charity grow through numerous initiatives, including the launch of the Pet Peace of Mind program in 2009, the launch of Pet Food Distribution grants for Meals on Wheels programs in 2007, and the launch of the FutureVet classroom education grant program in 2007. Prior to joining Banfield Charitable Trust, Dianne served as a director for an educational non-profit. Some of Dianne’s other leadership roles include Director of Marketing for the Associated Press, Regional Vice President for The Newspaper Network, and other senior marketing positions for various organizations. She was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. Dianne holds a BS in Management and Organizational Development from George Fox University plus a Master’s Certificate in Training and Development. She is actively involved in a volunteer capacity for numerous non-profit organizations. In her spare time, Dianne enjoys gardening, cooking, astronomy, camping, and collecting pieces from the Art Deco era. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and family, including two stubborn but very loveable English Bulldogs, Belle and Noel.

Shirley McGreal is the Executive Director of the International Primate Protection League. They are a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the world's remaining primates, great and small.

Pactricia Mercer is the President of Houston SPCA. She is also on the board of Houston SPCA, Society of Animal Welfare Administrator, Wildlife Center of Texas, and National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy.

Since graduating in 2000, Amy Mills has worked to strengthen the community she loves with a career in Austin’s dynamic non-profit sector. Most of her work has focused on increasing college access and empowering at-risk youth through positions at the Greater Austin Chamber and YouthLaunch. In 2002, Amy began volunteering at the humane society, first training shelter dogs, then training volunteers in canine behavior. The experience ignited her passion for animals, leading to a career change. In November 2006, Amy became Executive Director of Emancipet, Austin’s largest provider of spay/neuter services. Emancipet's low-cost, free, and mobile clinics bring spay/neuter to the pet owners who need it most, preventing animal homelessness before it starts. Outside of work, Amy is excited to have recently been chosen as a member of the 2011 Essential Class of Leadership Austin. She is also a proud member of Impact Austin, a women's philanthropy organization, and teaches Dog Manners at the Austin Humane Society. Amy lives in Austin with her husband, Kelly Williams, and their menagerie of pets.

As executive director of the Humane Society of Berks County Inc., Minor has taken on a leading role as spokesman for animal welfare in the county. On some issues, he has taken a stand that is unpopular with elected officials, including opposing Reading's breed ordinance that he said unfairly punished responsible pit bull owners by imposing stringent ownership requirements. He also called attention to a pigeon shoot at the Strausstown Rod & Gun Club, claiming that Pennsylvania is the only state that hasn't outlawed the practice of shooting previously captured pigeons for sport. He also said that three of the groups that still organized pigeon shoots were in Berks. He has been an animal welfare administrator with 20 years’ experience in the field and serve on several statewide and national animal welfare board and panels as well as providing training and workshops nationally. Graduated from West Chester University with a bachelor's degree in earth/space science. Began in animal welfare about 18 years ago at the Chester County SPCA as an adoption counselor. He later served as a humane educator, operations manager and development director in the animal welfare field and in environmental conservation. He became executive director of the local Humane Society five years ago, replacing Lindy Scholar after she lost her battle with cancer.

Julie Morris is the senior vice president of ASPCA National Shelter Outreach. She joined the ASPCA in 1990 as senior director of the Manhattan Shelter/Animal Control Services before starting National Shelter Outreach (NSO) in 1995. Julie has over 25 years of shelter experience. She was the executive director of the Humane Society of Huron Valley in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from 1978 to 1986 and the director of operations of the Michigan Humane Society in Detroit, Michigan, from 1986 to 1990. Since 1985, Julie has been a consultant for the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation for the New Jersey Animal Assistance Program. She is a current board president of the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy and an emeritus board member of the Animal Welfare Federation of New Jersey. Julie received the 1999 American Humane K.C. Faculty Award for excellence in teaching and participation in American Humane-sponsored workshops and conferences. Julie has a B.S. in zoology from Michigan State University and a master's degree in secondary science education from Eastern Michigan University. Julie lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with her feline companion, Roxie.

Paul is currently the National Director of Canine Programs for Canine Companions for Independence, a national nonprofit organization that breeds, raises and trains assistance dogs for people with disabilities. Paul joined Canine Companions in 1989 as an instructor, training assistance dogs after receiving a BA from Haverford College and attending graduate school at Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Paul has continued his educational excellence and grown professionally to be one of the most highly regarded practitioners in his field of applied animal genetics and breeding. Additionally, Paul is a consultant for the United States Marine Corps (USMC) assisting in a project to develop specialized search dogs that will remotely detect improvised explosive devices in a tactical environment. He also provides the USMC with expertise in the selection, training, conditioning and deployment of dogs for this purpose. He is currently on the board of International Working Dog Breeding Association and National Animal Interest Alliance.

Christian Newcomer is currently executive director of the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International and has participated in AAALAC International’s review activities for the past 25 years.  He was the associate provost for animal research and resources and associate professor in the Department of Comparative Medicine at Johns Hopkins University from 2003 – 2008.  He has also served as director of the Veterinary Resources Program for the Office of Research Services/OD at the National Institutes of Health, and as director of the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He is a past president of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) and the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM).  Dr. Newcomer earned a bachelor of science in zoology and a master’s in pathology from the University of Michigan, and a VMD from the University of Pennsylvania. He has been an ACLAM Diplomate since 1982.

Carolyn Niehaus is the Executive Director for Animal Save. Animal Save is a nonprofit organization that transforms the lives of cats and dogs by providing humane education, affordable spay and neuter services, and by finding loving homes.

Jack Norris co-founded Vegan Outreach in 1993 and is currently its President. Vegan Outreach produces the booklets Why Vegan, Try Vegetarian, and Even If You Like Meat. In 2005, Jack was elected to the Animal Rights Hall of Fame. Jack runs Vegan Outreach's Adopt A College program, which focuses on delivering the group's brochures to college students. Jack is also a Registered Dietitian and author of Vitamin B12: Are You Getting It? and Staying Healthy On Plant-Based Diets. Jack's articles can be found on VeganOutreach.org and VeganHealth.org.

Alexander Fernando Pacheco (born August 1958) is an American animal rights activist. He is co-founder and former chairman of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), founder of All American Animals, a member of the advisory board of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and founder of 600 Million Stray Dogs Need You. Pacheco first crewed with Captain Paul Watson in 1979 (and again in 2003) on the ship The Sea Shepherd, across the Atlantic Ocean on the "Sierra" campaign, the Sierra being an infamous pirate whale-killing ship; both The Sea Shepherd and the Sierra were sunk after being seized by the Portuguese authorities. Pacheco later came to public attention in 1981 for his role, along with Ingrid Newkirk, in what became known as the Silver Spring monkeys case, a campaign to release 17 crab-eating macaques who were undergoing experiments in the Institute of Behavioral Research in Silver Spring, Maryland. Oliver Stone writes that the political campaign to save the monkeys gave birth to the animal rights movement in the United States.

Executive Director of Global Animal Partnership, Miyun Park has worked to improve the welfare of farm animals for more than 15 years. Ms. Park has delivered presentations around the world, including China, India, Croatia, South Korea, Belgium, Egypt, Italy, and across the United States, on behalf of animals in agriculture, is widely published, including a chapter co-authored with Andrea Gavinelli, Head of Unit, Animal Welfare, of the European Commission, and serves on the Editorial Board of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s Gateway to Farm Animal Welfare portal.

Adjunct Professor Brent Plater is a Lecturer within San Francisco State University's Environmental Studies Program and the Executive Director of the Wild Equity Institute, a non-profit organization building a healthy and sustainable global community for people and the plants and animals that accompany us on Earth. Professor Plater is the recipient of numerous honors and awards for his work protecting endangered species and wild places throughout the world, including the Environmental Education Conservation Award from the John Muir Association; the Unsung Hero Award from San Francisco Tomorrow; and in 2009 the editors of SF Weekly selected him as a "Best of San Francisco" winner for his conservation initiatives. In 2010 Professor Plater received a Fulbright Scholar award to teach and conduct legal research the University of the West Indies at St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. Professor Plater is a graduate of the University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment, Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, and UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law. Previously, Professor Plater was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Golden Gate University School of Law and the San Francisco Bay Area Director of the Center for Biological Diversity.

Heidi Prescott is senior vice president for Campaigns, where she oversees and leads strategic, nationwide advocacy campaigns on factory farming, wildlife abuse, fur, and animal cruelty and fighting. She also manages the Outreach and Strategic Initiatives department. Prescott began working at The Fund for Animals in 1989, under executive director Wayne Pacelle and the group's founder and president, famed author and animal advocate Cleveland Amory. Prescott became the national director of The Fund for Animals after Pacelle joined the staff of The HSUS in 1995. The Fund operates the world-famous Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, Texas, which is home to more than 1,200 animals rescued from abuse or abandonment, as well as a network of wildlife rehabilitation centers and veterinary clinics. At The Fund and now at The HSUS, Prescott has led a decades-long campaign to end live pigeon shoots, culminating in shutting down the nation's largest and most notorious pigeon shoot in Hegins, Pa. She has played a key role in developing campaigns against hunting and wildlife abuses. She managed a staff that grew from 6 to 20 over eight years and conducted campaigns involving education, litigation and legislative activity on a wide spectrum of humane issues across the country, including hunting, trapping, fur, and canned hunts. She continues to serve as The Fund's national director. Prescott joined The HSUS with its merger with The Fund for Animals in 2005. The combination of The HSUS and The Fund for Animals allowed the groups to put greater resources into new programs, and enabled the creation of the new campaign department that Prescott oversees. The Campaigns section is a group of talented, professional campaigners who focus on major issues for the organization: (1) the Animal Cruelty and Fighting campaign works with law enforcement agencies to root out dogfighting, cockfighting, and extreme acts of cruelty, and works to strengthen the nation's cruelty laws; (2) the Factory Farming campaign seeks to end cruel confinement of animals in industrial factory farms, and has been responsible for hundreds of companies phasing out eggs from caged hens, veal from crated calves, and pork from crated pigs; (3) the Fur-Free campaign encourages consumers, designers, and corporate leaders to stop using fur from skinned animals, and has exposed cruelties in the industry such as dog fur from China being sold as "fake fur" in American stores; and (4) the Wildlife Abuse campaign works to stop unsporting and inhumane hunting practices, such as "canned hunts" of captive, exotic animals, internet hunting, and contest killing events. Prescott is currently the vice-president of Humane USA-PA, a non-partisan and unaffiliated Political Action Committee of the animal protection movement. Prescott received a Bachelor's degree in psychology and a Master's of Fine Art from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Paul Raybould is the Executive Vice President of Morris Animal Foundation. Founded by a visionary veterinarian in 1948, Morris Animal Foundation today is a world leader in advancing veterinary research that protects, treats and cures animals on every continent. The Foundation has funded more than 1,700 studies, many of which have led to animal health breakthroughs in diagnostics, treatments, prevention and cures. Paul has more than 25 years of business development experience within diverse cultural and business environments and has worked for companies in a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, telecommunications and oil and gas. He was born just outside of London and grew up in Australia and Africa, which fostered his love of animals, especially dogs and wildlife. He and his wife, Susan, have two Irish setters, Celia and Kobe. Animals of all kinds are a big part of their lives.

Anne Reed is the new executive director of the Wisconsin Humane Society. She started this position in January after more than 28 years as an attorney for the Milwaukee firm Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren. She recently wrote the final posting on her popular blog "Deliberations".

Adam M. Roberts is Executive Vice President of Born Free USA and is based in Washington, DC. He helped found the organization in 2002 to bring the UK-based Born Free Foundation's message of compassionate conservation to the American public. Adam has significant expertise in international wildlife trade and captive wild animals and serves on the Board of Directors of the Species Survival Network where he chairs the SSN Press Committee, Financial Committee, Bear Working Group, and Animals in Captivity Working Group. Adam is also a Member of the Board of Humane USA, and in 2003, he founded The $10 Club, a charity to fund poverty alleviation projects in developing countries. He runs the organization singlehandedly, and as a volunteer. To date, the organization has supported work in nearly 50 countries. Adam is a graduate of Vassar College.

Sara Rogers is the President of South Bay Purebred Resue. She has twenty-four years of experience in dog rescue, with the last four as President of South Bay Purebred Rescue.

Patrick Rose is Save the Manatee Club’s (SMC) Executive Director. Pat has over 30 years’ experience working with manatees and is an Aquatic Biologist and Certified Public Manager. He is considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on the Florida manatee. From 1996 to 2006, Pat was SMC’s Director of Government Relations in Tallahassee, Florida. In the state’s capitol, Pat advocated on the manatee’s behalf before the Florida Legislature and Governor and Cabinet. Before joining SMC’s staff, he was the first federal Manatee Recovery Activities Coordinator and Florida’s first Manatee and Marine Mammal Coordinator. He also provided overall policy guidance and direction for statewide recovery efforts for endangered and protected marine species. Pat has served as a member of every federal Manatee Recovery Team, presently serving on the Team’s Steering Committee, and is a former member of the I.U.C.N. World Conservation Union/Sirenia Specialist Group. His many professional awards include the prestigious “National Conservation Achievement Award” from the National Wildlife Federation and the “Award of Recognition” presented to him at the First International Manatee and Dugong Research Conference. Pat was also nominated for the esteemed Indianapolis Prize, which honors the world’s leading animal conservationists. Pat has a Master’s degree in aquatic biology from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He is also an avid boater, pilot, and is a certified scuba instructor.

Dan Rossi is the Executive Director of Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania. The Animal Rescue League was founded in 1909 by a group dedicated individuals committed to making the world a better place for abandoned and unwanted pets. The Animal Rescue League’s mission is to provide temporary shelter, food, medical attention and comfort to all abandoned, neglected and injured animals brought to us by the community; to restore lost animals to their owners or seek new homes for them, and to educate the public about the humane care of animals with a goal of reducing overpopulation. Today the organization’s annual budget is approximately $3 million dollars, with two locations (one in the East End of Pittsburgh and one in Verona), 60 employees and approximately 300 dedicated volunteers. The Animal Rescue League also has a dedicated 16 member board of directors, an active advisory board, and an endowment that helps offset the organization’s operational expenses

Megan Russell is the Major Gifts Officer of Austin Humane Society.

Amanda Ryan-Smith is the Director of Development and Marketing at the Austin Humane Society. Previous positions she held include Director of Grants & Research, Sr. Director of Leadership Giving, Director of Community Building at United Way Capital Area, and Director of Development at Help for Abused Women & Their Children. She received her Masters in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin, and her Bachelors in Social Work and Psychology from Baylor University.

Paul Shapiro has played an integral role in numerous successful legislative and corporate campaigns to improve the plight of farm animals. Shapiro's work has helped enact farm animal protection laws in California, Arizona, Michigan, Maine, Colorado, and Oregon. He's also worked with dozens of companies, including some of the world's top retailers, to improve animal welfare in their supply chains. Shapiro founded Compassion Over Killing in 1995 and served as its campaigns director until January 2005. While there, he worked as a farm animal cruelty investigator and led initiatives such as the successful effort to end the use of the misleading "Animal Care Certified" logo on battery cage egg cartons nationwide. Shapiro has been interviewed in hundreds of print, broadcast, and online news sources as an authority on farm animal welfare and animal advocacy. He has also published dozens of articles about animal welfare in publications ranging from daily newspapers to academic journals.

Jenni Skidmore is the Development Coordinator for the Inland Valley Humane Society & SPCA. They serve southern California's Inland Valley and offer adoptions and veterinary care, as well as volunteer opportunities, humane education, etc. She has worked in the animal welfare industry since 2000 in the office of Development and Communications.

John Snyder is vice president of Companion Animals. He oversees programs related to the protection of companion animals including: outreach, communications, animal sheltering issues, and Animal Care Expo, which is The HSUS's premier conference for animal care and control professionals. Snyder oversees educational programs for the public and the animal sheltering community. He oversees a team of multi-disciplinary experts and provides recommendations for improving shelter management practices, animal health procedures, and adoption programs. The Pets for Life initiative provides solutions to common complaints about companion animals and suggests ways to encourage the human-animal bond. Shelter Partners is an exclusive program for animal shelters to receive discounts on supplies and conference fees in exchange for sharing information about their operating procedures annually. Snyder served as president of the Florida Animal Control Association from 1988 through 1990. He also served on the board of directors of the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators from 1993 through 1998. He served as president of the National Animal Control association from 1991 through 1992. Snyder received a Citizen of the Year award presented by the Florida Veterinary Medical Association in 1991. He also received the Rosemary Ames Award from the American Humane Association in 1991, in recognition of his support to the animal welfare community. Before joining The HSUS, Snyder spent 24 years as director of a government animal services division in Florida and for six years prior to that working for government public health agency responsible for a rabies control program.

Lisa Starr is the Public Relations Manager for Austin Humane Society. They are the largest no-kill, nonprofit pet adoption center in Austin. She is currently on the board of the Texas Humane Legislation Network.

Mindy Stinner is the Executive Director of Conservators' Center, a nonprofit organization that preserves threatened species through rescuing wildlife in need, responsible captive breeding, and providing educational programs and support worldwide.

Mariann Sullivan (Board President) is a lawyer and an adjunct professor of animal law at Brooklyn Law School and Cardozo Law School. She found her way into animal law through the Committee on Legal Issues Pertaining to Animals of the New York City Bar Association and eventually served as chair of that committee. She is currently chair of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial Insurance Practice Section’s Animal Law Committee. With David Wolfson, she is the author of a trilogy of articles on farmed animals and the law: “Foxes in the Henhouse: Animals Agribusiness and the Law, A Modern American Fable” in Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions; “What’s Good for the Goose… The Supreme Court of Israel, Foie Gras, and the Future of Farmed Animals in the United States,” in the 2007 volume of the Duke Journal of Law and Contemporary Problems; and “If it Looks Like a Duck: New Jersey, The Regulation of Common Farming Practices, and the Meaning of ‘Humane,’” in Animal Law and the Courts. Mariann is also the author of “The Animal Welfare Act: What’s That?” which was published in the New York State Bar Association Journal. She has spoken at various conferences and animal law related events throughout the country, as well as Animal Rights Africa’s Animal Law Review Consultation Workshopin Johannesburg. Mariann has served on the board of directors for Farm Sanctuary and The Animals Agenda, and currently serves on the board forAnimal Welfare Trust and Animal Welfare Advocacy.

Timy Sullivan is the President and pro bono Executive Director of PetFix Northeast Ohio. PetFix Northeast Ohio is a 501.c.3 non-profit organization dedicated to ending pet overpopulation in the region by promoting the importance of spay/neuter and making spay/neuter surgeries affordable and accessible to low income pet owners, feral cat caregivers, and shelters, rescues, and animal control agencies placing animals for adoption.

Ron is a conservation scientist leading our efforts to create a Wildlands Network Design for the Southeast Atlantic Coastal Plain, an extremely bio-diverse region stretching from southern Virginia to southern Florida. Joining the Wildlands Network in the summer of 2010, he is also helping to design and implement wildlife corridors connecting the coastal plain to the extensive mountain forests in the Southern Appalachians. Ron lives in Durham, NC with his wife and two young foster children, plus an increasingly lazy English Pointer and an increasingly large northern pine snake. He enjoys playing water polo, swimming in rivers and lakes to catch turtles and water snakes, woodworking, home repair, and conducting experiments using native aquatic plants to remove nutrient pollution from neighborhood ponds. Ron also loves to go backpacking in various national forest wilderness areas and canoeing in coastal swamps. Having served twice as NC Herpetological Society Vice President, he also has been President of the Triangle Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology since 2008. Growing up in the rapidly expanding suburb of Cary, NC, Ron developed an intense passion for nature conservation, especially after watching his childhood forest playground literally get bulldozed into a parking lot. He received a BS in Biology from NCSU (during which time he traveled to Australia and conducted research on flatback sea turtles) and received an MS in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His MS thesis (performed in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society) focused on the conflicting goals of population growth and wildlife conservation within small colonist villages near Kaa-Iyaa National Park in the Gran Chaco of Bolivia. Ron recently completed his Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, where he studied the response of a wide range of wildlife species to urbanization and vehicle traffic in the Sandhills region of North Carolina.

As one of the visionaries who co-founded the Animal Legal Defense Fund over a quarter century ago, California attorney Joyce Tischler has helped shape the emerging field of animal law. Joyce handled some of Animal Legal Defense Fund's earliest cases, including a 1981 lawsuit that halted the U.S. Navy's plan to kill 5,000 feral burros and a 1988 challenge to the U.S. Patent Office's rule allowing the patenting of genetically altered animals. She has tackled such diverse topics as challenges to hunting and trapping using the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act, standing to sue, animal custody battles, the right to kill animals pursuant to will provisions, landlord-tenant issues and damages and recovery for injury to or death of an animal. Joyce was the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s executive director for 25 years and now serves as the agency's general counsel, responsible for writing, lecturing on and promoting the field of animal law. In 2009, The American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) Animal Law Committee honored Joyce with the Excellence in the Advancement of Animal Law Award.

Gary Tiscornia is the Executive Director of the SPCA for Monterey County. The SPCA for Monterey County is your nonprofit, independent, donor-supported humane society that has been serving the animals and people of Monterey County since 1905. The SPCA's doors are open to all animals in need from dogs and cats to horses, wildlife, exotics, and more. We shelter homeless, neglected and abused pets and livestock, and provide humane education and countless other services to the community. We are the local agency you call to investigate animal cruelty, rescue and rehabilitate injured wildlife, aid domestic animals in distress, and so much more. He is on the Board of Directors for SPCA for Monterey County (ex officio), and National Federation of Humane Societies. He has a BS and JD, and is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator.

Bert Troughton, MSW, Vice President of ProLearning, ASPCA, is responsible for the management, oversight and integration of the ASPCA $100K Challenge, Shelter Training, and the ASPCApro.org websites, social media and e-Learning for animal welfare professionals. Before joining the ASPCA, Bert was the CEO of a regional humane society in New England that became well known under her leadership for its extraordinary vision and capacity to deliver on an aggressive strategic agenda. Past president of both the New Hampshire Federation of Humane Organizations and the New England Federation of Humane Societies, she is a popular speaker and trainer in the field and received the 2004 Dennis White Excellence in Teaching award from the American Humane Association. Bert authored the ASPCA/Petfinder shelter management page from 2000 – 2003 and co-authored the book Making Plans to Make a Difference – A Business Planning Guide for Shelters. Bert holds a Masters in Social Work from the University of Connecticut; post-graduate certificates in Psychotherapy, Family Therapy and Nonprofit Management; and is a certified instructor of Dialogue Education.

Debra Wasserman is Co-Director of The Vegetarian Resource Group, playing a variety of roles. She and Charles Stahler founded Baltimore Vegetarians in 1982 to provide the Baltimore community information on the many benefits of vegetarianism. Baltimore Vegetarians became The Vegetarian Resource Group in 1990 in response to the growing popularity of the Baltimore Vegetarians' materials and to better answer the increasing demand for vegetarian information nationwide. Running the non-profit Vegetarian Resource Group is a lot like running many small businesses - everyone has to do a bit of everything. While Debra's most visible roles are being the Managing Editor of the Vegetarian Journal, authoring and editing books, and responding to media, she also works with Charles managing the office and its staff, preparing the accounting, staffing booths at conferences, and when the mail gets heavy, sometimes processing orders. The first book Debra wrote was Vegetarianism for the Working Person, co-authored with Charles Stahler, which later became Meatless Meals for Working People. Over 100,000 copies of this book have been printed. The next book was No Cholesterol Passover Recipes, helping the Jewish Community prepare vegan dishes using the more-restrictive guidelines for Passover meals. She is also author of Conveniently Vegan and the Lowfat Jewish Vegetarian Cookbook. Her most successful book to date is Simply Vegan, co-authored with Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D., which has sold almost 100,000 copies. Debra created all the recipes, and Reed provided the nutritional information. Proceeds from the sale of these books have help fund The Vegetarian Resource Group's outreach, including handouts and conferences.

James Weedon is the Executive Director of the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program. Their mission is, “To prevent the suffering and death of cats and dogs due to overpopulation and preventable diseases, especially in low-income areas”. He is a veterinarian with 44 years of experience. James has a Masters in Public Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health, and a D.V.M., Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M University.

Laura Welch is the Director of Development for the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program. Their mission is to prevent the suffering and death of cats and dogs due to overpopulation and preventable diseases, especially in low-income areas.

Stephen Wells is the executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. Over the past six years, until January, 2006, Stephen founded and served as the director of ALDF’s successful Animal Law Program which provides support and resources to ALDF’s law professional and law student members and pro bono opportunities for attorneys and firms to assist ALDF with its mission. Prior to joining ALDF in 1999, Stephen served as the executive director of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance in Anchorage where he became known for his work to protect Alaska’s wildlife, particularly wolves and bears, and its unique wild places. He has committed himself to animal and environmental protection and over the years, in addition to his full-time work, he has continued to volunteer his time for local organizations and projects.

Sonya White is the Executive Director of the Leon County Humane Society. Prior to her May 2007 appointment as executive director of LCHS, she headed up the Jacksonville Humane Society for eight years. In Jacksonville, White focused her efforts on fundraising projects, adoption programs and spay/neuter programs. She is taking a similar approach in Tallahassee.

Philip Wilson is the U.S. Programs/Member Society Manager for the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), an international animal welfare organization that works to promote animal welfare and end animal cruelty. Philip joined WSPA in 1998, initially working on the organization’s wildlife programs in Europe and Asia. Since 2004, he has been based in the U.S. office, working closely with WSPA’s U.S. member organizations. Philip is also on the Board of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), an organization established in 2007 to help strengthen and support the work of animal sanctuaries in the U.S. and abroad. WSPA is the world’s largest alliance of animal welfare organizations, representing more than 1,000 member societies in more than 150 countries. The organization brings about change to benefit animals at both the grassroots and government level, and has consultative status at the United Nations and Council of Europe.

Dr. Zawistowski earned a Masters (1979) and Ph.D. (1983) in behavior-genetics at the University of Illinois. He has taught biology at Indiana University, psychology at St. John’ University and was awarded a Post-doctoral Fellowship in Environmental Biology from the National Science. Dr. Zawistowski is an adjunct Professor at the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine and a certified applied animal behaviorist, chairing the Animal Behavior Society’s Board of Professional Certification. Since 1988, Dr. Zawistowski has also been involved in many aspects involving animal welfare involving pets, zoo and laboratory animals at the ASPCA. He has been a founder or member of many committees, several of which are the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy, the Scientific Advisory Panel of the World Society for the Protection of Animals, and the Institute for Laboratory Animal Resources committee to update the report on the Recognition and Alleviation of Pain and Distress in Laboratory Animals. Dr. Zawistowski is a well known speaker and guest on television and radio on education, animal behavior and animal welfare issues. He has hosted the ASPCA Pet Check segments on PBS, and authored, edited and consulted on over 20 books on animals and pet care, including Animal Shelter Medicine for Veterinarians and Staff (2004). Dr. Zawistowki is often quoted in newspaper and magazine articles, publishes in scientific journals, and is the founding co-editor of the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science.