Jose Sanchez—a naturalist trained in marine biology, and an expert on the so-called “friendly whales” of San Ignacio Lagoon in the Baja California region of Mexico, having led ecotourism trips there for 25 years—recalls growing up in a family that prized nature and...
Carol Buckley—a longtime expert in the care of captive elephants, who co-founded The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, moving on to found Elephant Aid International, a nonprofit organization “that creates innovative approaches to the care and management of captive...
Wayne Lynch—science writer, photographer, and author of numerous books, most recently, “Bears of the North: A Year Inside Their Worlds,” a deep and thorough exploration of the four northern bears: American black bear, polar bear, brown bear, and Asiatic black...
Anita Krajnc—the global campaign coordinator of the Plant Based Treaty, which views itself as a companion to the Paris Agreement, described, on the Treaty website, as “a grassroots campaign designed to put food systems at the forefront of combating the climate...
Diane Delano—founder of the Wild Horse Rescue Center, a Webster, Florida facility that rescues, rehabilitates, and finds new homes for wild horses—recalls growing up amidst a family of horse lovers, and she started riding at age three. This was in the Catskills,...
David Crawford—co-founder and executive director of Animal Help Now, a Boulder, Colorado-based national organization considered the 911 of wildlife emergencies, a somewhat glib, though not inaccurate, description—observes that he didn’t have a particularly profound...
Kristen Hassen—a highly-respected figure in the animal shelter world, owing to her accomplishments and innovations during major stints leading or helping lead animal facilities, and now Director of American Pets Alive!, through which she oversees other projects and...
Julie Castle—the CEO of Best Friends Animal Society, the national animal welfare organization, founded in 1984, and based in Kanab, Utah—describes the organization currently in broad strokes, offering notable contrasts to when she scrapped plans for law school and...
Glen Zipper—executive producer of the Netflix documentary series “Dogs,” whose second season begins airing July 7; Zipper also oversees a new feline-minded Netflix series, “Cat People,” which premieres July 7—describes the reaction from viewers to the first season...
Dr. Valarie Tynes—Veterinary Services Specialist at CEVA Animal Health Limited, in Kansas, and a veterinarian slated to deliver two lectures at VMX, the then-forthcoming gigantic veterinary education conference held in Orlando (and virtually) June 5-9—traces the...
