Speaking Their Truth
Biographies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keynote speaker
Dr. Irene Pepperberg:
Dr. Pepperberg received her SB from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her graduate degrees from Harvard University. She has held academic positions at Purdue University, Northwestern University, and the University of Arizona. In September 1999, she became a visiting associate professor at the MIT Media Lab and later accepted a research scientist position there. She has been an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Brandeis University since 2002; she is also a research associate and lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Harvard. Her book, The Alex Studies, describing more than 20 years of peer-reviewed studies on cognitive and communicative abilities of Grey parrots, received favorable mention from publications as diverse as the New York Times and Science. Her next book, Alex and Me, will be published by HarperCollins in November 2008. She is a fellow of the Animal Behavior Society, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, the American Ornithologists' Union, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and is a member of numerous other societies.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plenary Speakers
Adam Durand is the campaign director at Animal Rights International. Stories about his efforts on behalf of egg-laying hens have appeared in more than 60 newspapers and television shows, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and "ABC Primetime." His film “Wegman's Cruelty” was shown as part of the "Emerging Filmmakers" film series and has been distributed to tens of thousands of viewers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gianluca Felicetti is president of the Lega Antivivisezione (Anti-vivisection League), Italy’s most prominent animal rights organization. He is also the coordinator of the Italian Parliamentary Intergroup for Animals and a member of the executive committee of Eurogroup for Animals. He is a print and television journalist who has authored and edited a variety of columns, programs and publications. Vegetarian for the past 22 years and vegan for the last six, he has held a variety of animal rights-related positions in Europe since 1998 in addition to teaching at the University of Bologna and the University of Milan.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Fearing is the chief economist for The Humane Society of the United States, she leads the Research & Analysis section in support of campaigns, programs, litigation and legislative work. She previously was president and CEO of United Animal Nations and co-founded and led the Sacramento Area Animal Coalition. She earned a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor's degree in economics and political science from the University of California at Davis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Ché Green is a former analyst, investment banker, and research manager with significant experience developing and implementing research projects of all kinds. He has worked and volunteered for animal advocacy groups at grassroots and national levels. As the Humane Research Council's executive director and lead researcher, he brings a unique and informed perspective to the problems facing animal advocates. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in finance, and founded HRC in 2001 to empower animal advocates through research.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leslie Irvine, Ph.D., is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She specializes in the study of identity and for the past five years has focused on various aspects of the role of animals in society. Her most recent book, If You Tame Me: Understanding our Connection with Companion Animals, examines how animals' subjectivity becomes available to human beings during the course of everyday interaction, and how people build relationships with animals that are unique from, not substitutes for, relationships with other humans. She is currently writing a book based on her firsthand research during the animal rescue efforts following Hurricane Katrina. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lisa Jennings is executive director of Animal Protection of New Mexico and Animal Protection Voters, both statewide animal advocacy organizations that collectively have worked on such issues as cockfighting, dogfighting, dissection choice, spay/neuter and felony cruelty legislation. She has been actively involved in advocacy and public policy for animals since 1985. APV is deeply involved in state and local elections, publishes an annual legislative scorecard, and issues candidate endorsements. APV has a Political Action Committee that has donated thousands of dollars to animal-friendly candidates for office.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lori Marino, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology at Emory University, a faculty affiliate of the Living Links Center for the Advanced Study of Ape and Human Evolution, and a research collaborator at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. She teaches courses in animal welfare, brain imaging, neuroscience, animal cognition, and behavioral biology. She is the author of over eighty papers and speaks internationally on animal behavior and cognition as well as animal protection. She also publishes and speaks on ending the exploitation of dolphins and whales in the captivity industry.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Mountain is president and a co-founder of Best Friends Animal Society, and the creator of the nationwide No More Homeless Pets campaign. He grew up in England and studied philosophy, music, and classical and modern literature at Oxford University in the 1960s. Much of his public speaking and writing focuses on how kindness to animals – indeed, to all living beings – is the key spiritual value of our time. Best Friends is currently providing physical and emotional rehabilitation to 22 pit bull dogs rescued from Michael Vick’s property in Virginia.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norm Phelps is the former spiritual outreach director of The Fund for Animals, a founding member of the Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians, and a former contributing writer for Satya magazine. His goal is for faith communities of all traditions to include animals within the scope of their compassionate ministries. He is author of The Dominion of Love, The Great Compassion and, most recently, The Longest Struggle: Animal Advocacy from Pythagoras to PETA. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Phillips is the executive director of the League of Humane Voters of New York City. Under his leadership, LOHV-NYC has become a potent force for animals in New York City, raising tens of thousands of dollars and endorsing and campaigning for dozens of humane candidates at the city and state level. He went vegetarian when he was just 10 years old and turned vegan when he was 14. Since then, he has at one time or another been active with various social justice groups, including those dedicated to the rights of the LGBT community, the homeless and the environment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ron Pickarski, CEC, is president and executive chef/consultant for Eco-Cuisine, Inc. He is the first professional vegetarian chef to be certified as an Executive Chef by the American Culinary Federation. He is a former Franciscan Brother who became vegetarian in 1976 and vegan in 1977. He founded Eco-Cuisine in 1986 to promote the philosophy of eating in harmony with the environment. He has produced two cookbooks and a video in addition to many articles for national periodicals, and has won numerous awards at the International Culinary Olympics. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan Piraro is the vegan comic genius behind the syndicated cartoon “Bizarro.” He has published several collections of cartoons and produces posters, shirts and other materials whose sale benefits animal organizations. He supports animal rights issues with the mind of a comedian and the heart of an activist. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Regan is emeritus professor of philosophy at North Carolina State University and a longtime leader of the animal rights movement. He and his wife, Nancy, founded the Culture and Animals Foundation in 1985 to foster growth of intellectual and artistic endeavors united by a positive concern for animals. He is the author of numerous books, including "The Case for Animal Rights," "Defending Animal Rights," and "Empty Cages" and lectures internationally about the movement.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kyle Vincent burst onto the music scene in 1997 with a Billboard Top 20 Hit from his eponymous debut album on Hollywood Records. Since leaving L.A., the singer with “pipes of pure gold” has carried east the songwriting torch of the classic storytellers of his youth (John Denver, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce and others) while revitalizing the genre with his own contemporary production and topical lyrics. The multi-instrumentalist, producer, record company owner, and ardent environmentalist is currently putting the final touches on his tenth career release.
