April 26, 2012
HSUS Board of Directors: Member Biographies
The Humane Society of the United States
Jeffrey J. Arciniaco, Boca Raton, Florida, 2009-Current
President and board chair, South Florida Wildlife Center, (Ft. Lauderdale); director, Folke H. Peterson Foundation; trustee, Ardath B. Rosengarden Charitable Trust; ambassador, Tree of Life Foundation International, animal branch; specialist in the rescue and care of parrots; facilitator and advocate, Feral Cat TTVARM programs; advocate for the protection and welfare of all animals.
Eric L. Bernthal, Esq., Washington, D.C., 2007-Current
Chair, HSUS Board of Directors; chair, Corporate Combination Committee; member, Executive Committee; managing partner, Washington, D.C. office, Latham & Watkins LLP; specialist in corporate and communications law; director, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia; member, Federal City Council (D.C.); active in foster parenting and environmental causes and in pro bono legal services on behalf of animals.
Michael J. Blackwell, D.V.M., M.P.H., Knoxville, Tennessee, 2011-Current
President & CEO, Blackwell Britt & Associates, LLC (Knoxville) and Blackwell Consulting, LLC (Knoxville); administrator, Young-Williams Animal Center; former dean, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine; former chief of staff, Dept. of Health & Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General; former deputy director, Food & Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine; former assistant surgeon general, U.S. Public Health Service, Commissioned Corps; vice chair, Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (2006-08); former chair, Knoxville-Knox County Animal Welfare Board; former owner of two practices of general veterinary medicine and surgery and former provider of contract services as a relief veterinarian for several practices in the Washington, D.C. metro area, and a shelter veterinarian in Montgomery County, Maryland; author of numerous publications and recipient of numerous distinguished honors and awards.
Jerry Cesak, La Jolla, California, 2010-Current
Morning radio show personality, “The Jeff & Jer Show,” San Diego; member, Humane Society Legislative Fund National Council; founder, The Unicorn Foundation, conducting fund raising activities on behalf of animal protection groups; writer and producer, Bless the Beasts, a multi-media theatrical production, and Nickels & Dimes, a stage play; presenter at the HSUS’s 2010 Taking Action for Animals Conference; fundraiser and supporter of numerous animal protection causes, including California’s Prop 2 in 2008.
James Costos, Los Angeles, California, 2012-Current
Vice President, Global Licensing & Retail – Consumer Marketing, Home Box Office; director, Santa Monica Museum of Art and Human Rights Campaign; member and active supporter of several national animal welfare organizations and Help in Suffering (India).
Anita W. Coupe, Esq. Biddeford Pool, Maine, 1990-Current
Chair, Executive Committee; former labor-employment law partner and executive management, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP; president, Doris Day Animal League; director, Humane Society Legislative Fund; active in local animal rescue.
Neil B. Fang, Esq., CPA, Hewlett Neck, New York, 2005-Current
Chair, Audit Committee; partner, Schwartz & Fang, P.C.; former director, The Fund for Animals; provides pro bono legal services to various local animal shelters and rescue groups on Long Island; active in a trap/neuter/release program for feral cat colonies in his community.
Jane Greenspun Gale, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2007-Current
Philanthropist; director, The Greenspun Corporation; immediate past president, Springs Preserve Foundation (Las Vegas); past president, Chairman’s Council, Conservation International; founding member and past president, The Animal Foundation (Las Vegas); former TV talk-show host and Las Vegas SUN columnist; 1988 Genesis Award winner; long-time animal protectionist and supporter of animal-welfare and the environment.
Cathy Kangas, New Canaan, Connecticut, 2012-Current
President and CEO, PRAI Beauty Group, Inc.; former member, HSUS National Council; director, Nowzad Dogs (UK); honorary advisor, Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA)(UK); founder of Beauty with a Cause, which receives a percentage of PRAI Beauty’s profits to help animal welfare organizations around the world.
Jonathan D. Kaufelt, Santa Monica, California, 2010-Current
Private investor; former tax and entertainment attorney, Los Angeles and New York; currently on boards and committees of The American Cinematheque, Rutgers Preparatory School, and the Redford Center, among others; past service as an officer and/or director of various private foundations, public charities, and for-profit private and public companies. Lifelong activist and supporter of environmental and animal welfare organizations.
Paula Kislak, D.V.M., Santa Barbara, California, 2008-Current
Partner, K-M Veterinary Services, Santa Barbara; director and president, Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association; member, Santa Barbara Ventura Veterinary Medical Association; former president and director, Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights; former president, Southern California Veterinary Medical Association, San Fernando Valley Chapter; former staff member, Greater Miami and San Diego animal shelters; consultant for greyhound protection organizations; political advocate and witness for animal protection legislation in Sacramento, Calif., and Washington, D.C.; trustee, National Parks Conservation Association
Jennifer Leaning, M.D., S.M.H., Lincoln, Massachusetts, 1991-Current
Vice Chair, HSUS Board of Directors; member, Executive Committee; Francois Xavier Professor of the Practice of Health and Human Rights, Harvard School of Public Health; associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School; director of the Francois Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health and Human Rights (Harvard University).
Kathleen M. Linehan, Esq., Washington, D.C., 2006-Current
Board Treasurer; member, Executive Committee; former executive, Altria Group, Inc., Washington, D.C. and Lausanne, Switzerland; former special assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Energy; director, the International Foundation for Election Systems and chair of their Governance Committee; supporter of numerous local humane foundations.
John Mackey, Austin, Texas, 2009-Current
Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market; board chair, Whole Planet Foundation; director, Conscious Capitalism, Farm Forward, Global Animal Partnership, and Gossamer Gear.
Mary I. Max, New York, New York, 2005-Current
Founder/executive director, Kind Green Planet (KGP); executive producer of KGP’s award-winning documentary Vegucated; former director, The Fund for Animals; director, Humane USA and The New York Coalition for Healthy School Food; recipient 2009 Mercy for Animals Art of Compassion award and 2004 Farm Sanctuary Activist of the Year award; full-time volunteer on behalf of animals.
Patrick L. McDonnell, Middlesex County, New Jersey, 2000-Current
Cartoonist; creator and author of the award-winning, internationally-syndicated comic strip Mutts®; author, children’s books; member and former secretary, National Cartoonists Society; director, The Fund for Animals; member of numerous advisory boards, including The HSUS Hollywood Office, Art for Animals, and Neighborhood Cats.
Judy Ney, New York, New York, 2005-Current
Former director and vice president, The Fund for Animals; former chair, National Corporate Fund for Dance (NY); former director, Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (NY), the United Negro College Fund and Canada-U.S. Fulbright Exchange Program; and honorary chair, American Friends of Canada.
Sharon Lee Patrick, New York, New York, 2008-Current
Chair, HSUS major gifts campaign and Strategic Initiatives and Resources Development Committee; member, Executive Committee; president, Patrick Partners; cofounder/former CEO, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia; president/COO, Rainbow Media Holdings; principal, McKinsey; board president, American Ballet Theatre; trustee, Jordan River Foundation, and World Monument Funds; creator, Outdoor Life Network; coproducer, "Petkeeping with Marc Marrone"; strategic architect, Wolfgang Puck WELL program; and advocate for animal protection legislation.
Judy J. Peil, St. Louis, Missouri, 1998-Current
Former member, board of directors, Animal Protective Association of Missouri; founder, Braveheart Animal Sanctuary; retired advisory board member, Virtuoso, Ltd. and Abercrombie & Kent, Inc.; member, The St. Louis Forum, the Institute of Certified Travel Agents; CTC-awarded owner and president of a St. Louis-based travel company; recognized specialist in African travel.
Marian G. Probst, New York, New York, 2005-Current
Chair, The Fund for Animals; director, Humane Society Legislative Fund; director, Doris Day Animal League; former director, secretary-treasurer, president and chair, The Fund for Animals; former assistant to Cleveland Amory; lifelong advocate for animals.
Jonathan M. Ratner, Shaker Heights, Ohio, 2011-Current
Vice President of Sustainability Initiatives, Forest City Enterprises, Inc. (Cleveland); member, Real Estate Roundtable, Sustainability Policy Advisory Committee; member, U.S. Green Building Council, Market Advisory Committee; member, Urban Land Institute, Sustainable Development Council; panelist and speaker at numerous national conferences and events relating to sustainable development; director, Ohioans for Humane Farms.
Joshua S. Reichert, Ph.D., Washington, D.C., 2005-Current
Chair, Strategic Policy Committee; member, Executive Committee; managing director, Pew Environment Group; former vice president for conservation, Conservation International; chief architect and founder of various environmental organizations and programs, including Oceana, the National Environmental Trust, SeaWeb, Earth Force, The Ocean Law Project, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Clear the Air, the Pew Institute for Ocean Science, the Ocean Wildlife Campaign, the Pew Oceans Commission and the Campaign for America’s Wilderness.
Walter J. Stewart, Esq. Washington, D.C., 2003-Current
Chair, Officer Evaluation, Compensation and Nominating Committee and Legal, Ethics and Bylaws Committee; member, Executive Committee; partner, Peck, Madigan, Jones & Stewart, Inc.; former Secretary of the United States Senate; chairman, Congressional Education Foundation; founding member and chairman, Greater Lewes Foundation (Delaware).
Andrew Weinstein, Washington, D.C., 2006-Current
Chair, Finance Committee and Committee on Humane Venture Capital; member, Executive Committee; head of communications, LivingSocial; director, Washington Humane Society; former vice president and chief spokesperson, AOL; former deputy press secretary, Office of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Jason Weiss, Pacific Palisades, California, 2010-Current
Chair, Investment and Pension Trust Committee and Risk Management Committee; owner of private equity firm Terrapin Palisades Ventures LLC and general partner of multiple investment partnerships with primary focus on agriculture; director, Boise Inc. (NYSE:BZ), Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp. (NASDAQ:GLDD), and Equipois; former managing partner, Terrapin Partners LLC; former CEO, Aldabra 2 Acquisition Corp. and Aldabra Acquisition Corp.; supporter of Karma Rescue (Los Angeles) and recipient of Karma Rescue’s Mikey Award.
David O. Wiebers, M.D., Overland Park, Kansas, 1990-Current
Chair, Board Development Committee; member, Executive Committee; former chair, HSUS Board of Directors; founding chair, HSUS Scientific Advisory Council; director, Fund for Animals and Doris Day Animal League; former director, World Society for the Protection of Animals; chair board of directors, Humane Society Legislative Fund; chairman and chief medical officer, Preventive Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland; emeritus professor of neurology and former division chair, professor, and consultant in neurology and clinical epidemiology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Medical School, Rochester, Minnesota; member, various professional organizations and numerous organizations concerned with animal protection.
Lona Williams, Los Angeles, California, 2009-Current
Television and Film writer and producer whose credits include, among many others, "The Drew Carey Show" and two original films for New Line Cinema, "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and "Sugar and Spice"; member, Writers Guild of America, West; political fundraiser; long-time animal and environmental protectionist with special ties to Best Friends Animal Society (Utah) and the Animal Adoption Center in Jackson, Wyoming.