Animal Welfare and Biodiversity Conservation

The NEXUS Working Group on Animal Welfare & Biodiversity Conservation aims to restore a caring and respectful relationship with nature by addressing the culture of separation that currently exists.
History of the Working Group

The NEXUS Working Group on Animal Welfare & Biodiversity Conservation launched in early 2016 aspiring to mobilize NEXUS membership to tackle Animal Welfare & Biodiversity Conservation issues globally. Through the commitment and passion of an international community of NEXUS members, the NEXUS Working Group on Animal Welfare & Biodiversity Conservation empowers members to be leaders by helping them connect and learn from one another and with leaders and experts in the field. The Working Group is Co-chaired by NEXUS members Liza Heavener and Aimee Gilbreath.

 

Mission

The NEXUS Working Group on Animal Welfare & Biodiversity Conservation will work to restore a caring and respectful relationship with nature by addressing the culture of separation that currently exists. We will uncover and address the different levels at which the environment and animals are mistreated or used in unsustainable ways for both commercial and non-commercial purposes. We want to inspire, educate, empower, and collaborate through a broad spectrum of topics and innovative solutions in the animal welfare & biodiversity conservation space. This online community will serve as a forum and space for NEXUS members to share information, network, brainstorm ideas, attend events and collaborate.

OUR AMBASSADORS

Aimee Gilbreath

Aimee Gilbreath

NEXUS Working Group Co-Chair for Animal Welfare
Aimee Gilbreath is the Executive Director of the Michelson Found Animals Foundation, a Los Angeles based nonprofit focused on Saving Pets, Enriching Lives. Aimee joined Found Animals as its first full-time employee in March 2008 and has been responsible for launching the Foundation’s wide range of innovative programs. Under her leadership the Foundation has grown to over 70 employees and 1,000 active volunteers who 

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will give 65,000 hours this year. Found Animals’ programs, which span from traditional philanthropy to prize and venture philanthropy as well as social enterprise, focus on key levers to reduce animal shelter intake and euthanasia. Found Animals also operates two social enterprise businesses. Nationally, the Foundation provides affordable microchips and scanners to shelters and animal welfare organizations, along with a state of the art universal registry. In Los Angeles, the foundation operates two retail adoption centers that adopt thousands of shelter pets each year.

Prior to joining the Michelson Found Animals Foundation, Aimee was a Principal with the Boston Consulting Group where she led teams to solve complex business problems for Fortune 500 clients. She holds a B.S. from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Stanford University. Aimee lives in Santa Monica, CA with her husband and their beloved pit bull Rufus.

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Frohman Anderson

Frohman Anderson

NEXUS Working Group Co-Chair for Animal Welfare
Frohman is Co-Chair of the Animal Welfare and Biodiversity Conservation working group. As an impact investor, social entrepreneur and environmental and animal rights advocate, Frohman is passionate about illuminating the externalities of raising animals for food on the natural world, public health, economies and animal welfare. As a senior in high school Frohman co-founded Pure Haven Essentials, a brand of non-toxic

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and organic personal care products, to spread awareness of the human and environmental health effects of common everyday products.

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While operating Pure Haven, Frohman graduated from Dartmouth College in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and a focus on Sustainable Development. Frohman continued to operate Pure Haven until its acquisition in 2016. He then launched EverHope Capital, a private venture capital fund investing in innovative alternatives to animal-based products. In addition to managing EverHope, Frohman is an associate with New Crop Capital, which invests with the complimentary thesis that ‘conventional animal agriculture is an antiquated and inefficient production system with serious vulnerabilities’.

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Liza Heavener

Liza Heavener

Working Group Co-Chair for Animal Welfare, COO NEXUS
Liza Heavener is the Chief Operating Officer at NEXUS. She has wide-ranging experience working nearly ten years in federal politics, grassroots and campaign strategy and with the United States Congress. Liza was a healthcare lobbyist a national advocacy program engaging hundreds of thousands of advocates across the country. She was also a founding member of an organization

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dedicated to stopping deforestation in  Borneo, Indonesia and assisted in building an orangutan rehabilitation center in the rainforests of Borneo.

Liza chairs the NEXUS Working Group on Animal Welfare and Biodiversity Conservation she also serves as an Advisor to the Millennial Action Project and White Coat Waste Project as well as President of the Alumni Council for Eastern Mennonite University.

Liza had a feature role in the internationally-acclaimed documentary and tv series, “Eco-Warriors,” and has spoken at conferences across the country including a keynote presentation at Microsoft’s ISTE conference.

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Overview of Key Issues

Human and animal populations have evolved together for millions of years developing bonds of interdependency and mutual benefit. As our 21st century civilization urbanizes, humans become less connected to animals and the natural world. Stray animal populations are on the rise, leading to inhumane practices and abuse. The destruction of biodiversity reduces the health of ecosystems and harms pharmacological, agricultural, and eco-tourism related development. The world is experiencing rapid global decline in biodiversity and animal welfare.

Organizations We Support:

Our Programming

Speaker Series

Speakers series by call experts and organization leaders in the Animal Welfare & Biodiversity Conservation space

Learning Journeys

Experiential Learning Journeys to conservation site visits across the world

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Delegations

Delegations to animal welfare & biodiversity conservation conferences and speaking opportunities for NEXUS members

Exclusive Salons

Salon dinners with international speakers in intimate settings organized globally (usually for 30 members)

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Public Advocacy

Public advocacy on behalf of important causes and NGOs doing critical work in the conservation field

Get Involved with Animal Welfare

To see what salons, delegations and other events are upcoming, please reach out. Most Animal Welfare Working Group events are limited to members only. Not a member? Membership is based on your application, acceptance and attendance to a multi-day event. Click here to see our next upcoming summits or forums.

 

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