Dear John,
As some Nonhuman Rights Project supporters know, this organization has been my professional home for over a decade. After nine years as Communications Director—and over twelve years writing to many of you–I’m writing today to share that I’ll be leaving my role at the end of the year and to thank you.
In my experience, there’s a particular kind of bond that forms through words. Many of us have never met, and yet we’ve met in this shared space of support for animal rights—returning again and again to the question of how to make the world more just for nonhuman animals. I’ve always been keenly aware and appreciative of the fact that when you open an email from us, you’re doing so in the middle of your own life: your own joys and losses, busy days, private struggles, ordinary moments.
The same is of course true for members of the NhRP team when we write to you to convey what we’re doing, why it matters, the progress we’ve made, and the obstacles we’ve encountered. Speaking for myself, the last few years have been filled with joys like hiking in the woods and spending time with family and friends. They’ve also been marked by loss–the loss of my mom, who loved animals more than anyone I know, the loss of our founder Steve a month later, and the loss of my dad earlier this year.
Throughout this time and for 12 years before it, the Nonhuman Rights Project has given me a deep sense of purpose, and interacting with and learning more about the people who support our mission has given me a deep sense of connection. To spend my days fighting to end the exploitation of nonhuman animals alongside people who see their suffering so clearly—and who show up, again and again, with generosity, resolve, and heart—has meant more to me than I can express. It’s no small thing, amid everything else life asks of us, to stay connected in the service of something larger than ourselves, so thank you. Your willingness to stay engaged and committed even when the work is hard has carried this fight forward and will continue to.
And now, the time has come for me to take a much-needed break. I’ll be spending the next few months in close company with my canine companion Strider, who’s been with me for about as long as I’ve been Communications Director of the NhRP. Between when I started and now, the brindle on his face and paws has slowly turned white. He moves more slowly these days. Right now he’s half-sleeping next to me on one of his many beds, checking now and then to see if I’m finished writing because he knows it’s close to dinnertime (it’s 1 p.m.).
The NhRP will hire my replacement early in early 2026, and I wish our new Communications Director every success as they step into this role. It’s been an incredible honor to work for an organization so grounded in the belief that nonhuman animal suffering matters and that nonhuman animals deserve justice. I’ll miss not just supporters like you but also my brilliant, dedicated, kind colleagues. While I’m leaving this role, I’ll always be part of the fight for nonhuman rights and I look forward to following the NhRP’s work in the year ahead.
