speakers

Allison Penner is the Executive Director of Reimagine Agriculture (ReAg), a non-profit focused on creating a sustainable, resilient, and compassionate food system. Her experience includes working with multiple law schools to develop a roadmap on policy solutions to food waste, supervising knowledge mobilization activities, and developing policy campaigns focused on cultivated meat and food waste and loss. Allison has an educational background in Environmental Governance with a minor in Political Science and was recently selected as one of the Clean50 Emerging Leaders and Corporate Knights 30 under 30 for her contribution toward sustainable food systems in Canada. 

As the CEO of Humane Canada, the federation of humane societies and SPCAs, Barbara convenes and represents the largest animal welfare community in Canada, working to end animal cruelty, improve animal protection and promote the humane treatment of all animals. 

Barbara is sought after for her expertise in policy and public affairs, having secured amendments to the Criminal Code, Fisheries Act, Migratory Birds Act, and Canadian Environmental Protection Act. In 2019, she helped secure a ban on cetacean captivity, as well as strengthen animal fighting offences, close loopholes in the bestiality offences, and ensure abusers convicted of animal sexual assault are listed on the Sex Offender Registry. Barbara has advised some of the world's top organizations on animal welfare policy direction, including collaborating with online giant eBay Inc. to eliminate the illegal ivory trade on its site worldwide. 

In her current role, Barbara launched the Summit for Animals (previously known as the National Animal Welfare Conference), the National Centre for the Prosecution of Animal Cruelty (NCPAC), the National Violence Link Coalition and conference, as well as spearheaded the first animal Shelter Accreditation Program in Canada.  

Barbara holds a Master's in Environmental Education and Communication, is a published author and lecturer, and received the Governor General’s Gold Medal. Previously, she served as President of the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada. She currently sits on the Boards of PetSmart Charities of Canada and the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center in the Congo. Barbara has been recognized as one of 5 “WOW Woman” in Canada, is a member of Women’s Executive Network and the Council of Women Executives.

Darren Vanstone is a specialist in animal welfare and sustainability policy and sourcing. He works with organizations that rely on animals and animal products on sustainable sourcing policy, implementation, and stakeholder management. Darren’s clients include a broad range of food and consumer packaged goods companies, industry collaborations, and civil society organizations in the human and pet food, manufacturing, apparel, and alternative protein industries. He is an advisor for a Brazilian sustainable sourcing initiative and an alternative protein company. He is Managing Director of Ocatra, a consultancy network. 

Dr. Craig Stephen works globally with all levels of government, the non-profit sector, community groups, universities and industry on health issues at the nexus of people, animals and environments.  
 
He is internationally recognized for his contributions to the development of One Health and in modernizing approaches to wildlife health. He consults internationally on strategic development of wildlife health and One Health programs to address the growing polycrisis; this work has been recognized through his appointment as Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.  

Craig is a veterinarian and epidemiologist who acts as the director of the McEachran Institute, a Canadian non-profit dedicated to provoking disruptive thinking about policy and practices that protect animals, health, and society in a rapidly changing future. 

David Fraser is Professor Emeritus in the Animal Welfare Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC). After studying animal behaviour at the Universities of Toronto and Glasgow, he worked at the Edinburgh School for Agriculture, doing some of the earliest research on the welfare of animals kept under intensive farming conditions. He then spent six years in wildlife research in Ontario where he established the role of highway de-icing salt in road accidents involving moose. In the 1980s and 90s he led a team of researchers dealing with the welfare of pigs.  

He has been at UBC since 1997 and has served as a scientific advisor to many international organizations. He is the author of the textbook, Understanding Animal Welfare: The Science in its Cultural Context (Wiley-Blackwell, 2023) and in 2005 he was appointed a member of the Order of Canada for his work as a pioneer in the application of science to animal welfare. 

Dr. Ellen Denstedt is a Canadian veterinarian who completed an MSc. in Wildlife Forensics and Conservation at the University of Florida and delivers lectures on wildlife forensics to final-year veterinary students at the Ontario Veterinary College.  

Dr. Denstedt has provided veterinary expertise on criminal wildlife cases in Canada and strongly advocates on the importance of veterinarian involvement and collaboration with other agencies on wildlife forensic cases. Dr. Denstedt is also heavily involved in wildlife forensics abroad, serving as the Canadian Ambassador for the Wildlife Forensic Academy in Cape Town, South Africa as well as Liaison Officer for WildAssist Africa, a Botswana-based conservation organization providing on-the-ground training on wildlife crime scene processing in the field. 

Dr. Denstedt is a member of the International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association, Society for Wildlife Forensic Sciences and the International Society for Animal Forensic Sciences. 

Wildlife forensic science is an ever-evolving, dynamic field and Dr. Denstedt eagerly looks forward to seeing more veterinary involvement in the pursuit of protecting some of the world’s most vulnerable species. 

Dr. Joseph LeBlanc, PhD, is Associate Vice-President of Equity and Inclusion and Assistant Professor of Indigenous Health at NOSM University. He also serves as Vice-President of Social Accountability at the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada. A member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, Dr. LeBlanc is recognized for his leadership in Indigenous food systems, community development, and advancing equity in medical education. 

Katie is an independent researcher and an Associate Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. Her current research focuses on animal welfare and environmental ethics. She obtained her D. Phil in Theology and Religion from the University of Oxford where she studied non-Western (primarily Indian) views of freedom and ethics. During her time at Princeton University Center for Human Values, she co-taught The Ethics of Eating course. She is also the lead author of the book The Ethics of Predator Control: A Scottish Case Study (forthcoming with Routledge). 

Dr. Masika Sophie is the Global Health Policy Manager at the World Federation for Animals (WFA). She leads high-level policy engagement with United Nations (UN) entities and governments.  

With World Health Organization (WHO) on the Pandemic Treaty, the UN General Assembly on the Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) on AMR in agrifood systems, WOAH (World Organisation for Animal Health) on the animal welfare standards and the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) on the nexus of health and the triple planetary crisis. 

She serves on the Steering Committee of the Quadripartite-led AMR Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform and leads a global Action Group focused on AMR and animal welfare nexus. She is also an Advisory Committee member of the Alliance for Human and Animal Co-Existence (AHAC), an e-trainer with FAO on Women’s Leadership in One Health, and an alumna of the Gates Foundation's WomenLift Health Leadership Fellowship. 

In her earlier career, she served as Chief Veterinary Officer within Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture, an Epidemiologist in the National COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Taskforce, and a researcher on zoonotic viruses in wild primates at Kenya Institute of Primate Research, with additional work in wildlife conservation of Pangolins. 

She brings over a decade of experience spanning government, non-governmental organizations, international institutions, and the UN. 

Dr. Michele Anholt completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1985. Most of the next 22 years was spent in companion animal practice in British Columbia and Alberta.

Deciding on a midlife career change, she returned to school and completed a PhD in Veterinary Epidemiology at UCVM. For the following 6 years, she worked with government, non-governmental, and industry organizations, tackling a range of research questions in beef, poultry, wildlife, and people.

In 2019, she returned to the University of Calgary as the manager of One Health to help develop and advance transdisciplinary research approaches to complex human and animal health issues, as well as biodiversity, conservation, and sustainability challenges. She is now mostly retired but is happy to be back helping coordinate the OHSI2025. 

Rachel Boratto, PhD, is a wildlife trade specialist with the Monitor Conservation Research Society. She has a background in zoology and conservation and holds a PhD in Criminal Justice. Her international work focuses on the nexus of conservation and regulatory compliance, particularly issues related to illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade.

Dr. Susan Kilborn received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. After several years of emergency and critical care practice in Winnipeg, she completed a post-graduate degree in epidemiology and acid-based physiology - DVSc program in Clinical Studies at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. 

She became board certified in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 1995. Dr Kilborn has been the Ottawa region and One Health director for Community Veterinary Outreach since 2005 and is now Chief Operating officer of the national charity. Dr. Kilborn was the recipient of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Small Animal Practitioner Award in 2015. She is passionate about accessible care issues in the profession and serving vulnerable clients. 

Community Veterinary Outreach is a Canadian and US registered charity that provides pro bono veterinary care to pets of unhoused, street-involved, and vulnerably housed adults and youth, while providing health and social services for the clients. For more information, please visit vetoutreach.org.   

Heather McLeod-Kilmurray  is a Food law professor at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law (Centre for Environmental Law and Global Sustainability (CELGS)). Her research deals with food law, particularly food waste and sustainable food systems. She co-edited the book Canadian Food Law and Policy with Profs. Nathalie Chalifour and Angela Lee.  

Heather teaches Food Law, Torts, and Climate Change and Legal Change, and is a member of the Canadian Association of Food Law and Policy (CAFLP), a part-time member of the Environmental Protection Tribunal of Canada, and a member of the Ottawa Food Policy Council. 

Joseph is Director of the Oxford Martin Programme on Food Sustainability at the University of Oxford. He has created some of the most widely used datasets describing the environmental impacts of food products and quantifying the environmental benefits of vegan and vegetarian diets. His work has been featured in the New York Times, CBC, The Guardian, BBC, Le Monde, and many other news outlets globally. 

Kristen Rodrigues is the Senior Director of Programs at Veterinarians Without Borders Canada, where she leads cross-sectoral initiatives that strengthen the health of people, animals, and ecosystems through inclusive, community-based approaches. With over 15 years of experience in global health and sustainable development, Kristen has worked across Africa and Asia to implement gender-transformative strategies that bridge environmental, animal, and human health systems. Her portfolio includes the oversight of the COHERS project in Rwanda and Senegal, a pioneering One Health initiative that empowers women to lead zoonotic disease prevention and response in high-risk rural communities. Kristen holds a Master’s in Development Practice and brings deep expertise in One Health, gender equity, and participatory systems change. 

Meagan Lortie (she/her) works at the intersection of Indigenous rights and environmental justice. As Manager of Indigenous Relations at the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, she actively disrupts colonial conservation models by centering Indigenous knowledge systems and sovereignty. She holds a unique lived experience from both her German/ English settler family, and their relations to Anishinaabe of Serpent River. 
 
Through Ethical Space and Etuaptmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing), Meagan challenges dominant paradigms and builds pathways for reciprocal, respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Initiatives like Uncovering Common Ground reflect her commitment to reclaiming space for Indigenous leadership in shaping just, sustainable futures. Meagan’s efforts are rooted in decolonizing environmental practice and restoring balance through Indigenous-led solutions. 

Melanie is a Registered Social Worker with nearly 20 years of experience supporting marginalized communities, many of whom are dedicated pet parents. Through her work, she has witnessed firsthand the profound role animals play in enhancing well-being. She is passionate about honoring this bond by thoughtfully integrating pets into conversations, goal-setting, and therapeutic interventions. 

Melanie works full-time in community mental health, delivering trauma‑informed case management services with a strong foundation in advocacy, education, and awareness of the human–animal bond. Recognizing the challenges of accessibility, affordability, and availability, she has dedicated significant efforts to supporting both colleagues and clients—connecting them with resources and facilitating engaging and informative workshops. Her work helps ensure that clients and their pets can remain together, fostering stability and well‑being for both. She also runs a part-time private practice specializing in pet loss, helping pet parents transition from a relationship of presence to one of memory. 

Melanie earned her Master of Social Work (MSW) from Dalhousie University, where she specialized in exploring the vital connection between people and their pets. For her MSW placement, she partnered with Community Veterinary Outreach (CVO) to design a mental health and social support service for marginalized individuals attending their Ottawa region clinic. She continues to volunteer, facilitating and expanding the service while engaging more community professionals to help meet the growing need for support.

Oli Pero is a Deputy Manager – Planning and Projects at The Canadian Red Cross in Quebec. She is responsible for facilitating decision-making within the team by gathering, analyzing, and sharing key information regarding the actual or anticipated evolution of an event, as well as the potential impacts on the operations of the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) and the individuals receiving their services.  

A strong advocate for inclusive emergency planning, Oli champions efforts to keep pets and their families together during evacuations. 

Beyond her role at the Red Cross, Oli is a dedicated animal welfare advocate. As the founder of Animals Need Me, she works to improve the lives of stray animals in her native Albania through rescue, legal advocacy, municipal collaboration, and public education on responsible pet ownership. Her work reflects a deep commitment to humane policy and community engagement. 

Samantha Larose-Berry is the Manager of One Health at the University of Calgary and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. She received her Master of Science in Epidemiology with a focus on health services research from Western University in 2014. She then returned home to Calgary and worked for Alberta Health Services as a Quality & Evaluation Specialist. Following this, she jumped into the world of strategic consulting, which led her to work with health systems and service organizations from across Alberta and internationally. In 2018, her passion for evaluation led her to obtain her Credentialed Evaluator (CE) designation. Before starting her role at the University of Calgary, she provided strategic support to a hospital in Siem Reap, Cambodia. 
 
Samantha’s career has led her to work with a variety of stakeholders – from academic leaders and researchers to frontline healthcare workers, veterinarians, and patients in local and international settings. She enjoys working with transdisciplinary teams to tackle complex problems, such as antimicrobial resistance. In her spare time, Samantha can be found at the swimming pool or travelling with her family. 

Sue is a survivor of gender-based violence. She is the manager of the Promising Practices Project at Humane Canada and is a settler on Turtle Island. Sue has managed the Promising Practices Project, focusing on engaging men and boys as allies in preventing gender-based violence through humane education, as well as the ACT Project, focusing on supporting survivors of gender-based violence with animals. Both projects were funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE). Sue is a Master's of Women and Gender Studies candidate at Saint Mary’s University and recipient of an SSHRC grant to fund her thesis research. Sue’s thesis research is focused on the impact of farmed, working, and larger companion animals on the safety decision-making of survivors of gender-based violence.

Sue is a Master of Education graduate from Western University, whose project work focused on the entanglement of violence towards animals, humans and the environment within education. Sue has worked for 5+ years in gender-based violence services, specifically in emergency GBV shelter and community services, in addition to working in fields such as mental health services, employment services, and education. Sue is the pet guardian to a cat named Mew Mew.