What We Do
United by a common vision of mainstreaming animal interests, we promote an equitable world with just transitions, employing overarching systems thinking approaches to arrive at positive outcomes for animals, people and our planet.
Board of Directors
President
Jessika Ava is the CEO and founder of Thrive Philanthropy, a global grantmaker that amplifies plant-based food systems and accelerates alternatives to industrial animal agriculture worldwide. Her notable experience includes NGO management, global grant-making, statistical program evaluations, and Asian street animal welfare. She has been involved in India’s vegan advocacy and street animal welfare movements since 2010. She holds an MS in Biostatistics and an MPA in Non-Profit Management and Program Evaluation and sits as Board President of A Just World, Board Chair of Out to Pasture Animal Sanctuary, and Board member of Animal Alliance Asia. She is an ethical vegan.
Board secretary
Sarah is the CEO of the Asia for Animals Coalition, the largest network of animal protection organizations in the world working to unite the movement for animals. Over the years, Sarah has spent her time coordinating everything from musicians to festivals to fundraising events to animal rescue programmes and TNVR and has undertaken training in yoga and compassion fatigue/burnout. She has worked for almost a decade at Animals Asia, in fundraising, event management and captive animal welfare. She has consulted for the World Federation for Animals, setting up their membership department, and since 2018 has dedicated her time to building the Asia for Animals Coalition. Sarah has grown the coalition to a large team of dedicated coordinators who address some of the most crucial animal protection issues in Asia and ensure AfA is a central and welcoming arena for all NGOs across Asia to come to for support.
Sarah firmly believes in the power of collaboration, of uniting the movement and meeting people ‘where they are at’. Sarah is proudly vegan and acknowledges her privilege in being able to work towards a world of animal liberation.
Board Treasurer
Dawn Moncrief is the founder and president of A Well-Fed World, a global food security, hunger relief, and climate advocacy organization advancing the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. She is a graduate of the Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership and holds two master’s degrees from The George Washington University: one in International Relations, the other in Women’s Studies – both with a focus on economic development. For more than two decades, her work has highlighted the ways in which the consumption and production of animal-sourced foods increase economic disparities and exacerbate global hunger, especially for women and girls. She also draws attention to the devastating impact of animal agriculture as a major driver of natural resource depletion and climate destruction. Dawn is the Board Chair of ProVeg International and Beyond Carnism, Board Director for Thrive Philanthropy and A Just World, and co-chair of the Food and Climate Alliance. She has presented throughout the U.S., U.K., Europe, and Africa. Her publications include contributions in: Food Justice: A Primer, The Reducetarian Solution, and Circles of Compassion. Team
Founder and strategist
Varda Mehrotra is an animal advocate and movement builder, exploring intersectional solutions. Most recently, she founded Samayu to undertake intersectional work and apply a systems approach for issues surrounding justice and animals in food systems. Under her decade-long leadership, FIAPO – India’s federation for animal organisations – was recognized as one of the most effective animal charities. She has spearheaded several large-scale undercover investigations, campaigns for farmed animals, companion animals and wild animals and was the architect of India’s largest plant-based advocacy network, which has created many animal advocate leaders in the country. Prior to that, she spent several years organising within the grassroot movement in Scotland.
Operations Manager
Meghana Rajanahally is the Finance and Operations Manager for Thrive Philanthropy. She has previously worked as a marine biologist, animal rights advocate, social justice community organiser, administrator and event manager with diverse international and local grassroots experience. Her extensive travel and experiences working in and with peers from numerous countries and cultures give Meghana a huge advantage in dealing with people around the world and global issues, with a lens of decolonisation, intersectionality and transformative justice. She holds an MSc in Marine Biology, a Graduate Diploma in Marine Biology and a BSc in Biological Sciences focusing on Microbiology.