Speakers and Contributors

Alex Berney

Kirkpatrick Policy Group Board Member

Matt Biggar

Founder & Principal, Connected to Place

Michael J. Blackwell

Assistant Surgeon General and Director, Program for Pet Health Equity

Kelly Burley

Director, Common Bonds

Jeremiah Davis

Artistic Director, Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center

Rachel Dreskin

CEO, Plant Based Foods Association

Drew Edmondson

Former Oklahoma Attorney General and District Attorney

Holly Fearnbach

Marine Mammal Research Director, SR3

Priscilla Forehand

Cat Café Curator

Jon Gary

Superintendent, City of Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Division

Matt Goodwin

ANIMAL Conference Social Media Specialist; Founder and CEO, Brave and Creative LLC

Brian Hare

Author of The Genius of Dogs and co-founder of Dognition

John Herrington

Retired United States Naval Aviator, Test Pilot, and Former NASA Astronaut

Amy Johnson

School Director & Graphic Design Program Division Head, University of Central Oklahoma

Christian Keesee

Chairman, Kirkpatrick Foundation

Pam Kingfisher

Consultant, Shining Waters Consulting

Paul Kirbas

President and CEO of the Graduate Theological Foundation

Abby Levine

Director of the Bolder Advocacy Program

Michelle Lute

National Carnivore Conservation Manager for Project Coyote

Amanda Maxfield Green

United States Magistrate Judge Western District of Oklahoma

Joe Maxwell

Founder, Family Farm Action

Louisa McCune

Executive Director, Kirkpatrick Foundation

Casey McLean

Executive Director & Veterinary Nurse, Sealife Response + Rehab + Research, SR3

Chad Mount

Contributing Artist

Manda Overturf Shank

Conference Organizer, Program Officer, Kirkpatrick Foundation

Wayne Pacelle

President, The Center for a Humane Economy

James Pepper Henry

Executive Director, First Americans Museum

Joshua Plotnik

Conservation Behavior Researcher of the intelligence of elephants

Carlos Risco

Dean, Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences

Andrew Rowan

Animal Grantmakers Founding Member

Alana Ruiz de la Peña

Creative Contributor

Nancy E. Snow

Philosopher and Director, Institute for the Study of Human Flourishing at the University of Oklahoma

Jamee Suarez

2021 Kirkpatrick Honor for Animal Wellbeing recipient

Robin Suarez

2021 Kirkpatrick Honor for Animal Wellbeing recipient

Philip Tedeschi

Executive Director, the Institute for Human-Animal Connection, University of Denver

Brent Toellner

Regional Director of the South Central and Great Plains Regions, Best Friends Animal Society

Eddie Walker

Executive Director, Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center