Who is Four Feet Forward?
Board Members
Dara Lovitz - Dara is a senior associate at the law firm of Schutjer Bogar, LLC, where she manages the firm’s Philadelphia office and oversees its New Jersey practice. She focuses her practice in Medicaid eligibility, regulatory compliance, civil litigation, and serves as Chair of the firm’s Liability Defense Group. She earned her B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law, through which she was the recipient of both the Law Faculty Scholarship and the Barrister Award. She was selected by her classmates to be the class speaker at Temple 's graduation ceremony. With regard to her pro-bono practice, Ms. Lovitz served as special prosecutor in Commonwealth v. Esbenshade, the pivotal Pennsylvania case in which the Court will determine the criminal liability of a battery cage farm owner and supervisor. Ms. Lovitz is also legal consultant to Mercy For Animals, legal chair to the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Sierra Club, and Adjunct Professor of Animal Law at Temple University Beasley School of Law.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alan Nemeth - Alan, a member of the MD, DC, and US Supreme Court Bars has long been interested in animal welfare. Alan has represented animal sanctuaries and has worked with animal rescue groups. He also has extensive legislative experience, having interned with Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Congressman Michael D. Barnes, as well having participated in politics from the local level to the White House. He is a graduate of the Washington College of Law/American University, the founder and immediate past chair of the Maryland State Bar Association's Animal Law Section, and an attorney member of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. Alan is an adjunct professor of animal law at the Washington College of Law/American University.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Sugalski - Adam, resident of Jacksonville, Florida, has dedicated his life to environmental issues and vegetarianism for many years. His concern for the environment became evident in high school, when he began recycling on the campus of St. Andrews High School in Boca Raton, as well as helped found the Environmental Club. He graduated in 1996 from University of North Florida with a BA in Art and Photography. One of his first projects was to do pro-bono logo work for Earth First. He went on to become an instructor for two years at the University of North Florida graphic design program. Other work has included being Art Director for several large design agencies in Jacksonville, Florida and conducting an online usability study for the city of Jacksonville's website. Adam is a long-time supporter of PETA, Greenpeace, and Oceana.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carter Dillard - Carter, a member of the California Bar, worked as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice and legal advisor to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security before focusing primarily on animal law. He has represented and advised In Defense of Animals, Inc., and Compassion Over Killing, Inc., on issues such as public access to government records, false advertising, municipal law, the Endangered Species Act, and nuisance law. He is currently Of Counsel to the Animal Protection Litigation section of the Humane Society of the United States.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Courtney Dillard - Courtney is a professor at Willamette University in the Department of Rhetoric and Media Studies. Her research agenda is focused on persuasion and social change. She has spent the last 10 years working with and studying the animal advocacy movement, particularly its discourse. She wrote her master's thesis on the protest surrounding the pigeon shoot in Hegins, PA and her dissertation on the rhetorical relationship between moderates and radicals in the animal movement. Recently, Courtney has become involved in Democratic politics believing that every progressive cause, including animal advocacy, will be kept back until there is major political change. She is currently putting the finishing touches on her first book, The Progressive’s Pocketbook of Persuasion. During the 2004 elections, she served as Speaker Trainer for the Kerry/Edwards campaign in Oregon, as well as volunteering her time in other campaign capacities.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matt Webber - Matthew is a Community Organizer in Portland, OR - working the past several years for a state-wide affordable health care advocacy group. Matthew has spent the majority of his life, professionally and as a volunteer, dedicated to an array of social justice issues. A graduate from the University of Montana in Missoula, he was a participant in the Environmental Organizing Semester (EOS), a semester-long advocacy training program in grassroots politics. Matthew’s experience includes extensive field and legislative work, lobbying, canvassing, campaign management, and volunteer recruitment to empower individuals to take a greater role as leaders within their local communities.
Consultants (Law)
Michael Bhotiwihok defends non-citizens in immigration courts. He lives with his keeshond and chow in Miami, Florida. J.D. Nova Southeastern University, 2001; B.A. Political Science, University of North Carolina, 1997; Admitted to the Florida Bar and the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vicki Steiner - Vicki, together with R. Michael Collum, co-founded the law firm of Collum & Steiner, LLP in 2005. At Collum & Steiner, LLP, Vicki's civil law practice focuses on appellate advocacy, intellectual property, family law, and legal representation in the context of social justice movements. While a student at the UCLA School of Law, Vicki became involved with legislative advocacy to advance the interests of animals and to increase the opportunities of persons with disabilities. As a student, Vicki co-authored opinion letters concerning the cruelty inherent in performances involving wild animals and legislation implicating animal protection issues, as well as co-authored a local ordinance banning the practice of de-clawing cats. Vicki continues her advocacy efforts by counseling and representing nonprofit organizations dedicated to animal protection and drafting laws to improve the lives of animals. Vicki also serves as advisor to UCLAW's animal advocacy and law program. In 2005, 2006, and again in 2007, Vicki was named a "Southern California Super Lawyer - Rising Star" by the publishers of “Los Angeles Magazine” and “The Journal for Law and Politics.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teresa J. Bryan - Teresa is a 2004 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center. During law school, Ms. Bryan co-founded the Georgetown chapter of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. Ms. Bryan is currently an associate at Thelen, Reid & Priest LLP and is barred in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mila Zain - Mila is a 2004 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center. During law school, Ms. Zain co-founded the Georgetown Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, and wrote a paper about first amendment issues related to factory farming for an Animal Law course taught by Prof. Valerie Stanley. Ms. Zain is currently an attorney with the Animal Protection Litigation section of the Humane Society of the United States., and is barred in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Penny Ellison - Ms. Ellison is Circuit Mediator for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and teaches Animal Law and Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Before joining the Court of Appeals, she was a partner with the Philadelphia law firm of Dilworth Paxson LLP where she practiced commercial litigation for 16 years. Her litigation practice was broad-based, focusing on complex commercial cases but also including employment litigation, civil rights cases, and bankruptcy matters. While at Dilworth, she served as Hiring Partner, Marketing Chair and Strategic Planning Co-Chair. She received her B.S. in Mathematics from Pennsylvania State University and her J.D. cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School where she was an Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barbara Graham - Ms. Graham brings more than 18 years experience to an AV rated law practice with an emphasis on civil rights, criminal defense and animal law. As cases involving animals became an increasingly larger share of her practice, Ms. Graham developed extensive knowledge of animal law, with one case resulting in a published opinion from the appellate court in Maryland on liability for dog bites. Ms. Graham has litigated against deer hunting for the HSUS, challenged ordinances banning pit bulls, and represented a variety of individual pet owners in claims against veterinarians, pet stores and breeders. Ms. Graham is licensed to practice in Maryland and the District of Columbia as well as the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. She continues to fight for the rights of animals from her office in Rockville, MD.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cori Menkin - Cori, Program Counsel to the Government Affairs and Public Policy Department of the ASPCA, is a member of the New York bar. She received a B.A. in Philosophy from Rutgers College where she graduated in 1998 with high honors. She graduated from Pace University School of Law in White Plains, New York in 2001 with honors. At Pace, Cori was the managing editor of the Pace Law Review, a Merit Scholar, and a Ranking Scholar. She was also the vice president of the Public Interest Law Student’s Organization while at Pace. Prior to joining the ASPCA, Cori worked as a housing attorney at Westchester/Putnam Legal Services, where she assisted low-income families with matters such as eviction and public assistance. Ultimately, Cori’s lifetime love for animals led her to the ASPCA, where she has taken on the role of Program Counsel for the Government Affairs Department.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joan Epstein - Joan is a member of the Maryland, New Jersey, and the United States Court of Appeals Fourth Circuit bars. She has extensive litigation experience, including a judicial clerkship with a Federal Bankruptcy Judge. Joan’s passion for animals has led her to work with various animal welfare organizations as a volunteer and an advocate. Joan received her JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she served as staff editor and assistant publication editor of the Journal of Environmental Law. Joan received her LLM from the American University Washington College of Law. She sits on the Section Council of the Maryland State Bar Association Animal Law Section.
Consultants (Public Communication)
Ché Green - Ché is a former research analyst, investment banker, and business manager in the technology industry, Ché has considerable experience in consumer and market research. He has also worked in diverse areas of the U.S. animal advocacy movement, including co-coordination of the Northwest Animal Rights Network, one the nation's most active grassroots groups. Ché recently founded the Humane Research Council, a professional service organization designed to help make advocacy groups more effective through research. Ché's experience includes managing research projects, designing surveys and discussion guides, and measuring the effectiveness of materials, projects, and campaigns.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Evans (Web Development) - Robert Evans is a Senior Application Developer at Microsoft in the SIT division. Robert architected and lead the development of the MS internal infrastructure used for sales, support and distribution of products and services such as Xbox, Hotmail, and MSN. He is currently working on the internal systems used to for support and sales of packaged products such as Windows and Office. His specialty is large email systems and he has worked with both the Exchange Titanium and SQL ( Yukon) groups in design of their core email and spam prevention (IMF) products. Robert is an active Buddhist and has long been an advocate of animal protection and environmental conservation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Engle (Illustrator) - Jason Engle is the owner and operator of JAE Studios, an award winning illustration and design agency that offers services to an international list of clients in the entertainment and marketing industries. He has offered his services to a number of environmental causes and animal protection and awareness programs, donating design and illustration to help increase impact, circulation and awareness of beneficial marketing campaigns.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scott Talbott (Lobbying) - Scott Talbott is a lobbyist for the financial services industry. His recent work has included lobbying to pass the Class Action Reform bill. Scott has also worked on Bankruptcy Reform as well as tax and judicial issues. He received his B.A. from Georgetown University, cum laude, and his J.D. from George Mason University, School of Law.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jessica Anderson (Message Development) - Jessica is a freelance writer and educator in Colorado Springs, CO who is ardently committed to promoting compassion and justice for all beings. She holds an M.A. in English, in Communication Development, from Colorado State University. Her particular research focused on the discursive constructions of non-human and human identities, and how such (oftentimes) arbitrary conceptions can and do legitimize violence and exploitation. Jessica has enjoyed diverse experiences as a writer, advocate, educator, and (occasionally) paid worker. She has contributed to and consulted for numerous organizations and projects, including The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, Rocky Mountain Animal Defense, The Catamount Institute, and the Meat Free Monday campaign. She has served as the regional coordinator for The Vegetarian Society of Colorado, participated in FARM Animal Rights conferences, and was an attendee at the International Institute for Humane Education’s Sowing Seeds workshop in Boulder, CO. Jessica has worked as a copywriter and editor, events coordinator, youth advocate, and volunteer coordinator.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michelle Breeze (Message Development) - Addy award-winning writer Michelle Breeze is currently a Senior Copywriter with Erwin-Penland Advertising, a Hill Holiday Connors Cosmopolous company. In the last ten years she has published 19 biographies in the American National Biography with Oxford University Press, won National Achievement Awards in Public Service and Communications from the American Advertising Federation, was voted one of the Best and Brightest Under 35 in South Carolina and was named 2004 Ad Club Member of the year. She currently serves as secretary on the Greenville Ad Club board, as creative strategist on the Greenville Rape Crisis and Child Abuse Center board and as a volunteer for The Meyer Center for Special Children, The Hope for the Hounds Dog Days Fundraising Group and Hands on Greenville. She is a member in good standing with the Humane Society of the United States and supports Concerned Citizens for Animals, a no-kill shelter. She currently lives in Greenville with her husband, David, two dogs, Sinjun and Keira, and two cats, Flash and George.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Candell - John is a New York City–based graphic designer. He holds a BA in history from Wesleyan University
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brandon Gittelman - Brandon currently works at the investment bank Duff & Phelps, LLC, focusing primarily on merger and acquisition advisory, transaction opinions and financial strategy. Brandon also has significant experience within financial reporting, accounting, and other areas of corporate finance. He received his B.S. in Finance and Business Law from Pennsylvania State University, Smeal College of Business. Brandon has a passion for animal rights and is looking forward to becoming more involved with various animal advocacy organizations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joelle Katcher - I am a san francisco based graphic designer with over five years of corporate experience and eight years of freelance experience. Though my more recent work has primarily been in marketing design and branding, i can do most anything from business cards to websites. I am very concerned with environmental issues, social issues and animal welfare, and dream of one day using my creative talents to promote understanding and empathy towards these important causes. I attribute my professional success to my passion for creative expression and my education in graphic art and design where i learned to master programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark, Flash, Dreamweaver and many more.
