Meet the team
For general inquiries, advocacy, membership, or avian certifications, please use the form on our contact us page. View current job openings here.
Staff
Sandy Moore
Chief Executive Officer
[email protected]
Liz Boyd
Executive Assistant
[email protected]
Alyssa Miller
Vice President, Government Affairs
[email protected]
Ashley Brinkman
Director, Government Affairs
[email protected]
Jeff Plummer
Director, Legislative and Regulatory Research
[email protected]rg
Lauren Calmet
Director, Government Affairs
[email protected]
Alisa Clements
Director, Government Affairs
[email protected]
Vanessa Ryan
Manager, Operations and Administration
[email protected]
Advisory Board
Vanessa Gagne
Vanessa Gagne is a legislative affairs professional and animal welfare advocate specializing in exotic animal husbandry, responsible ownership, and conservation policy. She works with multiple national organizations, including USARK, OABA, NAIA, and ZAA, providing legislative monitoring, public education, and expert testimony at the federal, state, and local levels. Vanessa has extensive hands-on experience working with a wide range of species, including elephants, reptiles, and large mammals, through roles in zoos, sanctuaries, and international conservation programs. She also develops legislative communications and policy updates that help animal professionals, owners, and organizations stay informed on emerging animal welfare laws and regulatory issues nationwide.
David Garcia
David Garcia is an attorney with the United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK) and a committed advocate for the right to keep and breed exotic animals. He operates a USDA-licensed parrot breeding facility specializing in South American conures and brings hands-on avicultural experience to his legal and policy work. David earned his J.D. from Georgetown University and has been practicing law since 2018. He is licensed to practice in both Florida and New Jersey. At USARK, David handles a broad range of legal and regulatory issues at the local, state, federal, and international levels. He played a key role in drafting the Animal Welfare Act regulations for birds.
Scott Hardin
Scott Hardin is a biologist and invasive species expert with extensive experience in fisheries management, exotic species regulation, and environmental policy. Formerly bureau chief of fisheries services and exotic species coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, he led prevention, education, and risk analysis efforts addressing non-native wildlife. Hardin has testified before Congress on invasive species policy, helped develop Florida’s Exotic Pet Amnesty Program, and has worked to balance environmental protection with responsible pet ownership and a sustainable wildlife trade.
N. Marshall Meyers
N. Marshall Meyers is an internationally recognized attorney specializing in animal, wildlife, aviation, and natural resources law, with more than five decades of experience in legislative, regulatory, and international policy matters. A former executive vice president and general counsel of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), he has represented trade associations, zoological institutions, research organizations, and airlines before Congress, federal agencies, foreign governments, and international bodies including CITES and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Meyers has played a leading role in shaping animal welfare, invasive species, transport, and import/export regulations worldwide, drafting legislation, providing congressional testimony, and serving on numerous federal and international advisory committees focused on responsible animal care, conservation, and sustainable wildlife trade.
Art Parola
Art Parola spent much of his childhood covered in mud and creek water, chasing every critter that crawled, slithered, or swam with a butterfly net, and trying to identify them with his collection of field guides. This led him to a career focused on animal welfare, sustainable development, and conservation, particularly through sustainable use policy initiatives. Art is now an attorney for the United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK), Legislative and Policy Advisor for Project Piaba, and an Advisory Board member for National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA). Art’s childhood love for animals and nature has not abated, though he now usually carries a camera instead of a net. His writing and photographs have appeared in numerous online articles, as well as in print publications in multiple countries around the world.
Patti Strand
Patti is a recognized subject-matter expert on numerous contemporary animal issues. Her articles, views, and recommendations on animals and public policy and the animal welfare vs animal rights debate have appeared in major print and broadcast media nationwide. Her deep understanding of the issues and legislative success have won her numerous high-profile awards from well-known national organizations and grassroots groups alike. In 1993, she and her husband, Rod, co-authored the first book in the US exposing the extremism of the animal rights movement: The Hijacking of the Humane Movement: Animal Extremism. Patti and her husband have raised AKC Dalmatians and participated in the sport of dogs for more than 50 years.