Meet our experts

Our US office has a team of experienced individuals with knowledge on a wide range of subjects. To find out more or schedule an interview, contact Heather Hunter (Director of Marketing and Communications) or Carla Pisarro (Communications Manager).

Alesia Soltanpanah, Executive Director

Since joining World Animal Protection in 2018, Alesia has directed all U.S. programs to end animal suffering. With several decades of international and domestic non-profit leadership experience, she provides strategic direction for the organization’s campaigns, communications, fundraising and finance.

Areas of expertise: Animal welfare issues, animal sentience, factory farming, exotic pet ownership, wildlife used as entertainment, World Animal Protection research and investigations.

Gerardo Huertas, Director of Disaster Management

Gerardo has worked at World Animal Protection since 1982. He has worked in some of the world’s fiercest disasters from warzones to natural, such as Haiti, the Japan tsunami and typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Areas of expertise: Disaster risk reduction, preparedness, emergency response, humane education/slaughter, population control

Ben Williamson, Programs Director

As programs director, Ben oversees our four campaign areas: Wildlife. Not Entertainers, Exotic Pets, Pigs, and Chickens.

Areas of expertise: Animals in entertainment, exotic pets, factory farming, vegetarian/vegan issues, cruelty to animals, humane education 

See Ben in the news...

  • Report: Turkish carrier is ‘poacher’s airline of choice’ for parrot trade (Mongabay)
  • Marine mammals traded and exploited for tourist entertainment (Travel Pulse)

Cameron Harsh, Farming Campaign Manager – Pigs

Cameron works to improves the lives of farmed pigs in the United States working with producers, farmers and suppliers to improve conditions. Prior to joining World Animal Protection in 2018 he worked on food safety policy.

Areas of expertise: Pig welfare, improvement of health, sustainability, and equity of our food system, food and farming policy 

Ingrid Giskes, Head of Sea Change

Ingrid leads our global Sea Change campaign, protecting animals in our oceans, as well as assisting the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) by working with companies to understand the problem of lost and abandoned fishing gear.

Areas of expertise: Ghost gear (lost and abandoned fishing gear), marine litter/debris, IUU fishing, whaling, fisheries, ocean policy at UN/EU level, climate change, general ocean inquiries