Meet the Team
Dr. Katherine Baxter
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Katherine Baxter, Ph.D., became the Chief Executive Officer of ANAW-USA in Nov 2021, where she worked until founding the Human Animal Coexistence Alliance in 2024. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Denver where she has taught graduate courses that explore human-animal-environment relationships in a global context. She holds an M.Sc. and a scholarship funded Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh with a focus on global education pedagogies, human-animal interactions, and regenerative development practices.
Over the last decade she has worked in academia, government, and the non-profit sector across the US, Scotland, Nepal, the Middle East, and Africa always endeavoring to create regenerative, multi-sectoral, and evidence-based solutions to complex social and environmental problems affecting both humans and other animals. She is driven by a deep commitment to creating a world free of suffering for all living things.
Email: Katherine@humananimalcoexistence.org
Kahindi Lekalhaile
CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR OF THE MT KASIGHAU CONSERVATION CENTER
Based in Kenya, Kahindi is a wildlife expert and conservationist with over 30 years of experience in the field. He is formerly the head of the Department of Planning and Research at ANAW in Nairobi, where he spearheaded evidence-led planning for impactful animal welfare interventions. He has a wealth of knowledge and working experience gained since 1990 from employment by different wildlife, ecotourism and environmental organizations in Africa as a full-time researcher and also at management levels. Over the past 30 years, Kahindi has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals and has used his research findings to address and influence many international policy forums. He is a long-time member of Nature Kenya, a reputable African natural history society, whereby he sits on the birds scientific sub-committee.
Kahindi is also a technical advisor to several other community-based wildlife conservancies, as well as community-based wildlife and tourism organizations across Kenya. He is an alumni of PASGR (Partnership for African Social and Governance Research) and the Kenya Institute of Management (KIM). In addition, Kahindi is an associate faculty member of Moi University’s School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management (STHE). He is an environmental studies graduate from Technical University of Kenya (TUK) and a Masters of Science Degree holder from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. He is currently a doctoral candidate at Moi University.
Email: Kahindi@humananimalcoexistence.org
Jennifer Tuuk
COMMUNICATIONS & ADVOCACY ASSOCIATE
Jennifer is a University of Denver graduate with a Master’s in Social Work focused on One Health, Conservation Social Work, and Animal-Assisted interventions. She is also a Certified Forest Therapy Guide and Zoo Keeper with a BA in Anthropology and Spanish.
Originally from West Michigan, she was raised with nature and the Great Lakes out her backdoor. She has always had a love of animals, and yet hasn’t had pets because her family spent any free time camping and traveling. Now it’s no surprise that she became an environmental advocate and has traveled the world, including a visit to Kenya through DU.
She came on board in January 2022, and is so excited to support HACA with communications, outreach, and advocacy for One Health, animal welfare, and related human-animal coexistence initiatives.
Dr. Janet Rumfelt
CO-FOUNDER & BOARD CHAIR
Janet L. Rumfelt, Ph.D., is Professor and Chair of the Liberal Arts Department in the School for Professional Advancement at Regis University. She works in comparative religious traditions, philosophy, and trauma studies. More recently her concerns about environmental degradation and the treatment of nonhuman animals led her to shift her focus to the environmental humanities where she draws on religion and philosophy to address conservation issues. She spearheaded the development of an M.A. Specialization in Environmental Studies at Regis.
She has published on the role of narrative in redressing trauma and on Jesuit values in post-traditional curriculum. Currently, she is editing a volume on religion and animal extinction (under contract with Claremont Press) and is writing an essay that examines the transformation of lion hunting in the Amboseli-Tsavo-Kilimanjaro ecosystem and explores the implications for religious rituals.
Dr. Rumfelt is active in nonprofit work. She founded Running Wild, an annual 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run, that supports beneficiaries in Africa that protect imperiled species and ecosystems. She currently serves as the Board President of ANAW-USA and is also a board member with ANAW in Kenya. She is passionate about promoting ANAW’s mission of compassionate co-existence with nonhuman animals.
Dr. Ted Cohn, DVM, AVES (Hon)
BOARD MEMBER - TREASURER
Dr. Ted Cohn has devoted more than forty years of service to the people and animals of Colorado and the veterinary medical profession. A graduate of Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Cohn spent the first 7 years as an associate veterinarian in Denver. Next, he took a position at University Hills Animal Hospital, where he was an owner and hospital director until 2015. Additionally, Cohn served as a veterinarian on call for the Denver Zoological Gardens. In 2016, Dr. Cohn began his latest business venture, becoming an independent advisor and consultant serving the Veterinary Medical community.
Dr. Cohn has been a leader in veterinary medicine throughout his career, having served in numerous positions including president of his local, state, and national veterinary medical associations. Dr. Cohn was formerly a member of the Board of Directors for the Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative and is currently a member of the Access to Veterinary Care Coalition, as well as an advisor for the AlignCare project - all groups whose aim is to help the pets of low-income families receive veterinary care.
He served for six years on the Board for the Animal Assistance Foundation, and in 2019, Dr. Cohn joined the Africa Network for Animal Welfare-USA as a Board member and treasurer.
Dr. Elizabeth Whitney, DVM
BOARD MEMBER - SECRETARY
Dr. Liz Whitney graduated from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1986. Over the span of her 34 year career, she has practiced small animal medicine for 24 years, worked in veterinary marketing and technical support for 8 years, taught small animal nursing in the veterinary technology program at Front Range Community College and provided temporary clinical support at CSU Community Practice. She has also served in an advisory capacity on veterinary educational boards.
Volunteerism and giving back has been a large part of Liz’s personal and professional life and philosophy. She served veterinary medicine in leadership positions at the local, state, and national level for over 20 years. She served 9 years on a non-profit board supporting youth in the arts, and in the past 4 years, she has traveled to Mexico (VIDAS), Puerto Rico (HSUS Spayathon Puerto Rico) and Kenya (Vet Treks) participating in veterinary service trips that perform free vaccination and spay/neuter services for local communities.
Liz feels strongly about playing an active role in the eradication of rabies, combating pet overpopulation, supporting the human/animal bond, working toward humane lives for all animals, and educating people about the connection between human and animal health. Her trip to Kenya in 2019 provided a wonderful perspective on the lives of humans and animals in Kenya and an introduction to the important and wonderful work of ANAW. She is enthusiastic and motivated to shift gears to global animal health and welfare in her board role with ANAW USA.
CURTIS WOITTE
BOARD MEMBER
Curtis Woitte is the Deputy Director and Chief Financial Officer at the Denver Art Museum. As a leader, Mr. Woitte takes a holistic perspective to the Museum’s finances. Leveraging years of experience in both accounting and operations, he supports strategic growth while ensuring sustainable operations. Prior to joining the Museum in 2010, Mr. Woitte honed his skills working with high-profile companies in the restaurant, manufactured home, and retail industries. Mr. Woitte holds a CPA and earned his Business Administration degree from University of Northern Colorado and his MBA from Regis University. Mr. Woitte has adopted nine rescue animals and has long supported animal advocacy organizations.
Dr. Rich Reading
BOARD MEMBER EMERITUS
Richard Reading, Ph.D., is Director for Research and Conservation at Butterfly Pavilion. He is also Executive Director of the non-profit Coalition for International Conservation. Dr. Reading holds affiliations with the University of Denver, Colorado State University; and the University of Nebraska. He received a Ph.D. and three Master’s degrees from Yale University and an Honorary Doctorate from the National Education University of Mongolia. Rich has conducted or overseen projects in dozens of countries, working primarily on grassland and arid ecosystems on six continents, with a focus on the Great Plains of N. America, the steppes and deserts of Mongolia, the Savannahs and deserts of Botswana, and the Altiplano of Peru. Dr. Reading has experience studying and conserving a wide variety of wildlife from butterflies to wild camels; from frogs to hedgehogs; from snakes to wild dogs; and many more species. His work focuses on developing pragmatic, effective, and interdisciplinary approaches to the conservation of wildlife and protected areas through research, capacity development, and working with local people and governments. Dr. Reading serves as an associate editor for 5 scientific journals; has published over 220 scientific papers and book chapters; written dozens of popular articles; and written or edited 9 books.
Dr. Maryanne Kagai, DVM
BOARD MEMBER
Dr Maryanne Kagai is a veterinarian currently working with companion animals in the private sector in Kenya.
Previously, she was the programs manager at the Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW). She was a nominee for the Global Rabies Alliance Control (GARC) award in 2017. She served in the secretariat of Animal Welfare Action Kenya (AWAKE consortium), and was a member of the National Rabies Elimination Coordination Committee (NRECC), Kenya.
Additionally, she is a member of the Kenya Veterinary Board (KVB), Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) and the Kenya Women Veterinary Association (KWVA). She is an alumnus of the University of Nairobi, college of agriculture and veterinary sciences, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM).
Mia MacDonald
BOARD MEMBER EMERITUS
Mia MacDonald is the Executive Director of Brighter Green, a New York-based public policy action tank that works to raise awareness and encourage dialogue on and policy attention to issues that span the environment, animals, and sustainable development globally. Its work has a particular focus on equity and rights. At Brighter Green, she directs strategy, programs, and collaborative projects.
Prior to founding Brighter Green, Mia was a policy analyst, writer, editor, and project manager as a consultant on sustainable development, women’s rights, reproductive health, population, conservation, and animal protection. She worked with the Ford Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Green Belt Movement, among many others, as well as several United Nations agencies. She has taught in the Environmental Studies program at New York University and at the Earth Institute at Columbia University and the Human Rights program at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
Mia has published many articles and opeds, authored a number of policy papers and reports, been quoted in a variety of media, and contributed to several books, including Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai’s bestselling autobiography, Unbowed. She serves as treasurer of the Green Belt Movement International-U.S., co-vice president of the Culture and Animals Foundation, on the U.S. board of the Africa Network for Animal Welfare, and has served on the board of directors of Farm Sanctuary and the Food Empowerment Project.
Mia received a master’s degree in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, a B.A. with honors from Columbia, and also studied at Oxford University.
Gretchen Healey
BOARD MEMBER
Gretchen Healey was midway through what she thought was a lifelong career immersed in the world of information technology. She spent years in executive leadership at Fortune 50 companies such as IBM and AT&T, but her passion for sustainable travel and wild places made her forge a new path.
Gretchen left the corporate world for a safari consultancy position in 2009, where among other accomplishments, she launched a sustainability program and expanded the company’s community involvement programs. In 2010, Gretchen founded Pangolin Media, a full-service copywriting development and online strategy consulting company focused on the travel industry and wildlife conservation. She has worked with representation companies, tour operators, travel agents, product development organizations and NGOs in areas that range from communications to field implementation of wildlife protection technology.
Gretchen has a long history of community and board service including serving as president of the board of directors for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa; on the board of AfricAid, an organization facilitating girls’ education in Tanzania; as well as serving as board chair for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Liver Foundation. Gretchen brings her passion and expertise in travel and first-hand experience with wildlife conservation to ANAW-USA's board.
Anna Birman
INTERN
Anna Birman is a second-year student at the University of Denver pursuing a Master of Social Work with a concentration in ecological justice and a certificate in human-animal-environment interactions.
Before moving to Denver a year ago, Anna received her Bachelor’s in Psychology where she planned to work with children with disabilities. However, over the last few years, she realized she wanted to do more than just therapy and began looking into other career paths. Along with her interest in working with children, she always had a passion for working with animals and the natural environment. It was not until she came across the University of Denver’s MSW program that she realized she could combine her passions for both children and animals into one career.
Her goal is to work with organizations and the community to teach children about the connection between humans, animals, and the environment, with a focus on conservation and animal welfare. Anna is excited to be working with HACA to gain hands-on experience within the field and build relationships with community members and partners.