WASHINGTON (April 24, 2008) — At its meeting this past weekend, the board of directors of The Humane Society of the United States elected Anita W. Coupe, Esq., of Biddeford Pool, Maine, to serve as chair of the board, and Jennifer Leaning, M.D., S.M.H., of Lincoln, Mass., to serve as vice chair.
Coupe, The HSUS' first female chair and only the eighth board chair in the organization's 54-year history, has served on The HSUS board since 1990 and as vice chair since 1999, and has been actively involved in the leadership of virtually every aspect of board governance. She is a former partner in the law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, where she practiced labor and employment law in Washington, D.C. and New York City, and served in executive management in Philadelphia. She has been involved in various international, national and local efforts to protect animals and preserve wildlife habitats.
"Animals, our fellow creatures on Earth, are completely at our mercy," said Coupe. "While there is a growing appreciation of animals and concern for their well being, there is also widespread and escalating cruelty on an unprecedented scale. The HSUS mobilizes people of conscience to drive an agenda of social reform for animals. I am honored to serve in a leadership capacity of such a dynamic and cutting-edge organization."
Leaning, who has served on The HSUS board since 1991, is a professor of the practice of international health at the Harvard School of Public Health, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, senior advisor on International and Policy Studies at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, and co-director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. Her academic and policy focus is on operational and normative issues in international humanitarian and disaster response. She brings her extensive experience in these areas to The HSUS' expanding disaster relief and international programs.
"Treating animals well is a measure of our character but also a reflection of our foresight and wisdom," said Dr. Leaning. "Human-caused cruelty is often bound together with human-on-human violence. Maltreatment of animals can exacerbate problems of public health and contribute to the genesis and spread of infectious diseases. Pressures on the well-being of animals and the integrity of the environment are increasing throughout the world, driven by the needs and appetites of human populations. Through the lens of animal protection, The HSUS has developed a robust capacity to participate in national, regional and global discussions relating to trends in food supplies, biodiversity and climate change. It is a great privilege and honor to be able to work with this outstanding organization as we all confront the vast challenges of this century."
Outgoing board chair David O. Wiebers, M.D., will continue to serve on the board after more than eight years as chair. He is emeritus professor of neurology and former division chair, professor, and consultant in neurology and clinical epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minn., and the chairman and chief medical officer of Preventive Medicine in Bethesda, Md. "The medical community and the animal protection community both aim to alleviate suffering in the world, and we have made major strides toward creating a more humane society for all," said Dr. Wiebers.
"Dr. Wiebers has served this organization with remarkable distinction, helping to triple the annual revenues of the organization during his time as chair and quadrupling its assets," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "Now we have two fantastically intelligent and committed women leading the organization, and I could not be more optimistic about our positioning as we take on the challenges in the months and years ahead."
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.
