Humane Action Pittsburgh Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Dylan Nagy of Vegan Pittsburgh, which is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that promotes local businesses that offer vegan options and connects those businesses with locals and visitors to the city that wish to support them.

Paula Fouce is the director of "The Dark Hobby" and joins Humane Action Podcast to discuss the film.

Hawaii is ground zero in the global struggle to save marine wildlife. "The Dark Hobby" is an expose on Native Hawaiian Elders, conservationists, and scientists who stop at nothing to ensure the survival of these tiny creatures that are targets of a trade worth billions.

Humane Action Pittsburgh representatives, Natalie and Sam Ahwesh, join the show to discuss some of the recent victories for the organization and for Pittsburgh animals!

Will Anderson is an Elephant Campaign Associate at In Defense of Animals based in San Rafael, California. He joins us for a discussion on the elephant situation at the Pittsburgh Zoo.

Kelli joins the Humane Action Podcast to tell us about all of the wonderful things going on at Animal Friends of Westmoreland!

Officer Luffey has been an officer with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for over 25 years. She has handled countless cases involving animal neglect and abuse.

Included in this episode, Officer Luffey recounts the famous story of her rescue dog, Effie.

The Baskins join us to discuss the Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida, and Carole also shares her experiences on "Dancing with the Stars"!

Two burly and handsome hunks (Sam Ahwesh and Ryan Walker) and one moderately attractive and somewhat out-of-shape hink (Jason Hinkledire) from the HAP gang convene for this episode to discuss the continually evolving (and seemingly diminishing) stereotypes of being a male animal-rights proponent in the modern world.

HAP Podcast co-host Natalie Ahwesh and HAP Vice-President Shannon Dickerson guide the conversation with their insightful questions.

Jason Andrew Beale from the Endangered Species Coalition joins us to discuss wildlife corridors, pollination, and animal agriculture practices and habitat loss.

Richard Butler is a multifunctional professional with a range of experiences. He is skilled in leading nonprofit organizations, facilitating inclusion, diversity, and cultural competency workshops. He also has experience as a part-time adjunct professor, group exercise specialist, and a lifestyle and business coach.

John joins us from Allegheny Cleanways to discuss the latest about all of the great work his organization is doing in the community.

Matthew A. King is the President of the Christian Animal Rights Association, which he co-founded with his spouse, Christina King. He is the author of an upcoming book discussing Christianity and animal rights. Matthew is also a Registered Nurse licensed in the state of Pennsylvania.

Christian Animal Rights Association was founded with a mission to educate, advocate, protect, and defend the rights of all animals, from a Christian and biblical perspective. Our ministry desires the abolition of human exploitation of animals by advocating legal personhood, eliminating the property status of animals, and advocating abstention from animal products. These goals reflect the ideal God revealed in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:20-30) and the heavenly New Earth, that will be founded when Jesus returns (Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25; and Hosea 2:18). We seek to live out Jesus' prayer, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10).

Sabrina is the Director of the “no plastic please” campaign. She is motivated by a vision of Pittsburghers and Pennsylvanians that see themselves as empowered, responsible, and caring stewards of their local environment and the world-at-large. She also operates Recycle This Pittsburgh as a resource for city residents to find out more about the practical realities of recycling specific items in the Pittsburgh area. Sabrina is a professional game designer, specializing in leveraging game design to empower individual and societal change.

TONI OKAMOTO is the founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, the popular website and meal plan that shows you how to save dough by eating veggies. She’s also author of the Plant-Based on a Budget cookbook, The Super Easy Vegan Slow Cooker Cookbook, and the co-host of The Plant-Powered People Podcast. Okamoto’s work has been profiled by NBC News, Parade Magazine, and she’s a regular presence on local and national morning shows across the country, where she teaches viewers how to break their meat habit without breaking their budget. She was also featured in the popular documentary What the Health. When she’s not cooking up a plant-based storm, she’s spending time with her husband in Sacramento, CA.

You can find Toni on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Christin created The Forever Diet coaching programs now reaching across the globe and she also supports her hometown community with many volunteer endeavors.

Paul Shapiro is the author of the national bestseller "Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World," CEO of The Better Meat Co., a four-time TEDx speaker, the host of the Business for Good Podcast, and a long-time leader in food sustainability. AND Advisory Council member for Humane Action Pittsburgh!

Bailing Out Benji, which was founded in 2011, is known for being a small nonprofit organization that makes huge waves on a small budget. Whether they are peacefully protesting, educating or rescuing and transporting dogs- they are making an impression wherever they go.

Bailing Out Benji was founded by Mindi Callison, when she was 21 years old. Mindi learned about the puppy mill industry after purchasing a puppy from a pet store and then learning about where her puppy was really born. It wasn’t until 2016 that Bailing Out Benji expanded out of Iowa to other states in the country.

Rachel Mathews is the Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Natalie and Jason welcome her for Episode 3 of the HAP Podcast!

Marty Irby is the executive director at Animal Wellness Action in Washington, D.C. Irby worked in the U.S. House of Representatives for Congressman Ed Whitfield (KY-01) as Press Secretary, Communications Director and Science, NASA, and Agriculture Policy Advisor. In August of 2020, Irby was recognized by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, II, with an Award for his extraordinary efforts to reduce violence in the training of horses, only the second occasion in history the British Crown has given such a presentation.

Irby served as president of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association from 2010-2012, where he led the charge to bring an end to the painful practice of “soring” walking horses. Prior to his presidency Irby was an 8-time World Champion equestrian rider, and director of sales and marketing at the world’s largest walking horse breeding farm. Irby served as the former head of equine protection and rural affairs at the Humane Society of the United States and senior advisor at the Humane Society Legislative Fund from 2016-2018 and is a native of South Alabama who grew up on a horse and cattle farm in Mobile.

Irby was named by The Hill as one of nation’s Top Lobbyists for 2019 and recognized by President Donald J. Trump in the Oval Office on national television in November of 2019 at the signing of the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act.

Marty Irby currently serves on the board of directors of the American Horse Protection Society, Equine Collaborative International, and the Organization for Competitive Markets, and his written works have been published in USA Today, The Hill, The Daily Caller, Horse Nation, The Washington Examiner, Chicago Daily Tribune, New Haven Register, The Tennessean, The Knoxville News Sentinel, The Pennsylvania Capital-Star, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and numerous other publications across America. He graduated from the University of South Alabama with a degree in Communications, and attended Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. where he resides today.

President and Founder of Humane Action Pittsburgh, Brian Bonsteel, and HAP Vice President, Natalie Ahwesh, join Humane Action Radio Program Director, Jason Hinkledire, for a discussion about what to expect in the coming weeks from the Humane Action Pittsburgh Podcast!