Speakers and workshops

An exciting range of speakers

Over 20 speakers and panellists from all around the motu and beyond have now been confirmed for the Aotearoa Animal Rights Gathering!

Talks will explore a wide range of thought-provoking topics, to build our skills and inspire activists to strategise, plan and take action.

Topics range from practical workshops on media skills and community outreach, to sessions on campaigning, animal rights history, and movement-building.

We're delighted to begin introducing selected speakers. More content will be added as the conference approaches.

Dr Courtney White - expert in communications and media

Dr White has worked in academia and non-profits, communications and media around the world, culminating in a PhD on how we talk about animal rights. Now, as a mum to a two-year-old who rescues fruit flies from puddles, she's still questioning the best ways to make change, and how to do it with connection, creativity, and joy. We're fortunate that she will be speaking on:

# Effective communication

# Media training

Shanti Ahluwalia - lobbying and strategies for political change

Shanti has been a campaigner for both SAFE and NZAVS. His work included lobbying in Wellington and is eager to share an insider’s view of what tends to get campaigns across the line to secure legal change. He is also a keen campaign strategy enthusiast and will tie in those strategic principles. Shanti will be sharing his insights into:

# Navigating politics to achieve change

Nik Taylor - critical sociologist examining human-animal relations

Nik is a critical sociologist whose work focusses on human-animal abuse. She is currently co-Director of the New Zealand Centre for Human Animal Studies at the University of Canterbury in Ōtautahi. Nik will be exploring:

#Academic Animal Studies: what on earth is Anthrozoology, and why might we avoid it?

Kai McBeth - vegan and animal advocate

Kai has spent the past decade advocating for animals through street outreach and building activist communities. He currently works with We The Free in Australia, helping vegans across Oceania build thriving grassroots communities in their area. We're looking forward to Kai's workshops:

# Inspiring Behaviour Change - Highly Effective Vegan Communication Strategies

# Is Being Vegan Enough? - The 5 Myths Keeping Us Inactive

Kate Waghorn - animal activist and sanctuary founder

Kate Waghorn is a long-term animal rights activist and the founder of the Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary in Ōtaki and the Opportunity for Animals opshops. She is the chairperson of the Animal Protection Society and has worked for animal liberation and against all forms of oppression for decades. Kate will be speaking about:

# Sustainable animal sanctuaries and the role of sanctuaries within the animal activist movement

Marianne MacDonald - animal campaigner

Marianne has thirty years of experience working as an animal advocate both in the UK and Aotearoa. She has worked with several animal organisations, including as a researcher and campaigner for the National Anti-Vivisection Society in London and as Head of Campaigns with SAFE. She founded Animals Aotearoa in 2021. Marianne will be presenting a workshop on:

# Campaign messaging and communications

Matt Coffey - exposing animal exploitation

Matt has been documenting animal abuse for over a decade. He supplied footage to the documentary Milked, and the videos he took depicting cows suffering in mud instigated the 2019 government task force on winter grazing. Matt will be presenting a practical workshop for activists on:

# Filming in the field and staying safe - including tips on how to get good quality videos exposing animal abuse

Emily Hall - working towards a Commissioner for Animals

Emily coordinates SAFE’s Commissioner for Animals campaign. Working with an alliance of animal protection organisations, the campaign advocates for independent oversight of Aotearoa’s animal welfare system. With a background in environmental activism, she focuses on practical strategies that encourage informed, compassionate choices to reduce animal suffering. Emilly will speak on:

# Campaign for a Commissioner for Animals

Panel discussion: Building a community

How can we build a community from the flax roots upwards, a community where our strength lies in our diversity? All activists need networks that support and sustain us as we campaign for justice for all living beings, and that seek to embody the just world that we work towards. Join experienced long-term vegan and animal rights activists Sarah Jackson, Amanda Sorrenson and Yolanda Soryl and learn from their insights in a stimulating panel discussion.