People & positions

From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  July-August 2013:

Michael Balls,  a trustee of the Foundation Researching Alternatives to Medical Experiments since 1979 and chair of FRAME since 1981,  retired at the start of June 2013.  Anna Cadogan was named acting chair.  Balls was a cofounder of the European Research Group for Alternatives in Toxicology Testing,  and was first director of the European Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods.  Balls received the first Marchig Animal Welfare Award in 1986,  the Russell & Burch Award from the Humane Society of the U.S. in 1987,  the SmithKline Laboratory Animal Welfare Prize in 1997,  the Michael Kay Award from the Royal SPCA of Britain in 1999,  and was named to the Order of the British Empire in 2002.  FRAME is headquartered in Nottingham,  United Kingdom. Days End Farm Horse Rescue cofounder Kathleen Schwartz- Howe has announced her retirement as executive director after 24 years,  effective September 15,  2013.  Schwartz-Howe will be succeeded by Days End Farm assistant executive director Eric Ochoa,  who joined the organization in 2005 as equine programs director.  The Days End Farm sanctuary is located in Woodbine,  Maryland,  with a postal address in Lisbon,  Maryland.

The New York City-based web site SuperVegan.com on June 11,  2013 reported the resignations of VegNews managing editor Elizabeth Castoria,  senior editor Jennifer Chen,  and online editor Anna Peraino,  amid litigation between VegNews cofounders Joseph Connelly and Colleen Holland.  Facebook postings by Castoria and Holland confirmed the departures from VegNews.  Holland on June 15 regretted that she could not “protect” Castoria,  Chen,  and Peraino.  Almost a month later, however,  the VegNews online staff page had yet to be updated.  Connelly,  Holland,  Castoria,  and VegNews art director Sutton Long in April 2011 acknowledged using stock photos of meat dishes to illustrate articles about vegan food,  after the practice was disclosed by the Hollywood,  California blogger QuarryGirl.

The New York City Department of Health on June 6,  2013 named Risa Weinstock executive director of Animal Care & Control of NYC.  Weinstock will double as AC&C general counsel,  her previous position.  Joining AC&C in 2008,   Weinstock had been acting executive director since the September 2012 resignation of predecessor Julie Bank.  Weinstock also headed the CACC for six months after the October 2009 resignation of former executive director Charlene Pedrolie.

The Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter,  in Valley View,  Ohio,  on May 28,  2013 promoted kennel manager Mindy Naticchioni to executive director.  A 34-age report from the Cuyahoga County Department of Internal Auditing found that in 2011-2012 the shelter under the previous management “failed to obey multiple state laws, lacked organization and mishandled revenue and records,”  reported Donna Miller of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Lynn Spivak,  director of marketing and communications for Maddie’s Fund since 1999,  following 16 years as director of public relations for the San Francisco SPCA,  retired on June 13,  2013.

PETA on June 27,  2013 named actor Dax Shepard and his fiancé,  Kristen Bell,  the sexiest celebrity vegetarians of the year.  Responded Shepard,   “I can’t accept in good conscience because I eat chicken.”