Meet Compassion Over Killing

COK Staff Members

ERICA MEIER: Executive Director
emeier--at--cok.net

Erica has served as COK's Executive Director since 2005, after having been actively involved as a volunteer since 2000. Since taking the helm, Erica has taken the organization to new heights with continued growth and accomplishments for animals that include ending the egg industry's use of the misleading claim “Animal Care Certified” and successfully working with BOCA foods to stop using eggs. 

Vegan for nearly 20 years, Erica has been working in the animal protection field since college. Before working at COK, Erica spent several years as an animal control officer in Washington, DC where she rescued sick, stray, and homeless animals as well as enforced anti-cruelty laws.

CHERYL LEAHY: General Counsel
cleahy--at--cok.net

Since 2006, Cheryl has served as COK's General Counsel targeting large-scale abuse of farmed animals through proactive litigation and undercover investigations. Her work includes challenging cruel, yet standard, practices forced upon farmed animals as well as the misleading marketing of meat, milk, and eggs often found in grocery stores.

Cheryl received a J.D. from UCLA School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Chicago in Environmental Studies. She is a member of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and California bars and currently works in COK's Los Angeles office accompanied by her dogs, Hermione and Boru.

GWENDOLYN MATHERS: LA Outreach Director
gmathers--at--cok.net

As the Outreach Director for Los Angeles, Gwendolyn oversees leafleting events, feed-ins and restaurant outreach. She is a life-long environmental and animal activist as well as a prominent vegan chef, known as Miss Kitchen Witch. She began volunteering with COK by catering events and offering cooking demonstrations, and was COK's first Outreach intern in the LA office.

Gwendolyn is using her creative expertise to expand COK’s library of videos to feature a whole new range of digital content and social media. She brings her valued knowledge in sustainable community outreach, the creative and culinary arts, and strong experience in event organizing. She is honored to occupy a house run by two demanding vegan kitties, Trixie and Pandamonium.

JAYA BHUMITRA: Campaigns Director
jbhumitra--at--cok.net

As Campaigns Director, Jaya develops COK's national outreach efforts such as our We Love Subway campaign, while also expanding our reach in other cities around the U.S. Previously, she acted as our LA Outreach Director for nearly a year, and led the LA Volunteer Chapter the year before that.

Jaya has an academic background in marketing and psychology, and a professional background in public affairs. She's also a Fellow and Co-Director of the LA chapter of the New Leaders Council, a national association that develops emerging leaders. Jaya shares her home with dogs Lacey, Tin Tin, and Midge and Cupcake the cat.

SEAN CONNER: Office Manager
sconner--at--cok.net

A native of the National Capital Region, Sean serves as COK’s DC Office Manager, overseeing area volunteers and interns and assisting with a variety of outreach events and office operations. Sean became vegan while studying at the College of William and Mary, thanks to members of the campus’ vegetarian organization who first unveiled for him the horrors of the dairy and egg industries.

Before joining the COK team, Sean worked in anti-vivisection and media campaigns for an animal advocacy organization and development and communications for an at-risk youth center.

KATIE SHAMP: Outreach Manager
kshamp--at--cok.net

As Outreach Manager in our DC office, Katie works on a variety of national efforts and local events including VegWeek, COK’s Pro-Vegetarian Commercial Campaign, and the DC VegFest. She also oversees our Restaurant Outreach Program, organizes DC-area leafleting, tabling and feed-in events as well as manages our active volunteer chapters in Austin, TX and Baltimore, MD.

A veteran of the Natural Products Industry, she has, from various positions, developed extensive experience in marketing, public relations and financial management. Katie considers herself proof positive of the influence of grassroots outreach. In 2002, she was handed a COK leaflet at a metro station that planted the seed of veganism and helped her fully align her diet with her ethics.