2025 SPEAKERS

Madeline Krasno

She/Her

Founder, Justify
Talk: TBD
Time: TBD

Madeline Krasno, a former primate lab worker turned passionate advocate, shares her powerful journey from the lab to leading a movement for transparency and compassion in science. Featured in The Washington Post for her groundbreaking free speech lawsuits against the University of Wisconsin-Madison (appeal pending) and the National Institutes of Health (appeal won), Madeline sheds light on the ethical challenges of animal research and how her advocacy triggered censorship. As the Executive Director of Justify, a pioneering nonprofit, she champions a vision of advancing science without human or animal suffering by creating a safe space for current and former lab workers to share their stories and drive meaningful change. Madeline holds a master’s degree in Humane Education from Valparaiso University and bachelor’s degrees in Zoology and Child Development from UW-Madison.

www.whenwejustify.org

lauren Ornelas

She/Her

Founder, Food Empowerment Project 
Talk: TBD
Time: TBD

lauren Ornelas is a long time animal rights activist since 1987 and is the founder and Senior Programs Director of Food Empowerment Project (F.E.P.), a vegan food justice nonprofit that promotes veganism, champions for the rights of farm workers, highlights the lack of access to healthy foods in Black and Brown communities, and raise awareness about the worst forms of slavery, including child labor, in the chocolate industry. Watch lauren’s TEDx talk on The Power of Our Food Choices on YouTube.

Learn more about F.E.P.’s work at www.foodispower.org

Sid Garza-Hillman

He/Him

Vegan Author 
Talk: TBD
Time: TBD

Sid Garza-Hillman is the author of four books: Ultrarunning for Normal People: Life Lessons Learned On and Off the Trail, Approaching the Natural: A Health Manifesto, Raising Healthy Parents: Small Steps, Less Stress, and a Thriving Family and Six Truths: Live by these truths and be happy. Don’t and you won’t.  He holds a BA in Philosophy from UCLA, is a public speaker, podcaster (What Sid Thinks Podcast), certified nutritionist & running coach, Oxygen Advantage breathing instructor, and founder of smallsteppers.com. He is the Stanford Inn & Resort’s Wellness Programs Director and Race Director of the Mendocino Coast 50K trail ultramarathon.

DNA

He/Him

Comedian
Talk: TBD
Time: TBD

DNA’s unique brand of comedy skewers America with a psychedelic double twist. The creator of several comedy festivals and a web series, DNA has opened up for Moshe Kasher, Janeane Garofalo, Myq Kaplan and most of the Bay Area. An extremely strong dose of LSD led DNA to win the Showtime Comedy Competition at Chico State in 1990.  For the next three decades DNA pursued community activism before returning to comedy in 2007. Since then DNA has fostered a community of comedians in Santa Cruz, California. A BOD member of Comedy Day in Golden Gate Park, DNA has not left his activism behind and uses comedy to bridge the gap between generations, genders, religions and species. A true intergalactic performer.

Yvette Baker

She/Her

More Info Coming
Talk: TBD
Time: TBD

www.apexadvocacy.org

More Info Coming

Javier

He/Him

More Info Coming
Talk: TBD
Time: TBD

More Info Coming

MORE TO COME!