Wayne Pacelle

Wayne Pacelle is an American animal rights and animal welfare activist, non-profit businessperson and author. Two of his books have been New York Times best-sellers. He has led dozens of winning ballot measures on animal protection, shepherded to passage dozens of federal bills into law, and negotiated hundreds of agreements with corporations – from securing pledges from all major global athletic wear brands to stop sourcing kangaroos, to negotiating agreements with major fashion companies to stop selling fur, to securing pledges from McDonald’s and other companies to stop sourcing eggs and pork from producers that rely on housing systems utilizing small cages and crates. Pacelle is the president and founder of Animal Wellness Action, a 501(c)(4) organization that promotes legal standards against cruelty and he is also the founder and president of the Center for a Humane Economy, a 501(c)(3) organization that urges businesses to adopt animal-friendly practices when it comes to their supply chains, research and development, and other operations. He was the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Pacelle took office June 1, 2004, after serving for nearly 10 years as the organization's chief lobbyist and spokesperson. Pacelle resigned as CEO on February 2, 2018, after he was accused of sexual harassment by several former employees. Pacelle denied these accusations, and the board voted overwhelmingly to retain him as president and CEO. After leaving the head role at HSUS for 14 years, he immediately formed Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy and has grown those organizations into formidable players on national animal welfare policy.