About

Our Work

Thousands of advocates worldwide work tirelessly to end factory farming. But our movement is held back by one major bottleneck: funding. There is too little of it, and what we have comes from too few sources. 

The global movement operates on less than $400M annually, which is less than 1% of meat producer Tyson Foods' annual sales. While every dollar counts, and advocates have achieved remarkable results with what they have, this is a drop in the bucket. What's more, 40% of the movement's funding comes from just two sources. This level of concentration makes us extremely vulnerable to shocks. 

Food System Stewards is here to change that. We are the movement's fundraising support hub. We help nonprofits to raise funds from new sources. 

Our Vision: a world where nonprofits have sufficient resources to end factory farming once and for all. 

Team

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    Vera Flocke, Executive Director

    Before co-founding Food System Stewards, Vera was the Executive Director of a private nonprofit foundation. She has served on three non-profit boards, and brings extensive experience with curriculum design, from her previous career as a tenure-track college professor in philosophy.

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    Karen Hoyland, Individual Giving Consultant

    Karen brings 16 years of fundraising experience to Stewards, including leading the fundraising teams at three nonprofits and working as a consultant for the last five years.

Board

  • Karen Nilsen

    Karen has spent over two decades building capacity for animal protection organizations globally, leading iconic fundraising and advocacy campaigns for groups including Animals Australia, PETA, and The Humane League. Driven by the power of individuals to effect change at scale, her work focuses on building deep, value-driven relationships between donors and causes. She is the author of Building Digital Power, a tactical e-book used by hundreds of advocacy groups.

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    Cory Cerussi, Treasurer

    Cory is a development officer with nearly a decade of fundraising experience working with animal welfare, immigration services, political campaign, and pro-democracy organizations. Cory currently works with Compassion in World Farming, managing trust and foundation giving in the United States. Cory also advises a private family foundation with a focus on efficient, transparent and collaborative grant making.

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    Tracy Keys, Secretary

    Tracy has spent three decades in the nonprofit sector and now runs Tracy Keys Consulting, where she helps animal protection organizations strengthen donor retention and deepen donor relationships. Her work focuses on practical engagement strategies that turn one-time gifts into sustained support, helping organizations build the consistent, trust-based connections that drive long-term impact.

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    Alex Lockwood

    Alex is a writer, academic and strategist who has spent three decades working for animals and food system transformation, including co-founding a number of grassroots organizations including Animal Rebellion, Save Movement UK, and the Vegan Lifestyle Association. In 2021 he authored a major report on policy required for a plant-based food system which launched at COP26. His work develops narrative strategy for successful behaviour change campaigns. He is the author of three books on animals, climate and environmental challenges, and has been a regular commentator in national and international media.

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    Yvonne LeGrice, Chair

    Yvonne LeGrice brings 25 years of experience in nonprofit accounting, compliance, and governance, supporting animal welfare organizations in building strong, sustainable operations. She is also a long-time supporter and volunteer within the animal advocacy movement, with a particular interest in fundraising and donor stewardship. Yvonne believes that transparency, trust, and thoughtful philanthropy are essential to creating lasting impact for animals.