BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BOARD PRESIDENT

Lesley Tse is a staff attorney at Animal Defense Partnership, a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to other non-profits that advocate for animals and plant-based diet change. Prior to that, she was a workers’ rights attorney at the law firm of Getman, Sweeney & Dunn, in Kingston, NY, where she represented workers in litigation for unpaid wages, and a tenants’ rights attorney at Legal Services NYC in New York City, defending low-income tenants from eviction. Lesley earned her bachelor’s degree from New York University and her law degree from Fordham University Law School. Lesley went vegan in January 2018, having been a vegetarian for 20 years, after she started volunteering regularly at Woodstock Sanctuary. She is a proud Filipinx and believes deeply in the need for intersectionality in justice movements. She is also an avid yoga practitioner, holding a 200-hour yoga teacher certification, and believes that the principle of ahimsa, or nonviolence, applies to all living beings. Lesley currently lives in Stone Ridge, NY, just down the road from Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, with her husband and three rescue dogs.

VICE PRESIDENT

Nicole Brodeur is a non-profit advisor and vegan investor. She currently serves on the boards of Ars Nova, Story Pirates Inc., One Tail at a Time Portland and the Institute of Higher Awesome Studies, the umbrella non-profit of the global Awesome Foundation. She is a founding member of Womxn Funders in Animal Rights and sits on their Leadership Council. As one of the first employees at Story Pirates, she created their producing department before serving as the Development Director for their flagship Story Pirates Changemakers programs. Nicole went vegan after a visit to Woodstock Farm Sanctuary in 2013.

TREASURER

Jody Rasch is an artist at Lamina Project. He was formerly the Managing Trustee at VegInvest. Prior to that he headed the Social Performance Group at Moody’s Corporation working on projects including microfinance and social investing. Jody has a B.A. degree in Economics from the University of Michigan and holds an MBA in Finance from New York University. He is on the Board of Directors of Battery Dance Company and Woodstock Farm Sanctuary.

SECRETARY

Lita Dwight is the owner and founder of bryt life foods, an artisanal maker of vegan yogurt and cheese. She is an avid animal rights advocate and activist in many other social justice movements. Lita was an investment management attorney for Sidley Austin Brown & Wood and also served as a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society, representing victims of domestic violence. She served as an investment adviser for Merrill Lynch, specializing in non-profit organizations. Lita owned and operated a real estate development company, Acquis Development Corp, renovating historic properties in landmarked Brooklyn. She currently lives with her partner and two dogs, Lacey and Lou in the Navy Yards neighborhood of Brooklyn.

BOARD MEMBER

Komal Patel is an associate at Susman Godfrey LLP, a litigation boutique located in New York City. Prior to that, she clerked for the Honorable Rosemary S. Pooler of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for the Honorable Victor Marrero of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Komal earned her bachelor’s degree from New York University and her law degree from Columbia Law School, where she was the president of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. Komal currently lives in New York City and enjoys exploring Central Park with her German Shepherd and trying New York's ever-growing vegan food scene.