Arathi Jayaram serves as Mercy For Animals' Director of Operations – working closely with the organization's grassroots coordinators to create, implement and evaluate local, state and national campaigns that promote veganism and the protection of farmed animals.

Additionally, Arathi oversees MFA's membership development programs – communicating with supporters nationwide, coordinating special fundraising events, donation appeals and grant requests.

It was her innate affinity for animals as a young child in Mansfield, Ohio that led Arathi to rescue and rehabilitate creatures big and small, both wild and domestic. A vegetarian for over two decades, Arathi first learned of the cruel reality behind meat production at the age of 10 – a discovery that quickly prompted her to adopt a meatless diet and begin advocating on behalf of farmed animals.

Her passion for defending animals soon extended beyond her diet, when Arathi attended her first public demonstration against animal cruelty at the age of 15. As a sophomore in high school, Arathi paved the way for other students in her district by refusing to dissect animals in her science class - working with her teacher to offer cruelty-free learning alternatives. Her dedication and leadership inspired other students who soon followed suit, earning her top honors.

A graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College, where she received a degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in Communications and Sociology, Arathi was a vocal activist on her college campus – working on behalf of social equality, peace and animal advocacy issues. As a contributing journalist to her college newspaper, and through political art shows, lectures and other grassroots activities, Arathi helped shape her campus and local community into a more socially conscious and responsible environment.

It was her passion for justice and commitment to building a kinder society that led Arathi toward full-time animal protection work.

As a communications specialist with various national non-profit organizations, Arathi landed stories with nearly every major media outlet in the country on a wide variety of important animal issues – opening countless hearts and minds to the plight of farmed animals along the way.

A seasoned public speaker and advocacy-skills trainer, Arathi has conducted workshops and spoken at conferences from coast-to-coast, including New York University, University of California at Berkeley and American University.

Arathi has been an outspoken advocate for farmed animal protection for over two decades – working to pass vital legislation in various states, to expand and promote vegan-friendly businesses, and pressure the nation's largest fast food restaurants to adopt their first-ever animal welfare standards.

A strong believer in the power of each person to effect positive change, Arathi is also a human rights advocate and environmentalist. After a recent trip to her parents' home country of India, where she witnessed firsthand the impact of intense poverty, Arathi became inspired to help fight global poverty, while advocating for clean water and land.