Mercy For Animals has announced the appointment of Alan Darer, Eitan Fischer, and Mitch Howell to its Board of Directors, bringing additional expertise in philanthropy, movement building, governance, food-system innovation, and strategic and operational leadership as the organization continues to expand its impact for animals around the world.
The new board members join Board Chair Michael Pellman Rowland and fellow directors Ren Akinci and Natalie Mindrum, further strengthening the board’s collective leadership and ability to support Mercy For Animals’ mission and long-term vision.
“This is a meaningful moment for Mercy For Animals,” said Arash Yomtobian, CEO and President of Mercy For Animals. “Alan, Eitan, and Mitch each bring unique expertise, fresh perspectives, and a strong commitment to advancing our mission. Together, our board is well-positioned to help guide Mercy For Animals through this chapter of growth, innovation, and impact for animals.”
Alan Darer, Eitan Fischer, and Mitch Howell bring deep expertise and leadership experience that will strengthen Mercy For Animals’ efforts to drive meaningful change and impact for farmed animals globally.
The organization also extends its gratitude to outgoing board member and former Board Chair Neysa Colizzi for her years of service and commitment to Mercy For Animals’ mission.
Board of Directors
Michael Pellman Rowland, Chair
Michael is an investor and strategist focused on food-system transformation, impact investing, and systems-level change. As Board Chair, he brings experience helping organizations navigate complexity, identify opportunities for long-term impact, and translate ambitious goals into durable outcomes.
Ren Akinci, Director
Ren is an executive people leader with more than 15 years of experience driving growth, culture, and organizational transformation across public and private-equity-backed companies. She became vegan after learning about Mercy For Animals’ outreach and investigations and brings both professional expertise and a personal commitment to animal protection.
Alan Darer, Director
Alan is Vice President at Mobius, where he supports grantmaking and incubates new projects to strengthen the farmed animal protection movement. He is also co-founder and Managing Director of a policy and lobbying organization building political power for the alternative protein sector. A former Mercy For Animals team member, he has spent more than a decade advancing animal protection through advocacy, movement-building, philanthropy, and policy.
Eitan Fischer, Director
Eitan is CEO and Co-founder of Spring Innovation Fund, a venture philanthropy studio dedicated to improving animal welfare. Previously, he founded Mission Barns and Animal Charity Evaluators, bringing deep expertise in entrepreneurship, innovation, and scaling solutions that can transform the food system.
Mitch Howell, Director
Mitch is a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, where he advises institutional and high-net-worth clients on investment strategies. A vegetarian turned vegan for nearly 40 years, he is a longtime advocate for animals who brings expertise in financial stewardship, governance, and long-term organizational sustainability.
Natalie Mindrum, Director
Natalie is a food systems and sustainability leader with expertise in supply chains, innovation, and plant-based foods. Her experience spans the intersection of business, sustainability, and food-system change, helping accelerate solutions that reduce reliance on animal agriculture.
###
Mercy For Animals is a leading international nonprofit working to end industrial animal agriculture by constructing a just and sustainable food system. Active in Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico, Southeast Asia, and the United States, the organization has conducted over 100 investigations of factory farms and slaughterhouses, influenced over 500 corporate policies, and helped pass historic legislation to ban cages for farmed animals. Learn more at MercyForAnimals.org.
