MFA Interns… Where Are They Now?

Alan Darer


THEN: In 2010, Alan became vegan and spent his winter break learning how to effectively advocate for animals as an intern with MFA.

NOW: Alan serves as education project coordinator for MFA, overseeing and executing the organization’s pro-veg online advertising campaigns, and managing the MFA Fellowship program at elite universities.

Kenny Torrella


THEN: Kenny interned with MFA in 2010 and gathered signatures for an Ohio campaign to ban the most extreme animal confinement systems, including battery cages, gestation crates, and veal crates.

NOW: Kenny serves as public policy coordinator with The Humane Society of the United States, working with interns, volunteers, and animal advocates across the country on grassroots efforts to defeat bills that are bad for farmed animals and to help pass bills that would ban the worst factory farming practices.

Claire Howe


THEN: Claire was MFA’s first legal intern, working in our Chicago office in the summer of 2011. During her internship, Claire assisted the investigations and legal advocacy departments through fact checking and legal research relating to undercover investigations.

NOW: Claire serves as the Portland program coordinator for HEART (Humane Education Advocates Reaching Teachers), providing lessons in environmental ethics, animal protection, and human rights to students in traditional classrooms, after-school programs, and advocacy clubs. Claire also conducts community and legislative outreach, advocating for the institutionalization of comprehensive humane education in American schools.

Steven Litrov


THEN: Steven interned in our education department, twice! Taking part in local outreach opportunities in the Los Angeles area, Steven quickly became an important part of the team.

NOW: Steven serves as assistant web developer, working with MFA’s software engineer to create and edit webpages for various MFA websites and email content. These sites are visited by thousands of people every month.

Becki Markle


THEN: Becki began her activism with MFA in the summer 2013, interning for four months in Chicago. Later in the year she joined MFA’s National Vegetarian Tour on the West Coast, educating countless people about the plight of farmed animals.

NOW: Becki is the social media and outreach coordinator at Animal Place. Along with spending quality time with farmed animals every day, Becki’s duties include social media engagement and management, outreach and advocacy, event planning, corporate development, and guided tours.

Johnathan Skinner


THEN: Johnathan spent many years as a volunteer advocate for animal rights, organizing outreach and vegan social events, and interned with MFA in Chicago in 2009.

NOW: Johnathan Skinner works as software engineer for MFA, building and maintaining the websites that serve as windows into the plight of farmed animals for thousands of people every day.

Kristen Diederich


THEN: Kristen interned with MFA in 2013, working closely with education department staff on a variety of campaigns relating to farmed animal protection and advocacy.

NOW: Kristen serves as the development and administrative coordinator for MFA, supporting the development department in fundraising and membership programs as well as managing day-to-day administrative tasks for the organization.

Interested in an internship with Mercy For Animals? Click here for more info. And remember to visit this page for our open job positions.