board of directors

M. Dane Waters, President and Founder - Dane has worked on six continents with government officials, activists, academics and NGO’s. He has worked on presidential and prime ministerial campaigns all over the world and has traveled to over 100 countries. He has consulted on projects with the United Nations, the U.S. Department of State and the International Republican Institute. He was a political appointee in President George H. W. Bush’s administration, and served as the Political Director of the Humane Society Legislative Fund and the Humane Society of the United States, one of the largest NGO's in the U.S. 

Dane has been drawn to the plight of elephants since he first saw an elephant in a zoo as a kid. He grew a strong attachment to Africa through his many travels to the continent and after decades of developing and executing solutions to difficult problems, he felt it was time to use his diverse experience and skills to help do what he could to find new ideas and new solutions to this epic struggle.

Brad Ketcher, Director and General Counsel - Brad has deep experience in state-level government, politics and law.  He has served as the top appointed official in his home state of Missouri--- Chief of Staff in the Governor's Office.  In that position, he oversaw the day-to-day operation of the executive branch, negotiated legislation, oversaw public communications campaigns, coordinated statewide issue management and oversaw important state litigation.  He has also served as the Governor’s Office Counsel and Legislative Director.   

A graduate of Central Methodist College and Saint Louis University School of Law, Ketcher has also served as a Special Assistant Circuit Attorney in St. Louis - and most importantly, a lifelong animal lover.

Joe Maxwell, Director - Joe grew up on a family farm in the state of Missouri, USA. Maxwell has served his state as a state representative, state senator, and Lt. Governor.  Joe began his political career as a campaign staffer for several legislative and state wide races.  For a period of time he worked as a field director for then Leader Dick Gephardt.  He is a founding member of the Democrat Legislative Campaign Committee and has run many caucus campaign programs. As a legislator Joe passed many bills that supported value added agriculture projects and programs for the family farmers and their traditional animal husbandry practices while working against large-scale, industrialized farms. He co-sponsored anti cockfighting legislation, legislation to regulate puppy mills and outlawed bestiality.

Joe has been around animals his entire life and his passions for their humane treatment has been one of his core guiding principles. Joe continues to farm with his brother and along with 50 other family farmers, they sell Global Animal Partnership humanely certified pork.