Leadership

The leadership of the National Link Coalition is composed of nationally renowned experts and practitioners who represent an array of disciplines dedicated to preventing violence against people, animals or both:

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Phil Arkow, President & Secretary
Chair, Animal Abuse & Family Violence Prevention Project, The Latham Foundation
Instructor, Animal Abuse & Human Violence, University of Florida
Instructor, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Harcum College
Etowah, N.Car.

Randall Lockwood, Ph.D., Vice President
Consultant
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Falls Church, Va.

 

 

Lesley Ashworth, Treasurer
Former Director, Domestic Violence/Stalking Program,
Columbus, Ohio City Prosecutor’s Office
Boone, N. Car.

 

 

Barbara W. Boat, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center
Executive Director, Childhood Trust, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Cincinnati, Ohio

 

Kendra Coulter, Ph.D.
Professor, Management and Organizational Studies
Coordinator, Animal Ethics and Sustainability Leadership
Huron University College, Western University
London, Ont., Canada

 

Mark Kumpf, CAWA
Past President, National Animal Control Association
Principal Director, Animal Control & Care Academy
Dayton, Ohio

 

 

Paul Needham
Chair, Education Committee
National Adult Protective Services Association
Shawnee, Okla.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Diane Balkin, J.D.
Retired Chief Deputy District Attorney
Denver, Colo.

 

Nancy Blaney (2024)
Director, Government Affairs
Animal Welfare Institute
Washington, DC

 

Claire Coughlin (2025)
Director, Companion Animal Programs
Animal Welfare Institute
St. Louis, Mo.

 

Steve Dale
Nationally syndicated radio host and author
Chicago, Ill.

 

 

The Hon. Rosa C. Figarola
Retired 11th Judicial Circuit Probate Judge
Miami, Fla.

 

Maya Gupta, Ph.D.  (ALTERNATE)
Senior Director of Applied Research
ASPCA Research and Development Division
Woodstock, Ga.

 

 

Joey Orduna Hastings
Chief Executive Officer
National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges
Reno, Nev.

 

 

Kendall Houlihan, DVM
Assistant Director for Animal Welfare
American Veterinary Medical Association
Schaumburg, Ill.

 

 

Ann Laatsch, J.D.
Justice System Coordinator
National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life
Milwaukee, Wis..

 

Emily Patterson-Kane, Ph.D.
Research Director
ASPCA
Chicago, Ill.

 

Allie Phillips, J.D.
Founder, Sheltering Animals and Families Together (SAF-T)
Lansing, Mich.

 

 

Gale E. Rasin, J.D.
Associate Judge, Retired
Baltimore City Circuit Court
Chestertown, Md.

 

The Hon. John J. Romero, Jr.
Retired Children’s Court Judge, 2nd Judicial District
Albuquerque, N. Mex.

 

Sue Skinner, MD
Child Abuse Pediatrician
Portland, Ore.

 

 

Martha Smith-Blackmore, DVM
President, Forensic Veterinary Investigations, LLC
Boston, Mass.

 

John Thompson
Executive Vice President,
Small & Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association
Alexandria, Va.

 

Kathleen Wood
Staff Attorney, Animal Legal Defense Fund Criminal Justice Program
Portland, Ore.