Working at the intersection between animal welfare, environmental impact and the climate crisis.

WELL/BEINGS is a 501(c)(3) charity movement established 2018. A start-up venture philanthropy – disruptive in both mission and approach. Working at the intersection of climate change and animal welfare, our dynamic grant making, education and awareness campaigns underscore this interconnection.

Our TRANSPARENCY

100% of every public donation goes directly to our programs and on the ground work.

Drawing on their own experience as philanthropists, the Founders were repeatedly struck by how little visibility they had into where their donations went or what they actually funded. That gap became a founding principle for WELL/BEINGS: full transparency with our donors, and a commitment that every dollar given goes directly to our partners.

Our MISSION

WELL/BEINGS is 501(c)(3) start-up venture philanthropy – disruptive in both mission and approach. Our campaigns elevate underrecognized causes that vitally need support to affect positive change in the world for animals, people and the planet.
Working at the intersection of climate change and animal welfare, our grantmaking is a collaborative process with our on-the-ground local partners as we work to serve their needs and learn from their successes to make the greatest impact.

Our APPROACH

We fund conservation where it matters most: places where ecosystems, wildlife, and communities are inseparable, and protecting one means protecting all three.

We use a bioregional approach. Rather than funding isolated projects, we support under-resourced, locally-led organizations working across the same ecological region, whether that's a rainforest ecosystem, a mangrove coastline, or a wildlife migratory corridor, so conservation addresses the full picture: the landscape, the species, and the people whose lives depend on it.

 DONATE NOW

Our dynamic grants ensure 100% of donations goes directly to our partner programs

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Our CORE VALUES

We partner with under-resourced, locally-led organizations, because they hold the local knowledge, relationships, and trust that no outside actor can replicate. Our work has reinforced a simple idea: more money doesn't automatically mean more impact, better-directed money does. Small, flexible funding to community-led efforts builds trust, adapts quickly, and acts as a multiplier, restoring ecosystems while strengthening the local capacity and governance systems that sustain impact over time.

EVERYONE can HELP

No donation is too big or too small because every little bit helps. 100% of your donation goes directly to our campaigns because transparency in philanthropy is our priority. Every person’s contribution counts, even if it’s simply making small changes to your daily lifestyle.

OUR FOUNDERS

Amanda Hearst Rønning and Breanna Schultz co-founded WELL/BEINGS in 2018 after working together for almost a decade at NYC animal welfare organizations. Amanda founded Friends of Finn, an initiative dedicated to ending the puppy mill industry, and spent three years on the Executive Board of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Currently, she is the co-founder of MAISON-DE-MODE.COM, a luxury sustainable fashion platform, and sits on the advisory boards of ethical fashion non-profits NEST and Remake.

Breanna has served on the Executive Committee for the National Council of the HSUS and is a member of the organization’s Humane Generation. She also holds a Master of Arts in Animal Behavior and Conservation and sits on the Executive Board of Animal Haven, one of the pre-eminent no-kill shelters in Manhattan.

Female founded, both women came together to build a non-profit that offers sustainable solutions to both climate change and animal welfare issues. 

Our TEAM

Rachel Schaming
Operations Manager

  • Rachel brings together operational strategy and creative experience across systems design, production, and organizational development. She has spent her career building thoughtful workflows and helping teams balance purpose with creativity. Before joining WELL/BEINGS, Rachel worked across creative industries—from sustainable fashion labels like Slow and Steady Wins the Race and ORGANIC by John Patrick to vintage curation and photo production—before moving into operations and organizational design. Her approach emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and culture-building. Outside of work, Rachel is an artist, vintage enthusiast, and proud dog mom to Blanco, her deaf rescue pitbull.

Hanna Layton
Programs & PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER

  • Hanna Layton is a sustainability professional and social entrepreneur with over eight years of experience advancing equity, resilience, and ecosystem wellbeing. She co-founded Epic-Cure, a nonprofit that has rescued and redistributed over 35 million pounds of food, and continues to support its mission through board service and advocacy. In 2020, she launched Thrive Consultancy, a Benefit Corporation providing training and support for cooperative and values-based businesses in Arizona.

    Hanna holds both bachelor's and master's degrees in Sustainability from Arizona State University and has worked across international development, economic empowerment, and resilient food systems. She now contributes to conservation efforts at WELL/BEINGS, developing programs that benefit people, animals, and the planet. Deeply connected to the natural world since childhood, Hanna brings passion and expertise to her work in community investment and habitat protection.

Board of DIRECTORS

  • Doug Melville is a 20 year executive in the field of Marketing, Reputation Management and Corporate Diversity. He most recently lived in Geneva, Switzerland where he traveled to 40 countries to implement sustainability and DEI efforts in the luxury industry. In his free time Melville is an author, his debut book Invisible Generals was released on Simon & Schuster in 2023. Originally from Connecticut, Melville attended Syracuse University.

  • Brigid Fitzgerald is a passionate advocate for animal welfare, serving on the Board of Directors for the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation. She is a media & technology software sales executive, and spends much of her free time volunteering to help local animal welfare organizations. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, and lives with her husband, her son and 2 rescue dogs in New York City. She is a lifelong animal lover.

  • Erin Gore has dedicated her career to helping great leaders propel purpose-driven growth whilst in parallel playing an active role in philanthropy. At SYPartners, she’s partnered with leadership at Starbucks, the Schultz Family Foundation, Georgetown University, and others, to use creativity and human-centered approaches to elevate strategies and potential.

    She began her career at Bain & Company, and has held leadership roles at Purpose, The Bridgespan Group and Boston Consulting Groupher. Her experience includes work across sectors, including telecom, education, retail, consumer packaged goods, youth services, and industrial goods. Erin has written extensively on innovation and strategy for publications including the Stanford Social Innovation Review. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, HuffPost, and The Washington Post, among others.

  • Vienn, before joining the Board of Directors, was CFO for WELL/BEINGS. Previous to this, Vienn worked in investment banking and venture capital. After leaving finance, she joined the lifestyle startup, Goop, as the Manager of Finance where she helped raise the company’s Series A funding round.

    Vienn earned her Masters degree in Real Estate from Columbia University and Bachelors degree in Finance at The University of Georgia. She is a proud mother of two rescue dogs, Taco and Barney and one glorious human.

  • Taylor Hawes is Senior VP & Chief Financial Officer for Pacific Dental Services (PDS), a $2.5B dental services organization with over 900 offices servicing patients in 48 metro service areas. Prior to PDS, Taylor’s breadth of experience spans multiple challenging roles throughout his 25 years at Microsoft. Hawes is also a lifetime member of Financial Executives International (FEI), on the Advisory Board of USC’s Leventhal School of Accounting and Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair of Pilchuck Glass School.

  • Andrew McKechnie is a highly acclaimed marketer with over 20 years of experience building some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Apple and Verizon. He specializes in purpose-driven marketing, sustainability, and innovation as platforms to amplify brand growth. Andrew’s diverse experiences across Africa, Asia, New Zealand, and the Americas bring a truly unique and global perspective to his work. He is a tireless advocate for impactful DEI initiatives that create systemic change in the industry.

Board of ADVISORS

  • Andrew deCoriolis is the Executive Director of Farm Forward where he advocates for safe, healthy, and humane farming. Andrew is an expert in animal welfare standards, certifications, and policy. He works with food companies, universities and cities to help them improve the welfare of animals and increase the proportion of plant based food in their supply chains. Andrew was responsible for creating and launching the Leadership Circle, a program aimed at helping institutions source more climate friendly food. Andrew’s work at Farm Forward has been covered in leading periodicals including The New York Times, Wired, and Civil Eats. Andrew is currently an advisor to the WellBeings charity, the Game Changers Institute, The Good Food Purchasing Program, and the State Innovation Exchange and was a board advisor for FindHumane.com. Andrew lives in Portland Oregon with his partner, two kids and rescue mutt Tater Tot. 

  • Hassan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Maison de Mode. After studying at Parsons School of Design in New York City, Hassan launched his label "Way It Should Be," recycling and reinventing vintage couture fabrics into luxurious demi-couture collections. His passion was to help consumers make informed decisions about their purchases, fusing the way for sustainable fashion to be the standard fashion.

  • Karla has held leadership roles at the world’s top creative advertising agencies including Wieden & Kennedy, VCCP, GSPNY and 72andSunny, leading partnerships with Diageo, Heineken, General Mills, Apple, and Southern Comfort. She always had a passion for building powerful, focused teams who work with purpose and creative freedom.

    After experiencing thyroid issues after the birth of her first child she co-founded Moody - a cycle tracking and wellness app. Leading the build, fundraising, team development and more, Karla remains on the board and continues her passion for women's health.

    Karla is the founder of Revelry within agency, Tangerine, focused on connections, consulting and talent. She feels so lucky to spend everyday working with incredible people and brands to create transformation.

  • Masha Kalinina, Esq, coordinates The Pew Charitable Trust's cross-campaign efforts with the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), working to ensure the ambitious global biodiversity strategies and sets targets adopted annually are maintained for the planet in their natural state. Before joining Pew, Masha worked for Humane Society International to protect elephants, lions, leopards, polar bears, and other species through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, and the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

  • Andrew Gray McDonnell is an adventurer and colorful raconteur driven by his curiosity for the natural world. Born and raised in Naples, Florida, amongst the Mangroves, AKA Panther, connects and advises globally recognized brands, individuals, and businesses to help bring widespread attention to urgent global environmental and safety issues. He brings huge passion and energy into everything he does. Andrew is a dedicated family man to his wife and son and currently resides in London, England.

  • Jonathan Lovvorn is Faculty Co-Director of the Yale Climate, Animal, Food, and Environmental Law & Policy Lab, which develops innovative legislative and litigation strategies to address animal, human, and environmental exploitation within the food system. He has taught courses on animal law, wildlife law, and climate policy at Yale, Harvard, NYU, and Georgetown, and published several articles concerning the intersection of animal law, environmental law, and food policy. He also serves as Chief Counsel for Animal Protection Litigation at the Humane Society of the United States, and as a board member and legal advisor to several animal and environmental protection organizations.

  • Alexandra Azevedo is a marine scientist working at the intersection of science, storytelling, and systemic change. She has worked across all seven continents, engaging with governments, international organizations, and private industries to drive impactful conservation projects. Alexandra translates complex science into compelling narratives that inspire action, and her mission is to empower individuals and communities to become stewards of the planet by fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all life on Earth. 

  • Dahlia Topkis is a philanthropy advisor, nonprofit leader, and entrepreneur with a passion for helping people give thoughtfully and strengthen their communities. As a Philanthropy Advisor at the Jewish Federation Bay Area, she advises individuals and families with donor-advised funds (DAFs) and foundations, helping them develop thoughtful giving strategies and connect their philanthropy with the causes and communities they care about.

    Dahlia began her career in luxury hospitality with Fairmont and Four Seasons, where she developed a strong foundation in service and relationship-building. Her career also includes serving as Development Manager at Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco and founding a mission-driven food company addressing food waste and food insecurity.

    A business graduate fluent in English and Hebrew, Dahlia has called San Francisco home for more than a decade. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and Walter, the family’s resident cuddle expert.

FOUNDERS circle

SCHULTZ FAMILY FOUNDATION

PAULINA CLAURE

KICK KENNEDY

Tara Smith Swibel

HILARY SWANK

ANNE HEARST MCINERNEY

ALLIANCE members

CORI LEE SEABERG

Mackenzie Reilly

JOACHIM RØNNING

JULIA FEHRENBACH BALDWIN

SARAH RINNAH WACKS

MICHAEL KATZ

Addison Schultz

Jaime White

JEFFREY BERMAN

JORDAN SCHULTZ

KATHY KWEI

ZARA TISCH

Brooke Shepard

JENNY MOLLEN BIGGS

KATIE STURINO

LIZA HEAVENER

LINCOLN PILCHER

Jamie White

We are all interconnected.

WELL/BEINGS is committed to fostering a culture of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) that aligns with our mission and the well being and holistic impact of [animals] people and the planet. 

We recognize the intrinsic value of diversity and strive to create an environment where all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, or ability, feel respected, valued, and empowered. Our dedication to DEI extends to our partnerships, programs, and community engagement efforts, ensuring that we embrace diverse perspectives and work collaboratively to address global challenges.

By upholding the principles of DEI, we aim to inspire positive change, foster meaningful connections, and contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.