Ellie Ponders
Campaigner + Manager + Strategist
Summary
With nearly two decades of experience in non-profit management, campaign strategy, and counselling, I am deeply passionate about helping advocates and organizations accomplish incredible things for animals. I have launched and run several successful organizations, nerded out on campaign strategy since I was 15, and repeatedly led the Open Wing Alliance to victory against the world's biggest companies.
Core Skills
- ✓ Campaign Strategy & Development
- ✓ Coalition Leadership
- ✓ Teaching & Mentorship
- ✓ Coaching & Effective Management
Key Achievements
- ✓ Fundraised over $1.75 million before 25
- ✓ Created ChickenWatch.org
- ✓ Co-led Canada's first successful campaign to close a fur store
- ✓ Recruited, trained, & managed over 150 crisis counsellors
- ✓ Served on multiple non-profit boards
Professional Experience
The Humane League
Senior Director of Global Corporate Engagement
Senior Director of Global Corporate Engagement (Apr 2024 - Present): Leading a team of experts to make meaningful change for hens in corporate supply chains.
Head of Global Corporate Engagement (Apr 2022 - Apr 2024): Led a team to accomplish our global strategy to free every hen from her cage.
OWA Campaigns Manager (Mar 2020 - Apr 2022): Managed a team that won the first major global restaurant commitments from RBI and Yum! Brands.
OWA Campaign Coordinator (Dec 2017 - Mar 2020): Oversaw successful cage-free campaigns against Starbucks, Marriott, Hilton, and more, coordinating efforts of 80+ international organizations.
Corporate Campaign Coordinator (Feb 2017 - Dec 2017): Ran successful campaigns against major US restaurants.
The Brock Sexual Violence Support Centre
Co-founder + Executive Director
Secured annualized funding, trained & managed over 150 volunteers, created & led violence prevention workshops for high school & college students, and launched Canada's first texting support line for survivors of sexual violence.
Animal Activist Support Line
Co-founder & Counselor
Launched 24/7 free text, email, & online chat support for activists to address burnout and recidivism. Designed website, managed counselors, and produced promotional videos.
The Grassroots Years (that are hard to package neatly)
Passionate Activist Surviving on Dumpster Diving
Dropped out of high school and moved away from home to do full-time unpaid animal rights activism. Anything and everything for animals: foie gras campaigns, following the circus from city-to-city, anti-fur, veg outreach, and the dozen other AR issues that activists hop between.
Gillian's Place
Board of Directors
Provided governance and oversight for a local women's shelter.
Niagara Region Sexual Assault Centre
Crisis Counselor
Provided emotional support & advocacy to survivors.
Ontario Public Interest Research Group
Board of Director
Provided legal and financial oversight for the organization and spearheaded social justice projects.
The Affordable Food Project
Co-Founder & Board of Director
Co-founded a food affordability project that provided students with healthy & affordable plant-based meals. Secured annualized funding, trained & coordinated staff, developed programs aimed at poverty alleviation.
About Me - The Human Version
I went vegetarian at 10 (after accidentally biting into the bullet my uncles had used to shoot the holiday turkey) and vegan at 14. By 15, I knew that fighting for animals was my life's purpose. I am genuinely excited by challenges, in activism and in my personal life. I love building things from scratch and pouring my whole heart into projects.
I burnt out hard at 18 and learned that I need some balance in life to stay in this for the long haul. I now have too many hobbies: climbing, biking, dancing, hiking, gardening, yoga, painting, mediocre piano playing, hanging with my nieces and nephew, hosting events, cuddling my soulmate (he's a cat), failing at handstands, figuring out how healthy I can make a dish before it's inedible.