Executive Members List

Name: Ariel Levitsky
Position: Administration/Community Organizer
Contact: alevitsk@uoguelph.ca
Major: MSc. Integrative Biology
About: I first became interested in animal rights when I was about 13 years old. At the time I had no idea what actually went on when it came to factory farming and animal experimentation but I somehow felt that eating animals was wrong. I started converting to vegetarianism at about the age of 16. Since then, everything I have learned about animal rights has supported my decision to be a vegetarian and an animal rights advocate. In May of 2009 I began converting to veganism and have been vegan for over 2 years now!

If you have any questions about G.S.E.T.A., the website or just about animal rights in general feel free to contact me.

Name: Marie Park
Position: Events Coordinator/Advertising
Contact: jpark02@uoguelph.ca
Major: BSc. Biomedical Sciences
About: All life has equal value regardless of its size or form. This is the mandate I live by, beginning from my childhood interest in wildlife to my current studies in biological science. Being a part of GSETA is an integral part of my quest to help others understand the importance of an ethical, cruelty-free world.

Name: Deidre Jones
Position: External Events Coordinator
Contact: deidre@uoguelph.ca
Major: Animal Biology (Minor Philosophy)
About: While I've always had pets in my family, I wasn't taught to think of them as family members. They were "ours" because we wanted them. So I was happily informed that it needn't always be that way, there were people who considered pets to be family, to be special and to be protected. Eventually I began to extend that thinking to wildlife and lastly to our farmed species. I figure that humans have spent history portecting animals, only that animal has been ourselves. I think it's time we open our circle and protect all the planet's creatures.

Name: Rasha Taha
Position: External Events Coordinator
Contact: rtaha@uoguelph.ca
Major: Nutrition
About: I believe animals are my friends. I don't eat my friends, but I stand up for them when they are oppressed, and I acknowledge their various talents and abilities.I refuse to see myself as a hypocrite. I don't agree with saying 'ooh I love animals!' but have one end up on my dinner plate. I have always been fascinated by non-human animals, and my passion has lead me to adopt a 'do as little harm as possible' philosophy.

Name: Misha Buob (Retired)
Position: Founder
Contact: mbuob@uoguelph.ca
Major: BSc. Animal Biology
About: I grew up on a small farm where my family raised animals for food. We also had horses, cats and dogs. I became vegan when I was 18 simply because I liked animals. Ever since, I have become an advocate for the health and environmental benefits of veganism and for the welfare of animals. I stepped up my activism in my first year of university by forming the club GSETA. This had a lot to do with the death of our family dog "Nelly" who was one of my good friends and who I am sure loved me. I started to consider that many other animals are emotional and complex individuals who we should have more respect for.

I now have a pig named Willa.