Key People

Jim is a successful entrepreneur.  CEO and co-founder of ASTi named one of Washingtonian magazine's "50 Great Places to Work" in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. In 1980, he co-founded NOAH, (North Oklahoma Animal Helpers) a charity focussed primarily on rescuing animals from the Tulsa  animal pound which was a notorious kill-shelter. He has been a major financial contributor to SAEN since 2000 which is very active in identifying and punishing some of the worst regulatory violations of animal laboratories. Over the past 40 years, which has included much overseas travel, he has become more aware, and more dispirited at the treatment of animals around the world, especially in so-called “civilized societies” and feels he is finally in a position to lend some limited financial support to mitigate some of these problems.

Howard Edelstein is a professional website and database developer. Currently working for FEMA.  Howard is a long-time animal rights activist who has designed websites for many animal protection organizations. In addition to a B.S. in Agriculture, and one in Computer Science, he recently earned a B.S. in Emergency Management and is actively involved in animal sheltering during disasters and cruelty cases; i.e., This little piggy made it all the way home. Howard is the author of An Underwater Friend, the story of a boy who goes fishing and realizes that all animals are sentient beings, and that a friendship can develop between any two individuals. He has also written Ready or Not, Here it Comes, a book about planning for the animals in your care in the event of a disaster; and Scooter Strays, an interactive children’s book about the dangers a stray dog faces.

Chantal is a dual Canadian/US citizen, originally from Quebec City, currently living in Washington DC.  She has lived in the United Kingdom, Germany and the Far East. Retired from the Canadian Government, she now works in the travel industry. With her husband, they run a boutique cycling adventure company enabling them to travel all over the world on two wheels.  

An avid animal lover, Chantal has witnessed the immense suffering of so many animals due to overpopulation in many developing countries. Promoting spay/neuter clinics is her main focus. She currently volunteers with two animal rescue groups, the Humane Rescue Alliance and Homeward Trails. She also spent several weeks in Thailand volunteering at the Soi Dog Foundation and has helped relocate several of the dogs rescued from the infamous Asian Dog Meat Trade.

Nancy has been accountant for 30 years. She started her accounting firm Business Management Resources in Bethesda, MD in 1989. Her firm does bookkeeping and accounting for many small to mid-sized firms in the Washington, DC area. She has served on the board of directors for the National Association of Women Business Owners for several years and was president of the board in the 1990's. She has also served on the board of directors of several non-profits including the Potomac Pedalers Touring Club where she was treasurer for five years. 

Nancy brings her vast knowledge of accounting along with her love of animals to Compassion Sans Borders.

Dr. Katherine Polak is a veterinarian dedicated to improving animal welfare in Southeast Asia, and in limited-resourced communities around the world. She currently serves as the Head of Stray Animal Care – Southeast Asia for FOUR PAWS International, a global animal welfare organization based in Vienna, Austria working to end the suffering of wild, stray, and farm animals.  Dr. Polak currently manages a variety of companion animal programs in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, with a special focus on combatting the cruel dog and cat meat trade in the region. Prior to working at FOUR PAWS, Dr. Polak was the International Director of Animal Welfare at Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket, Thailand.  A boarded specialist in both Shelter Medicine and Veterinary Preventive Medicine, her focus is on veterinary training, high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter programs, and organizational capacity building.  She also serves as faculty at the University of Florida where she teaches in the online Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program, and in 2018, she became the Medical Director for the HSUS Spayathon for Puerto Rico.

Anne Tamara is a passionate animal advocate. Currently  Canada’s Ambassador to Iceland since 2016. Anne-Tamara has dedicated several years of her life as a negotiator in international organizations to the prevention of human rights abuses and the protection of freedoms and the rule of law. She is convinced that we can judge a society, and a country by the way it protects its most powerless individuals, starting with animals, being they farmed for food or science research or breeded for community or military services or companionship. She is convinced that an international legal instrument and implementation mechanism to prevent animal abuses and legalize and protect animal rights is long overdue.  While the conditions are being created to make this possible, she is supportive of auxiliary measures, such as international extractions, rescues, neutering and re-adoptions. She lights up when she speaks of her late cocker spaniel George, her new cocker spaniel Fjordi H. …and her daughter Romy, of course.