Our Team
Dr. Annie Harvilicz is the Chief Medical Officer of the veterinary hospital Animal Wellness Centers in Venice, California and Founder of Animal Wellness Foundation. She is the recipient of the Sherrie Clark Compassion and Caring Award and the Tobey Award for helping lost, abandoned, or homeless dogs and has served on the national leadership council of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. It was Annie’s vision to create a rescue organization that would align with her veterinarian practice and treat every animal as a unique individual.
John Mackey, serves as Board Member, and is the current CEO of Whole Foods Market, and one of the most influential advocates in the movement for organic food and standards for humane animal treatment. He started the Animal Compassion Foundation to address making animal welfare more economically viable. Mackey is on the Board of Directors of Global Animal Partnership, a Board of Director for the Humane Society and has followed an entirely plant-based diet.
James Grant has worked in the Los Angeles rescue community for over 15 years, starting out as a volunteer and dog foster for multiple rescue groups. As Vice President of Animal Wellness Foundation, he has cultivated relationships with key leaders in animal care and control, private rescue personnel, shelter and training facilities. As a result, James has facilitated in thousands of rescue and rehome missions at home and overseas, facilitating rescuing endangered dogs from meat trade in China.
Dr. Pernilla Edstrom, DVM, at Animal Wellness Centers, has over 16 years of veterinary care experience. After receiving her veterinary doctorate, she accepted an internship at Animal Surgical and Emergency Center (ASEC) in West Los Angeles. There, she was exposed to a multitude of specialties, such as Emergency and Critical Care, Surgery, Cardiology, Radiology, and Internal Medicine. She is a leader in the foundation’s animal care department working with Animal Wellness Centers hospitals on the front lines to treat and rehabilitate animals while actively supporting animal protection policies.
Sylvia Vannini, serves as Board Member, and is an attorney who advises public and private companies on mergers and acquisitions, securities, and general corporate matters, including corporate governance, both in and out of the entertainment industry. She has been recognized by Legal 500 as “Next Generation Lawyer” in Media, selected by the Daily Journal to its “Top Women Lawyers” list (2018) and in Variety’s Legal Impact Report (2018) and Super Lawyers: Southern California Entertainment Law Rising Star (2015-2018). She is an animal lover, pet owner, vegetarian and rescue supporter.
Marty Irby, Senior Advisor. Irby worked in the United States House of Representatives for Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) serving as Communications Director and Animal Protection and Agriculture Policy Advisor. He is a former president of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association, where he led the charge to bring an end to the painful practice of “soring” walking horses. Irby was named by The Hill as one of nation’s Top Lobbyists, is a Heritage Foundation Congressional Fellow, former director of equine protection and rural affairs at the Humane Society of the U.S., and native of South Alabama who grew up on a horse and cattle farm.
Ryan O’Neil, serves as Board Member, and is an American actor and former boxer with a passion for animals. O'Neal trained as an amateur boxer before beginning his career in acting in 1960. In 1964, he landed the role of Rodney Harrington on the ABC night time soap opera Peyton Place. Ryan is most notably credited for his roles in Love Story (1970), Peter Bogdanovich's What's Up, Doc? (1972) and Paper Moon (1973), Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon (1975), Richard Attenborough's A Bridge Too Far (1977), and Walter Hill's The Driver (1978). He is a pet owner and animal rescue supporter.
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