WHO WE ARE

OUR HISTORY

CWI was incorporated in 2013, but its roots are deep in the animal protection movement. Founded on the combined experience of a decade of circus protests, farmed animal advocacy, and domestic animal rescue, we hit the ground running with a focus on ending the use of animals in traveling circuses.

In the years that followed, CWI hosted and provided materials to hundreds of circus protests, helped put an end to the use of animals in numerous circuses, conducted more than a hundred investigations, and reached hundreds of thousands of individuals with our social media posts and petitions.

Our efforts have prevented two tiger magic shows in Las Vegas and numerous elephant performances, and helped put an end to the captivity of tigers, lions, dolphins and other exotic animals on the Vegas Strip.

We built on those efforts by expanding our advocacy to trophy hunting with the Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting and hosting protests against Safari Club International. And we spoke out against rodeos at the largest rodeo event in the country — the National Finals Rodeo.

Where there is animal cruelty, CWI will rise to address it: from the cruel keeping of solo elephants in zoos to the fur industry to marine mammal captivity.

CWI also created the largest vegan festival in Nevada — Vegas VegFest. We hosted seven VegFests and a more than a dozen smaller vegan events exposing thousands of visitors to the joys of cruelty-free eating and putting animals first.

Most recently, CWI has focused on giving back by creating The ReWild Fund and Callie's Fund to support while and farmed animals in sanctuary and in situ conservation work. And we developed Wheeks of Hope, our guinea pig microsanctuary and campaign hub.

OUR MISSION

At CompassionWorks International, we believe in kindness, respect, unity, dialogue, community, commitment, strategic action, one world for all beings, neighbors talking to neighbors, and friends sharing with friends.

And, like you, we envision a day when all animals are able to live their lives free from harm and suffering.

But change for animals will not happen unassisted. The animals held captive by the entertainment industry or in roadside zoos our collective voice. They are counting on us to speak loudly, clearly, and effectively on their behalf to let the world know that they are sentient beings with families, feelings, and a right to freedom.

At CWI, we provide the assistance needed to bring hope to animals. We believe that by implementing professional, strategic actions within our communities, every one of us can be a beacon of light that spreads awareness about the pain and suffering that occurs inside the tanks, under the big tops, at the hands of trophy hunters, and behind the shuttered doors of pet store breeders and medical testing facilities.

Stand with CWI as we build a free and fair world by acting for ALL animals — the tall and the small.

Our Mission

Notable events & successes.

CWI formally launched at the 2014 Animal Rights Conference.
2015 - CWI files our first complaint with the USDA on behalf of Nosey the elephant.
Within one year of launch, CWI hosted more than 70 circus protests across 34 states.
In 2016, CWI hosts our first Worldwide Rally For Cecil, which involved 35 rallies across 6 countries.
2016 also saw our very first Vegas VegFest festival.
Later that year CWI prevented a performance of elephant-abusing Have Trunk Will Travel in Arizona.
On May 21, 2017 - CWI hosted the final protest of Ringling Bros Circus.
We also hosted "Freedom Matters" a multi-state anti-animal captivity protest.
After years of advocating, Nosey the elephant went to sanctuary in Fall 2017.
In 2018, after intensive campaigning, Kelly Miller Circus went elephant and tiger-free.
And CWI launches our vegan "A Kind World" campaign with a mobile billboard on the Las Vegas Strip.
March 2019 saw the launch of our largest petition, which gathered more than 275,000 signatures for Betty the elephant.
That same year we placed anti-circus billboards in 4 cities across the country.
2021 — CWI-supported Colorado circus ban passes into law.
Just months after a hard hitting CWI investigation of Bo the elephant, he is retired to an elephant refuge.
In 2022, a multi-pronged campaign led by CWI, resulted in magician Jay Owenhouse being denied a permit to host his tiger magic show in Las Vegas.
That same year magician Dirk Arthur was also denied a permit after a swift response from our 3-day campaign.
In another amazing Vegas-based win and after years of protests, the new owners of Las Vegas-based Mirage choose not to continue the dolphin and big cat habitat.
Following a 2023 CWI campaign, we have a partial win at the Hogle Zoo in Utah, which ended their elephant program.
2023 also saw the launch of The ReWild Fund.
Wheeks of Hope microsanctuary and guinea pig campaigns launched in 2024 as well as our farmed animal focused grant program Callie's Fund.
2025 — CWI stops the Colorado Renaissance Festival from hosting elephant rides.
Our ban on the sale of guinea pigs in Las Vegas also comes to fruition.
And we prevent Okha from enduring a public appearance in Florida.

2025 Annual Report

Report

CWI LEADERSHIP

Carrie LeBlanc, MA

President and Executive Director

As the Founder and Executive Director of CompassionWorks International, Carrie works diligently to improve and enhance the techniques and strategies in the animal advocacy movement. Her leadership has led to the demise of circuses and exotic animal performances, and helped to change hearts and minds with regard to issues of animal captivity and trophy hunting.

Prior to founding CWI, Carrie worked with many notable organizations including Mercy For Animals, Compassion Over Killing, FARM, and Darwin Animal Doctors. As a recognized expert in the fields of nonprofit management and fundraising, Carrie has successfully raised millions of dollars for charity work, helped to restructure and stabilize numerous nonprofit organizations, and has consulted for or advised over a dozen nonprofits focused on animal protection.

An animal activist from a young age, Carrie became vegetarian shortly after graduating from high school and went vegan twenty years later after learning of the tragic plight of male chicks hatched into the egg industry. A year after becoming vegan, Carrie founded Go Vegan USA, a project focused on community-based activism, and ran the founding chapter in Santa Barbara, California. Amongst other activities, Carrie co-founded the Animal Rescue Fund of Santa Barbara, has been a board member on her local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and has published several articles related to veganism, nonprofits, and fundraising.

Carrie holds a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology and a master’s degree in art history both from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and is a published art historian. She currently lives in Henderson, Nevada where she enjoys spending time with her husband and her canine companion, Bambi.

Leadership

Julie Cappiello

Board Secretary and Social Media Advisor

When Julie was in eighth grade, she was voted "most likely to become an animal rights activist" in her graduation yearbook. Now, years later, she is a vegan and animal activist for more than six years and focuses on urging fellow animal activists to get involved in their local communities. As a descendent of former circus-owners, animal "trainers", and circus aerialists, Julie spends her days working for animal-free circuses and helping animals (ab)used for entertainment.

Jennifer A. Myers, JD, MBA

Board Member

Jen has served on many nonprofits boards. Vegan for nearly a decade and attempting to raise conscience vegan kids, Jen’s current passion project is getting healthy vegan lunch options into their schools. Previously Jen developed business plans for profits & non-profits alike, coached boards through growth, planned brainstorming retreats, and dabbled in animal rights during her previous career as a lawyer.

Niki Gianni, DVM

Board Member

In 1999, Niki became inspired by tragic situation of Lolita the orca, who is held captive at Miami Seaquarium. Lolitas's confinement inspired Niki into a long and dedicated commitment to helping animals. Through the years, she has volunteered with almost all of the major animal rights organizations including PETA, Mercy for Animals, and Animal Outlooks, as well as organizing her own protests. She is the 2008 recipient of Mercy For Animal's Chicago Youth Activist of the Year award as well as the 2010 National Youth Activist of the Year award presented at the Animal Rights National Conference.

Niki has been vegan since 2006 and a veterinarian since 2019. She became a veterinarian

to use her voice and expertise to stand up for all animals, regardless of species or presumptive “worth” to humans. Niki remains inspired to further rights for all animals and to facilitate educational opportunities for other young animal advocates.

Tony "the Aussie"

Volunteer Coordinator and Photographer

Tony is new to the world of animal advocacy, but brings a wealth of experience with him to CompassionWorks International. Both a professional photographer and a successful entrepreneur, Tony has already expanded our cache of photography that we use to create dynamic and effective protest posters and leaflets. He has also served as the official photographer of the Worldwide Rally For Cecil.

Tony is additionally serves as a committee member of CWI's Vegas VegFest and coordinates all volunteer activities surrounding the fest. He is currently working to broaden CWI's range of events to include other vegan gatherings and festivals in the Las Vegas valley.

He looks forward to continuing to assist in building CWI's range of programming and visual content, while also perfecting his vegan ice cream recipes!