Melissa Karpel
Former PETA campaign coordinator Melissa Karpel has had a special affinity for animals from an early age. One of the Los Angeles native's earliest memories is of when her father took her to a pony-ride attraction at the age of 5. Seeing the ponies chained up in a dusty ring with no shade and with their heads hanging dejectedly, she said to her father, "They shouldn't have to do ths just for me."
Years later, while interning at Roger Fouts' world-renowned Chimpanzee Human Communication Institute (CHCI), home of Washoe and other chimpanzees who made history by being among the first great apes to learn American Sign Language. Karpel stumbled upon a book in the institute's library about chicken factory farms. She went vegan overnight and soon convinced her entire immediate family to follow suit.
After graduating from California State University at Northridge (CSUN) with a degree in theatre, Karpel landed a great job-working as a stage manager at the Los Angeles Opera. However, her experience at CHCI made her realize that her true passion was helping animals.
While working at PETA , Melissa spearheaded PETA's ABC (Animal Birth Control) campaign, promoting adoption and spaying and neutering as ways to bring an end to our nation's animal overpopulation crisis. She has traveled all over the nation (and even to Pamplona, Spain, to protest the Running of the Bulls) holding demonstrations and speaking to the media about various animal rights issues, including vegetarianism; the use of fur, leather, and wool; the exploitation of animals in circuses; and animal experimentation. Melissa was PETA's main spokesperson during the Michael Vick dogfighting case. Melissa Karpel, 30, lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Lectures for the 2012 Cruise
Lecture: Living a compassionate life: Daily ways to change our world for the better.
Activist and former PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) spokesperson, Melissa Karpel, discusses easy things you can do in your daily life to help make the world a better place for animals, yourself, your family, and the planet. Melissa and her family also appeared on Morgan Spurlock's TV show, "30 Days", in which a hunter lived with her vegan family for one month. The compelling episode, which will be screened at the lecture, explores all aspects of animal rights and is an entertaining way to lead into a discussion on compassionate living.