WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – December 16, 2013 – Today, Harry P. “Hank” Lynch of Virginia begins his tenure as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Farm Sanctuary, a national animal protection group with three shelters in New York and California and a roster of high-profile supporters including Ellen DeGeneres, Ryan Gosling, Martha Stewart, and Leona Lewis.
Under Lynch’s leadership, Farm Sanctuary will focus on strategically evolving how the organization achieves its mission to end cruelty to farm animals. “Hank is the most tenured chief executive we have recruited thus far,” said Farm Sanctuary’s President and Co-founder, Gene Baur. “He has been successful at managing diverse physical locations, creating innovative visitor experiences for public audiences, and has worked closely with staff and donors to achieve a compelling nonprofit vision.”
Lynch brings Farm Sanctuary more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in the nonprofit sector. He most recently served as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer for The National Maritime Center in Norfolk, Virginia. During his tenure there, he led nearly 100 staff members, managed and promoted a variety of public spaces and related programs and oversaw an operating and capital budget exceeding $10 million dollars. For 12 years prior to that, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, in northeast Ohio, overseeing all of the organization’s staff, public programs and strategy, as well as the restoration of this National Historic landmark’s architecture and more than 70 acres of gardens and open space. Lynch holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in horticulture, including design, administration and management.
Farm Sanctuary was the first animal shelter created to take in and rehabilitate rescued cows, pigs, chickens and other farm animals. It has a world-class reputation for providing outstanding animal care and unique events that allow visitors to interact with farm animals much like they would interact with their own dogs and cats. Lynch aims to bring the Farm Sanctuary experience to new audiences, using new media right alongside tried and true grassroots activism, to prompt people to question the hidden costs of our industrialized food system. “Farm animals are largely hidden from view in our modern world, so most people do not realize how emotional and intelligent these animals are, nor do they realize how much these animals are mistreated,” Lynch noted. “When we help people make this connection, their health, our environment and the animals all stand to benefit.”
Lynch has been committed to animal protection and compassionate living for more than 20 years. He and his wife, Paula Moran, practice a vegan lifestyle and have, over the years, rescued or fostered more than 70 dogs, cats and birds. At Farm Sanctuary, Lynch will have the opportunity to combine his well-developed nonprofit leadership and management skills with his passion for animal protection.
To learn more about Farm Sanctuary, visit farmsanctuary.org.
