New Board Members

Lantern recently welcomed three new board members, Yvette Baker, Christine Dorchak, and Joanne Kong.

Yvette Baker is a lifelong social justice advocate, writer, educator, movement organizer, social critic, and proud “rat lady” for total liberation. She’s worked with various animal rights organizations as an educator and grassroots organizer, emphasizing principles of collective liberation and cross-movement solidarity. She is currently the Executive Director of APEX Advocacy, a Black-led organization that builds BIPOC leadership, narrative power, and cross-movement infrastructure for animal justice. APEX Advocacy continues to push hard against the status quo and conventional norms and speak truth to power both in society and our movement. Through an Afro-Indigenous lens, Yvette’s work is rooted in a shared accountability to all relations. She builds with comrades, beyond-human kin, and is the star dancer of every music video playing in her head.

Christine Dorchak, Esq., along with her husband, Carey Theil, are co-founders of GREY2K USA Worldwide and is co-author of Brooklyn Goes Home. Christine has extensive professional experience in the animal protection movement. Before obtaining her law degree, she worked as Research Director for the New England Anti-Vivisection Society and managed the Ellen Gifford Sheltering Home for Cats in Boston. Christine specializes in pari-mutuel law and has drafted laws that successfully prohibit dog racing in several states and countries. She has been featured in many national publications including the Huffington Post, American Dog, Fido Friendly and Bostonia, and has also provided commentary for news outlets such as the Miami Herald, Lowell Sun, Chicago Examiner and Lawyer’s Weekly. A long-distance runner all of her life, she has competed in seven Boston Marathons. Christine enjoys spending free time with her five cats and looks forward to adopting another greyhound soon!

Dr. Joanne Kong a speaker, advocate, and editor and author of Vegan Voices: Essays by Inspiring Changemakers and co-author of Vegan Made Easy. Joanne first joined our Advisory Council and made an impact imparting wisdom and steadfast values including the support of Lantern’s mission of being against all forms of genocide. She is also the director of accompaniment and chamber ensembles at the University of Richmond, VA, and a critically acclaimed concert pianist. Joanne incorporates the arts into her animal advocacy, evoking beauty and compassion.