"Knowledge is a responsibility and needs to be used and not ignored." - Andrew

Andrew became veg in 2006 and is testing out a vegan diet. At first Andrew thought even the idea of being vegetarian or vegan seemed impossible, but how wrong he was.

Andrew has always loved animals but it wasn't till he watched meet your meat, on Peta2's website that he considered changing his lifestyle. Since then, he learnt about all different forms of animal cruelty and was horrified at what humans will do just for profit. It was this motivation that made him want to spread awareness, especially to the younger generations.

It was luck that Elizabeth also had the same feelings so together they decided to do something about it and started ATAAC. Andrew believes that people are evolving and slowly realizing that if we continue living in the way past generations have been, the world and humanity does not stand a chance to survive.

Through Andrew's love of music, he has travelled and tabled at many concerts and gigs promoting animal rights to youth. He was also the Young Citizen of the Year in 2011 for his work with ATAAC.

ATAAC Ambassadors  

Anti Palm Oil Ambassador - Thomas King, Melbourne

Thomas King may only be 15 years of age, but he is one established teen and ATAAC is super excited to have him on board!

Thomas has been passionate about protecting animals from a young age with his main interest in our fellow-primates. His life changed when in April of 2010, after seeing a television advert for Melbourne Zoo’s ‘Don’t Palm Us Off’ campaign, he learnt about the affects of palm oil on species like the orangutan.

Since then, he has dedicated himself to raise awareness and funds for orangutans across Borneo and Sumatra.

“The reason I took such a main interest in the palm oil crisis was not only because it is pushing the magnificent orangutan to the brink of extinction, but that the reason it is occurring has such a strong link to us everyday Australians. Consumers are blinded to the fact that hundreds of popular Aussie foods, body products and cosmetics contain palm oil, because palm oil usually isn’t labeled.”

Thomas also volunteers for the Australian Orangutan Project, runs his own educational website and facebook group, regularly writes to companies to complain about their use of palm oil, and has raised over $9,000 for orangutan orphanages across Borneo and Sumatra - PHEW! Feel free to visit his website: www.saynotopalmoil.com 

Cruelty Free Ambassador - Claudia Kowalyk, Melbourne

Claudia Kowalyk is 18 years old and has been vegetarian since birth! She has grown up in a vegetarian household where the rights of animals – whether they be cat or cow – were always respected. Although it has always been part of her background, it wasn’t until she did her own research that she learnt the truth of factory farming and the dairy industry. This reinforced everything she’d grown up with and made her determined to protect animals even more. She has now taken the next logical step and become a vegan. She has also persuaded the rest of her family to do the same!

When she met Andrew Glover in 2010 she became part of the ATAAC team and has participated in various events and protests. Another thing that ATAAC has shown Claudia is that the beauty industry is based on horrendous animal testing practises, but that it is relatively easy to choose cruelty free products! She hopes to persuade as many people as possible that small cruelty- free changes in their lifestyle can have an enormous impact on big business. 

Jordannah Galea - Ambassador for Domestic Animals, Melbourne 

 Jordannah Galea is 15 years old and has always had a passion for helping animals. Jordannah has wanted to be help animals and become a vet since the moment she could talk. Her life changed when she found her guinea pigs dumped in a box in the creek by her house. It was at this moment that she knew she had to get involved somehow to help the lives of all domestic animals.

She became vegetarian at age 14 watching a documentary on how factory farmed animals are treated. She recently began a group against animal cruelty at her school and through her passion has already been able to encourage volunteers from other schools to join in and start similar groups. She is pictured with her beloved horse Ralph. 

Ambassador for Marine Animals - Cara Ling, Sydney

Cara is a 16 Sydney girl who has always been an avid animal lover. She turned vegetarian after watching Earthlings and since then hasn't looked back! Cara has always felt passionate about marine animals, the ocean and beaches. This passion has meant she is also an onshore volunteer for Sea Shepherd. However her love for animals doesn't end there. She also volunteers her time with Animals Australia & Animals Australia Unleashed and Orangutans Outreach: Oranguteens.

She plays bass guitar, clarinet and ukelele, enjoys cooking delicious meat-free meals and going on road trips. She hopes that through her role with ATAAC she can spread the word out about the slaughter of dolphins, whales and seals and other issues involving marine animals around the world.

"I believe every one of us is capable of making a difference, if we all just give it a try."  

Jordann never dreamt of being a princess or a firefighter - she wanted to be a dog! Jordann has loved animals ever since she could walk, however it was when she stumbled upon the PETA website 5 years ago she was shocked and appalled with the way animals were treated. At that moment Jordy decided that she would help animals in any way she could.

She became an active member of the YATZ program at Taronga Zoo - which is a group of young people all dedicated to raising awareness about the conservation of animals. She is passionate about stopping the use of animals for entertainment, such as for animal circuses.

Her goal is to stop all animal circuses in Australia through raising awareness and encouraging action against this cruel industry.

Ambassador for Companion Animals - Brittany Bloomer, Sydney

Brittany Bloomer is a passionate animal activist who has always cared deeply about the rights of animals.

Her passion to get involved in animal welfare developed in 2009 when her cat Charlotte passed away. 

Everything changed when she started helping out at a family friends dog/cat boarding. From these experiences she learnt about Death Row animals, which is the case of 250,000 cats and dogs being euthanised per year. She raised public awareness about this topic with the help from Paul Archer from Death Row Pets, as well as presenting speeches in front of her school, publishing articles in her school newsletter and joining the school charity committee to fundraise for local animal pounds.

Brittany is the creator of a very successful blog called In Our Own Skin, where she documents the animal-related activities she involves herself in as well as displays the pound pets which urgently need rehoming.

It is her dream to become a TV Presenter so she can broadcast this issue around the world. 

Ambassador for Factory Farmed Animals - Matthew Ng, NSW

"Being vegetarian and caring for animals is so important to me because it affects everything around us."

Matthew Ng is 17 years old and grew up in Saudi Arabia. 

Unlike the other ATAAC ambassadors, Matthew admits he never though about animals or how they ended up on his plate. Animals came in to his life when he fostered his first dog for two weeks. During this time he understood what an animals is, an individual just like all of us - one who could show emotion, pain and worst of all suffering. 

He began taking care of other people's dogs that would have otherwise been kept in confined kennels. This led to eventually starting a business with his sister "Doggie Home Stay" in an effort to create affordable boarding for dogs. 

It wasn't until an Animals Australia ad caught his attention on factory farming. He decided to research this for 3 assignments in school, which acted as a catalyst for change in his diet and his views on animals. 

Matthew gradually became vegetarian with the ultimate goal to become an organic raw vegan - for the animals, for the environment, for the starving children and for his health. 

Matthew started his own animal welfare club at his school and has involved himself in campaigning against factory farmed bacon in Hungry Jack's. Matthew always jumps at every chance to educate his friends and family by buying them books such as "Eating Animals" or showing them videos on factory farming.  

Ambassador for Native Animals - Nami Gohil, Sydney

“The first thing that comes to a foreigners mind about Australia is the kangaroo. If kangaroos are so iconic to Australia, then why are they being so poorly treated? Why are we the only country that harms and eats our national emblem?”

Nami has been a vegetarian since she was born, and is now almost a vegan. Growing up surrounded by the Australian bush, she loves to be around the native wildlife including lorikeets, cockatoo’s wallabies and has even encountered some harmless snakes!

She has always valued and cared for animals. However it was only in the past 2 years, after reading brochures by Animals Australia and the wonderful book “Eating Animals,” did she began to broaden her horizon and discover the truth about animals and how they are treated in Australia.

Nami was shocked and saddened after learning the horrific practices Australian animals endure. She decided to begin volunteering for the Vegan Society NSW, educating as many people as she can about the current issues of animals in both Australia and the world. She is now a young passionate animal rights activist, who would one day like to stand up and be a lawyer for the voiceless changing the way Australian animals are treated.

Hayley Richards has always possessed a strong love and affinity for all animals. Her total perception, attitude and passion towards animal rights and equality grew much stronger four years ago after watching several confronting documentaries such as ‘Meet Your Meat’ and ‘Earthlings’.

Immediately she was convinced that the most effective and best way to avoid contributing to the animal cruelty involved in meat and dairy industry was to become a vegetarian.

Since then she is constantly trying to help animals as much as she can by making small and simple informed lifestyle changes that are cruelty-free, whilst also educating those around her.

The Live Animal Export Trade and the Factory Farming Industry are areas Hayley would like to help phase out.  

She is currently studying Nutritional Medicine and would love to promote and specialise in vegetarian and vegan nutrition when she has finished.

Her love for food, health and ethicality contribute to her obsession with making yummy raw vegan cakes and chocolates which she loves to share with others in particular vegan sceptics, who end up pleasantly surprised.

We are always on the lookout for passionate, young Australians who want to make a difference. So if you think you've got what it takes to become an ATAAC ambassador why not send us an email to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it