Heather Patrick works full-time as Mercy For Animals' Chicago Campaign Coordinator, organizing events and campaigns in Illinois, coordinating volunteers, and running MFA’s Internship Program.

Her concern for animals began in childhood, as she was raised vegetarian and her family owned a small sanctuary for abandoned or injured farmed and wild animals.

Later in life, she founded and served as the Director of Students Educating for Animal Liberation for four years and worked at various national and international animal protection organizations and sanctuaries.

She received her Bachelor of Arts in Social and Cultural Anthropology from Connecticut College, a field that took her around the world. During her time abroad, she continued her work for animals.

As a humane educator, she gave presentations on veganism at a culinary institute in Ghana, taught English at a vegetarian orphanage in Peru, and worked on a farmed animal sanctuary in New Zealand and a kangaroo sanctuary.

After completing her apprenticeship with the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, she became an advocate of veganic (vegan, organic) farming techniques. She operated a vegan organic farm in Pennsylvania for three years, as well as taught vegan farming principles in Southeast Asia and Australia.