5:00-5:30pm Professional photos for VIP ticketholders. Meet in the Garden Gallery.

5:30-6:45pm Cocktail hour, silent auction and raffle in the Garden Gallery.

7:00pm Gourmet 3-course vegetarian/vegan feast and program of speakers, featuring Dr. Aysha Akhtar and HSHV President & CEO Tanya Hilgendorf.

$200 ($145 tax deductible): Dinner + drinks + silent auction
$400 ($245 tax deductible): All of the above + preferred seating + professional photo at the event + Compassionate Feast swag bag including autographed book by Dr. Aysha Akhtar

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Dr. Aysha Akhtar, M.D., M.P.H.
Activist, Writer, Artist, Neurologist

Dr. Akhtar is the CO-founder and CEO of the Center for Contemporary Sciences, working to replace the use of animals in experimentation with more effective, human-relevant testing methods and reduce the risk of pandemics and other human health threats. A military veteran, she is a double-board certified neurologist and preventative medicine specialist, with a background in public health.

Dr. Akhtar was a Medical Officer at the FDA for a decade, most recently in the Office of Counterterrorism and Emerging Threats, implementing studies on vaccine effectiveness and safety. Dr. Akhtar is a Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics and author of the two books Our Symphony With Animals. On Health, Empathy and Our Shared Destinies and Animals and Public Health, which argue for the need for health institutions to include animals as part of the”public” in public health.

County Commissioner Justin Hodge

Justin Hodge has served as Washtenaw County Commissioner for District 5 since 2021. He and his wife, Tajalli Hodge, live in the Sugarbrook neighborhood in Ypsilanti Township. Commissioner Hodge began his career as a clinical social worker, providing vital mental health services to children, adults, and families. He also provided services to build wealth in communities and promote economic mobility, including college savings accounts for children and free tax preparation for low-income families. Now, as a professor of social work at the University of Michigan, Commissioner Hodge teaches courses to prepare his students to find policy solutions to address the most pressing problems impacting our society with a focus on social, economic, and racial justice.

Lifetime Achievement Award Winner – Susan Kornfield

Susan Kornfield has had a profound impact on HSHV, through her sustained generosity, advocacy and volunteer work. Her involvement in our “Unleash the Possibilities” capital campaign helped secure the funding needed for our current state-of-the-art facility. She also launched the “Giving Tuesday Matching Gift” initiative, which is now our single most successful giving day each year.

Kornfield has donated over $70,000 in supplies for our most vulnerable foster babies, has generated over $250,000 through her outstanding fundraising during our annual Walk & Wag event, and has provided countless hours of pro bono legal services to HSHV. Her unwavering commitment to animal welfare has enriched the lives of so many animals and ensured that our mission continues to thrive.

Pictured below: Kornfield has a long -standing interest in animals and the law, taking on cases which involved representing animals. Here she is with the primate Yondi, one of her very first clients!