American Humane Association Dedicates New National Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Feb. 17 event to feature special guests: NBC's 'Outsourced' star Pippa Black, prominent socialite and handbag designer Tinsley Mortimer, and New York Times best-selling author and child welfare advocate Ashley Rhodes-Courter

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Humane Association, the nation's voice for the protection of children and animals, will dedicate its new national headquarters offices, located in the Resources & Conservation Center, Washington, D.C., on Feb. 17. Attendees will include Pippa Black, star of NBC's comedy series "Outsourced"; Tinsley Mortimer, socialite and handbag designer; and Ashley Rhodes-Courter, author of a New York Times best-selling memoir about her life in the foster care system.

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"Since 1877, American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major policy movement, legislative effort and shift in cultural attitudes aimed at improving the lives of children and abolishing cruelty to animals," said Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D., American Humane Association president and CEO. "So it is fitting that we build a more prominent presence here in our nation's capital to speak for the voiceless in our society — from our most vulnerable children to animals of every kind — as we strengthen the inextricable link between people, animals and the world we share."

"We appreciate the tremendous support we've received from our constituents, partners and community in welcoming us to our new offices," Ganzert said. "As we gather for this occasion, we celebrate American values of compassion, caring and hope, while we also reaffirm our commitment to making a difference for the vulnerable and the voiceless by changing attitudes, shaping policy and improving lives."

American Humane Association's new national headquarters offices are located at 1400 16th Street NW, Suite 360, Washington, DC 20036. The organization also has program offices in Denver, and its "No Animals Were Harmed"® Film & Television Unit is based in Los Angeles.

About the featured guests:

Pippa Black stars in NBC's new comedy series "Outsourced" as Tonya, an Australian running the Koala Air call center in India. She began her career with roles in the Australian drama "Secret Life of Us" and "Last Man Standing." She then went on to secure the lead role of Elle in the internationally acclaimed television series "Neighbours." She was on the show for three years and garnered a nomination for a Logie Award (Australia's version of an Emmy) in 2006. Since completing "Neighbours" in 2009, she has enjoyed the diversity of her roles in "City Homicide" and voicing "Elenore" in the short stop-motion animation "Tegan the Vegan."

Tinsley Mortimer, an American Humane Association National Ambassador, is considered one of the most visible and photographed socialites in New York. Her handbag line, Samantha Thavasa by Tinsley Mortimer, debuted in winter 2006 with its American flagship store on the Upper East Side. In summer 2007, she became the beauty ambassador of Christian Dior. In fall 2007, she introduced her first clothing collection, Riccimie by Tinsley Mortimer, sold exclusively in Japan. While working at Vogue and, later, the public relations firm Harrison & Shriftman, her unique look caught the eye of society photographers and she has since been featured on the pages of Vogue, WWD, Harper's Bazaar and Marie Claire magazine, to name a few.

Ashley Rhodes-Courter, American Humane Association National Ambassador for Child Welfare, spent almost 10 years in foster care, living in 14 placements before being adopted at age 12. In 2008, Simon & Schuster published her memoir, "Three Little Words," which quickly became a New York Times best-seller. She has a passion to tell her story and share hope with other foster children and encourage adoption and permanency, and she has been featured on many national and local television shows. Her book has received many national and local awards and has been used in classrooms across the country. She will be signing copies of her book at the Feb. 17 event.

About American Humane Association

Since 1877, the historic American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advancement in protecting children, pets and farm animals from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Today we're also leading the way in understanding human-animal interaction and its role in society. As the nation's voice for the protection of children and animals, American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.

SOURCE American Humane Association