James qualified in Civil Engineering from University College Cork and subsequently completed an M.Sc. in Holistic Science at Schumacher College, one of the leading centres for sustainability in the UK. He worked in the US for 8 years, and in South Africa for seven years, working as a training provider in community water and sanitation. He has also worked in India, Nepal, Mexico and Central America. James became vegetarian in 1991 after reading John Robbins’ book Diet for a New America, and went vegan in 2011 after waking up to the impacts of the dairy industry. He is the current chair of the Cork Environmental Forum, a local environmental organisation raising awareness and implementing projects in Cork City and County. He also works as a volunteer helping to run meditation retreats in Ireland and Europe. He is interested in contributing to a more just and ethical society through the promotion of personal emotional wellbeing and vegan sustainable living.

Gretta is originally from Seattle. She studied literature at the University of British Columbia and Trinity College Dublin. She worked in a corporate environment for a number of years before deciding to pursue a Masters in Common Law at UCD. She became a vegetarian nearly ten years ago, and made the transition to veganism after learning more about the dairy and egg industry. Gretta is especially interested in topics related to environmental law, animal law, and animal welfare standards both in Ireland and abroad.