Nick Cooney

Nick Cooney (born c. 1981) is the Executive Vice President of the non-profit animal advocacy organization, Mercy for Animals, founder of The Humane League, co-founder and Board Chair of The Good Food Institute, and co-founder and Managing Trustee of New Crop Capital. He is the author of three books: Change of Heart (2010), Veganomics (2013), and How To Be Great At Doing Good (2015).

In 2005, Cooney founded The Humane League in Philadelphia.

Cooney is a former intern of the Agape Community, a lay Catholic community dedicated to peace and non-violence.

In 2007, Cooney was one of Vegan Outreach's top leafleters in their Adopt A College campaign.

Cooney is one of several people who provided information used in the writing of the book Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism (2008) by Mark Hawthorne.

Cooney's work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, TIME magazine, National Public Radio, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Z Magazine. He has lectured internationally at conferences and campuses including at Harvard, Yale, in Luxembourg, and in Washington, D.C.

Cooney was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cooney received a bachelor's degree in Non-Violence Studies from Hofstra University in 2003 with a major in Non-Violence Studies.

Cooney is the Executive Vice President of Mercy for Animals, an international non-profit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty to farmed animals and promoting compassionate food choices and policies. His previous role at Mercy for Animals was Director of Education.

Cooney is the founder of The Humane League, a nonprofit organization that works to reduce the suffering of farm animals.

Cooney is the Board Chair and co-founder of The Good Food Institute.

Cooney is a Managing Trustee and co-founder of New Crop Capital, a private venture capital fund that invests in plant-based and cultured meat, dairy, and egg companies.

In 2012, Cooney wrote and directed What Came Before, a short documentary starring Steve-O, that follows the rescue of three different animals from factory farms. It was produced by Farm Sanctuary.

Cooney contributes to The Pollination Project by being a judge for The Unsung Vegan Hero Awards.