Deirdre Cowman completed her BA and PhD in the School of Psychology, University College Dublin. Her PhD was on the topic of disordered eating prevention in primary school children. This project led her to collaborate with her colleague Deirdre Ryan to write and publish 'The Magnificent Toby Plum' - a children's book aimed at promoting positive body image. This has given her the opportunity to promote positive body image in talks and workshops with children, parents and teachers. Deirdre has been involved in the Endangered Bodies campaign since 2010 and is delighted to coordinate Endangered Bodies Ireland.
Luise Eichenbaum co-founded The Women's Therapy Centre in London, and The Women's Therapy Centre Institute in New York. She has written several books, including Understanding Women: A Feminist Psychoanalytic Approach, What Do Women Want: Exploding the Myth of Dependency, and Between Women: Love, Envy and Competition in Women's Friendships. Luise is one of the nine co-founders of Endangered Bodies New York.
Lucrecia Fernández has been a member of Endangered Bodies in Buenos Aires, otherwise known as AnyBody Argentina since October 2011. Additionally, she is responsible for web development and maintenance for all of the EB teams. She earned her degree in Computer Science and works as Business Analyst in a multinational company in Rosario, Argentina where she lives. When she is not in front of the computer, she devotes time to her other passion of photography. She is proud to be part of Endangered Bodies and happy to be raising awareness and taking action for girls, teens, and women.
Yvonne Franck is a political scientist from Hamburg who works in marketing and project coordination in education and the arts. Having experienced living in several countries and cultures, she has developed a strong interest in gender equality. As a co-founder of Endangered Bodies Germany, AnyBody Deutschland, she is excited to promote positive body image and diversity in Germany and to form part of the Endangered Bodies movement, in order to challenge current visual culture in an international context.
Andrea Gitter is a co-author of Eating Problems: A Feminist Psychoanalytic Treatment Model (1994), and The Truth about Dieting. She is a Supervisor and member of the Teaching Faculty of The Women's Therapy Centre Institute's One-Year Postgraduate Training Program, and on the Executive Board of The Women's Therapy Centre Institute, Inc. Andrea is one of the nine co-founders of Endangered Bodies New York.
Sharon Haywood, a University of Toronto graduate, is a Canadian freelance writer and editor living in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Between 2009 and 2014, she was co-editor for Adios Barbie, a website that promotes healthy self-image for folks of all sizes, cultures, sexual identities and orientations, races and abilities; she currently acts as Campaign Advisor for the team. She has been a virtual member of the AnyBody/UK Endangered Bodies team since 2009, which inspired her to organize the Buenos Aires Endangered Species Summit and found the Endangered Bodies initiative in Argentina, otherwise known as AnyBody Argentina. Her activism has been featured in a wide array of publications such as Vogue Italia, Cosmopolitan Argentina, and the UK Sunday Times and her writing has been published in various outlets including Canada’s leading feminist magazine Herizons and national Argentine newspapers. She is a proud contributor to the 2013 anthology, Fifty Shades of Feminism (Virago Press).
Stephanie Heart was the principal designer for the 2011 Endangered Species Summit and currently is a member of Endangered Bodies London. She is passionate about seeing women reach their full potential. A University of the Arts London graduate, Stephanie is an Art Director who uses her creative talent to combat the current visual culture. Stephanie has been an influential youth speaker and mentor to young women in the community for over four years. Taking delight in combining her creative talent with real life experiences and issues, she continues to deliver workshops, talks, creative sessions and events to young people that inspire change.
Sarah McMahon is a psychologist who specialises in delivering both individual treatment and family based treatment for eating disorders at BodyMatters Australasia, where she works as the co-Director and Manager of Clinical Services. She holds a Masters of Public Health and is committed to reducing our societies toxic culture of body shame, including the dangerous engagement of weight loss practices that severely compromise our physical and mental well-being. Sarah co-founded Endangered Bodies Sydney/Australia. She also co-founded Collective Shout a grass roots advocacy organisation that reduces the objectification, sexploitation & pornification of females, where she currently holds the position of inaugural Chair. Sarah is a passionate advocate in the media about eating disorders, body image, access to treatment, and prevention of these problems. She has featured in a range of media, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Daily Telegraph, Body+Soul, Cleo, Cosmopolitan, Madison, 2UE, Triple J and National 9 News.
Roanna Mitchell is a London-based member of Endangered Bodies and works as Artistic director for Endangered Bodies events. She is researching her PhD on the Body Politics of Acting, funded and supported by the University of Kent. She also works with the Central School of Speech and Drama on practical solutions to issues of body, image and identity for actors. Roanna is a Movement Director and teacher, and teaches at the University of Kent, Goldsmiths University of London, and CSSD.
Susie Orbach is a psychotherapist, social critic, and activist. She has written 11 books, including bestsellers such as Fat is a Feminist Issue and On Eating. Her latest is Bodies. She is the convenor of AnyBody/UK Endangered Bodies.
Caren Shapiro, one of the nine co-founders of Endangered Bodies New York, is a visual artist and psychotherapist in private practice. Her art and her practice focus on identifying, understanding, and overcoming societal conditions that undermine our ability to live empowered lives.
Miriam Tawil is a psychoanalyst belonging to the International Psychoanalytical Association, a Steering Committee member of the World Mediation Forum, and a teacher. Miriam authored the book, Mundo, Fashion: Modelos e Bastidores (World, Fashion: Models and Backstages). She presents at numerous national and international conferences, has published several articles, and co-authored a number of literary books. She co-founded Endangered Bodies São Paulo.
Alena Thiem is a political activist and scientist from Hamburg. The published author works as a project coordinator of a German NGO that advocates for refugee and asylum rights. Gender equality and the way we – as a political society and as individuals – treat our own bodies has been a strong matter of interest in her daily life as well as during her travels around the globe. Since co-founding Endangered Bodies Germany, AnyBody Deutschland together with Yvonne Franck, Alena is very excited to promote positive body image in Germany.
Lydia Turner, co-founder of Endangered Bodies Sydney, is a psychologist and freelance writer specialising in eating disorders and unhealthy weight loss behaviours. A staunch critic against the diet industry, Lydia regularly presents at conferences across Australia, New Zealand, and the US, and recently became the Vice President International for the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH).