The team of Welttierschutzgesellschaft e.V.
Our vision is a world in which animals are perceived by humans as well as being treated animal friendly and with respect. The following people support this:
Board and Director
Bettina Praetorius
Chairwoman of the association
As chairwoman, Bettina Praetorius is the backing and the driving force of the association. As a political scientist, she has always been committed to, among other things, the environment, cultural exchange, human rights and a fair development policy. Improving the living conditions of animals around the world is her special concern.
An eye-to-eye cooperation and a sustainable and educational animal welfare approach are very important to her.
Wolfgang Kohn
Deputy Chairman of the association
Dr. med. Wolfgang Kohn is convinced that „we need a global rethinking in order to change the situation of the animals in the long term for the better“. Wolfgang Kohn is a specialist in internal medicine and specializes in diabetology and nutritional medicine. After studying human medicine in Hamburg-Eppendorf, he now works in the group practice Diabetes Team Berlin. About his commitment to the Welttierschutzgesellschaft Dr. Kohn says the following: „Animals, like humans, feel joy and pain, happiness and unhappiness. Therefore, we should treat them with respect and empathy at all levels.”
Katharina Kohn
Director
Director Katharina Kohn brings the different projects together and ensuring that resources are used in the best possible way. The fundraising expert had previously been responsible for the funds acquisition of the association. Therefore, it remains very important to her to maintain the high degree of transparency.
For Katharina Kohn, animal welfare also means „taking responsibility“, because if everyone contributes only a small part, we can all together improve the world for the animals.
(Before misunderstandings occur: The management and the deputy are in no relationship)
Project Management
Viola von Keller
Project Manager Farm Animals
Ever since she was a child, Viola von Keller has spent every free minute around animals: She has gained a wide range of experience living on a farm, owns a dog and two goats, and most recently, in 2022, she volunteered to help take care of the pets of refugees from Ukraine.
After completing her law studies, she is now full-time dedicated to animal welfare – as a project manager of our operations for the protection of farm animals.
Theresa Müschner-Siemens
Project Manager Stray Animals
During her studies in veterinary medicine, Theresa Müschner-Siemens developed a passion for large animals such as cattle, pigs and horses.
After the veterinarian worked in science for several years and was mainly focused on animal-friendly and animal welfare-oriented cattle and pig husbandry, she is now responsible for the stray animal projects as a project manager at the Welttierschutzgesellschaft – another subject close to her heart.
Andrej Schulz
Project Manager Wild Animals
In his studies of literature, Andrej Schulz was very interested in drawing attention and perspective to animals. Epistemological, aesthetic and, last but not least, moral issues are also central aspects that occupy him as an author and ultimately paved his way into the field of animal protection. An internship during his studies brought him to the Welttierschutzgesellschaft for the first time in 2017. After working for a nature conservation association and completing his studies, he now works as a project manager for our wild animals projects.
Daniela Schrudde
Programme Director
As a nurse and veterinarian, Daniela Schrudde is especially important in the balance between animals and humans. During her career as a veterinarian, she gained experience in projects around the world focusing on the protection and welfare of animals, while always involving the local population through socio-economic measures and education. She continues this approach as Programme Director of WTG e.V..
Stefanie Timm
Head of Operational Project Management
The enthusiasm for animal welfare becomes quickly very clear in a conversation with Stefanie Timm. Today the economic communication scientist is responsible for the administrative and editorial support of our animal welfare projects. Her responsibilities include the presentation of our projects on the website and the commentator ship of recent developments, as well as the creating cooperation agreements and the auditing of project expenditure.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Jana Bontkowski
Monitoring & Evaluation
Animals and the subjects of animal welfare and animal rights have long played a special role in Jana Bontkowski’s life, which she demonstrated not least by volunteering at an animal shelter in the USA. After working for several years as a management consultant in project management, where she played a leading role in setting up the Non-Profit / Public Value department, she now supports the Monitoring & Evaluation department at the Welttierschutzgesellschaft.
Natascha Pancic
Head of Evaluation and Monitoring
After many years in New Zealand and her work there as an evaluator, Natascha Pancic now supports our monitoring and evaluation activities. The active commitment in animal welfare advances her work in the area of monitoring and evaluation.
She gathers important information from our global animal welfare projects and campaigns, evaluates them, and ultimately ensures that we can achieve the best possible long-term animal welfare results.
She gathers important information from our global animal welfare projects and campaigns, evaluates them, and ultimately ensures that we can achieve the best possible long-term animal welfare results.
Communication and Fundraising
Katharina Felsenstein
Donor support and fundraising
„In my next life, I will be an elephant“ says Katharina Felsenstein. She is an absolute elephant fan and became aware of us in autumn 2014 through our Sumatra project. Through her years of experience -for example in publishing, sales and customer service as well as film promotion -, she is particularly ambitious in supporting the areas of donor care and fundraising.
Ronja Magdziak
Online Fundraising
After completing her degree in biology, Ronja Magdziak first devoted herself to PR and public relations work before she decided to return to her heartfelt issues of nature and animal welfare, which included a voluntary service in Cambodia. In order to attract even more people for this, she supports Welttierschutzgesellschaft’s fundraising.
Christoph May
Press and public relations
Millions of migratory birds, which are hunted annually in the Mediterranean region, brought Christoph May on the topic of bird protection – and a little later to animal welfare in general. His major concern is to awaken a broad interest for the needs of animals. He implements this in the Welttierschutzgesellschaft in the field of Press- and public relations and can draw on several years of experience in
Wiebke Plasse
Head of Communications
In her job as a journalist, Wiebke Plasse was always particularly interested in animal welfare and nature conservation topics. Since she decided to work full-time in animal welfare, she supervises the fundraising and communication activities of WTG and is responsible for a balanced and interesting presentation of our work – on our website, in newsletters and flyers as well as in video clips and radio features. Furthermore, she’s leading our (political) campaigns.
Anja Zieke
Fundraising
In her childhood, Anja Zieke spent many weekends on her grandparents’ farm. Her enthusiasm for animals persisted and so she took a cat a few years ago. At the Welttierschutzgesellschaft Anja Zieke has now followed her passion:
As a fundraising consultant, she supports the implementation and optimization of fundraising activities.
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Internship / Federal Volunteership
We usually offer job oportunities such as internships and Bundesfreiwilligendienst. If you are fluent in German, please find the description and information here:
You have a question or want to get it contact?
We are hear to help:
+4930 – 9237226-0
or via E-Mail to info@welttierschutz.org.