The Protego Foundation Announces Its New President

by · February 13, 2023

The Protego Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization inspired by the Wizarding World, announced its new president today, February 13. The organization will be welcoming Marissa Price into the role, while its creator and cofounder, Tylor Starr, is stepping down.

Since its founding in 2014, the Protego Foundation has been at the forefront of creating change in the Wizarding World fandom in relation to its treatment of animals, and its campaigns such as Accio Vegan Butterbeer have received widespread support.

 

A photo of outgoing Protego Foundation president Tylor Starr.

Tylor Starr, the outgoing president of the Protego Foundation, is shown. (Source: The Protego Foundation)

 

A photo of incoming Protego Foundation president Marissa Price.

Marissa Price, the incoming president of the Protego Foundation, is shown. (Source: The Protego Foundation)

 

In a press release provided by the Protego Foundation, Starr spoke of the transition.

When Kathryn Henzler and I cofounded this organization, we were doing everything on our own, but we slowly started to bring on more volunteers who saw Hermione, Newt, and Luna’s activism for magical creatures and wanted to do the same in our world. With Price leading this team, I know that Protego’s next chapter will see even more victories and more animals helped.

Price was voted in as Starr’s replacement by the Protego Foundation’s board of directors last month, the press release notes. Price also spoke of the role that the Protego Foundation has played over the years.

I am honored to be aligning myself with [t]he Protego Foundation, the only organization working to make the wizarding fandom non-violent towards animals. The organization is a force for animal rights through its mission of educating fans on crucial issues by using the fantastical and enchanting lens of the magical world we all know and love.

Starr additionally mentioned MuggleNet by name in describing the work that the Protego Foundation has done over the years.

Thanks to [t]he Protego Foundation’s members and supporters, including sites like MuggleNet, live owls are banned from all licensed Harry Potter events and locations, [b]utterbeer can now be ordered without the dairy topping, and the fandom is now active for the magical creatures in our non-magical world. The Protego Foundation’s goal of making the Wizarding World fandom the kindest fandom to animals is coming to fruition, and I cannot wait to see it happen from the sidelines as a Protego supporter.

For more information about the Protego Foundation and to support its work, read the press release included below or visit protegofoundation.org.

Press Release

The Protego Foundation Welcomes New President

Creator and Cofounder of [t]he Protego Foundation, Tylor Starr, steps down with Marissa Price stepping into the president role

BOULDER, Colorado, February 13, 2023–- The Protego Foundation, a wizarding-inspired 501c3 nonprofit animal rights organization, welcomes Marissa Price as the new president while the organization’s creator and cofounder, Tylor Starr, steps down.

Dreamt up by Starr in 2014, [t]he Protego Foundation has been led by Tylor through its launch, double rebranding, and many campaign victories. With the support of the all-volunteer team at [t]he Protego Foundation, Starr explains why now was the right time for him to step down as president and to welcome Price as the organization’s leader in their next chapter.

“The Protego Foundation is made up of some of the most passionate and kind activists and fans I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing,” says Starr.

“When Kathryn Henzler and I cofounded this organization, we were doing everything on our own, but we slowly started to bring on more volunteers who saw Hermione, Newt, and Luna’s activism for magical creatures and wanted to do the same in our world,” Starr says,“With Price leading this team, I know that Protego’s next chapter will see even more victories and more animals helped.”

The Protego Foundation’s [b]oard of [d]irectors voted in Marissa Price as Starr’s replacement in January 2023. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in animal rights advocacy and a lifelong love for the Wizarding World. She was personally selected by Starr after they worked together at the largest animal rights organization in the world.

“I am honored to be aligning myself with [t]he Protego Foundation, the only organization working to make the wizarding fandom non-violent towards animals,” says Price. “The organization is a force for animal rights through its mission of educating fans on crucial issues by using the fantastical and enchanting lens of the magical world we all know and love.”

As a final message to the fandom, Starr expresses deep gratitude and a positive outlook for the future, not only for the fandom but [also] for animals in general.

“When Kathryn and I launched [t]he Protego Foundation, owls were still being used in cruel photo ops at Universal Studios Japan, [b]utterbeer could only be ordered with the dairy-topping [sic], and the collective Wizarding World fandom wasn’t talking about animal rights,” says Starr.

“Thanks to [t]he Protego Foundation’s members and supporters, including sites like MuggleNet, live owls are banned from all licensed Harry Potter events and locations, [b]utterbeer can now be ordered without the dairy topping, and the fandom is now active for the magical creatures in our non-magical world. The Protego Foundation’s goal of making the Wizarding World fandom the kindest fandom to animals is coming to fruition, and I cannot wait to see it happen from the sidelines as a Protego supporter.”

For more information about [t]he Protego Foundation and to support their work to help magical creatures, visit protegofoundation.org.