Moxie has had a love and compassion for animals her whole life. Growing up she frequently visited the local animal shelter which made a lasting impression on her. She was affected by the sadness and defeat she saw in the eyes of the dogs, and this grew in her a passion to change the world for abandoned, neglected, and abused animals.
Her experience as a child seeing the typical shelter environment combined with her study of prisons and how it affects the mind, emotions and behavior of prisoners has given her insight into the effects it has on an animal. Because of these negative impacts, one of her primary goals is to work to modernize shelters and humane societies to improve the quality of life for the animal while they are residing there.
Moxie received her Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Missouri Kansas City and minored in prelaw, graduating with honors. She has always had a strong interest in law, investigation, and search and rescue. She has a diverse background in film-making, psychology, neuroscience and gerontology. She attended helicopter pilot flight school with the goal of piloting search and rescue missions and emergency flights. She plans to get her fixed wing license in the future and continue her helicopter training.
In addition to helping dogs and cats, Moxie has a desire to improve the habitat and care of farm animals, as well as preserve wildlife and release animals held in captivity for reasons other than rehabilitation. She has a great love for horses and worked on a farm in Southern California helping to rehabilitate Off-The-Track thoroughbreds for other disciplines like hunter-jumper and equine therapy.
Other goals for Moxie include writing books and articles incorporating neuroscience to influence people’s perceptions of their ability and capacity to care for, foster and adopt rescue animals. She desires to change the classification of dogs from property to one that is closer to human, with rights and protections as a living being. She plans to work alongside lawyers and politicians to change laws to end breed discrimination, puppy mills and laboratory testing on animals. She formed a 501c3 nonprofit organization for animal advocacy and welfare in 2023 and has also joined her local city government as a member of the Human Resources board with goals to pursue higher positions in government.
As an MSL candidate Moxie desires to expand her knowledge of animal advocacy, learning from both Professors and colleagues to navigate the legal landscape and create change for animals now in the years to come.