Bold advocacy for the most underappreciated organisms

Our Vision

A world where insects are valued and protected for their intrinsic worth and vital contributions to planetary health.

Our Mission

To advocate for the protection of insects through strategic legal, political, and public advocacy, challenging industries that harm them and advancing policies that ensure their wellbeing.

Our Values

Respect for All Life: We believe that all life, including insects, deserves respect and moral consideration. Our commitment extends to advocating for their well-being, resisting their exploitation, and promoting a world where every species is valued and protected.

Evidence-Informed Action: We ground our strategies and campaigns in sound scientific research and rigorous evidence, staying informed about the latest developments in entomology, ecology, and animal welfare to ensure our efforts result in the greatest possible positive impact.

Inclusive Collaboration: We believe that collaboration across disciplines, communities, and like-minded organizations is essential to maximizing our impact. By fostering an inclusive environment and leveraging the strengths of diverse stakeholders, we amplify our collective efforts and contribute to a larger movement dedicated to protecting insects.

Cost-Effectiveness and Long-Term Thinking: We maximize the efficiency of our limited resources by focusing on actions that deliver the most significant and measurable outcomes for insect protection. Our approach prioritizes agility, scalability, and sustainability to create change that benefits insects over the long-term, not just in the immediate future.

Continuous Improvement: We are committed to ongoing self-reflection, learning, and adaptation. By embracing new evidence, innovation, and evolving strategies, we continuously evaluate and refine our approach to maximize our impact and respond effectively to emerging challenges in insect protection.

Our Team

  • Founder and Executive Director

    Andre Abassi is an insect enthusiast and the executive director of SPI. He draws upon years of legal experience in non-profit organizations, public agencies, and private firms across environmental and animal disciplines, spanning both civil and criminal. Before law school, he served as a staff sergeant in the US Army, leading in critical human intelligence collection operations. Now, he brings his leadership and enthusiasm to help secure a better future for all life on earth.

  • Program Operations

    Kiely is a project, campaign, and people manager dedicated to implementing high-impact strategies to improve the lives of all living on our planet. She supports program operations for SPI. Kiely holds degrees in Animal Studies from New York University and Cognitive Science from UC Berkeley. Kiely also oversees conservation campaigns at Project Coyote and formerly led the Leadership Development program for New Roots Institute, an ACE Recommended Charity.

  • Communications

    Lucy is passionate about environmental education and communication in the fight for a more just food system. She is a Teaching Fellow at New Roots Institute and the Campus Education Architect at Switch4Good, both positions that allow her to develop and deliver food and environment-centered curricula. She is also completing research about native bees and urban farming in NYC through a grant provided by Food4Thought. Outside of work, she loves being outdoors and experimenting with new recipes! Lucy graduated from NYU with a BA in Global Liberal Studies, concentrating in Sustainability, Health, and the Environment and minors in French and Peace and Conflict Studies.