Azzedine T Downes | President & CEO | International Fund for Animal Welfare

The willingness to embrace the unknown and trust in taking the road less traveled has been one defining characteristic in the life and career of Azzedine Downes. An American Muslim with Irish roots, Downes has always had a natural talent for navigating diverse cultures and making unexpected connections. As a young adult, Azzedine embarked on a globally nomadic lifestyle, traversing Morocco, Eastern Europe, Northwest Africa, and Israel. These journeys, brilliantly depicted in his memoir The Couscous Chronicles, taught him how to adapt and relate to people from all walks of life.