Lejla Hadzimuratovic

Founding Board Member, Founder & President, with focus on Advocacy & Legislation, Volunteer since 2008.

In 2008, Lejla founded BWF, a non-profit 501 (c) 3, with a focus on eradicating illegal animal sales downtown Los Angeles. She has devoted herself to the rescue of un-weaned baby rabbits from Santee Alley and has saved and personally housed over 4000 of them. Inquisitive, indefatigable, and Vegan since the age of 17, she has vowed to do her part in changing people’s perception to the planet’s voiceless inhabitants. Lejla’s genuine passion to share a powerful message of “The Deadly Secret of Santee Alley,” compounded with the urgency to raise awareness of animal cruelty was one single asset that surmounted all obstacles and shut down this illegal trade in the heart of LA Fashion District.  She singlehandedly ensured that several legislations protecting rabbits have been voted in this great city of LA. Her relationships with media, city officials, vets, various experts, entertainment industry, and the corporate world continue to keep BWF alive and thriving. Her business acumen holds the Volunteers- Fosters - Mentors together, and her artistic sensitivity along with a unique and compelling way of storytelling on Social Media (She runs the 400K FB page and 5 BWF Volunteer Groups on FB) raises awareness of rabbit education, consequences of pet overpopulation, animal cruelty and the illegal animal sales across a wide range of audiences and demographics. Lejla is indispensable part of the BFW’s success.  Her wish is for BWF to be self-sustained and structured as one of the thriving leaders in the non-profit, animal advocacy and animal rights movement arena.

Lejla has experienced injustice firsthand, has lived and traveled all over the world, and had the exposure to some of the most extreme human living situations (Bosnia, Iraq).  Perhaps it is that ultimate connection with human suffering that caused her to have an intense connection with the voiceless animal victims, especially with the often-overlooked and misunderstood rabbits, and even more extreme – un-weaned baby bunnies taken from their mothers too young to survive. Her activist and artistic voice shapes the global scope of the BWF story, the story she lived & continues to live every day.

Lejla holds a master’s degree in Communications Management, M.B.A in Entertainment Industry Financing and is an alumna of the Annenberg School for Communication, Marshall School of Business, and School of Cinema and Television at the University of Southern California (USC).  Fluent in ten languages, she also holds a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (English, French, and Spanish) and yet another master’s degree in Classical Arabic.

Valida Carroll

Co-Founder, Secretary & Treasurer, Social Media Point of Contact, Events Planner, Volunteer since 2008.

Valida runs BWF’s social media (Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube).  She edits short videos featuring adoptions, special needs buns, and investigations.  She’s an active Rabbit Advocate. Originally from Sarajevo, Valida fled a heavily conflicted Bosnia to pursue higher education in the US. She received a BA in World Arts and Cultures from UCLA, and then a master’s degree in Dance and Video Production, also from UCLA. In 1998, while still in the undergraduate program, Valida won the prestigious President’s Fellow Grant that funded her debut documentary short, Youth of Sarajevo, After the Aftermath. The 23-minute documentary offers a glimpse into the lives of six young Bosnians, all struggling to make sense of the new post-war reality. The making of the film further solidified her love of documentary film and set the course for the next few years. Winning a coveted nationwide Pew Charitable Trusts Fellowship in 2000 followed with the release of her feature-length documentary, Concentric Beats. The film was featured at the Miami Winter Music Conference and at the Sarajevo Film Festival in 2001. Valida spent time working on various shorts, including Come Come, a film about Sufi practice in Bosnia; Shakespeare in Baghdad, a personal account of Valida’s childhood in Baghdad and the US-led Iraq invasion; and Saving The World, One Bunny At a Time, about a Los Angeles based animal rights advocacy group (BWF). Valida is also one of Los Angeles’ premier music voices, having been a DJ for over 15 years, she can be heard on air on KCRW (89.9 FM) in Los Angeles on Mondays from 12 to 3 am as part of their program The Lab.

Jenny Urzua

Board Member, Nurse Practitioner, Volunteer since 2010

Jenny was born and raised in Los Angeles.  She graduated from University of Southern California and Yale University.  She has dedicated her career working with underserved cancer patients, and volunteering by providing free health exams to marginalized populations of San Bernardino county. 

After purchasing a bunny on the streets of Santee Alley, her research on bunny care lead her to find the truths of Santee Alley and their exploitation of baby bunnies through BWF advocacy. She and her husband adopted two more bunnies to create a trio— and became baby bunny weaning experts. In her spare time, she provides mentoring and guidance for new fosters and adopters, and works collaboratively with President/Founder in assisting with operational tasks and/or projects. Her dedication to BWF is to honor the memory of her trio: Baby, Annie & Rex. 

Kasia Nabialczyk

Board Member, FilmMaker, Volunteer since 2009

Kasia grew up in Lodz, Poland.  After graduating from International Relations, she moved to Los Angeles, to work in the entertainment industry.  She did 1-year Producing Program at the New Yrok Film Academy at the Universal Studios in Hollywood.  She is currently co-producing the documentary about the animal cruelty Downtown LA.

Jane Stonnington

Executive Director, Adoption Manager, LAAS Liaison, Volunteer since 2003

Born in England and grew up in Australia. Emigrated to United States at age 14. Enlisted in the US Army Reserves – Retired at the rank of E-8/Master Sergeant. Worked in various entertainment networks in affiliate sales and marketing – Showtime, Weather Channel, Playboy Networks, and Hallmark Channels.  Holds Master of Science in Personal Management from Troy State University, Master’s in Human Resources Management and Master’s in Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management, Sherman Oaks, CA.

Melinda Ratner

Shirley Hsu

Advisory Board Member. June 2010 – Present (Bookkeeping, Compliance, Finance, Strategy)

Shirley was born in Taiwan and came to the United States in 1988. Shirley holds a double major in Math and Accounting.  She graduated from CSUF in 1994.  Shirley adopted first pair of bunnies in Sept 2010, second pair in Jan 2011 and by 2012 she ended up with family of 10 bunnies!

Madison Sipes

Madison has been volunteering with Bunnyworld since she was 12 years old, and after a sudden lapse during covid she is back and ready as ever! Madison has fostered dozens of pairs and has adopted now 4 bunny’s from the foundation. Madison has now become a figure who at events either educates others who seek it through bunny care, grooming, behaviors, or helps with bondings and other grooming appointments. The organization has forever left a strong place In her heart, and has further strengthen her need to help animals wherever needed. She is now 17 and is an aspiring vet who’s goal is to make a healthier and safer place for the animals who greatly need it. 

Sara Iches

Sara started out as a volunteer, and has helped immensely with all sorts of endeavors for Bunny World. Her family was introduced to Bunny World in 2013, and she reentered into the community after Covid. Sara has 4 rabbits of her own (3 of whom are BWF buns!) and focuses her goals on advocating for proper bunny care and support, as well as macro work for both rabbits and people. She is in Graduate school to obtain her MSW and works alongside the elderly population in order to ensure proper care and treatment for the underprivileged aging community. 

Helena Awad

Helena is from Boston, Massachusetts and moved to the Los Angeles area in 2021 in pursuit of her doctorate degree in chemical biology. That summer, Helena found her first bunny as a stray on the side of the road. Before long, Bunny World Foundation became an invaluable resource to her via lessons and support in proper rabbit care. Since then, Helena has adopted a second bunny from the Foundation, has fostered several times, and volunteers regularly at events. She remains passionate about educating others on all aspects of rabbit health and well-being.