Ann Medlock is a writer, editor, activist, publicist, and social entrepreneur who founded the Giraffe Heroes Project in 1982 to inspire people to stick their necks out for the common good. The nonprofit has honored nearly 2,000 giraffes and told their stories across every medium. Ann was named an education innovator by the National Education Association for her pioneering classroom materials, which have reached over 250,000 students. Her books include Silence of the Seamade and Outing of the Mermaid and poetry collection Arius, Riffs and Whispers. She lives with Giraffe Project co-leader John Graham on an island in the Pacific Northwest.