Mary Max

Mary Max (née Balkin; October 20, 1966 – June 9, 2019) was an American animal rights activist and wife of German-American pop artist Peter Max. She was a member of the board of directors of the Humane Society of the United States from 2005 until her death of apparent suicide in June 2019.

VegNews, a magazine that promotes veganism, remembered her "tireless work [as a] relentless ambassador of animal rights."

Early life and education Max was born on October 20, 1966, in Buffalo, New York, to Ruth K. Balkin.

Animal rights activism Max became active in the animal rights movement after a conversation with Italian actress Isabella Rosellini, who told her about factory farming. By her death in June 2019, Max had become a well-known figure among animal activists in New York.

In 2001, she helped organize the Farm Sanctuary's first gala and later joined the organization's advisory council. In 2005, Max co-founded Humane USA-PAC, a political action committee that promotes animal rights legislators in the United States. Their wedding was officiated by New York City's then-mayor Rudy Giuliani.

She was a vegan.