Tracey McShane was born on August 6, 1967, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She is an American author, animal rights advocate, former veterinary technician, and graphic designer.
She is also known as the wife of comedian and television host Jon Stewart, though she built her own career long before their marriage.
Who is Tracey McShane?
Tracey McShane is an American former veterinary technician, graphic designer, animal rights advocate, and published author.
Her work in animal welfare and her 2015 book Do Unto Animals reached a wide public audience, earning placement on the New York Times bestseller list.
She is also the founder of Moomah the Magazine and served as vice president of the Portrait Project, a non-profit organization that connects children through the arts. Each of these roles reflected her interests before and after her marriage to Jon Stewart in 2000.
Tracey grew up in Pennsylvania and later studied at the California College of Arts and Crafts and at Drexel University. Those institutions gave her the design training that launched her early professional life.
She co-founded the Hey Friend Foundation alongside her husband, which runs Hockhockson Farm in Colts Neck, New Jersey. The sanctuary provides a home to hundreds of rescued animals, including cows, pigs, horses, goats, and chickens.
Early Life of Tracey McShane
Tracey Lynn McShane grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her parents’ names are not publicly known. She developed a love for animals from an early age, a passion that would later define much of her professional identity.
Her early education brought her to the California College of Arts and Crafts, where she began building design skills. Later, she enrolled at Drexel University to study graphic design and also took a business course there.
After completing her education, she worked as a graphic designer for several years. In a 2015 NPR Fresh Air interview, she recalled that her husband eventually encouraged her to follow her childhood dream of working with animals, which she did by returning to school for veterinary science.
Tracey McShane Age
Tracey McShane is 59 years old as of 2026, born on August 6, 1967. Her zodiac sign is Leo.
She published her bestselling book Do Unto Animals in October 2015, one of her most visible personal achievements.
Tracey McShane Ethnicity and Nationality
Tracey holds American nationality and was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is of white Caucasian ethnicity.
Her family background is not widely discussed in the media, as she has consistently kept personal and family details private.
Tracey McShane Height and Weight
Tracey McShane stands at approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall, or about 165 cm. Her weight is reported at around 60 kg, or 132 lbs.
She maintains an active lifestyle connected to farm work and daily animal care at her sanctuary in New Jersey.
Tracey McShane Education
Tracey attended the California College of Arts and Crafts in the mid-1990s, where she developed her graphic design foundation. She later studied at Drexel University, completing coursework in graphic design and business.
After her husband Jon Stewart took over as host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central in 1999, Tracey returned to school to pursue a degree in veterinary science. That decision led directly to her career as a veterinary technician at the Bronx Zoo.
Tracey McShane Career
Early Career as a Graphic Designer and Vet Technician
Tracey began her professional life as a graphic designer following her studies at Drexel University and the California College of Arts and Crafts. She worked in that field for several years before returning to her childhood interest in animals.
After earning her veterinary science qualifications, she joined the Bronx Zoo as a veterinary technician. In her Fresh Air interview, she described that role as “the best job I ever had.” Working with animals at the Zoo gave her hands-on experience with animal welfare at a serious professional level.
Her time at the Bronx Zoo directly shaped the work she went on to pursue with farm sanctuaries and animal advocacy. It also laid the foundation for writing her 2015 book.
Moomah the Magazine and the Portrait Project
Tracey later founded Moomah the Magazine, which grew out of a family-oriented café called Moomah Café in lower Manhattan. The café served as both a gathering space for families and a children’s enrichment center.
After the café closed, the project continued as an online platform under the Moomah name. Separately, Tracey served as vice president of the Portrait Project, a non-profit that connects children around the world through the arts.
Both roles reflected her consistent interest in creative projects that served communities beyond her own immediate life. They also showed her ability to shift between careers with distinct purposes.
Do Unto Animals and Farm Sanctuary Work
In October 2015, Tracey published Do Unto Animals: A Friendly Guide to How Animals Live, and How We Can Make Their Lives Better, illustrated by Lisel Ashlock and published by Artisan. The book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list and also topped the USA Today list.
The book covered practical animal behavior, care tips, and the realities of factory farming, all written in an accessible style for general readers. Proceeds from the book went to Farm Sanctuary, the animal protection organization she partnered with for her New Jersey farms.
Tracey and Jon bought Bufflehead Farm in Middletown, New Jersey in 2013, converting it into an animal sanctuary. In 2016, they acquired Hockhockson Farm in Colts Neck, New Jersey, through their co-founded Hey Friend Foundation.
Farm Sanctuary named two rescued sheep after Tracey and Jon as a gesture of appreciation for their support. The couple’s animal advocacy work expanded into a recognized public presence in New Jersey’s farm sanctuary community.
Tracey McShane Awards and Recognition
Tracey McShane’s book Do Unto Animals reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list following its October 2015 release. Jane Goodall praised the book publicly, describing it as “delightful, entertaining, and hugely important.” The book also drew positive coverage from Gayle King on CBS This Morning and from The New York Times.
Farm Sanctuary recognized Tracey and Jon’s contributions to animal welfare by naming two rescued sheep after them. That gesture reflected the significance of their partnership in running the New Jersey branch of Farm Sanctuary.
Tracey McShane Husband
Tracey McShane married Jon Stewart in November 2000, following a blind date the two went on in 1996. A mutual friend set up the date after Tracey mentioned to her roommate that she wished she knew someone as funny as Jon Stewart. Little did she know, her roommate already knew him.
The couple dated for several years before Jon proposed in 1999. His proposal came through a custom crossword puzzle published in the New York Times, created with the help of Will Shortz, the paper’s crossword editor. Tracey solved the puzzle and found the proposal inside.
On June 19, 2001, both Jon and Tracey legally changed their surnames to Stewart.
Jon Stewart is best known as host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, which he anchored from 1999 to 2015. During his tenure, the show won 22 Primetime Emmy Awards, including ten consecutive wins in the outstanding variety series category.
He returned to The Daily Show as a Monday host in February 2024, anchoring coverage through the US presidential election cycle.
Jon has also hosted Apple TV+’s The Problem with Jon Stewart, starting in September 2021. He has published books including America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction (2004) and hosted the 78th and 80th Academy Awards.
Tracey McShane Children
Tracey and Jon faced difficulties conceiving naturally and chose in vitro fertilization to grow their family. Their son Nathan Thomas Stewart was born on July 3, 2004. Their daughter Maggie Rose Stewart followed on February 5, 2006.
Both children grew up on the family’s farm in New Jersey. She has spoken about raising the children alongside rescued animals, describing the environment as one centered on compassion and hands-on responsibility.
Tracey McShane Net Worth
Tracey McShane’s estimated net worth is $2 million as of 2026. Her income has come from her career as a graphic designer, her veterinary work, her book royalties from Do Unto Animals, and her involvement in farm and animal advocacy organizations.
Her husband Jon Stewart has a separate estimated net worth of $120 million, built through his long career as a television host, writer, producer, and comedian.
Jon sold a 6,000-square-foot TriBeCa apartment in 2014 for $17.5 million after purchasing it in 2005 for $5.8 million. The couple also purchased a riverfront mansion in Red Bank, New Jersey in 2010.
Together, their real estate portfolio and animal sanctuary properties reflect a significant combined financial footprint.
Tracey McShane Social Media
Tracey maintains a presence on social media connected to her animal advocacy work. On Instagram, she is active at @dountoanimals, where she shares content related to her book, farm life, and animal welfare.
Her X (Twitter) account is @DoUntoAnimals, which she has used for similar outreach in the animal rights community.
The Bottom Line
Tracey McShane published Do Unto Animals in October 2015, and the book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list, drawing praise from Jane Goodall and national media coverage. She donated all proceeds from the book to Farm Sanctuary.
She grew up in Philadelphia, earned her design credentials at Drexel University and the California College of Arts and Crafts, and later added a veterinary science degree that led to her work at the Bronx Zoo. That combination of creative and scientific training shaped her distinctive career path.
By 2026, Tracey and Jon continued running Hockhockson Farm in Colts Neck, New Jersey, through the Hey Friend Foundation.
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