the Intake

In 2019, The Association made an intentional commitment to examine DEI within our organization and across the animal welfare profession. That commitment ultimately led to the creation of our DEI Council and to a partnership with MSM Global Consulting that has helped us learn, listen, challenge ourselves, and think more deeply about what it means tocreate organizations and a profession where people feel valued, respected, heard, and able to contribute.And this conversation feels especially important right now.

In January 2025, the Eaton Fire burned for 24 daysin Pasadena Humane's service area. Evacuations and warnings affected more than 100,000 residents and 20,000 structures, over 9,400 structures were destroyed and Pasadena Humane assisted more than 3,000 animals during the response. Katherine is joined by three Pasadena Humane leaderswho guided this work and later co-presented their lessons at Animal Care Expo: Jamie Holeman, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer; Kevin McManus, PR & Communications Director; and Alyssa Staniland, PhilanthropyCommunications Manager.They'll discuss the first hours of the crisis, internal alignment, storytelling, fundraising, overwhelming public attention, and what it takes to keep supporters engaged after the cameras leave.Download the toolkit they mention here: https://bit.ly/phdisasterkit

Cathy Rosenthal is the curator and editor of HumanePerspectives: Leadership in Animal Welfare, a remarkable collection of essays from 45 leaders across our profession. Rather than focusing on organizational achievements, this book explores the experiences that shaped these leaders—the challenges they faced, the lessons they learned, and the wisdom they hope to pass on to the next generation. Joining her is Jim Tedford, President and CEO of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and author of the book's foreword. Jim has spent decades helping shape the animal welfare profession and brings a unique perspective on leadership, service, and the future of animal welfare.Purchase Cathy's book here:https://cathyrosenthal.com/humane-perspectives-leadership-in-animal-welfare/https://www.amazon.com/Humane-Perspectives-Leadership-Animal-Welfare/dp/1948444038

What is The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement? Where did it originate? Why should I become a member? Jim Tedford sits down with Katherine Shenar to talk all things AAWA!

Today we're discussing one of the most urgent andstrategically important issues facing animal welfare organizations today. The health and sustainability of the workforce itself. You know, across the profession organizations are grappling with burnout, turnovers, staffingshortages, communication challenges, and increasing operational pressure. But beyond that human toil, there are issues that are directly impacting organizational effectiveness, leadership ability, team performance, andultimately outcomes for animals and the communities. The challenge is that many organizations still lack reliable ways to truly understand what employees are experiencing internally and how workplace culture may be influencingorganizational success. So that's where the Shelter Employee Engagement and Development Survey come in. We call it SEEDs.AAWA Members save 10% on the SEEDs Assessment - Learn more about this Member benefit!