The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement Learning Center
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Includes Credits Includes a Live Web Event on 02/12/2025 at 3:00 PM (EST)
Learn how the Denver Animal Shelter collaborated to develop solutions to their veterinary recruitment needs.
In 2022, the Denver Animal Shelter came to the Denver Office of Economic Development and Opportunity with a big challenge: the current level and successful recruitment of veterinary professionals remained very low. As the outlook for the future veterinary workforce in both shelters and the private sector continued to trend lower, there was the immediate need for recruitment and retention efforts. This collaboration created a call to action with local nonprofit clinics/shelters, educational entities, apprenticeships, foundations, associations, and individuals in veterinary medicine to create two workgroups that are still going strong and producing results that impact this essential industry.
Attendees will:
- Discover the secret sauce that brings agencies and partners to the table to make meaningful change
- Understand the role of the workforce in prioritizing a solution-based approach to address labor force challenges
- Learn how to consolidate veterinary workforce priorities into doable pieces
- Hear about examples of Denver’s success, including a retention study, support of a veterinary medicine pre-apprenticeship, and working with local school districts to offer career pathways in veterinary medicine
This webinar has been pre-approved for:
- 1 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credit
- 1 NACA CE
- 1 CE towards ACO CE requirements per Ch. 829 of the Texas Health and Safety Code by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
Emily Berger, MSW
Employer Services Liaison, Denver Economic Development and Opportunity
Emily Berger is an Employer Services Liaison within Denver Economic Development and Opportunity with a focus on building pipelines to employment for the city’s priority populations. In this role, Emily supports industry workforce needs by connecting and collaborating with businesses as well as industry partners. With a background in social work, she has been in workforce development with both youth and adults for over 10 years.
Melanie Sobel
Director, Denver Animal Protection | Denver Animal Shelter
Melanie Sobel has been working in open-admission government animal shelters since 2000 and is the Director of Denver Animal Protection. Prior to this, she was the General Manager of the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, Director of Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission, Director of the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter and Director of Program Services and Public Relations for City of Chicago Animal Care and Control. She has served as President of the California Animal Control Directors Association, Vice-President of the California Animal Welfare Association, and as a Board member on the Illinois Animal Welfare Federation, Texas Federation of Humane Societies, and Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies.
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- Animal Welfare Professional Member - Free!
- Student Member - Free!
- Industry Partner Member - Free!
- Learning Member - Free!
- Industry Partner - Non-Member - Free!
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Includes Credits Includes a Live Web Event on 01/29/2025 at 3:00 PM (EST)
Leaders from the DEI Committee of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement will share results from the first animal welfare sector survey conducted regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion in our profession.
Leaders from the DEI Council of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement will share results from the 2024 animal welfare survey on diversity, equity, and inclusion in our profession. The survey data provides insights into where the animal welfare industry has made progress since the original 2021 DEI survey, and offers recommendations to further address systemic discrimination and racism in animal welfare. The panel will focus on what’s next in this important work and identify paths for animal welfare professionals to strengthen their DEI journey.
Panelists:
- Maria Morukian, MSM Global Consulting
- Jasmin Robinson, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement
- Zimife Umeh, MSM Global Consulting
This session, both live and the recording, has been approved for:
- 1 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credit
- 1 NACA CE
- 1 CE towards ACO CE requirements per Ch. 829 of the Texas Health and Safety Code by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
Maria Morukian
President and Founder
MSM Global Consulting
Maria Morukian, the president of MSM Global Consulting, has twenty years of experience as a facilitator, coach and consultant on leadership, diversity, equity, inclusion, and intercultural competence. Maria hosts a podcast on critical DEI issues called Culture Stew. She is author of the book, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Trainers: Fostering DEI in the Workplace and co-author of ATD’s Handbook for Training and Talent Development.
Jasmin Robinson
Director of DEI Initiatives
The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement
Jasmin M. Robinson is The Association's Director of DEI Initiatives. She is also the CEO and Founder of I.D.E.A.L. Education, LLC., and a consultant with MSM Global Consulting. She has over 10 years of experience leading efforts to foster and maintain inclusive work environments that welcome, embrace, empower, and celebrate people. She is actively pursuing a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership at Indiana State University.
Zimife Umeh
Senior Consultant, MSM Global Consulting
Zimife Umeh is a Senior Consultant at MSM Global Consulting where she focuses on DEI survey design, data collection, and data analysis. Her interest in DEI issues stems from her commitment to producing research and strategies that eliminate barriers to racial equity and inclusion within the workplace. Zimife was born in Nigeria and lived there until she was eight when she moved to the U.S.
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- Animal Welfare Professional Member - Free!
- Student Member - Free!
- Industry Partner Member - Free!
- Learning Member - Free!
- Industry Partner - Non-Member - Free!
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These learning opportunities are designed to further the eradication of systemic discrimination and racism in animal welfare.
View our DEI Resource Library found on our main site.
Discover all of our DEI learning opportunities.
The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement is committed to action on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in animal welfare and we want you with us on this journey. As part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Commitment to Action, The Association will continue offering resources and learning opportunities designed to further the eradication of systemic discrimination and racism in animal welfare.
We thank The Life of Riley at Spring Point for their support of The Association's DEI initiatives.
Gain skills for navigating challenging conversations around DEI and get practice presenting to colleagues. This program includes a 3-day in-person training and online coaching.
All participants will enjoy full scholarships, including travel and accommodations.
2024 training cohorts:
- April 9-11 (Atlanta, GA) FULL
- June 5-7 (Denver, CO) FULL
- September 4-6 (Phoenix, AZ) FULL
Check back in early 2025 for 2025 Ambassador cohort opportunities.
Participants in this four-hour online workshop, designed for individuals in leadership roles, will explore why and how to advance DEI at their organization.
Low-cost registration fees have been made possible thanks to the generosity of our sponsors.
- March 25, 1-5pm ET - register by Tuesday, March 19
- September 23 1-5pm, ET - register by Friday, September 13
Check out The Association’s DEI Pride Store, where your purchase of tees and hoodies helps to support our Conference Scholarship Fund.-
Register
- Animal Welfare Professional Member - Free!
- Student Member - Free!
- Industry Partner Member - Free!
- Learning Member - Free!
- Industry Partner - Non-Member - Free!
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Includes Credits Includes a Live Web Event on 01/15/2025 at 3:00 PM (EST)
Learn how to create an effective succession plan from the author of The Association CEO Succession Toolkit.
A comprehensive transition plan is a hallmark of a well-led, well-managed organization that is focused on its mission and the best interests of its staff, volunteers and community.
Learn how to create and maintain an effective succession plan from Gary LaBranche, the author of The Association CEO Succession Toolkit, the first published book focused solely on planning for, managing through and completing an association CEO transition and succession -- and the book The Association's CEO, Jim Tedford, used when he wrote his own succession plan.
Learning Objectives
Following this webinar, participants will be able to:
- List some of the historical and trend data about leader tenure, transition, and search
- Outline three types of transitions and six common transition scenarios
- Discuss key elements of a Transition and Continuity Plan
- Summarize the roles of an organization’s staff, board, general counsel, auditors, insurance agents, and others play in the transition process
- Describe the relationship of succession to strategy
This webinar is especially intended for CEOs, board members, and HR leadership who need to understand how to develop and maintain a transition and continuity plan.
This webinar has been pre-approved for:
- 1 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credit
- 1 NACA CE
- 1 CE towards ACO CE requirements per Ch. 829 of the Texas Health and Safety Code by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
Gary LaBranche, FASAE, CAE
Author
Gary LaBranche is the author of “The Association CEO Succession Toolkit” published by ASAE in 2018. An association professional for 42 years, Gary is currently CEO of RIMS, the Risk Management Society. Previously, LaBranche has served as CEO for five associations, and he was a senior executive at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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- Animal Welfare Professional Member - Free!
- Student Member - Free!
- Industry Partner Member - Free!
- Learning Member - Free!
- Industry Partner - Non-Member - Free!
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Hear different perspectives on what to consider to keep professionals from diverse backgrounds engaged and committed to their teams and organizations.
What keeps employees around?
In this roundtable, panelists will discuss the realities of sustaining a workforce with employees from various backgrounds, needs, and experiences. Hear how they keep their staff engaged and committed to their teams and organizations. We'll talk about providing professional development opportunities for employees, whether they are in their dream job or aspire to grown into another role.
This discussion is especially for hiring managers, leaders, and committees who are interested in learning about resources that can help empower, support, and maintain a diverse workforce.
The Roundtable Panel:
- Rachel Levine, Director of People Development, Dumb Friends League
- Jessica Lopez, Executive Director, The PAW Mission
- Jessica Umunnabuike, Senior Talent & Diversity Specialist, San Diego Humane Society
Moderated by:
- Jasmin Robinson, Director of DEI Initiatives, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement
This roundtable has been approved for 1 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credit.
Rachel Levine
Director of People Development, Dumb Friends League
Rachel Levine is the Director of People Development for the Dumb Friends League and oversees Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion Strategy (DEAI) as well as Succession Planning, Career Pathing, and Leadership Development. Rachel has worked extensively in Human Resources and Corporate Training in both for profit and
non-profit companies. Rachel has a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder and an M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge. Rachel serves on the Board of Directors for the Denver Language School, the DEI Council of The Association, and is an advisor for the Customer Experience Program at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado.
Jessica Lopez
Executive Director, The PAW Mission
Jessica Lopez has dedicated 21 years to the veterinary field, with 14 focused on advancing animal welfare. Seven years ago, driven by her commitment, she founded The PAW Mission, which now includes a 5-acre sanctuary, two mobile RVs, and plans for a permanent facility. Her leadership emphasizes professional growth and team empowerment while expanding her impact through innovative animal care solutions.
Jessica Umunnabuike
Senior Talent & Diversity Specialist
San Diego Humane Society
Jessica Umunnabuike (she/her) is a first-generation Nigerian American from Ohio. As the Sr. Talent & Diversity Specialist at San Diego Humane Society, Jessica performs an array of employee engagement functions, with a focus on staffing and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Professional in Human Resources® (PHR®) certification.
Jasmin Robinson
Director of DEI Initiatives
The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement
Jasmin M. Robinson is The Association's Director of DEI Initiatives. She is also the CEO and Founder of I.D.E.A.L. Education, LLC., and a consultant with MSM Global Consulting. She has over 10 years of experience leading efforts to foster and maintain inclusive work environments that welcome, embrace, empower, and celebrate people. She is actively pursuing a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership at Indiana State University.
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- Animal Welfare Professional Member - Free!
- Student Member - Free!
- Industry Partner Member - Free!
- Learning Member - Free!
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Includes Credits
Join our interactive clinic to discover the process to successfully rebrand your organziation and its graphic elements.
For Animal Welfare Professional Members only
Are you considering a rebrand (large or small)? This interactive virtual workshop, presented by Karen Handelman, President of 501creative, and Rachel Klousnitzer, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at Anti-Cruelty, will include an organizational rebrand case study and follow with an opportunity for you to have your marketing materials critiqued. That’s right, attendees are invited to submit materials (logo, social media posts/profile, website pages, donor communication, etc.) ahead of time, and the group, including the presenters, will provide feedback live during the session. Please submit by by Monday afternoon, October 1.
The Anti-Cruelty Society, a 125-year-old organization, recently rebranded themselves and became Anti-Cruelty. Karen and Rachel worked together on this major design initiative. Their case study will exemplify key components to a successful rebrand, whether that’s at the programmatic level or for the entire organization. Topics covered will include:
- Identifying costs and establishing a budget
- Developing a project timeline
- Gaining buy-in from stakeholders including staff, board members, volunteers, and donors
- Conducting research and executing the rebranding
- Assessing the response to the new brand
This interactive virtual workshop is especially for marketing and communications professionals, executive directors, board members, and liaisons. Plan to keep your microphone unmuted and your webcam on so that you can fully engage with everyone.
Open only to Animal Welfare Professional members of The Association.
This clinic has been pre-approved for 1 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credit and 1 NACA CE.
Karen Handelman
President, 501creative, Inc.
Karen Handelman founded 501creative after discovering that most non-profits were struggling with their brand and messaging, relying on pro-bono work that was not communicating or fundraising effectively. For almost 30 years, her team has been helping nonprofits find their voice, spread their message, and realize their mission. They have a special love for animal welfare organizations, and have been partnering with them since the very beginning.
Rachel Klousnitzer
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, Anti-Cruelty
Rachel Klousnitzer has been helping nonprofits increase their brand awareness through marketing, media relations, communications, and more for over a decade. A passionate animal lover and lifelong Chicagoan, she jumped at the opportunity to join Anti-Cruelty in 2022 and lead the rebrand efforts for her favorite non-profit during its 125th year.
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- Animal Welfare Professional Member - Free!
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Includes Credits
Join our interactive clinic to discover the key steps for effectively introducing and implementing new programs in your organization.
Limited to 40 People - there will be a waitlist
Introducing a new program or a major change can transform an organization, but its implementation often generates resistance from staff, volunteers, or the board. With the power of data, enthusiasm, and careful planning, you can successfully implement a new initiative or a significant change within your organization.
Join our interactive clinic to discover the key steps for effectively developing a vision, getting buy-in from your key stakeholders, planning an effective implementation, and launching a successful rollout.
This virtual workshop will be led by Brittany Fleming, Founder of the Unicorn Foster Program, which has made a remarkable impact by reducing the length of stay of large-breed behavior dogs by over 70%. Brittany will present her development of the Unicorn program as a case study of transformative change. Learn from her experience and discuss your transformative goals and ideas with your peers.
Open only to Animal Welfare Professional members of The Association.
Please only register if you can attend LIVE on September 17. The recording will be available afterwards.
This clinic has been pre-approved for 1 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credit
Brittany Fleming
Founder, Unicorn Foster Program
Brittany Fleming created the Unicorn Foster Program at Gateway Pet Guardians in 2019. Under her direction, the program reduced the length of stay of their “unicorns” by 70%. Brittany has since created Save the Unicorns which is a consulting company that helps assist animal rescue groups with their “unicorns” in foster and adoptive homes. Brittany has a strong passion for seeing an animal’s progression from shy and scared to happy, confident, and social, no matter how they act on intake.
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- Animal Welfare Professional Member - Free!
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Includes Credits Recorded On: 09/11/2024
Learn about the crucial steps involved in monitoring and reporting your annual budget, and the benefits of leveraging automation and technological tools to expedite the process.
Learn about the crucial steps involved in monitoring and reporting your annual budget, and the benefits of leveraging automation and technological tools to expedite the process. This webinar will equip you with data visualization techniques that will enable you to communicate key performance indicators (KPIs) tailored to animal welfare effortlessly. Additionally, we will unveil short-term budget strategies that nonprofits can use to help build long-term financial stability. By attending this session, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the budgeting process and the tools and strategies that can help you optimize it for animal welfare stakeholders.
Learning objectives:
- Explore the benefits and differences of various types of budgets.
- Demonstrate and analyze the steps in the budgeting process
- Illustrate how data visualization and automation tools can be used to review and present key performance indicators (KPIs) necessary for animal welfare organizations to build financial stability.
- Explain the importance of using the budget as a management tool.
This webinar has been pre-approved for:
- 1 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credit
- 1 NACA CE
- 1 CE towards ACO CE requirements per Ch. 829 of the Texas Health and Safety Code by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
Aimee Pourciau
Director
Your Part-Time Controller, LLC
Aimee Pourciau is a Director at Your Part-Time Controller, LLC (YPTC), where she leads the firm’s Denver office, as well as their Animal Welfare clients. Her unwavering commitment to the nonprofit sector, coupled with her expertise in nonprofit accounting, ensures a standard of excellence in client service and deliverables. She achieves this by training, developing, and empowering her team to help expand YPTC’s footprint in the Denver area.
Aimee is not just a licensed CPA, but a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Louisiana State University and has over 20 years of experience in public accounting, internal audit, and industry. Her primary focus on the nonprofit sector is further enriched by her years of experience in nonprofit volunteerism, including committee and board leadership, membership management, and strategic planning.
Aimee is also a passionate advocate for animal welfare.
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- Animal Welfare Professional Member - Free!
- Student Member - Free!
- Industry Partner Member - Free!
- Learning Member - Free!
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Includes Credits
Walk through a process to develop a very robust Transition & Continuity Plan designed to help your Board and staff navigate change.
For Animal Welfare Professional members of The Association only.
Is your organization ready for your departure? Very few organizations seem to have thorough plans for leadership succession. A transition in any senior leadership position, planned or unplanned, brings challenges that can throw an unprepared organization into chaos. Thinking through key decisions ahead of time and committing those decisions to writing can head off serious problems.
Join The Association’s CEO, Jim Tedford, who will walk you through the process he used to develop a robust Transition & Continuity Plan designed to help our Board and staff navigate a CEO departure. Should he leave through termination, voluntary or involuntary, disability, retirement or —heaven forbid— death, the planning document will minimize stress and maximize the likelihood of a seamless transition.
Jim will guide you through the planning process including how to approach the topic with your board, what might surprise you in the process, and how to develop your own Transition and Continuity Plan document. In addition to guided mentorship from our CEO, you can commiserate and brainstorm along with your colleagues during this impactful hour.
This session is sponsored by Petszel (click their logo to learn more about them & how they can help your shelter)
This clinic has been pre-approved for 1 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credit.
Jim Tedford, CAWA
President & CEO, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement
Jim Tedford accepted his dream job when he joined The Association as President & CEO in June of 2015. But Jim is no stranger to the organization. He has been a member for more than 30 years and served as our Board Chairman some twenty years ago. Jim has been actively engaged in the animal welfare movement for more than 39 years having served as CEO for animal sheltering organizations in New York, Louisiana and Tennessee. He served as a regional director for The Humane Society of the United States and then spent six years providing direct response marketing services to animal welfare organizations. Jim presents frequently at national and regional conferences on various animal welfare issues, organizational development and not-for-profit management.
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- Animal Welfare Professional Member - Free!
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Learn how panelists across different animal welfare sectors manage wellness and boundaries when staff and morale are constantly shifting. This roundtable is ideal for staff interested in adding coping strategies to their wellness toolkit.
Caring for animals and helping the people who support them can feel daunting. Add in a staffing shortage and you’re officially overwhelmed. How do you prioritize when you don't have enough help or time? When should you take a break or push forward? How do you say 'no' to the next task so you can say 'yes' to your well-being?
Learn how panelists across different animal welfare sectors manage wellness and boundaries when staff and morale are constantly shifting. This roundtable is ideal for staff interested in adding coping strategies to their wellness toolkit.
The Roundtable Panel:
- Allison Cardona, California State Director, Koret Shelter Medicine Program
- Jessica Umunnabuike, Senior Talent & Diversity Specialist, San Diego Humane Society
- Kristen Williams, Community Events & Outreach Manager, Forsyth Humane Society
Moderated by:
- Jasmin Robinson, Director of DEI Initiatives, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement
This roundtable has been approved for 1 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credit.
Jasmin Robinson
Director of DEI Initiatives
The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement
Jasmin M. Robinson is The Association's Director of DEI Initiatives. She is also the CEO and Founder of I.D.E.A.L. Education, LLC., and a consultant with MSM Global Consulting. She has over 10 years of experience leading efforts to foster and maintain inclusive work environments that welcome, embrace, empower, and celebrate people. She is actively pursuing a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership at Indiana State University.
Allison Cardona
California State Director
Koret Shelter Medicine Program
Allison Cardona manages a $37.5 million grant fund for UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine that partners with animal shelters in California to increase access to care and increase foster, adoptions, and return to home. She has also worked as a Deputy Director for the Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control, and as a senior program director for the ASPCA. Allison is on the Leadership Council for the Downtown’s Women’s Center, an organization dedicated to providing services and housing to women in Los Angeles. The proud daughter of Colombian immigrants, Allison is deeply committed to racial justice and equity work.
Jessica Umunnabuike
Senior Talent & Diversity Specialist
San Diego Humane Society
Jessica Umunnabuike (she/her) is a first-generation Nigerian American from Ohio. As the Sr. Talent & Diversity Specialist at San Diego Humane Society, Jessica performs an array of employee engagement functions, with a focus on staffing and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Professional in Human Resources® (PHR®) certification.
Kristen Williams
Community Engagement and Event Manager
Forsyth Humane Society
Kristen Williams (she/her) is on year three as the Community Engagement and Event Manager at Forsyth Humane Society. She has 15+ years of experience teaching mindful movement while spearheading programs sitting at the intersection of wellness and social justice through the lens of radical self-care. She has harnessed those skills in the world of animal welfare to build sustainable event and development programs that keep the focus not just on the wellness of animals, but on the people who care for them. Kristen understands the connection between adverse childhood experiences and trauma, and couples that with a toolkit of mindfulness to create pathways to build and nourish authentic relationships through the community that work together as an eco-system of support and care.
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- Animal Welfare Professional Member - Free!
- Student Member - Free!
- Industry Partner Member - Free!
- Learning Member - Free!
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