Feedback is an absolutely critical ingredient for team performance. It builds trust and transparency, lets team members know they are supported, and troubleshoots performance challenges early on. Yet leaders often struggle to give effective feedback. This session will highlight the importance of building a strong feedback culture, and offer participants a model for giving valuable feedback to reinforce positive actions and redirect problematic ones. This session is especially for anyone who manages or supervises staff and volunteers, but anyone who wants to effectively support team members will benefit from participation.

Presenter: Maria Morukian, President, MSM Global Consulting

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)

Part of The DEI Dozen package.

In today's workplace, the most influential leaders are those who demonstrate curiosity and rely on the collective wisdom of their employees, rather than assuming they alone need to have all the answers. To solve the complex challenges that face your organization, an essential leadership tool is knowing how to ask questions that will lead to practical results. This webinar will explore how to bring an inquiring approach to decision-making as a leader.

Presenter: Maria Morukian, President, MSM Global Consulting

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)

Part of The DEI Dozen package.

Moving from being a bystander to an upstander can be challenging. Sometimes we feel compelled to take action but freeze up when we sense real or perceived danger. How do you know when to act? What are the different ways to respond? This session will explore bystander and upstander behaviors and help leaders identify strategies to reduce harmful behaviors when they occur. 

Presenter: Jasmin M. Robinson, Director of DEI Initiatives, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement

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)

Part of The DEI Dozen package.

One of the most important skills for any leader is the ability to listen. However, many of us need to learn how to listen effectively. We usually prepare our response rather than trying to process and understand the other person's message. This webinar will explore the power of listening and identify practices to help you listen at a deeper level to gain a better understanding and build trust with your employees.

Presenter: Maria Morukian, President, MSM Global Consulting

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)

Part of The DEI Dozen package.

How often are you evaluating whether the services you provide are truly reachable to your target audience? Are you reviewing the data you collect to make informed decisions, even if it is illustrating tough realizations? Hear how Montgomery County (MD) Collaboration Council came to the difficult understanding that its target communities were not taking advantage of their services because of obstacles in their path and how the pandemic helped push them to re-evaluate how to use technology to increase their access to these emerging communities.

Presenter: Dalbin Osorio, Managing Director of Public Affairs, Montgomery County Education Association (MD)

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)

Part of The DEI Dozen package.

Everyone has biases. They can impact our decision-making and behaviors, perpetuate stereotypes, and sometimes cause harm to others. During this session, we will explore the nature of bias, learn about different types that influence the work environment, and identify strategies to address bias effectively in the workplace. This session is open to all animal welfare professionals and would especially benefit hiring managers, teams, and other decision-makers in your organization.

Presenter: Jasmin M. Robinson, Director of DEI Initiatives, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement

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)

Part of The DEI Dozen package.

This series offers yearlong learning that will support you in your journey as a leader and changemaker. All of these webinars are for anyone in animal welfare who is invested in changing their organization, regardless of their title.

Webinars will:

• Focus on everyday inclusive leadership skills and actions.
• Explore techniques to address specific DEI challenges and to practice allyship.

All of the webinars have 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)

Webinars planned for 2023:

• 1-18 Breaking Down "Us vs. Them" Thinking to Build Stronger Connections
• 2-01 Responding to Subtle Acts of Exclusion and Microaggressions  
• 2-15 Building Psychological Safety for High Performing Teams
• 3-08 Allyship in Action: Daily Practices to Support the Needs of Minoritized Groups
• 4-19 Recognizing and Navigating Bias
• 4-26 Virtual Equity: Using Tech to Increase Access for Communities
• 5-3 Listening Skills for Leaders
• 6-7 Be an Upstander, not a Bystander: Techniques to Interrupt Harmful Behaviors 
• 6-21 The Power of Inquiry
• 7/12 Giving Effective Feedback
• 9/13 Aligning Intent with Impact: How to Respond When You Are Called Out For a Microaggression 
• 10/11 How to Receive Feedback as a Leader 
• 12/6 Creating Brave Spaces to Foster Inclusion

View our new DEI Resource Library found on our main site.

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.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training Package includes free recordings of webinars, roundtables, and conference presentations. Click on the Training tab above to see what's included in the training package.  

Participate in our 2023 webinar series:

Check out The Association’s DEI Pride Store, where your purchase of tees and hoodies helps to support our Conference Scholarship Fund.

War has been devastating Ukraine for more than a year. Greater Good Charities has been on the ground in Europe this whole time, providing assistance to humanitarian and animal welfare partners.  Join a moderated discussion with Greater Good Charities' staff, to learn about what they’ve been doing to assist Ukrainians, refugees, and their pets. They will also explain their plans moving into Year Two. 

Panelists:

• Denise Bash, VP of Pet Programs, Disaster Response
• Noah Horton, Chief Operating Officer
• John Peaveler, Director of Field Operations, Pet Programs (Good Fix)

Researchers at University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School studied the relationship between dog breed and behavior. Using their research as a kickoff point, a panel of experts will discuss the realities of identifying dog breeds, the expectations these IDs cause shelter staff and adopters to have, and implications for behavior, training, and legislation. 

This discussion was originally conducted at The Fall Conference for Animal Welfare Advancement (2022) and the roundtable will continue the exploration of dog breed IDs.

The Roundtable Panel will be moderated by Marianne Luft, ASPCA:

• Brittany Benesi, ASPCA 
• April Huntsman, CAWA, Adopt-a-Pet
• Janis Bradley, National Canine Research Council
• Kathleen Morrill, University of Massachusetts Medical School

This roundtable has been pre-approved for 1 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credit.