The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement Learning Center

1 pm - 2:30 pm ET, Tuesday, July 15

1:00 - 1:30  Stress First Aid: The 7Cs of Caring for Yourself and Others 

Keynote speaker: Jessica Dolce

Working in animal welfare means non-stop demands, tough decisions, and emotional highs and lows. As a leader, you're often holding it all together for everyone else. But what about you?  Stress First Aid is a practical, evidence-informed framework developed by the National Center for PTSD to help individuals in high-stress professions recognize and respond to stress reactions before they develop into more severe or long-term problems. Originally designed for the military, first responders, and healthcare workers, this model is a great fit for the fast-paced, trauma-exposed field of animal welfare. 

In this session, we’ll focus on how you, as a leader, can recognize and address your stress reactions. You'll walk away with seven concrete actions to help you more effectively care for yourself in the workplace and, by extension, better support your teams and mission.

1:30 – 1:55  Panel of your Peers

The Panel, moderated by Kurt Krukenberg, President, Humane Society Silicon Valley

• Kelly Bremken, Veterinary Social Worker, MSSW, VSW, Oregon Humane Society    
• Kristi Mack, Senior Director, HR and Community Engagement, Humane Society Silicon Valley   
• Angie Arora, Veterinary Social Workers, Arora Wellness 

1:55 – 2:30  Discussion

Talk with your peers about the ideas presented and how to bring them into your own organization. 

Note: A recording of the keynote and panel will be available through December 31, 2025.

1 pm - 2:30 pm ET, Wednesday, July 16

1:00 - 1:30  The Art of Professional Trust 

Keynote speaker: Maria Morukian

Trust is the foundation of any successful workplace: trust fosters collaboration, innovation, and overall job satisfaction. However, leaders often struggle with building and maintaining trust among their teams.  How do you build trust? More importantly, how do you maintain trust in the workplace?  

We will explore the critical role trust plays in professional team dynamics, leadership effectiveness, and organizational success. Maria will discuss how trust influences employee engagement, decision-making, and workplace culture, while addressing common challenges and strategies for building and maintaining trust. 

1:30 – 1:55  Panel of your Peers

The Panel, moderated by Raissa Allaire, Executive Director, Tree House Humane Society

• Christina Avila, Animal Control Supervisor, City of Perris Animal Control, CA
• Kathy Duncan, Director, National Programs, Humane Canada                                 
• Anna Payton, Administrator, Will County Animal Protection Services, IL

1:55 – 2:30  Discussion

Talk with your peers about the ideas presented and how to bring them into your own organization. 

Note: A recording of the keynote and panel will be available through December 31, 2025.

1 pm - 2:30 pm ET, Thursday, July 17

1:00 - 1:30  How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in A Short-Term World

Keynote speaker: Dorie Clark

It's no secret that today's leaders and professionals feel pulled in too many directions. We want to be long-term thinkers, but we're constantly putting out fires and dealing with short-term challenges. In this talk, Dorie Clark, Harvard Business Review author and Columbia Business School executive education professor, will share concrete strategies to help you sharpen your strategic thinking and balance competing short- and long-term priorities.  Learning objectives include: 

• Identify areas with unique potential for leverage
• Understand what we're optimizing for  
• Make the right kind of tradeoffs  
• Achieve 'strategic patience'  
• Place little bets to find promising leads and emergent possibilities

1:30 – 1:55  Panel of your Peers

The Panel, moderated by Shafonda Allen, CAWA, Executive Director, Animal Protection Society of Durham

• Christopher Agostino, Executive Director, Humane Society of Broward County 
• Raissa Allaire, Executive Director, Tree House Humane Society 
• Shelly Moore, CAWA, CEO, Humane Society of Charlotte

1:55 – 2:30  Discussion

Talk with your peers about the ideas presented and how to bring them into your own organization. 

Note: A recording of the keynote and panel will be available through December 31, 2025.