Most animal welfare organizations understand that to truly care for animals, they must also care for the people connected to those animals. As an animal welfare leader, your choices affect who gets access to care, adoption, fostering, volunteer roles, and owner support. When these decisions are made without intentional effort to understand the diverse ways people support their animals, the consequences of those choices often play out in stressful, emotional moments. For staff, that stress can lead to burnout. For pet owners, feeling disrespected can lead to distrust.

This webinar introduces a new tool for animal welfare leaders, the DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) Competencies, which describe the skills and behaviors needed to build organizational cultures that welcome everyone. The tool is grounded in the research behind presenter Maria Morukian's new book, The Belonging Blueprint, and was adapted specifically for animal welfare with input from leaders in the field on AAWA's DEI Council. This session offers a first look, with opportunities to go deeper coming soon in future AAWA leadership programs.

No matter your job title, whether you are just beginning to address DEI or have years of experience, the DEIB Competencies offer a practical guide for assessing and building your skills, so you can better support your staff, the communities you serve, and the animals in your care.

By the end of the session, participants will:

1. Understand what a DEIB competency is and its relevance to animal welfare.
2. Explore how the DEIB Competencies for animal welfare apply to interactions and decision-making, using real examples.
3. Identify how these competencies can help leaders strengthen workplace culture and belonging.

Presenter: Maria Morukian, President and Founder, MSM Global Consulting