Shafonda Davis Allen, CAWA, is a nationally sought-after animal welfare leader, governance strategist, and equity-driven leadership developer with more than twenty-seven years of experience strengthening boards, building leadership pipelines, and advancing inclusive organizational cultures. She is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Back to Basics Animal Welfare Leadership Consulting, a former member of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement's Board of Directors, and current DEI Ambassador and DEI Council member for the Association. She also serves as an educational consultant and former board member with CARE (Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity), where she mentors traditionally marginalized and underrepresented leaders. Shafonda previously served as Executive Director of the Animal Protection Society of Durham and is featured in Humane Perspectives: Leadership in Animal Welfare as one of the field's trusted voices. Across her career, she has championed board diversity as a strategic imperative, helping organizations recruit and retain representative leaders and build governance structures that reflect the communities they serve.

Katherine Shenar is the executive vice president for The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement. She has 30 years of experience in animal welfare, including serving as CEO for two animal welfare organizations and holding leadership roles with four others. Katherine became a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) in 2020.