The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement Learning Center
Panel Discussion: Are You Ready for The Answers to Those Questions?
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Recorded On: 06/10/2021
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Panelists: Ashley Anderson-Mutch, HSUS; Shafonda Davis, CAWA, APS of Durham
Facilitators: Johnny Jenkins, PetSmart Charities, and Amanda Arrington, HSUS
Let’s agree that animal welfare has a problem: a lack of diversity. Now that we agree on that point, let’s start asking those questions that make folks uncomfortable. Change and transformation will only be possible if we confront our bias in an honest and direct way. What’s it really like to be a minority working in animal welfare? How should we address this topic with our BIPOC colleagues? What things are said behind closed doors in hushed tones? We’re busting through our comfort zone to hear the truth from panelists who are determined to share their lived experiences so that others can learn. Join us for what promises to be an engaging and dynamic conversation among colleagues who aren’t holding back.
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)
This session was presented at The Spring Conference for Animal Welfare Advancement 2021.
Ashley Anderson-Mutch
Senior Program Manager of Policy and Enforcement Reform, Pets for Life, The Humane Society of the United States
Ashley Anderson-Mutch is a Senior Program Manager of Policy and Enforcement Reform with Pets for Life at the Humane Society of the United States. She works with animal welfare organizations across the country to address areas of inequity with internal and external policies that disproportionately affect underserved communities and communities of color. She also works with several municipal shelter organizations and local animal enforcement teams to implement community-based support practices. Prior to joining the HSUS, Ashley worked as a Humane Law Enforcement Officer in Philadelphia and across several counties in Pennsylvania.
Amanda Arrington - Panel Facilitator
Senior Director of Pets for Life, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
With Pets For Life, Arrington guides a social justice-driven approach to create equity in and access to pet resources and information for people in underserved communities. Under her leadership the program has been implemented in over 50 markets across the United States and is working to make companion animal welfare a more just and inclusive movement. Arrington previously served as a lobbyist and North Carolina State Director for HSUS., served three years as the chair of the Durham County Animal Control Advisory Committee and on the board of the Durham Interneighborhood Council. Amanda has received numerous awards for her community outreach work, including the prestigious American Veterinary Medical Association Humane Award in 2018. Arrington currently serves as co-chair of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement’s OnPOINT committee on increasing diversity in animal welfare.
Shafonda Allen, CAWA
Founder and Principal Consultant
Back to Basics Animal Welfare Leadership Consulting
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.
Johnny Jenkins - Panel Facilitator
President, The JyOba! Project
Johnny is an animal welfare consultant who has managed multi-million-dollar grant portfolios to advance racial and economic justice, LGBT equality, and animal welfare. His skills have been used to advance the missions of reputable private foundations such as the Arcus Foundation, and PetSmart Charities. He has provided leadership to multiple racial equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in animal welfare, including PetSmart Charities’ Racial Equity Advisory Committee, The Association's DEI Committee, and the HASS Project DEI Advisory Committee.
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