Jessica Dolce is a Certified Compassion Fatigue and Grief Educator. She brings over 20 years of experience working with animals to her signature online training platform, The Compassion in Balance Program, designed to support animal welfare, care, and protection workers. Jessica is an instructor at The Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida, and has worked with organizations such as the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, HSUS, Animals Asia, NOAA, and too many incredible animal shelters to list here!  She holds a Master of Science in Adult Education and is certified in mindfulness facilitation, QPR Suicide Gatekeeper Training, and Mental Health First Aid.

Angie Arora, founder of Arora Wellness, supports high stress, trauma exposed animal care organizations to improve professional quality of life. As a Veterinary Social Worker and Certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist, Angie provides trauma-informed therapeutic coaching, training and courses to help veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, and wildlife and conservation organizations mitigate the impacts of high-stress, trauma-exposed work. 

Kelly Bremken is the Veterinary Social Worker with Oregon Humane Society. She has worked in animal welfare for more than 20 years at Arizona Humane Society, Humane Society of the Treasure Coast, Seattle Animal Shelter, and Oregon Humane Society. Kelly graduated in 2021 with a Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a certification in Veterinary Social Work (VSW). 

At Oregon Humane Society and in the Community Veterinary Hospital, Kelly serves as Oregon Humane Society’s first veterinary social worker and is paving the way in the field for greater workplace wellbeing and community partnership.

Kristi Mack joined Humane Society Silicon Valley in 2020 with over 25 years of experience developing driving HR initiatives for companies of all sizes and industries. She is now the Senior Director of HR and Community Engagement. She has a bachelor’s degree in HR Management from San Jose State University. She is a passionate community advocate and in between playing with her four dogs, you can find Kristi volunteering with many of her local non-profits.

Jasmin M. Robinson is The Association's Director of DEI Initiatives. She is also the CEO and Founder of I.D.E.A.L. Education, LLC., and a consultant with MSM Global Consulting. She has over 10 years of experience leading efforts to foster and maintain inclusive work environments that welcome, embrace, empower, and celebrate people. She is actively pursuing a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership at Indiana State University.

Maria Morukian, the president of MSM Global Consulting, has twenty years of experience as a facilitator, coach and consultant on leadership, diversity, equity, inclusion, and intercultural competence. Maria hosts a podcast on critical DEI issues called Culture Stew. She is author of the book, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Trainers: Fostering DEI in the Workplace and co-author of ATD’s Handbook for Training and Talent Development.

Dr. Christina Avila has twenty-three years of experience in the animal welfare field, including veterinary, shelter, and animal control settings as an officer and supervisor. She is the Animal Control Supervisor for the City of Perris Animal Control in California. Dr. Avila recently received a doctorate in business administration from Walden University. Her dissertation was on strategies to retain newly hired veterinarians. 

As Humane Canada’s Director, National Programs Kathy works tirelessly to improve the welfare of all animals in Canda. She has dedicated over 30 years to animal welfare in the province of Ontario and Canada. Her background includes working in the not-for-profit and municipal government sectors and leading open-admission animal shelters for municipalities, SPCAs, and humane societies in Ontario.

Kathy is a strong proponent of collaboration across the industry.  She has been a strong member of Ontario’s Provincial Animal Welfare Task Force and the Programming Committee for Humane Canada’s Summit for Animals (formerly the National Animal Welfare Conference). She currently sits on the National Violence Link Coalition and is a member of its steering committee. Kathy has also been named an International Ambassador for the Human Animal Support Services project and sits as a Director on the Board, as well as a member of the Advisory Council for One Health Partners.

AnnaPayton is the Administrator of Will County Animal Protection Services and anadjunct professor at Aurora University in the Human Animal Studies department. Anna has been in the animal welfare field for over 20 years and served onmultiple animal welfare committees, coalitions, and boards, including theBoard of Directors for the Association of Professional Humane Educators (APHE),the former president of the Illinois Animal Welfare Federation (IAWF), and iscurrently on the Board of Directors for The Association for Animal WelfareAdvancement.  

Dorie Clark has been named three times as one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50, and was recognized as the #1 Communication Coach in the world by the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards. Clark, a consultant and keynote speaker, teaches executive education at Columbia Business School, and she is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of The Long Game, Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You and Stand Out, which was named the #1 Leadership Book of the Year by Inc. magazine. A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, Clark has been described by the New York Times as an “expert at self-reinvention and helping others make changes in their lives.” A frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, she consults and speaks for clients including Google, Microsoft, and the World Bank. You can download her free Long Game strategic thinking self-assessment at dorieclark.com/thelonggame.

Christopher Agostino has served as the President and CEO of the Humane Society of Broward County (HSBC) for over 30 years, leading the organization in its mission to advocate for and improve the lives of animals through adoptions, community services, and education. Under his leadership, HSBC has become a nationally recognized leader in animal welfare, operating a 33,000-square-foot shelter that houses more than 300 animals and placing thousands of pets into loving homes annually. Christopher has also spearheaded major fundraising initiatives, such as the annual VCA Walk for the Animals, which raised nearly $500,000 to support the shelter's veterinary and adoption programs. 

Raissa Allaire joined Tree House Humane Society in May 2018. Raissa has been a nonprofit leader for the past 20 years, including as COO of a social services organization and as a vice president/Chief of Staff for a Chicago museum. Raissa is also a member of the board of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement.

Shelly A. Moore, CEO of the Humane Society of Charlotte since 2010, brings 40 years of leadership in animal welfare and nonprofit management. A Certified Animal Welfare Administrator, she has held executive roles at humane societies and has served on multiple national and state nonprofit boards. Shelly is a recognized expert in nonprofit governance, leadership development, and animal shelter design, frequently speaking at conferences nationwide.