Emily Weiss, Ph.D., leads the efforts at the ASPCA to achieve the goal that all equines have good welfare. The work aims squarely on increasing the rehoming of horses, the development of effective safety net programming, and a third focus of effective law enforcement response to cruelty and neglect. A nationally recognized speaker, Dr. Weiss has published extensively on topics related to applied animal behavior.  She also served as the ASPCA’s VP of Research & Development, overseeing groundbreaking research related to the animal sheltering field and developing assessment tools for shelter animals.

Matt Levien started working animal welfare in Colorado 2005, moving from the zoo field previously.  He started as an animal care technician and is now Director of Shelter Operations for the Animal Rescue League of Iowa where the horse program intake has expanded to help owner surrenders as well as transfers.

Ellen Rawlins has worked in animal welfare for over 12 years; from California to Florida and now in Texas. Ellen has a Bachelor of Arts and a Post Baccalaureate in Nonprofit Management. Ellen is a master of connecting people in the animal welfare field to each other and prides herself in hiring the strongest candidates for the shelter which houses equines, dogs, cats, and small animals. 

Lori Redmon is President and CEO of the Kentucky Humane Society. She has a B.S. in Zoology from Michigan State University and has 30 years experience in the animal welfare industry.  In addition to leading high volume sheltering agencies, Lori has extensive equine experience and launched the Equine C.A.R.E. program at the Kentucky Humane Society. Redmon is also a past board member of the Kentucky Horse Council where she chaired the equine health and welfare committee. Lori is a past member of the board of directors for The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement. 

Jim Tedford accepted his dream job when he joined The Association as President & CEO in June of 2015.  But Jim is no stranger to the organization.  He has been a member for more than 30 years and served as our Board Chairman some twenty years ago.  Jim has been actively engaged in the animal welfare movement for more than 39 years having served as CEO for animal sheltering organizations in New York, Louisiana and Tennessee.  He served as a regional director for The Humane Society of the United States and then spent six years providing direct response marketing services to animal welfare organizations. Jim presents frequently at national and regional conferences on various animal welfare issues, organizational development and not-for-profit management.