The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement Learning Center
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The Solutions Summit 2024
5 (4 votes)
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Register
- Animal Welfare Professional Member - Free!
- Student Member - Free!
- Industry Partner Member - Free!
- Learning Member - $9.99
- Industry Partner - Non-Member - $19.99
This online event will inspire you to continue thinking outside the proverbial “box” — and, indeed, to think outside your shelter walls — to address our most pressing challenges. In four power-packed sessions, your colleagues will be digging into telehealth, inclusivity, employee retention, and the new generation of leaders. Click the Agenda tab to review the 4 recorded sessions.
As a member of The Association as of 6/13/24, your spot is guaranteed. You will be automatically registered and will receive a confirmation email and reminder emails.
Registration includes the full live event plus access to the 4 webinar recordings through 12/31/24.
Registration for the four recordings for Learning Members is only $9.99.
You must use your Association login credentials to register for the summit. You may need to login on our main site first, then return to the conference site.
If you don't have a membership, you must join - learn about your options, including a free Learning Membership.
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Includes Credits
How are organizations supporting and developing the next generation of leadership? Discover what your organization can do to grow from within.
The animal welfare profession is full of veterans who have served their communities for decades – and they are retiring soon. How are orgs identifying, supporting and developing the next generation of leadership?
Let’s hear from leaders who are relatively new to animal welfare about what inspires them, what makes them feel supported and eager to get promoted. Discover what your organization can do to grow from within. Find out how to ease internal staffing bottlenecks to develop your staff and keep them.
Raissa Allaire
Executive Director
Tree House Humane Society
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.
Judith Dumont, M.Ed., SHRM-CP
Vice President, People and Culture
SPCA of Texas
Judith Dumont has over 15 years of experience in servant-based leadership and supervision, strategic planning, organizational development, learning design, performance management, and employee engagement and relations. She has concentrated experience in cultivating people and culture on non-profit and educational platforms that evoke regard for social good and philanthropy. Her true passion lies in motivating and leading others, building trust within work groups, guiding complex problem-solving, developing strategic initiatives, and coaching highly effective teams. She has a strong commitment to ensuring organizational priorities, policies, and practices through generating a productive environment where growth, communication, creativity, and responsible risk-taking are encouraged.
Shonyae Johnson
Director of Virtual Behavior Programming
Humane Rescue Alliance
Shonyae Johnson's career has spanned over a decade, with a heavy focus on animal shelter behavior. She has served in positions such as volunteer, attendant, technician, trainer, coordinator, manager, and director, giving her a full scope of animal sheltering and the experiences of the staff at every level. She is the new Director of Virtual Behavior Programming at Humane Rescue Alliance.
Lily Yap, MBA
Division Manager
Grand Prairie Animal Services
In her role as Division Manager at Grand Prairie Animal Services in Texas, Lily Yap brings a strong background in open admission, municipal shelter operations, and lifesaving programs, Building on experience from over a decade in animal sheltering and knowledge of corporate business fundamentals gained from one of the top 10 professional MBA programs in the nation, she strives to support teams that will promote a future in which animals and the families that love them thrive together. Lily is a member of the board of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement.
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Includes Credits
Do you want to enhance your community reach and boost adoptions? Join us for an engaging conversation between The Association’s Director of DEI Initiatives, Jasmin Robinson, and Animal Protective Association of Missouri’s CEO, Sarah Javier.
Do you want to enhance your community reach and boost adoptions? Join us for an engaging conversation between The Association’s Director of DEI Initiatives, Jasmin Robinson, and Animal Protective Association of Missouri’s CEO, Sarah Javier.
Discover the transformative steps taken by APAMO to embrace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Sarah will share insights into building a compelling business case for DEI, effectively convincing your team, board, and community of its value. Learn how APAMO applied an equity lens to develop a strategic plan, hired bilingual staff, ensured accessibility for visitors with sensory needs, and created an inclusive space where all people feel welcomed and supported.
Jasmin and Sarah will guide you through practical strategies, emphasizing that DEI initiatives are not just essential but entirely achievable for organizations aiming for success. Explore how assessing and removing barriers, along with top-down training, can create a more inclusive and thriving environment. Stay strong on your path toward building a community-focused and DEI-driven organization.
Sarah Javier
CEO
Animal Protective Association of Missouri
Sarah Javier is the visionary President and CEO of the Animal Protective Association (APA) of Missouri. With over two decades of impactful leadership, since 2016 she has led the APA to achieve remarkable strides in advancing its mission, doubling its size, and expanding its reach to serve over 10,000 pets annually across two locations. Sarah is deeply committed to fostering inclusivity and equity in both her organization and the broader community; she serves as a DEI Ambassador and is a member of The Association’s DEI Council, driving initiatives to ensure diverse representation and equitable practices in animal welfare.
Jasmin Robinson
Director of DEI Initiatives
The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement
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.
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Includes Credits
Are you having trouble keeping great employees? A panel of experts will discuss strategies their orgs developed to retain staff.
Are you having trouble keeping great employees? A panel of experts will discuss strategies their organizations developed to retain employees. Topics will include compensation, benefits, and employee wellness. Panelists will talk about:
- Successful employee wellness programs that show measurable impacts on employee satisfaction
- Ways to promote a culture of appreciation and recognition despite high levels of stress and burnout
- Tactics for creating equity, especially when you have little to no control over compensation and benefits
- Flexibility, empathy, and respectful communication to meet your employees’ needs
Sarah Aguilar, CAWA
Animal Services Director
Santa Barbara County Animal Services
Sarah Aguilar is the Director for Santa Barbara County Animal Services, serving a 6,000 pets annually and a half million people over 2,700 square miles. Prior to her current role, Aguilar served as the Senior Director of Operations at Austin Pets Alive! in Austin, Texas, where she played a pivotal role in advancing lifesaving initiatives. Before that, she served as the National Foster Programs Manager at Greater Good Charities and as the Deputy Director for Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson, Arizona. Aguilar's journey in animal welfare began as the Foster Care Coordinator for Ventura County Animal Services, placing over 3,000 pets annually into foster.
Meshia Burrell
Vice President of People and Culture
Anti-Cruelty
Meshia Burrell has more than 25 years of human resources experience with non-profits in health care and broadcasting with 15 of those years being in animal welfare at Anti-Cruelty. Meshia holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Management with a concentration in Human Resources, PHR (Professional Human Resources) certification, SHRM – CP (Society of Human Resources Certified Professional) certification and is a certified Caliper Expert. She continues to work hard to strengthening connectivity and engagement at all levels and develop successful leaders through various HR initiatives.
Aiko Okamoto
Chief Administrative Officer
Humane Society of Charlotte
Aiko Okamoto is originally from Yokohama, Japan, and began her career as a Digital Movie Editing Suite Coordinator at Sony PCL in Tokyo3. Aiko joined the Humane Society of Charlotte in 2008 as an Administrative Assistant. She was instrumental in establishing the Development Department’s CRM system and helped oversee all activities that were managed by the Executive Director. In 2010, Aiko had the opportunity to step into a lead management role and began overseeing all of HSC’s financial activities. She is now the Chief Administrative Officer overseeing five different shelter departments including Finance, HR, Volunteer programs, Facility and IT. Aiko is a Senior Professional in Human Resources, SPHR and a Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional, CNAP.
Jillian Sergio, CAWA
Executive Director
Companion Animal Alliance
Jillian Sergio is the Executive Director at Companion Animal Alliance, the open admission shelter in Baton Rouge, LA. Jillian started her animal welfare career at CAA, overseeing the adoptions, rescue, transport, and volunteer departments before moving to a Shelter Manager position in rural Colorado.
Katherine Shenar, CAWA
Executive Vice President
The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement
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.
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Includes Credits
Explore practical applications of telemedicine, especially for rural organizations, for agencies with an understaffed medical team, for foster care support, for triage for officers in the field, and more.
Learn about cutting-edge advancements in telemedicine that can benefit the health of your organization, thanks to increased employee retention and operational efficiencies.
Our panel will explore practical applications and the positive impact of telemedicine, especially for rural organizations, for agencies with an understaffed medical team, for foster care support, and for triage for officers in the field. You’ll also learn how to expand telemedicine in your state.
Bonus Resources:
For veterinary professionals to join ASPCA’s Veterinary Engagement Team: vetengagement@aspca.org
For others who wish to help advocate for legislation to expand access to care: grassroots@aspca.org
Dr. Josh A. Fisher, MHA, CAWA
Director of Animal Services
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control
Dr. Josh Fisher serves as the Director of Animal Services for the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, and as the Board President of the National Animal Care & Control Association. Josh he is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator, Certified Customer eXperience Executive, and a graduate of the Animal Services Executive Leadership Certification Program. With 20+ years in the veterinary medical/animal welfare industry, Dr. Fisher has held a wide range of roles in private and corporate veterinary hospitals, higher education, and government.
Jennifer Hobgood
Senior Director of State Legislation
ASPCA
Jen Hobgood is senior state legislative director of the ASPCA’s Government Relations Southern Division. In this role, she oversees the ASPCA’s legislative initiatives in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, and also supports ASPCA’s efforts at the state level throughout the country to expand access to veterinary care such as telemedicine. Prior to joining the ASPCA, Jen was the Florida state director for The Humane Society of the United States, where she worked for twelve years.
Dylan Moore
Senior Director of Shelter Operations
Santa Fe Animal Shelter
Dylan worked as a (human) social worker in the mid-Atlantic after college for a dozen years before needing a break. He relocated to New Mexico in 2000. After a pause to catch his breath, he needed a job with meaning and started as a part-time adoption counselor at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter in 2011, in between stints as a hot air balloon wrangler and personal chef, both of which eventually fell by the wayside so he could focus on animal welfare. Dylan is the Senior Director of Shelter Operations.
Dr. Emily Swiniarski
Medical Director
Anti-Cruelty
After graduating fromIowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Emily Swiniarski went througha Shelter Medicine Internship with the University of Florida. She has workedfor a wide variety of organizations including large municipal shelters, smalllimited admission shelters, HQHVSN facilities, and lower cost veterinary careclinics in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles before landing in Chicago as MedicalDirector of Anti-Cruelty.
Dr. Roberta Westbrook
Chief Animal Welfare & Medical Officer
Houston SPCA
Dr. Roberta Westbrook is the Chief Animal Welfare & Medical Officer for Houston SPCA. She received her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri in 2004. As an adjunct professor at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biological Sciences, Dr. Westbrook co-teaches an elective course and facilitates the 4th year, 2-week clinical rotation in Shelter Medicine. She serves her community as the 2024 President of the Harris County Veterinary Medical Association, and a proud board member of The Association of Animal Welfare Advancement.