the Intake

In 2019, The Association made an intentional commitment to examine DEI within our organization and across the animal welfare profession. That commitment ultimately led to the creation of our DEI Council and to a partnership with MSM Global Consulting that has helped us learn, listen, challenge ourselves, and think more deeply about what it means tocreate organizations and a profession where people feel valued, respected, heard, and able to contribute.

And this conversation feels especially important right now.

In January 2025, the Eaton Fire burned for 24 daysin Pasadena Humane's service area. Evacuations and warnings affected more than 100,000 residents and 20,000 structures, over 9,400 structures were destroyed and Pasadena Humane assisted more than 3,000 animals during the response.

 Katherine is joined by three Pasadena Humane leaderswho guided this work and later co-presented their lessons at Animal Care Expo: Jamie Holeman, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer; Kevin McManus, PR & Communications Director; and Alyssa Staniland, PhilanthropyCommunications Manager.

They'll discuss the first hours of the crisis, internal alignment, storytelling, fundraising, overwhelming public attention, and what it takes to keep supporters engaged after the cameras leave.

Download the toolkit they mention here: https://bit.ly/phdisasterkit

Cathy Rosenthal is the curator and editor of HumanePerspectives: Leadership in Animal Welfare, a remarkable collection of essays from 45 leaders across our profession. Rather than focusing on organizational achievements, this book explores the experiences that shaped these leaders—the challenges they faced, the lessons they learned, and the wisdom they hope to pass on to the next generation. Joining her is Jim Tedford, President and CEO of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and author of the book's foreword. Jim has spent decades helping shape the animal welfare profession and brings a unique perspective on leadership, service, and the future of animal welfare.

Purchase Cathy's book here:

• https://cathyrosenthal.com/humane-perspectives-leadership-in-animal-welfare/
• https://www.amazon.com/Humane-Perspectives-Leadership-Animal-Welfare/dp/1948444038

What is The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement? Where did it originate? Why should I become a member? Jim Tedford sits down with Katherine Shenar to talk all things AAWA!

Today we're discussing one of the most urgent andstrategically important issues facing animal welfare organizations today. The health and sustainability of the workforce itself. You know, across the profession organizations are grappling with burnout, turnovers, staffingshortages, communication challenges, and increasing operational pressure. But beyond that human toil, there are issues that are directly impacting organizational effectiveness, leadership ability, team performance, andultimately outcomes for animals and the communities.

The challenge is that many organizations still lack reliable ways to truly understand what employees are experiencing internally and how workplace culture may be influencingorganizational success. So that's where the Shelter Employee Engagement and Development Survey come in. We call it SEEDs.

AAWA Members save 10% on the SEEDs Assessment - Learn more about this Member benefit!

Join us in Chattanooga, TN, October 26 - 29 for The Association's Annual Conference! AAWA's own Kelly Cunningham and Kristy Gonyer join Katherine to share the details of all the things you don't want to miss.

Register today!

Recently, animal welfare leaders from across the countrygathered for The Network Live, an event designed to bring together big ideas, honest conversations, and practical solutions for some of our profession's most pressing challenges. But as many of our listeners know, not everyone can attend every event. In fact, Katherine wasn't even in the room herself. Today, Katherine is joined by Lily Yap, Executive Director at the Stanislaus Animal Services Agency and a current AAWA Board Member. Lily attended the Network Live, contributed to the conversations, gave the keynote address, and had a front row seat to all the themes, discussions, and moments that really stood out. Today she'll help bridge the gap between the people who were there and those of us who weren't.

Stacy LeBaron has spent more than three decades helping cats and the people who care for them. Previously, she led the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, where innovative programs helped more than 100,000 cats and kittens. Today she is the founder of Community Cats Central, formerly known as the Community Cats Podcast, a platform that has educated and connected thousands of animal welfare professionals, volunteer and advocates through podcast conferences, certification programs, and online learning opportunities. Stacy has dedicated her career to helping communities develop practical, humane solutions for cats while building a stronger network of support for the people doing the work.

Community Cats website: https://communitycatscentral.com/

CommunityCat Pyramid:  https://communitycatscentral.com/community-cat-pyramid/

Paper Collar:  https://communitycatscentral.com/paper-collar/

Community Cat Calculator: https://communitycatscentral.com/community-cat-calculator/

Pet health insurance can be confusing—for pet parents and animal welfare professionals alike. Terms like pre-existing conditions, waiting periods, and medical records often create uncertainty at the very moment families are trying to do the right thing for their pets. 

In this episode of The Intake Podcast, Katherine Shenar is joined by Brad Watkins, Director of Animal Welfare at MetLife Pet Insurance, and Matt Pepper, CEO of Michigan Humane, to unpack how pet insurance really works—and why it matters for shelters and adopters. 

Together, they explore how timing and documentation impact coverage, the role shelters can play in educating adopters, and how pet insurance can support long-term pet retention by helping families manage unexpected veterinary costs. 

If your organization is focused on keeping pets in homes—not just placing them—this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. 

In this episode of The Intake Podcast, host Katherine Shenar sits down with Rhett Lindsay and Lydia Krupinski from Anti-Cruelty in Chicago, alongside TrueSense Marketing’s Alison McCarty, to unpack how their 125th anniversary campaign became one of their all-time most impactful fundraising efforts.

Come meet Chanel, the rescue dog who became the face of the campaign, and explore the role that data and real-time optimization and authentic partnership played in Anti-Cruelty’s fully integrated, multi-channel experience.You’ll learn: 

• How to create cohesive campaigns across email, direct mail, social, and media 
• Why storytelling is your most powerful fundraising tool 
• How to balance creative ideas with data-informed strategy 
• What it really takes to retain and engage donors over time 

Whether you’re leading a campaign or rethinking your approach to donor engagement, this episode will challenge and inspire.