Our Generous Sponsors

Transcription

1 Regi s tration Brochure

2 Our Generous Sponsors SM The way home for lost pets. A Division of TriStar Metals, Inc Association of Professional Humane Educators Brulin Custom Fiberglass Coaches Humane Educators of Texas National Kitten Coalition Also Exhibiting: Pethealth, Inc. PetLink Texas Animal Control Association Texas Humane Legislation Network TICA - The International Cat Association, Inc. partner with us for the 2017 conference! Sponsor, exhibitor, and advertising opportunities available at www. texasunites.com Texas Unites 2

3 conference Information workshops Texas Unites for Animals 2017 includes 55 workshops in seven tracks: Management & Professional Development Field Services Adoption & Placement Health & Behavior Marketing & Programs Shelter Medicine (limited registration for DVMs and LVTs) Executive Leadership (limited registration for Executive Directors, CEO s, and Board Leadership) CEUs Texas Unites for Animals has been approved for the following CEUs: The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has approved all conference workshops for CE credit for ACOs, up to a maximum of 15 hours per Officer. The Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (TBVME) has approved a total of 17 hours (14 hours in the clinical category and 3 hours in the practice management category) for Veterinarians and Licensed Veterinary Technicians. The Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) has approved all conference workshops for CE credit for Certified Animal Welfare Administrators (CAWA) up to a maximum of 15 hours. Hotel Reservations Texas Unites for Animals 2017 will be held at the Renaissance Austin Hotel in Austin, Texas. This pet-friendly hotel offers beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces to enjoy when conference sessions aren t in place. To reserve your room, call or visit for our unique reservation link. The special Texas Unites for Animals room rate is $159 per night, while they last, and must be reserved by March 24, Please refer to Texas Unites for Animals when booking your reservation. Additional travel and overflow hotel information is available at MEALS Your registration fee includes a daily continental breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks/refreshments at evening receptions. Networking & Social Events Friday, April 21st 6:00-8:00 p.m. Get a first look at the exhibitors, mingle with your colleagues, and say howdy to your hosts, the Texas Unites Board of Directors, at the Exhibit Hall Opening & Welcome Reception in the Rio Grande Exhibit Hall. We ll have a cash bar and door prizes to kick off the conference! Saturday, April 22nd 5:30-7:30 p.m. Join us for a fun filled networking night with games and prizes! We ll have complimentary appetizers and a cash bar, so come on down to the Rio Grande Exhibit Hall and make some new friends. Sunday, April 23rd 8:00-10:00 p.m. Come relax at the Knotty Deck & Bar to complete your conference experience. This casual, come and go (or come and STAY!) gathering is a great chance to catch up with old friends, meet some new ones, and unwind after a full weekend. Exhibit Hall The Exhibit Hall will be open throughout the conference, providing you many opportunities to check out all of the exhibitors and participate in several contests and raffles! Texas Unites 3

4 TExas Unites will provide you with professional education opportunities and collaboration between animal welfare professionals to advance your career and strengthen the impact of your animal welfare related work. Become a Member Members attend the conference for the discounted rate of $215. Members also receive: * free admission to any of our year-round trainings * access to our Facebook Community Page * inclusion in our Texas Unites updates * membership gift Join online at texasunites.com! Texas Unites 4

5 Conference Workshops by Track Opening Session The Changing World of Animal Welfare Past, Present and Future Management & Professional Development 1 Lawsuit?!...But I was a Volunteer! 6 Under the Dome - What Bills Can Help or Hurt Animals in 2017 Texas Legislative Session, and How You Can Help! 11 The 360 Degree Professional: Focusing On Success; Not Supervision 16 Coalition and Cooperation Why We Are Stronger Together 21 Nerd Alert! Your Publicly Available Animal Data Will Save Lives 26 Stepping Up to the Plate: Transitioning into Animal Care Leadership 31 It s Not Them, It s You: Your Role in Tackling the Challenges of Partnership 36 The Emotional Impact of the Animal Care & Control Profession: Compassion Fatigue to Satisfaction 41 Putting the Bark into Your Budget and the Meow into your Money Field Services 2 Dangerous Dog 7 The Violence Connection: A Community Approach to Breaking the Cycles of Violence 12 Beyond the Dogcatcher: A Modern Look at Animal Care & Control 17 Dealing with Difficult Personality Types: A Field Survival Guide 22 Field Furtography: Utilizing Basic Photographic Techniques to Improve Field Photography 27 The Pet Redemption Toolkit 32 Animal Hoarding and Breakthrough Moments 37 Wildlife Complaints: New Solutions for Old Problems 42 Case Study: Downtown City of Austin Rabies Exposure Investigation ADOPTION & Placement 3 Love on Wheels: The Road Trip of a Lifetime 8 Pets For Life: Community Outreach Planning and Strategies 13 Give em a Ride: Best Practices for Transport of Companion Animals 18 Pushing the Limits: Innovative Foster Programs for Adult Animals 23 Humane Education Programs: Meet Organizational Goals and Benefit Your Entire Community 28 Overcoming Barriers to Adoption 33 What Color is My Cat? 38 Saving The Orphans No Matter Your Budget Size 43 Bringing it Home: From the Workshop to the Real World Health & Behavior 4 Cross-Species Transmission of Infectious Viral Diseases 9 In Whose Best Interest Using Logical Variables to Determine the Best Option for a Behaviorally Challenged Dog and the Determination of Adoptability (part 1) 14 In Whose Best Interest Using Logical Variables to Determine the Best Option for a Behaviorally Challenged Dog and the Determination of Adoptability (part 2) 19 Trouble Comes in Threes: Conquering the Biggest Threats to Kitten Health 24 The 3rd Freedom: Pain, Injury or Disease: Recognition and Prevention for Shelter Staff and Animal Control Officers 29 Shelter Rounds: A Creative Twist on Population Management for Hard to Place Animals 34 Getting the Upper Hand on Feline Upper Respiratory Infections! 39 Dealing with Behavior Problems in the Shelter; Triage, Treatment and the Ethics of Euthanasia 44 Preventing Infectious Diseases by Maintaining Your Shelter s Capacity for Care Marketing & Programs 5 Proper Feeding and Care of the Media: Tactics for Building Rapport and Weathering a Crisis 10 Not Your Momma s Spay and Neuter Clinic 15 Beyond Adoptions: Marketing to Change Minds, Build Community and Save Lives 20 Pet Food Pantries Save Lives 25 Pet Retail Big Marketing on a Tiny Budget 35 Volunteers: The Unexpected Risks 40 You Said What??? 45 Techniques for Engaging with the Public in a Positive Way shelter medicine (Saturday only) This track is limited registration for DVMs and LVTs. See page 7 for complete details. Executive Leadership (Sunday only) This track is limited registration for Executive Directors, CEO s, and Board Leadership. See page 8 for complete details. Texas Unites 5

6 Friday, April 21 Workshop and Event Schedule Sunday, April 23 (Continued) 2 to 8 p.m. Conference Registration 6 to 8 p.m. Exhibit Hall Opening & Welcome Reception Saturday, April 22 *See Page 7 for SHELTER MEDICINE Track Schedule 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Conference Registration 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Breakfast 8:30 to 10 a.m. Opening Session: The Changing World of Animal Welfare Past, Present and Future 10 to 11 a.m. Break / Exhibit Hall 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Workshops 1 Lawsuit?!...But I was a Volunteer! 2 Dangerous Dog 3 Love on Wheels: The Road Trip of a Lifetime 4 Cross-Species Transmission of Infectious Viral Diseases 5 Proper Feeding and Care of the Media: Tactics for Building Rapport and Weathering a Crisis 12:30 to 2 p.m. Lunch 1 to 2 p.m. Exhibit Hall 2 to 3:30 p.m. Workshops 6 Under the Dome - What Bills Can Help or Hurt Animals in 2017 Texas Legislative Session, and How You Can Help! 7 The Violence Connection: A Community Approach to Breaking the Cycles of Violence 8 Pets For Life: Community Outreach Planning and Strategies 9 In Whose Best Interest Using Logical Variables to Determine the Best Option for a Behaviorally Challenged Dog and the Determination of Adoptability (part 1) 10 Not Your Momma s Spay and Neuter Clinic 3:30 to 4 p.m. Break / Exhibit Hall 4 to 5:30 p.m. Workshops 11 The 360 Degree Professional: Focusing On Success; Not Supervision 12 Beyond the Dogcatcher: A Modern Look at Animal Care & Control 13 Give em a Ride: Best Practices for Transport of Companion Animals 14 In Whose Best Interest Using Logical Variables to Determine the Best Option for a Behaviorally Challenged Dog and the Determination of Adoptability (part 2) 15 Beyond Adoptions: Marketing to Change Minds, Build Community and Save Lives 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Networking Event / Exhibit Hall Sunday, April 23 *See Page 8 for Executive Leadership Track Schedule 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Breakfast / Exhibit Hall 8:30 to 10 a.m. Workshops 16 Coalition and Cooperation Why We Are Stronger Together 17 Dealing with Difficult Personality Types: A Field Survival Guide 18 Pushing the Limits: Innovative Foster Programs for Adult Animals 19 Trouble Comes in Threes: Conquering the Biggest Threats to Kitten Health 20 Pet Food Pantries Save Lives 10 to 10:30 a.m. Break / Exhibit Hall 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Workshops 21 Nerd Alert! Your Publicly Available Animal Data Will Save Lives 22 Field Furtography: Utilizing Basic Photographic Techniques to Improve Field Photography 23 Humane Education Programs: Meet Organizational Goals and Benefit Your Entire Community 24 The 3rd Freedom: Pain, Injury or Disease: Recognition and Prevention for Shelter Staff and Animal Control Officers 25 Pet Retail to 1:30 p.m. Lunch 12:30 to 2 p.m. Exhibit Hall - Final Opportunity to Visit! 2 to 3:30 p.m. Workshops 26 Stepping Up to the Plate: Transitioning into Animal Care Leadership 27 The Pet Redemption Toolkit 28 Overcoming Barriers to Adoption 29 Shelter Rounds: A Creative Twist on Population Management for Hard to Place Animals 30 Big Marketing on a Tiny Budget 3:30 to 4 p.m. Break 4 to 5:30 p.m. Workshops 31 It s Not Them, It s You: Your Role in Tackling the Challenges of Partnership 32 Animal Hoarding and Breakthrough Moments 33 What Color is My Cat? 34 Getting the Upper Hand on Feline Upper Respiratory Infections! 35 Volunteers: The Unexpected Risks 8 to 10 p.m. Knotty Deck & Bar Social Monday, April 24 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Breakfast 8:30 to 10 a.m. Workshops 36 The Emotional Impact of the Animal Care & Control Profession: Compassion Fatigue to Satisfaction 37 Wildlife Complaints: New Solutions for Old Problems 38 Saving The Orphans No Matter Your Budget Size 39 Dealing with Behavior Problems in the Shelter; Triage, Treatment and the Ethics of Euthanasia 40 You Said What??? 10 to 10:30 a.m. Break 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Workshops 41 Putting the Bark into Your Budget and the Meow into your Money 42 Case Study: Downtown City of Austin Rabies Exposure Investigation 43 Bringing it Home: From the Workshop to the Real World 44 Preventing Infectious Diseases by Maintaining Your Shelter s Capacity for Care 45 Techniques for Engaging with the Public in a Positive Way 12 to 12:30 p.m. Closing Ceremony & Raffle Texas Unites 6

7 Workshop and Event Schedule Shelter Medicine Track Single Day, Limited Registration for DVMs and LVTs Only Friday, April 21 2 to 8 p.m. Conference Registration 6 to 8 p.m. Exhibit Hall Opening & Welcome Reception Saturday, April 22 7:30 to 8 a.m. Check-In and Breakfast 8 to 9:30 a.m. Workshop 1: Beyond Spay/Neuter Laura Helmueller, DVM, Chief Medical Officer, Emancipet Myles Chadwick, Vice President, Emancipet New School, Emancipet 9:30 to 9:45 a.m. Break 9:45 to 11:15 a.m. Workshop 2: How To Survive and Save Lives In a Panleukopenia Outbreak Cynthia Mitchell, DVM, Medical Director, San Diego Humane Society 11:15 to 11:30 a.m. Break 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Workshop 3 and Lunch: High Volume Spay Neuter Panel Discussion Amy Crum, DVM, Medical Director, Houston SPCA Kent Glenn, DVM, Veterinarian, Weatherford Parker County Animal Shelter Rosemary C. Lindsey, DVM, La Paloma Small Animal Hospital Dr. Sam Miller, DVM, Private Practitioner, President Texas Veterinary Medical Association 2 to 2:15 p.m. Break 2:15 to 3:45 p.m. Workshop 4: Forensic Necropsy Melinda Merck, DVM, Owner, Veterinary Forensics Consulting, LLC 3:45 to 4 p.m. Break 4 to 5:30 p.m. Workshop 5: Emerging Problems with Germs and Worms Gerryll Hall, DVM, Merck Animal Health 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Networking Event / Exhibit Hall CE credit through TBVME is offered each day of the Texas Unites for Animals Conference for a total of 17 credit hours. DVMs and LVTs are encouraged to register for the full, three day conference to take part in the general conference workshops and activities on Sunday, April 23 and Monday, April 24. Texas Unites 7

8 Workshop and Event Schedule Executive Leadership Track Single Day, Limited Registration for Exec. Directors, CEO s and Board Leadership Saturday, April 22 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Conference Registration 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Networking Event / Exhibit Hall Sunday, April 23 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Conference Registration 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Breakfast / Exhibit Hall 8:30 to 10 a.m. Workshop 1: Culture of Philanthropy Jill Beckwith, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Emancipet 10 to 10:30 a.m. Break / Exhibit Hall 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Workshop 2: Mapping The Career Path No One Told You About Katherine M. Shenar, Chief of Staff, San Diego Humane Society Jim Tedford, President & CEO, The Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) 12 to 1:30 p.m. Lunch 12:30 to 2 p.m. Exhibit Hall - Final Opportunity to Visit! 2 to 3:30 p.m. Workshop 3: Win at the Game of Work! Carl Youngberg, President, Concepts 3 Inc. 3:30 to 4 p.m. Break 4 to 5:30 p.m. Workshop 4: Is it Bored or Board Governance? Staph or Staff? Serious or All a Joke? Creating a productive, effective and enjoyable for all board environment and organizational culture Barry Silverberg, Director, Center for Nonprofit Studies, Austin Community College 8 to 10 p.m. Knotty Deck & Bar Social CAWA CE credit through The Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) is offered each day of the Texas Unites for Animals Conference for a total of 15 credit hours. Executive Directors, CEO s, and Board Leadership are encouraged to register for the full, three day conference to take part in the general conference workshops and activities on Saturday, April 22 through Monday, April 24. Texas Unites 8

9 Workshop and Event Schedule Friday, April 21 Registration 2 to 8 p.m. Exhibit Hall Opening & Welcome Reception 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 22 *DVMS and LVTs: See Page 7 for Shelter Medicine Track Schedule (SAturday Only). Additional TBVME approved CE Courses Highlighted in Blue Registration 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Breakfast 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Opening Session 8:30 to 10 a.m. The Changing World of Animal Welfare Past, Present and Future Roger Haston, Chief Administrative Officer, PetSmart Charities Break / Exhibit Hall 10 to 11 a.m. management & professional development Field Services Adoption & placement Health & Behavior Marketing & Programs Workshops 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 1 Lawsuit?!...But I was a Volunteer! Saturday, April 22, Shelby L. Bobosky, Esq., President & Legislative Chairman, Texas Humane Legislation Network 2 Dangerous Dog, Danny Sanchez, Field Supervisor, Harris County Veterinary Public Health 3 Love on Wheels: The Road Trip of a Lifetime, Stacy Smith, Vice President, Animal Advocacy, Humane Tomorrow 4 Cross-Species Transmission of Infectious Viral Diseases, Kate Rugroden, Director of Special Projects, Bat World Sanctuary 5 Proper Feeding and Care of the Media: Tactics for Building Rapport and Weathering a Crisis, Sara Bouffard, Principal, Bouffard Group Public Relations Lunch 12:30 to 2 p.m Exhibit Hall 1 to 2 p.m. Workshops 2 to 3:30 p.m. 6 Under the Dome - What bills can help or hurt animals in 2017 Texas Legislative Session, and how you can help!, Shelby L. Bobosky, Esq., President & Legislative Chairman and Laura Donahue, Executive Director, Texas Humane Legislation Network 7 The Violence Connection: A Community Approach to Breaking the Cycles of Violence, Phil Arkow, Coordinator, National Link Coalition 8 Pets For Life: Community Outreach Planning and Strategies, Maeleska Fletes, President/Pets For Life Coordinator, Dallas Companion Animal Project 9 In Whose Best Interest (Part 1) Using Logical Variables to Determine the Best Option for a Behaviorally Challenged Dog and the Determination of Adoptability, Karen Deeds, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Canine Connection 10 Not your Momma s Spay and Neuter Clinic, Leslie Harrelson, Executive Director, P.E.T.S. Low Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic Break / Exhibit Hall 3:30 to 4 p.m. Texas Unites 9

10 Saturday, April 22 (continued) management & professional development Field Services Adoption & placement Health & Behavior Marketing & Programs Workshops 4 to 5:30 p.m. 11 The 360 Degree Professional: Focusing On Success; Not Supervision, Katherine M. Shenar, Chief of Staff, San Diego Humane Society 12 Beyond the Dogcatcher: A Modern Look at Animal Care & Control, Rob Leinberger, Animal Control Supervisor, Richmond Animal Care & Control 13 Give em a Ride: Best Practices for Transport of Companion Animals, Jim Tedford, President & CEO, The Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) and Kristen Limbert, Sr. Director, Animal Relocation, ASPCA 14 In Whose Best Interest (Part 2) Using Logical Variables to Determine the Best Option for a Behaviorally Challenged Dog and the Determination of Adoptability, Karen Deeds, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Canine Connection 15 Beyond Adoptions: Marketing to Change Minds, Build Community and Save Lives, Caitlin Quinn, MPA, Director of Operations, HeARTs Speak, Inc. Networking Event / Exhibit Hall 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 23 *DVMS and LVTs: See Page 7 for Shelter Medicine Track Schedule (SAturday Only). Additional TBVME approved CE Courses Highlighted in Blue *Executive directors, ceo s, and Board Leadership: See Page 8 for executive leadership Track Schedule (Sunday Only). All conference workshops (Sat-Mon) approved for CAWA CE credit Breakfast / Registration 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. management & professional development Field Services Adoption & placement Health & Behavior Marketing & Programs Workshops 8:30 to 10 a.m. 16 Coalition and Cooperation Why We Are Stronger Together, Mary Kate Lawler, DVM, Executive Director, Spay Neuter Assistance Program, Inc. 17 Dealing with Difficult Personality Types: A Field Survival Guide, Max Mixon, Co-Owner/ Instructor and Kelly Thyssen, Co-Owner/ Instructor, Humane Educators of Texas 18 Pushing the Limits: Innovative Foster Programs for Adult Animals, Kristen Auerbach, Deputy Chief Animal Services Officer, Austin Animal Center 19 Trouble Comes in Threes: Conquering the Biggest Threats to Kitten Health, Rosemarie Crawford, LVT, Director of Educational Programs and Rebecca Jewell, Marketing & Special Projects Manager, National Kitten Coalition 20 Pet Food Pantries Save Lives, Cheryl Spencer, President, North Texas Pet Food Pantry Break / Exhibit Hall 10 to 10:30 a.m. Workshops 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. 21 Nerd Alert! Your Publicly Available Animal Data Will Save Lives, Susanne Kogut, Executive Director and Susan Cosby, Director of Lifesaving Partnerships and Programs, Petco Foundation 22 Field Furtography: Utilizing Basic Photographic Techniques to improve Field Photography, Audra Houghton, Director of Operations, Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia 23 Humane Education Programs: Meet Organizational Goals and Benefit Your Entire Community, Karly Noel, MA Ed., CHES, Board of Directors, Association of Professional Humane Educators (APHE) 24 The 3rd Freedom: Pain, Injury or Disease: Recognition and Prevention for Shelter Staff and Animal Control Officers, Sandra Strong, DVM, Chief Veterinarian, Wake County Animal Center 25 Pet Retail 101, April Harris, CAWA, Chief Program Officer, Michelson Found Animals Foundation Texas Unites 10

11 Sunday, April 23 (continued) Lunch 12 to 1:30 p.m. Exhibit Hall - FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT EXHIBITORS! 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. management & professional development 26 Stepping Up to the Plate: Transitioning into Animal Care Leadership, Audra Houghton, Director of Operations, Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia Field Services Adoption & placement Health & Behavior Marketing & Programs Workshops 2 to 3:30 p.m. 27 The Pet Redemption Toolkit, April Harris, CAWA, Chief Program Officer, Michelson Found Animals Foundation 28 Overcoming Barriers to Adoption, Sara Kent, Director, Petfinder Shelter Outreach, Nestle Purina PetCare 29 Shelter Rounds: A Creative Twist on Population Management for Hard to Place Animals, Sandra Strong, DVM, Chief Veterinarian, Wake County Animal Center 30 Big Marketing on a Tiny Budget, Tori Fugate, Director of Marketing & Development, Kansas City Pet Project Break 3:30 to 4 p.m. Workshops 4 to 5:30 p.m. 31 It s Not Them, It s You: Your Role in Tackling the Challenges of Partnership, B.J. Rogers, CAWA, Vice President, ProLearning, ASPCA 32 Animal Hoarding and Breakthrough Moments, Dr. Corey Gonzales, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist 33 What Color is My Cat?, Vickie Fisher, Treasurer and Immediate Past President, The International Cat Association 34 Getting the Upper Hand on Feline Upper Respiratory Infections!, Chumkee Aziz, DVM, Medical Director, Austin Humane Society 35 Volunteers: The Unexpected Risks, Brian Barrick, CEO, Animal Welfare Organization Insurance Program, LLC Knotty Deck & Bar Social 8 to 10 p.m. Monday, April 24 *DVMS and LVTs: See Page 7 for Shelter Medicine Track Schedule (SAturday Only). Additional TBVME approved CE Courses Highlighted in Blue Breakfast / Registration 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. management & professional development Field Services Adoption & placement Health & Behavior Marketing & Programs Workshops 8:30 to 10 a.m. 36 The Emotional Impact of the Animal Care & Control Profession: Compassion Fatigue to Satisfaction, Rob Leinberger, Animal Control Supervisor, Richmond Animal Care & Control and CherylAnn Fernandes, Regional Shelter Care Representative, PetLink 37 Wildlife Complaints: New Solutions for Old Problems, Bonnie Bradshaw, President, 911 Wildlife 38 Saving The Orphans No Matter Your Budget Size, Jennifer Brehler, Chief Operating Officer, San Diego Humane Society 39 Dealing with Behavior Problems in the Shelter; Triage, Treatment and the Ethics of Euthanasia, Valarie V. Tynes, DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, Veterinary Services Specialist, Ceva Animal Health 40 You Said What???, Ann Campbell, Director, Sales and Marketing, PetData Texas Unites 11

12 Monday, April 24 (continued) Break 10 to 10:30 a.m. management & professional development Field Services Adoption & placement Health & Behavior Marketing & Programs Workshops 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. 41 Putting the Bark into Your Budget and the Meow into your Money, Vincent Medley, Executive Director, Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia 42 Case Study: Downtown City of Austin Rabies Exposure Investigation, April Moore, Engagement Manager, City of Austin Animal Services Office 43 Bringing it Home: From the Workshop to the Real World, B.J. Rogers, CAWA, Vice President, ProLearning, ASPCA 44 Preventing Infectious Diseases by Maintaining Your Shelter s Capacity for Care, Chumkee Aziz, DVM, Medical Director, Austin Humane Society 45 Techniques for Engaging with the Public in a Positive Way, Jamie Scotto, Director of Operations, Community Medicine, ASPCA Closing Ceremony & Raffle 12 to 12:30 p.m. Texas Unites 12

13 WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS Keynote Address The Changing World of Animal Welfare Past, Present and Future Saturday, April 22, :30 10:00 a.m. Roger Haston, Chief Administrative Officer, PetSmart Charities This session will examine a retrospective of where we have come from, where we are and where we are heading. It will examine some key data, trends and future challenges and opportunities in animal welfare with a focus on measuring success. Management & Professional Development 1 Lawsuit?!...But I was a Volunteer! Saturday, April 22, :00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Shelby L. Bobosky, Esq., President & Legislative Chairman, Texas Humane Legislation Network The animal welfare movement has opportunities to volunteer at every level. Whether you foster a dog, start your own 501c3, or agree to serve on a board, there are many ways to get involved at no cost. But is there really no cost? No volunteer wants to be subjected to civil liability as a reward for their altruistic efforts but many Texas Unites attendees would not believe that their current practices may be setting them up for a lawsuit. In this workshop, you will gain a basic understanding of the laws that deal with volunteering, the protections afforded to volunteers that limit their liability and some best practices for avoiding legal pitfalls when volunteering your time and services. Whether you are a dog walker for a local shelter, a veterinarian doing free vaccines for a local rescue, a blogger handling a social media account for a rescue, or a board member of an animal nonprofit (handling a raffle to throwing a fundraiser), this course will help you stay clear of potential complaints and lawsuits. 6 Under the Dome - What bills can help or hurt animals in 2017 Texas Legislative Session, and how you can help! Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Shelby L. Bobosky, Esq., President & Legislative Chairman, Texas Humane Legislation Network Laura Donahue, Executive Director, Texas Humane Legislation Network This course will begin with a brief description of the Texas Humane Legislation Network and then explain how Texas Unites attendees, whether they are ACOs, rescue volunteers, shelter managers or other animal welfare advocates, can get politically active for the sake of the animals. This course will cover the Texas Legislative Session in depth with respect to all of the animal-related bills brought during the session. Ms. Bobosky and Ms. Donahue will give a brief background to the Texas legislature, including how the political parties fared in the 2016 elections, the general legislative process, the current numbers of bills brought that affect the day to day work that the Texas Unites attendees face and how the attendees can help either pass or oppose a bill. This course will briefly touch on federal animal bills as well as cutting edge legal topics and how to get your elected officials to take animal cruelty seriously. 11 The 360 Degree Professional: Focusing On Success; Not Supervision Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Katherine M. Shenar, Chief of Staff, San Diego Humane Society How do you get employees to succeed in an animal shelter? Create a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth. Coach them for success instead of focusing on punitive measures by training and mentoring for the skill sets necessary for every professional working in animal welfare. Hear how an organization developed a program designed to increase retention and inspire success for improved work performance by creating the 360 Degree Professional Career Development program through which employees attain success through selfevaluation and growth by using success discussions resulting in an individual development plans. 16 Coalition and Cooperation Why We Are Stronger Together Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Mary Kate Lawler, DVM, Executive Director, Spay Neuter Assistance Program, Inc. Communities all around the world are facing the same problem of pet overpopulation, pet homelessness and pet neglect. This presentation is a summary of my experiences working as a partner in a larger coalition of organizations, for profit, nonprofit and municipal and what was achieved by working together. The information may be useful to anyone in the animal welfare community. The presentation is not a how-to, but rather one example of what worked well and what worked not so well, an overall picture of one community coming together for a cause. 21 Nerd Alert! Your Publicly Available Animal Data Will Save Lives Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Susanne Kogut, Executive Director, Petco Foundation Susan Cosby, Director of Lifesaving Partnerships and Programs, Petco Foundation While it may seem daunting to some, collecting and making everyone s data publicly available, has far reaching impact beyond your home town. Using real life Texas Unites 13

14 examples including state-wide databases and new tools like Shelter Animals Count, we ll examine benefits and insights of statewide and national data collection. We ll demonstrate how data can identify trends and target pockets of increased need with real life examples from other states. In the second half of the workshop we ll provide insight into the Petco Foundation s methodology of using data in grant funding decisions, and explore how other funders are approaching data transparency and the move towards publicly shared information. 26 Stepping Up to the Plate: Transitioning into Animal Care Leadership Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Audra Houghton, Director of Operations, Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia Animal sheltering professionals are some of the most dedicated and passionate people, and as a result, they often find themselves progressing through increasingly responsible positions into supervisory and management roles. This can present challenges, particularly if the supervisor or manager doesn t have a management background, or was an internal candidate and is transitioning to being the supervisor of their former peers. In this workshop we ll explore what makes a good leader, provide tools and tactics for dealing with the struggles of supervising those former peers, and how to make the transition from front line staff to top notch animal shelter manager. 31 It s Not Them, It s You: Your Role in Tackling the Challenges of Partnership Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. B.J. Rogers, CAWA, Vice President, ProLearning, ASPCA We ve all experienced a partnership or collaboration or relationship (friends, partners, colleagues) taking a turn for the worse and bottoming out. In our better moments, we re able to pull up, look objectively, and think about what we could have done differently; how we might have worked to extinguish instead of feeding the fire. Perhaps more often, we walk away all worked up and convinced that if only THEY had...fill in the blank...then things would have gone differently. At its heart, successful collaboration relies on strong relationships. And relationships almost no matter the context, require a few key components to work namely, an understanding of shared goals and values, honest dialogue, and effective strategies to tackle conflict. By taking charge of your own behavior and mindset, and exercising leadership in the truest way by example and with self-awareness you just might have more influence than you d expect. We ll explore what all this means, do a little self-assessing, process some wisdom from each other, and identify realworld examples of putting philosophy into practice with impact and success. 36 The Emotional Impact of the Animal Care & Control Profession: Compassion Fatigue to Satisfaction Monday, April 24, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Rob Leinberger, Animal Control Supervisor, Richmond Animal Care & Control CherylAnn Fernandes, Regional Shelter Care Representative, PetLink Compassion fatigue is a polar vortex for animal care and control professionals, whether you re in the field or in the shelter. This class takes a direct look at the emotional and complex aspect of compassion fatigue for animal care and control professionals. It explores how compassion fatigue directly affects us as well as how we can turn it into job satisfaction, thereby improving the lives of animals as well as ourselves. Learn how the joys and pains of the job often parallel each other. Class interaction and group discussion are an integral part of this class. Light hearted video in the presentation help set a positive mood and handouts are available to all. We ll laugh, we ll cry, we ll learn! 41 Putting the Bark into Your Budget and the Meow into your Money Monday, April 24, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Vincent Medley, Executive Director, Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia What is your budget? The cost of providing services to the citizens of your county or city. What are your budget priorities? Those services the budget is allocated to perform. Every activity, from salaries to small events is tied to some portion of an agency s budget. Identifying funded and unfunded priorities is key to knowing what priorities your agency is able to perform versus ones that are artificially over taxing the staff and falsely signifying failure. The target audience is shelter directors, managers, supervisors, and frontline staff. Field Services 2 Dangerous Dog Saturday, April 22, :00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Danny Sanchez, Field Supervisor, Harris County Veterinary Public Health This workshop will cover the history behind the dangerous dog law in the state of Texas. We will discuss: How to file dangerous dog: how, who and where to file The use of the local Judge of The Peace, the paperwork, the warrants for seizure, servicing the seizure, and the seizure warrant return What happens after the hearing: dangerous vs. not dangerous Inspection of the owner s property and how to use a check list What a secure enclosure is buying vs. building Where to get the license and license renewal process Texas Unites 14

15 7 The Violence Connection: A Community Approach to Breaking the Cycles of Violence Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Phil Arkow, Coordinator, National Link Coalition Animal care and control agencies have long been placed on the periphery of community service agencies because legislators and the public mistakenly believe their focus is only an animal. In reality, they are part of the larger network of family violence prevention programs and first responders to incidents of domestic violence and child and elder abuse. This workshop will describe how animal abuse is linked to interpersonal violence, and how animal shelters service philosophy is changing to address human welfare. We ll review the FBI s new inclusion of animal cruelty in its national database system, innovative legislation and programs to better protect animals and people, and give animal care and control personnel handy tips on how to recognize and respond to child abuse, domestic violence and elder abuse. 12 Beyond the Dogcatcher: A Modern Look at Animal Care & Control Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Rob Leinberger, Animal Control Supervisor, Richmond Animal Care & Control This presentation looks briefly at where we ve been and then provides a detailed look at the world of the modern animal care & control officer. Involved discussion from the group is a key component of this presentation. In depth topics include: Professionalism & Ethics Embracing Technology Education & Training Partnerships & Networking Modern Tactics Thinking Positive & Self-care 17 Dealing with Difficult Personality Types: A Field Survival Guide Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Max Mixon, Co-Owner/Instructor, Humane Educators of Texas Kelly Thyssen, Co-Owner/Instructor, Humane Educators of Texas Difficult exchanges with the public can often cause great amounts of stress to ACO s/humane Investigators, affect job satisfaction and even impact salaries through poor evaluations. This workshop will provide an overview of difficult personality types and how to navigate conflict with them. Understanding that most people are not deliberately toxic by nature, but rather have different motivations can help solve problems in field communications. Identifying the role of emotions (both the speaker and the listener) can impact the outcome of an interaction. Successful communications will improve community relationships and can even have a positive impact on animal welfare through improved field compliance. 22 Field Furtography: Utilizing Basic Photographic Techniques to improve Field Photography Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Audra Houghton, Director of Operations, Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia Photographs have a dominant presence in animal care work, but most animal care employees readily admit they are not photographers. Photographs taken at an animal cruelty or bite scene can be crucial to the case, and while using a point-and-shoot camera often does the trick, knowing the ins and outs of the settings of that camera can really make your pictures pop. In this workshop, we will discuss how to use a digital camera, proper storage of photos, and how photos are used in cruelty, dog attack, and animal nuisance cases. Additionally, we will cover the use of smart phone cameras and the pros and cons of cell phone photos. 27 The Pet Redemption Toolkit Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. April Harris, CAWA, Chief Program Officer, Michelson Found Animals Foundation Saving lives isn t just about adoption anymore! You can maximize your live release rate by getting pets back into their owners hand or keeping them out of the shelter in the first place. This session will discuss available tools and different strategies that will help you increase your live outcomes through higher and faster redemption. We will discuss the latest apps and online tools available for your staff and pet owners, best practices for Field RTOs, the pros and cons of fee reduced redemptions, ordinances updates that can help with proper identification and unraveling the mystery of microchip registration. 32 Animal Hoarding and Breakthrough Moments Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Dr. Corey Gonzales, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist Dr. Corey Gonzales looks at Animal Hoarding behavior as a symptom of a problem. Most subjects have some kind of unresolved loss, PTSD, OCD, or primary attachment dysfunction. Dr. Corey has an uncanny way of establishing a rapport, developing empathy, and facilitating breakthrough moments that uncover core issues. His approach has helped many subjects, families and animals heal and get relief from this destructive and potentially lethal behavior. 37 Wildlife Complaints: New Solutions for Old Problems Monday, April 24, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Bonnie Bradshaw, President, 911 Wildlife Discover proven public education tools that greatly decrease complaints from residents about coyotes, bobcats, raccoons and other wildlife. Learn how Texas Unites 15

16 to simultaneously provide effective solutions for wildlife problems, reduce wildlife trapping and better allocate your departmental resources. Find out how to permanently solve most wildlife issues in minutes over the phone. Discover how to quickly dispel common misconceptions to change the general public s attitudes and behavior toward urban wildlife. 42 Case Study: Downtown City of Austin Rabies Exposure Investigation Monday, April 24, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. April Moore, Engagement Manager, City of Austin Animal Services Office In February 2015, the City of Austin Animal Services Office s Animal Protection team was tasked with a largescale rabies exposure investigation after a confirmed rabid dog was found to have spent time in some of the city s busiest downtown public spaces. The subsequent investigation required this small unit to identify and investigate hundreds of potential human and canine contacts, coordinate with multiple local and state agencies and manage media relations in a high-stress, high-stakes incident. Hear a case study which breaks down this complex investigation and take away best practices for any potential exposure incident. Adoption & Placement 3 Love on Wheels: The Road Trip of a Lifetime Saturday, April 22, :00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Stacy Smith, Vice President, Animal Advocacy, Humane Tomorrow In recent years, transporting dogs from overflowing shelters in the south to areas of the country where rescued dogs are in high demand has become a common practice. Love on Wheels demonstrates how a fosterbased rescue group can create a successful partnership with receiving organizations to save lives. Between February 2013 and August 2016, over 3000 dogs were taken in from Texas shelters and successfully transported to upstate New York through Love on Wheels. Sending dogs to partner organizations can be highly rewarding, but it is not without risk. All too often, we hear horror stories of dogs transported across the country only to end up in hoarding or other substandard situations. In our zeal to get dogs off the list, we must take care to ensure we are sending them to better situations than the ones from which we rescued them. Done correctly, however, transport programs can be an important and effective tool in reducing the number of dogs euthanized each year in shelters. 8 Pets For Life: Community Outreach Planning and Strategies Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Maeleska Fletes, President/Pets For Life Coordinator, Dallas Companion Animal Project Learn how to make community outreach a part of your organization. Discover how reaching out to underserved areas and building positive relationships with pet owners can improve your work and ensure you are serving the community comprehensively. We ll share ideas and techniques on how to be strategic in your outreach, focused on the areas with the least access to services and information, and effective in utilizing staff and volunteer time for your community work. 13 Give em a Ride: Best Practices for Transport of Companion Animals Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Jim Tedford, President & CEO, The Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) Kristen Limbert, Sr. Director, Animal Relocation, ASPCA In June of 2016 the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) released its first ever Best Practice document focused on transport programs as a life-saving tool. SAWA s Best Practices & Emerging Trends Committee is made up of some of the best and brightest minds in the field. The committee recruited additional task force members who possessed special expertise in the area of transport. After several months of discussion and deliberation, the team put together a comprehensive best practice document outlining the optimum ways to design and manage a transport program from the standpoint of both source organizations and destination shelters. Learn from SAWA s CEO and one of the framers of the transport best practice how to do it right. You will be challenged to make changes to benefit your extremely precious cargo as they take their journey to a long, happy life. 18 Pushing the Limits: Innovative Foster Programs for Adult Animals Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Kristen Auerbach, Deputy Chief Animal Services Officer, Austin Animal Center The animal welfare field is only beginning to explore the lifesaving power of placing homeless pets in foster homes. Many foster programs focus on very young or sick animals, but for healthy, adult pets, foster placement may be the fastest, least expensive and most effective way to ensure live outcomes. Participants will learn how to create and implement adoption-focused foster programs that shorten length-of-stay and target at-risk groups including medium and large dogs and unsocial cats. In rethinking the role of foster placement in our organizations, shelters and rescues can spend less, save more lives and engage Texas Unites 16

17 their communities in new ways. 23 Humane Education Programs: Meet Organizational Goals and Benefit Your Entire Community Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Karly Noel, MA Ed., CHES, Board of Directors, Association of Professional Humane Educators (APHE) In this interactive presentation, leaders in animal welfare will examine their educational efforts and education as an integral piece of animal welfare. Humane education helps shelters meet their organizational goals and benefit the entire community. Participants will explore their overall organization goals in relation to current programs including their humane education efforts that can sometimes become buried under the dayto-day operations. Attention will be paid to program development, building effective humane education curriculum, involving the community and expanding a shelter s reach. Program evaluation and building programs to address the needs of the community and the needs of the learners will also be addressed. Participants will work together to examine existing (or construct new) humane education programs that work in harmony with current goals to add value to the shelter and community. 28 Overcoming Barriers to Adoption Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Sara Kent, Director, Petfinder Shelter Outreach, Nestle Purina PetCare Over 16 million people bring a new pet into their homes each year. Only 25% of these pets are adopted from shelters or rescue organizations. We ve worked with adopters and non-adopters to better understand their perceptions of pet adoption and pet welfare organizations. Learn the results of research that digs into WHY such a small percentage of new pets are adopted and leave with tactics on HOW to change those perceptions. Why are only 25% of pets acquired each year adopted from animal shelters or rescue organizations? What prevents the other 75% from adopting? We set out to learn those answers through a series of qualitative and quantitative research with both adopters and those who had not considered adoption. For those choosing to adopt, research results show an overall commitment to the value of adoptable pets, animal welfare and a sense of community. For those not choosing to adopt a pet, we uncovered misperceptions about adoptable pets and adoption organizations that create perceived barriers to pet adoption. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the full pet acquisition landscape, current misperceptions and ways to combat these misperceptions and ultimately how to prepare new pet parents to successfully welcome their new pets home. 33 What Color is My Cat? Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Vickie Fisher, Treasurer and Immediate Past President, The International Cat Association A colorful, fun, but basic presentation, based on Cat Genetics 001, describing the fundamentals of identifying cat colors and patterns. The presentation also discusses some of the most popular breeds of cats. With less than 5% of companion cats being an actual breed of cat, the common model of describing dogs in terms of combinations of breeds, doesn t work in the world of cats. Participants learn that tabbies are not a breed of cat but all cats are tabby cats! What s the difference between a tortie and a Calico, why do some white kittens have a little black mark on the top of their heads, what do all pointed cats have in common? Participants learn the answers and much more. 38 Saving The Orphans No Matter Your Budget Size Monday, April 24, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Jennifer Brehler, Chief Operating Officer, San Diego Humane Society Learn how to start saving newborn, orphaned kittens in your community through targeted, volunteer-driven programming designed to increase your live release rate for neonates. In 2009, San Diego Humane Society started the first high-volume, 24-hour kitten nursery designed to give orphaned, newborn kittens a chance. Now eight years later, the first-of-its-kind nursery is responsible for saving nearly 2,000 kittens each season with a staff of caregivers and volunteers. Not every shelter is able to have a kitten nursery, but if you re hoping to implement a volunteer-based neonate foster program, this session shares all the secrets, tips, and protocols essential to being successful. Topics will include bottlefeeding, socialization, disease prevention, and population management, and volunteer recruitment and training. Lessons learned on working with volunteers who are helping the most vulnerable, at risk animals: neonate kittens. 43 Bringing it Home: From the Workshop to the Real World Monday, April 24, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. B.J. Rogers, CAWA, Vice President, ProLearning, ASPCA You know the drill great conference, compelling workshops, inspiring ideas. You return to your day-today eager and excited to share what you ve learned and instigate change, only to be quickly consumed by...well...your day-to-day. Not to mention the reality that making things happen may rely solely on YOUR ability to communicate and convince your peers and/or superiors why change is worthwhile. It can be a daunting climb up a steep hill. But what if there are ways to increase the chance of progress? To take one modest step at a time? Ways to Texas Unites 17

18 exercise leadership (whether we re rookie staffers or experienced execs)? We ll explore a few great ideas (straight from your own time at THIS conference), work together to identify their most critical components, and then strategize how to not only maintain that postconference enthusiasm, but how to enlist the help of others when you get back home. Health & Behavior 4 Cross-Species Transmission of Infectious Viral Diseases Saturday, April 22, :00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Kate Rugroden, Director of Special Projects, Bat World Sanctuary Disease transmission is always a concern at any animal care facility. Bringing wildlife into the domestic animal population presents new challenges and risks, and increased attention to sanitation protocols is essential. During this workshop, participants will review the differential diagnosis of infectious viral diseases including parvo, distemper, rabies, leptospirosis, and pesticide poisoning, enabling them to take appropriate, timely action when wildlife enter the facility to prevent the spread of infectious zoonotic diseases. Participants will receive a guide to differential diagnosis of infectious zoonotic diseases in wildlife. 9 In Whose Best Interest (Part 1) Using Logical Variables to Determine the Best Option for a Behaviorally Challenged Dog and the Determination of Adoptability Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Karen Deeds, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Canine Connection The variables discussed in this seminar will help the veterinarian, the professional trainer, the shelter staff, or the rescue volunteer to help determine the best option for a behaviorally challenged dog in their care. Reviewing a structured analysis of 16 variables will help to establish group by-laws, increase the success of the adoption program by permanently placing more dogs, and to help determine the fate of a dog in your care. An overview of a behavior modification plan will also be discussed to help those dogs with reactivity or aggression issues. Sometimes we end up with a dog that we just don t know what to do with. Fear, anxiety, reactivity, aggression, and compulsive disorders are some common behavior challenges that we may come up against. This seminar will help you logically consider what option is best for the dog once they are in your care. Karen will address the key variables that you must take into consideration when making an informed decision about the future of the dog. With any rescue group, shelter, or owner, there are limitations of what can reasonably be expected of them. The necessary management, training, and behavior modification practices required to safely and humanely change behavior take time, the right environment, adequate finances, commitment, compliance, and competency. Although there may be others that will make a guarantee to fix a behavior problem, such guarantees should be analyzed for their effectiveness using humane practices as well as the laws of learning and behavioral science. 14 In Whose Best Interest (Part 2) Using Logical Variables to Determine the Best Option for a Behaviorally Challenged Dog and the Determination of Adoptability Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Karen Deeds, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Canine Connection The variables discussed in this seminar will help the veterinarian, the professional trainer, the shelter staff, or the rescue volunteer to help determine the best option for a behaviorally challenged dog in their care. Reviewing a structured analysis of 16 variables will help to establish group by-laws, increase the success of the adoption program by permanently placing more dogs, and to help determine the fate of a dog in your care. An overview of a behavior modification plan will also be discussed to help those dogs with reactivity or aggression issues. Sometimes we end up with a dog that we just don t know what to do with. Fear, anxiety, reactivity, aggression, and compulsive disorders are some common behavior challenges that we may come up against. This seminar will help you logically consider what option is best for the dog once they are in your care. Karen will address the key variables that you must take into consideration when making an informed decision about the future of the dog. With any rescue group, shelter, or owner, there are limitations of what can reasonably be expected of them. The necessary management, training, and behavior modification practices required to safely and humanely change behavior take time, the right environment, adequate finances, commitment, compliance, and competency. Although there may be others that will make a guarantee to fix a behavior problem, such guarantees should be analyzed for their effectiveness using humane practices as well as the laws of learning and behavioral science. 19 Trouble Comes in Threes: Conquering the Biggest Threats to Kitten Health Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Rosemarie Crawford, LVT, Director of Educational Programs, National Kitten Coalition Rebecca Jewell, Marketing & Special Projects Manager, National Kitten Coalition We ve all heard that trouble comes in threes, and the same goes for the biggest threats to kitten health. In this workshop, we ll discuss the causes, signs, dangers and treatment options for these big three threats upper respiratory illnesses, diarrhea and fading kitten syndrome. 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19 Don t learn life-saving lessons the hard way. Let us help you learn what to look for so you are prepared to meet these threats head-on. With proper and proactive treatment, kittens can win their battles against these threats! 24 The 3rd Freedom: Pain, Injury or Disease: Recognition and Prevention for Shelter Staff and Animal Control Officers Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Sandra Strong, DVM, Chief Veterinarian, Wake County Animal Center This case based interactive workshop will focus on recognizing common diseases and identifying pain in shelter animals. Well trained compassionate staff are the key to mitigating suffering and preventing disease spread in animal control operations. Attendees should come prepared to test their knowledge about pain and disease in companion animals. This workshop will be interactive with open discussion and audience participation based on real case scenarios. 29 Shelter Rounds: A Creative Twist on Population Management for Hard to Place Animals Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Sandra Strong, DVM, Chief Veterinarian, Wake County Animal Center This workshop will highlight Wake County s award-winning shelter rounds program implemented in 2014 to save animals displaying at risk behavior on the adoption floor. Some animals display behavioral issues upon entering an animal shelter. However, some animals begin to show signs of depression, agitation, anxiety and frustration as they continue to remain at the shelter day after day. This program is a shelter team approach to develop intervention strategies and assist those animals with targeted enrichment and placement options. 34 Getting the Upper Hand on Feline Upper Respiratory Infections! Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Chumkee Aziz, DVM, Medical Director, Austin Humane Society Feline upper respiratory infection (URI) remains a persistent challenge for many shelters. However, the more we learn about feline URI, the better we understand how to prevent and manage it. Proper cleaning, appropriate vaccination practices, and most importantly, housing and handling to minimize stress, can lead to a dramatic reduction in feline URI while simultaneously improving cat well-being. This session will cover feline URI prevention, as well as evidence-based recommendations for treatment and management of feline URI. 39 Dealing with Behavior Problems in the Shelter; Triage, Treatment and the Ethics of Euthanasia Monday, April 24, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Valarie V. Tynes, DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, Veterinary Services Specialist, Ceva Animal Health No veterinarian wants to be the bad guy when it comes to making euthanasia decisions, especially when it comes to euthanizing animals due to behavior problems. Everyone becomes very distressed about the idea of euthanizing a perfectly healthy animal. But the first thing that everyone must come to understand is that many pets with behavior problems are not healthy. They have the equivalent of a mental health disease and many of them are suffering as surely as an animal with a broken bone is suffering. Being able to recognize these and differentiate them from poorly behaved animals is the first step. The second step requires that shelter staff be honest with themselves in recognizing what their resources allow them to take on when it comes to caring for animals with all of the various forms of severe, life threatening diseases. This presentation will give attendees tools for triaging the different types of behavior problems they may be faced with in shelter animals, how to evaluate them and how to best make these difficult decisions in such a way that will not damage the morale of the teams that they have worked so hard to build. 44 Preventing Infectious Diseases by Maintaining Your Shelter s Capacity for Care Monday, April 24, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Chumkee Aziz, DVM, Medical Director, Austin Humane Society Shelters are prone to infectious disease for multiple reasons - the constant introduction and high turnover rate of highly vulnerable animals, intensive housing scenarios that result in increased pathogen exposure, and the various stressors related to sheltering that make animals more susceptible to infectious diseases. Management of infectious disease within shelters is equally challenging in that the animals entering have unknown medical histories and nonclinical or mildly clinical animals can shed severe pathogens. In addition, resources are limited and facilities and/or housing units may not be ideal. Despite these challenges, infectious disease can effectively be prevented and managed in any shelter. The key lies in maintaining your shelter s capacity for care (C4C). In this session, we will discuss the risk factors that contribute to infectious disease prevalence in shelters and address different tools for infectious disease prevention with a focus on C4C. Texas Unites 19

20 Marketing & Programs 5 Proper Feeding and Care of the Media: Tactics for Building Rapport and Weathering a Crisis Saturday, April 22, :00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Sara Bouffard, Principal, Bouffard Group Public Relations The media landscape is continually evolving and the art of effectively reaching our audiences (which can often be misinformed, distracted, or disillusioned) is a challenge. Understanding the inner-workings of the media, the new challenges they face, and their motivation is key to developing effective media relations tactics. These tactics include how to build rapport with the media through strategic transparency, issuing responses tailored to what the media wants/needs to do their job effectively, and general do s/don ts on working with the media. The conclusion of the presentation will cover Crisis Communications and what an organization can do to protect itself through preparation, effective responses, and follow-up strategies with key audiences after the initial crisis. 10 Not your Momma s Spay and Neuter Clinic Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Leslie Harrelson, Executive Director, P.E.T.S. Low Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic You have a spay and neuter clinic and you sterilize pets a day. You run a shelter or rescue and save countless lives. You make a difference. You provide a necessary service. Want to step it up? Want to make life better for the pets in your community that you don t save? Known for our initiative and head on problem solving techniques, P.E.T.S. is home to multiple life altering programs that improve the quality of life for pets and their owners while fighting pet overpopulation more effectively than just surgery alone. Yes, we have lowered euthanasia (40% so far and still decreasing). Yes, we have cut the intake of unwanted animals by more than half. Those statistics make our job rewarding but the numbers will never show what truly makes our job worth it: the difference we see in the pets and pet owners we serve. Let us tell you about our Pantry, our Transport Program, Our Chain-Off Program, Our Hounds Habitat Program, Vet Care Assistance, Out-Reach, Pet Fest and our training program. Let us explain the importance of helping pet owners meet the needs of their pets in a compassionate, non-judgmental environment. Our programs help keep pets in their homes and create better quality pet owners for future generations. Clinics can spay and neuter hundreds of pets each month while shelters and rescues can adopt out hundreds without truly changing things for pets in their community. Pet owners need information and resources. They need the ability to make good choices and a place they trust to help them. We will share our experience on how to find funding, how to begin, and how to sustain these programs along with tons of fun and touching stories to make the session inspiring and memorable. It doesn t matter what arena of animal welfare you exist within, this session can open your eyes to programs and partnerships you never dreamed possible while helping you truly change your community. 15 Beyond Adoptions: Marketing to Change Minds, Build Community and Save Lives Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Caitlin Quinn, MPA, Director of Operations, HeARTs Speak, Inc. While we busily work to find homes for animals in our care, how can we also break down barriers, rebrand our work, and promote all sheltering services more effectively? This workshop focuses on free, easy-toimplement practices to reach new audiences---all while contributing towards lifesaving goals and promoting adoptions, fundraising and big picture strategy. Topics include creating beautiful and engaging images, transparency and honesty in communications, and the role of stories in creating connection. 20 Pet Food Pantries Save Lives Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Cheryl Spencer, President, North Texas Pet Food Pantry The North Texas Pet Food Pantry would like to make a presentation to those interested in learning about how a pet food pantry can be a valuable resource to the animal community. Pet food pantries offer assistance to pet owners, food pantries, animal shelters, etc. The NTPFP assists pet owners in underserved communities, as well as individuals in temporary financial distress. In addition to offering pet food and supplies where needed, we provide education on responsible pet ownership. We assist area animal shelters and rescue groups with pet food and supplies. We secure donations of pet food and supplies to be available where it is needed. The NTPFP is a relatively new organization, but has proven to be an effective support program. It is becoming an important element in the Animal Welfare Community. We would like for each area in the state to learn to be able to provide assistance to pet owners as an alternative to surrendering pets to an animal shelter or into a rescue. 25 Pet Retail 101 Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. April Harris, CAWA, Chief Program Officer, Michelson Found Animals Foundation So you re thinking of selling retail pet products in your facility to bring in some additional revenue. How hard can it be right? We ve learned a lot over the past 4 years at the Found Animals Adopt & Shop stores and it s a lot to take on. This session will go over the basic terminology Texas Unites 20

21 you ll need to know, how to select product, what reports you should be prepared to run and tips on how to train animal people to sell product. We will also share our practical experience on the different retail models we use, budgets, timelines, and staffing. 30 Big Marketing on a Tiny Budget Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Tori Fugate, Director of Marketing & Development, Kansas City Pet Project Nonprofit animal welfare organizations often struggle with how to market effectively with little or no funds in the budget for advertising. In this workshop, Tori Fugate, Director of Marketing and Development at Kansas City Pet Project, will discuss how her organization solved this problem with a very successful approach to marketing. Attend this workshop to hear creative and out-of-the box ideas regarding marketing and development in the animal shelter setting, including how to use social media platforms to grow your organization, how to use trends in your city or in your field to build your brand, and how to work with the media to gain more exposure for your nonprofit all solutions for spreading the word about an organization without spending hard-earned funds. Since taking over the Kansas City, MO animal shelter in 2012, Kansas City Pet Project s strategy has helped the shelter has become one of the area s premier places for pet adoption, with three adoption centers, five Petco locations to adopt cats, robust volunteer and foster programs, a database of thousands of donors, more than 90,000 Facebook likes, and thousands of Twitter and Instagram followers. 35 Volunteers: The Unexpected Risks Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Brian Barrick, CEO, Animal Welfare Organization Insurance Program, LLC This workshop will provide an overview of a volunteer s impact on animal welfare organizations. You will be guided through creating waivers, handbooks, policies, procedures, and a training program that helps to manage volunteers and their time with animal welfare organizations. Included in his presentation Brian will demonstrate how to present handbooks to volunteers and ways to assess volunteers knowledge by using a chart of skills. 40 You Said What??? Monday, April 24, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Ann Campbell, Director, Sales and Marketing, PetData Communication whether casual or formal -- is a two-way street, and it can be a tricky business! Miscommunication of a message can lead to hurt feelings, misunderstanding, and even all-out war! Come learn how to clearly state your intended message, and how to be sure you were understood. Session explores what makes communication effective, including how seemingly clear messages get garbled, and how it s ultimately up to the speaker to make sure their audience (listener) understands what is being said. Session covers both formal and informal communication, and explores why both types are equally important when communicating with the public and with staff. 45 Techniques for Engaging with the Public in a Positive Way Monday, April 24, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Jamie Scotto, Director of Operations, Community Medicine, ASPCA As many of us in the field of animal welfare increase our involvement in community based work, we need to be prepared for all that a community has to offer. Reserving judgement and keeping communication open is essential to building good relationships that allow you to keep pets in their homes. How do you know which services will help a pet live a happy and healthy life at home? How do you get people to be receptive to the information you would like to share? The answer to both is having a good relationship with the pet owner. The ASPCA has partnered with groups around the country to share their experiences in community based work. Hear directly from them what has been successful and what has been a bust for organizations dealing with a variety of challenges from pet owners without a permanent address, to language barriers, or isolated communities both urban and rural. Shelter Medicine (Saturday - limited registration, DVM & LVT) V1 Beyond Spay/Neuter Saturday, April 22, :00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. Laura Helmueller, DVM, Chief Medical Officer, Emancipet Myles Chadwick, Vice President, Emancipet New School, Emancipet In this workshop, we will discuss lessons learned and best practices for identifying and adding low-cost vet care to your organization s services. In many communities the model of providing spay/neuter, an optional vaccine or two and a microchip is no longer enough. Serving clients who have never taken their pets to a veterinarian often means that we only have one chance to treat the animal in front of us. Participants will learn how to develop resources for clients and medical care delivery systems that maximize that single visit. The inclusion of an affordable public Healthy Pet clinic component at many shelters and spay/neuter organizations would begin to close the gap in services to lower income and underserved families. Texas Unites 21

22 V2 How To Survive and Save Lives In a Panleukopenia Outbreak Saturday, April 22, :45 a.m. 11:15 a.m. Cynthia Mitchell, DVM, Medical Director, San Diego Humane Society Feline panleukopenia virus, also known as feline distemper, has a high mortality rate and is highly contagious. A Panleuk outbreak in your shelter can have your staff and volunteers scrambling to save lives; however, it s not the end of the world! We will share our stories of how we ve battled this disease and saved lives of cats and kittens. Learn how to empower your teams to face this disease head on and beat it. This seminar will offer medical and cleaning protocols, animal population management, communication approaches, and other essential elements to prepare your team to beat this monster. V3 High Volume Spay Neuter Panel Discussion Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. Amy Crum, DVM, Medical Director, Houston SPCA Kent Glenn, DVM, Veterinarian, Weatherford Parker County Animal Shelter Rosemary C. Lindsey, DVM, La Paloma Small Animal Hospital Dr. Sam Miller, DVM, Private Practitioner, President Texas Veterinary Medical Association An open discussion regarding the practice of high volume spay/neuter, addressing the differences between shelter and clinic processes versus private practice recommendations. Panelists represent a variety of organizations with their own unique perspectives on how to best implement high volume spay neuter programs. V4 Forensic Necropsy Saturday, April 22, :15 p.m. 3:45 p.m. Melinda Merck, DVM, Owner, Veterinary Forensics Consulting, LLC This lecture will cover how to perform a forensic necropsy including tips and techniques for processing a legal case. Documentation and working with a pathologist will be discussed. Considerations for specific types of injury and evidence collection will be presented. V5 Emerging Problems with Germs and Worms Saturday, April 22, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Gerryll Hall, DVM, Merck Animal Health When animals arrive at shelters, what is the goal? Basically, it is to provide the best possible care and adopt them into loving homes. Unfortunately, this process is often prolonged due to the animal s health status at intake. Part of the problem involves the ability eliminate many of the parasites and pathogens in the environment and the animal. Shelters are faced with drug resistant bacteria and microfilaria, a surge in intestinal parasite loads, keeping animals with mites and fungal infections until they are healthy enough to adopt and much more. This presentation will review these factors and suggest tips to potentially overcome them. Executive Leadership (Sunday - limited registration, ED, CEO, Board) L1 Culture of Philanthropy Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Jill Beckwith, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Emancipet In this workshop, we ll discuss the importance of creating an organization-wide culture of philanthropy that extends beyond the development team. We ll review fundraising strategies that engage staff at all levels and help overcome anxiety about asking for donations. Further, we ll talk about the importance of creating optimistic, donor-centered fundraising programs which move away from the all-too-common gloomy tales of suffering and give donors a sense of purpose, agency and hope when engaging with your organization. L2 Mapping The Career Path No One Told You About Sunday, April 23, :30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Katherine M. Shenar, Chief of Staff, San Diego Humane Society Jim Tedford, President & CEO, The Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) Whether you stumbled, tripped or purposefully walked into animal welfare as a profession, no one could have adequately prepared you for the challenges and growth opportunities you d encounter in your career from entry level to executive management. Hear from industry veterans, who understand the unique challenges faced by animal welfare employees and how you can circumvent barriers, eliminate roadblocks and map out a career that engages your passions without hiring a life coach. This presentation will feature real world testimonials from multiple animal welfare professionals and provide case studies that will resonate with the audience. These will be the secrets you wish someone had shared with you when you first began working in animal welfare. The intent of the presentation is to provide leadership and guidance to those just entering the industry, middle managers, and even those who are navigating the executive leadership for the first time. L3 Win at the Game of Work! Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Carl Youngberg, President, Concepts 3 Inc. Do you want your employees to start doing what you want them to do? If your answer is YES, then join us in this executive level seminar on gamification. What is gamification anyway? Gamification is the Texas Unites 22

23 psychology that causes people to take action or not take action and not doing the things we want them to do. It is the idea of using game elements (challenge, chance, strategy) in a non-game environment. It is used to motivate employees, create healthy competition among teams, generate significant buzz or social proof, and encourage customer loyalty, and change old habits. Any group can use gamification to get better results, no matter what the goals. Using game design, we can reinforce behavior and help create new habits. Using knowledge sharing and problem solving scenarios, participants begin to take ownership of their actions and become involved in the journey. Each game has a narrative tour guide and a storyline to escort the participants through the journey. Along the way, they become emotionally charged in sharing, scoring, competing and most of all - learning. Come join us as we play a new kind of game! And win at the game of work L4 Is it Bored or Board Governance? Staph or Staff? Serious or All a Joke? Creating a productive, effective and enjoyable for all board environment and organizational culture Sunday, April 23, :00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Barry Silverberg, Director, Center for Nonprofit Studies, Austin Community College Description coming soon. Texas Unites 23

24 Speaker Bios Phil Arkow, Coordinator, National Link Coalition Internationally acclaimed lecturer, author and educator Phil Arkow is coordinator of the National Link Coalition the National Resource Center on The Link between Animal Abuse and Human Violence and editor of its monthly LINK-Letter. He chairs the Latham Foundation s Animal Abuse and Family Violence Prevention Project. He teaches courses on Animal Abuse and Human Violence at the University of Florida, and on Human-Animal Interactions at the University of Pennsylvania, Harcum College and Camden County College. He trains internationally and has presented over 250 times in 16 countries and 38 states, and has authored or edited over 75 key reference works in the field of human-animal interactions and violence prevention. He has trained 17 times across Texas. He was one of the founders of the National Link Coalition, the National Animal Control Association, and the Colorado and New Jersey federations of animal welfare agencies. He has served with the American Veterinary Medical Association, the ASPCA, the American Humane Association, the Delta Society, the Animals & Society Institute, the National Coalition on Violence Against Animals, the National District Attorneys Association, the Academy on Violence & Abuse, and the American Association of Human- Animal Bond Veterinarians. He recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from New Jersey Child Assault Prevention. Kristen Auerbach, Deputy Chief Animal Services Officer, Austin Animal Center Kristen Auerbach is the Deputy Chief Animal Services Officer at the Austin Animal Center in Austin, Texas. She formerly serves as the Assistant Director at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, in Fairfax, Virginia. Kristen writes for national publications on subjects ranging from breed labeling to foster programs to lifesaving in Austin, Texas. Her efforts have been featured in numerous national publications and on networks including CNN, Fox News, Animal Sheltering Magazine, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA), the Huffington Post, BarkPost and Buzzfeed. Kristen presents regularly at numerous and national conferences, including the Alley Cat Allies National Conference, the HSUS Animal Care Expo, the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators National Conference and the Best Friends Animal Society National Conference. Chumkee Aziz, DVM, Medical Director, Austin Humane Society Dr. Aziz obtained her DVM degree at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in She completed an internship at the ASPCA s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in NYC in 2013 and a shelter medicine residency with the Koret Shelter Medicine Program at the University of California, Davis in She currently serves as the medical director of Austin Humane Society. Her areas of focus and interest include the role of community collaboration in mitigating pet homelessness, proactive shelter population management, and infectious disease prevention in shelters. Brian Barrick, CEO, Animal Welfare Organization Insurance Program, LLC Brian is the founder and CEO of AWOIP (Animal Welfare Organizational Insurance Program). His passion for animal welfare is expressed through his activism, with representatives regarded animal rights issues in legislature, his volunteering at various shelters, rescues, and sanctuaries and his commitment to helping organizations that are committed to the welfare of all animals. Brian has over 30 years in the insurance industry with over 11 years as a Program Manager in the Insurance Industry. Jill Beckwith, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Emancipet As Chief Philanthropy Officer of Emancipet, Jill leads efforts to raise contributed revenue in support of Emancipet s existing and future clinics. Since joining Emancipet in 2010, Jill has grown contributed revenue from $424,000 annually to more than $2,000,000 raised in Prior to joining Emancipet in 2010, Jill worked for a Chicago-based political consulting firm on direct mail campaigns for unions, political candidates and advocacy groups on issues ranging from women s health to immigration reform. Shelby L. Bobosky, Esq., President & Legislative Chairman, Texas Humane Legislation Network Shelby Bobosky has been with THLN since 2011 in both the Vice President and Legislative Co-Chair roles, and her leadership has taken the organization through two successful legislative sessions. Under her watch, THLN successfully passed both the Anti-Gassing Law (SB 360 passed in 2013) and the Mandatory Canine Encounter Training Law (HB 593 passed in 2015). Ms. Bobosky attended the University of Kentucky for her undergraduate degree, earning a double major in History and Spanish in She then attended the University of Tulsa Law School and spent a year as a Texas Unites 24

25 visiting law student at Northwestern University School of Law graduating in In 1999, Ms. Bobosky moved from Chicago, Illinois to Dallas, Texas, to begin her law practice. For the past sixteen years, Ms. Bobosky has continued practicing general civil litigation until recently when she decided to do only pro bono work putting in hundreds of hours for THLN as well as assisting animal welfare advocates and rescues when possible. Ms. Bobosky was heavily involved in the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, co-chairing the Animal Welfare Committee for four years and raising thousands of dollars for local 501(c)(3) rescues during her terms. Ms. Bobosky has been Vice President and Board Member with THLN since January Ms. Bobosky served as the Co- Legislative Chairman for THLN in the 2013 and 2015 sessions. She has traveled thousands of miles with THLN in order to promote its mission. Ms. Bobosky and her husband, three boys and three rescue dogs live in Dallas, Texas. Sara Bouffard, Principal, Bouffard Group Public Relations Sara Bouffard is the Principal of Bouffard Group, a public relations firm specializing in crisis communications, media relations and public engagement. The firm is based in The Woodlands, Texas and services clients across the United States. Prior to starting her own firm, Sara served as the Communications Director for CEMEX USA, a large multinational mining and building materials company. Sara also served in management roles at Halliburton/KBR where she managed global media relations. Prior to Halliburton, Sara worked at NASA s Johnson Space Center and supported the human spaceflight program as well as served on the Columbia disaster debris recovery team. Throughout her experience as a media spokesperson, she appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Associated Press, as well as on NBC Nightly News and CNN, in addition to numerous local newspapers and broadcast stations. Sara is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas in Houston where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an emphasis in Journalism. She is a fourth generation Texan, and lives in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband and their four children. Bonnie Bradshaw, President, 911 Wildlife A Texas Master Naturalist and a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator, Bonnie Bradshaw is president of 911 Wildlife. She has more than 15 years of experience in solving human-wildlife conflicts. Founded ten years ago, 911 Wildlife is the only wildlife control company in Texas endorsed by the Humane Society of the United States. Since 2012, the City of Dallas has contracted with 911 Wildlife to handle calls from residents regarding wildlife concerns. 911 Wildlife provides a wide variety of support services for animal control departments throughout Texas. Jennifer Brehler, Chief Operating Officer, San Diego Humane Society Jennifer Brehler brings 20 years of animal welfare experience and leadership to her role as Chief Operating Officer at San Diego Humane Society. Jennifer oversees all Operations functions for the organization, which includes: Operations of three full service open door campus locations, Admissions, Adoptions, Animal Care, Facility Management, Project Wildlife, Behavior Center and after hours Kitten Nursery. Before joining San Diego Humane Society in 2014, Jennifer served as the interim Executive Director of Asheville Humane Society, and previously worked as the VP of Operations and Government Affairs for more than 5 years. She has a Bachelors degree in Humane Leadership from Duquesne University and has worked in open admission animal shelters for 20 years. Jennifer is also an active member of the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) and is a regular lecturer at national animal welfare conferences and webinars. Prior to beginning her career in animal welfare, Jennifer was an Intelligence Analyst in the U.S. Army, serving during Desert Storm. She was the first woman to graduate from the Air Assault School in Germany. Jennifer currently lives in Ramona with her husband, daughter, three dogs, four cats and two parrots. Ann Campbell, Director, Sales and Marketing, PetData Ann Campbell is 20-year veteran of the communications field and has conducted numerous workshops and seminars on communication planning and media/public relations. Ann began her work in Animal Welfare in 1998, working for several organizations including Petfinder.com and the Champaign County (Illinois) Humane Society. She has also served on the board of the Illinois Animal Welfare Association, and the Central Illinois chapter of the Public Relation Society of America. She currently works with PetData as Director of Sales and Marketing. She received her accreditation in Public Relations from the Public Relation Society of America, and holds a Bachelor s degree in Communications-Public Relations from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. She currently lives in the Dallas area with her husband, Brian, and the most awesome white German Shepherd ever - Bolt. Myles Chadwick, Vice President, Emancipet New School, Emancipet Myles Chadwick joined Emancipet as the Director of Clinic Operations and Training in January of Emancipet s commitment to creating social change, and its high standard of care, drove his decision to join this amazing team of animal advocates. Myles assists Emancipet clinics in meeting stringent quality standards, advancing the mission, and upholding the core values of the organization. As VP of Emancipet New School, Texas Unites 25

26 he oversees and delivers leadership and program development training to animal welfare professionals interested in increasing their own impact and creating social change within their communities. Prior to working with Emancipet, Myles spent four years with the ASPCA as Operations Manager for the National Spay/Neuter Project, and Client Services Manager at Berg Memorial Animal Hospital. Before joining the animal welfare movement in 2007, Myles spent 15 years working in restaurants and still enjoys whipping up vegan treats at the end of most days. Susan Cosby, Director of Lifesaving Partnerships and Programs, Petco Foundation Ms. Cosby serves as the Petco Foundation s Director of Lifesaving Programs and Partnerships overseeing the alignment and forward progress of both the adoption and investment (grants) programs. Prior to joining the Foundation her experience included CEO, Executive Director and other leadership roles at both open and limited admission, public animal control and private shelters. Throughout her career she has utilized customer focused, data driven strategies, and a sense of urgency to improve organizational performance and increase lives saved. Rosemarie Crawford, LVT, Director of Educational Programs, National Kitten Coalition Rosemarie Crawford is a licensed veterinary technician who has worked in animal welfare for more than 15 years. She has experience in public and private shelters and in veterinary practices. As a medical staff member in a high-volume, open-access shelter in Illinois, Rosemarie worked closely with the shelter veterinarian to provide for the animals medical and surgical needs. She assisted in developing and implementing progressive, proactive protocols for the care and treatment of kittens in the shelter s kitten nursery room as well as for those in foster care. Additionally, Rosemarie served in two shelters as the foster coordinator and understands the challenges of creating, expanding and maintaining a foster program. Currently, she works at a large, six-doctor veterinary practice in the greater Washington D.C. area and fosters neonatal, ill, injured or debilitated kittens for several local shelters and rescue groups. Amy Crum, DVM, Medical Director, Houston SPCA Dr. Amy Crum has been actively involved in animal welfare for over 10 years. While earning a degree in animal physiology and neuroscience at University of California San Diego she worked as a veterinary assistant at the San Diego County Department of Animal Services. During veterinary school, Dr. Crum competed as a member of the animal welfare judging team and participated in community outreach clinics. After graduating from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012, Dr. Crum completed an internship in small animal emergency medicine and surgery at Michigan Veterinary Specialists in Grand Rapids. During her internship, Dr. Crum continued to focus on community outreach by providing spay and neuter services for local nonprofit rescue groups and by volunteering at wellness and high-quality high-volume surgery clinics at All About Animals Rescue in Detroit. Upon completion of her internship, Dr. Crum joined the veterinary team at the Houston SPCA in 2013 as a staff veterinarian, and became the Medical Director in As medical director, Dr. Crum oversees the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine s animal welfare rotation at the Houston SPCA. Dr. Crum completed her graduate certificate in shelter medicine from the University of Florida in 2014, and currently serves on the Texas Veterinary Medical Association s Shelter Medicine Committee. Karen Deeds, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Canine Connection Karen Deeds, is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). She is the co-owner of Canine Connection in Ft. Worth, TX with her husband, Bob Deeds, a retired Federal K9 Handler on Texas Task Force I. Karen started her business in 1994 after realizing the need for educating the public about dog training and behavior while volunteering for a local humane society. She worked in the Assistance Dog Field for 15 years and currently provides her expertise on behavior problems including fear, anxiety and aggression. She has consulted and worked with thousands of pet dog owners, various shelters and rescue organizations, as well as has testified in dozens of court cases regarding dog bites. She currently teaches at two facilities in the DFW metroplex focusing on Reactive Integration and Competitive Obedience and Rally. Karen has presented seminars to the general public, rescue groups, animal control officers, and various shelters throughout Texas, Florida and Tennessee. She has presented at various dog training clubs and facilities, Texas A&M Veterinary College Behavior Club, State Urban Search and Rescue conference, and Texas Animal Control Association Conference. Laura Donahue, Executive Director, Texas Humane Legislation Network As Executive Director, Laura s responsibilities will include overall strategic and operational responsibility for THLN s legislative advocacy, fundraising and expansion. Most recently Laura was a lobbyist and state policy consultant for The Pew Charitable Trusts, a nonprofit working on national government reform around civic engagement and conservation. Laura has previously served with the Humane Society of the United States where in 2011 she lead a farm animal ballot initiative that resulted in a dozen historic reforms for farm and companion animals in Texas Unites 26

27 Ohio. She also served as the HSUS Virginia State Director for four legislative sessions, helping end the egregious practice of fox penning, strengthening regulations against puppy mills and passing the Pet Protective Order bill. Also while in Virginia she founded and founded the state s first animal political action committee, Humane Dominion, which was instrumental in the election of the first Democrat Attorney General in 24 years. Subsequently AG Herring has started the first ever Animal Protection Office in a state prosecutor s office. Laura brings the expertise needed to increase statewide visibility and legislative effectiveness. CherylAnn Fernandes, Regional Shelter Care Representative, PetLink CherylAnn Fernandes has been working in companion animal welfare for over twenty-five years. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Humane Leadership from Duquesne University. CherylAnn spent her early professional years lobbying at the state level in Connecticut for improved humane legislation and then spent over a decade serving as an animal control officer. Much of that time was for the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut s largest urban municipality, where she experienced first-hand the true challenges that face humane officers, and how to handle the day to day stressors. She remains a member of the National Animal Care & Control Officers Association. CherylAnn then transitioned into not-for-profit animal welfare, where she served as both shelter director and in-house staff trainer at a number of facilities in CT and NY, specializing in program development, staff coaching and customer service. CherylAnn has been consulting, providing online and in-person compassion fatigue training and has been a Certified Compassion Fatigue Instructor for the Figley Institute since She serves on Connecticut s CERT/SART team, is a published writer/ author and is an active volunteer for numerous community related animal welfare programs. She is a board member for the Nutmeg Spay Neuter clinic in Stratford CT. In 2013 CherylAnn decided to take on a new challenge, and today works as PetLink s Regional Shelter Care Representative offering microchip related products and services to shelters and nonprofit organizations and helps promote proactive compassion satisfaction to shelter teams nationwide. CherylAnn spends much of her time in Virginia, where her boyfriend is an animal control officer. They met while both were attending a national animal welfare conference 4 years ago. Vickie Fisher, Treasurer and Immediate Past President, The International Cat Association For many years Vickie shared her love of animals with a busy career in finance and management. Upon her retirement, she has been able to devote more time to her passion. As President of Albuquerque Kennel Kompadres, she can work to better the shelter life for homeless animals. Among other fundraising events, the premier event is the Annual Mayor and First Lady s Dog Ball. An All Breeds senior cat show judge for The International Cat Association (TICA), Vickie travels the world, both judging cats and educating young and not so young about the wonders of cats as companion animals and how to properly care for them. Vickie has authored two coloring books for children, both teaching children proper care and respect for cats, the more current coloring book recently translated and printed in Spanish. She is immediate past president of TICA and current Treasurer and Treasurer of the Winn Feline Foundation which funds feline health research. Maeleska Fletes, President/Pets For Life Coordinator, Dallas Companion Animal Project Maeleska Fletes is a professional web designer and small business owner and a long-time resident of Dallas, Texas. Maeleska is passionate about and very active in several local animal rescue organizations. She began her work in animal rescue over a decade ago volunteering with many of the area s most recognized and respected animal welfare and rescue organizations. Her animal welfare volunteer experience includes work with Angie s Friends, Paws in the City, DFW Rescue Me, Metroplex Mutts and DFW s Furgotten Friends. Maeleska is currently President of the Dallas Companion Animal Project (DCAP), a nonprofit organization created to focus on the future of the community by strengthening the connection between people and animals. DCAP is the designated friends of the shelter group for Dallas Animal Services, providing support and assistance for the City s municipal animal shelter. DCAP also hosts twice-monthly Spay Days, provides community outreach services, and serves as coalition leader for nearly 70 partner organizations in the DFW area. In 2014, Maeleska took on the challenge of leading Pets For Life Dallas. Created by the Humane Society of the United States and funded by PetSmart Charities, the program builds humane communities using innovative strategies and fresh approaches designed to extend the reach of animal services, resources, and information to under-served areas. Addressing the critical need for accessible, affordable pet care, our program helps animals by empowering the people who care for them. Since its inception the program had touched the lives of more than 3,000 families and provided spay/neuter surgeries for more than 1,100 pets. Maeleska also enjoys volunteering in her community as Editor of the Little Forest Hills Neighborhood Newsletter, Founder of the Little Forest Hills Animal Alert, a 24/7 hotline for reuniting lost pets, and spending time at home with her beloved companion animals, chocolate lab Charlie Brown, Holly, his lab mix sister, and many fosters Texas Unites 27

28 pups. Tori Fugate, Director of Marketing & Development, Kansas City Pet Project Tori Fugate is the Director of Marketing & Development for Kansas City Pet Project. Tori joined the shelter team in March 2012 shortly after the organization took over the Kansas City, MO, animal shelter in January Tori s role with Kansas City Pet Project has enabled her to build the organization s brand and promote its mission from inception to what it is today. She enjoys the opportunity to promote KC Pet Project and its pets through social media and in print, radio and television appearances on a local and national level including The Huffington Post, CBS News, USA Today, and The Rachael Ray Show. Kansas City Pet Project is the largest No Kill shelter in Kansas City, and they care for over 10,000 pets a year and have 8 locations to adopt pets in the Kansas City metro area. Kent Glenn, DVM, Veterinarian, Weatherford Parker County Animal Shelter Dr. Glenn received his BS from Texas Tech University in 1971 and DVM from Colorado State University in During his 40 year career as a mixed animal practitioner he has always been actively involved for the betterment of the animal shelter programs in his communities. He has served on the Young County Animal Shelter Advisory Board, the Weatherford Parker County Animal Shelter Advisory Committee, as a Weatherford College Veterinary Assistant Practicum Instructor and a Texas A&M Veterinary Student Surgery Externship mentor. He is a member of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association Board of Directors and the TVMA Shelter Committee. Dr. Glenn is the recipient of the 2006 TVMA Distinguished Career Achievement Award and the Tarrant County Veterinary Medical Association Community Service Award. Dr. Corey Gonzales, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist Dr. Corey has been a licensed Clinical Psychologist for over 20 years. He worked on Confessions: Animal Hoarding on Animal Planet, for twenty-two episodes, over four seasons. His unique ability to unlock the pathology of the subjects, and get to the heart of the matter, made him a very popular addition to the production. Dr. Corey has been featured extensively in the local and national media. He was the feature cover story of Coping magazine (April,1997) and has been on the speakers tour that has led him to some prestigious venues including M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. He has been on national television shows, such as Animal Planet, and appears frequently on local television (predominately KGET-17) as their Psychological spokesperson. He is also a weekly contributor to the Ralph Bailey Show in the segments On the Couch with Dr. Corey (KNZR 1560AM Mondays at 5:05 PM). Gerryll Hall, DVM, Merck Animal Health Dr. Hall is the lead veterinarian for Merck Animal Health s unique VetReach program. Her contributions to this effort include practicing in Atlanta, GA, as well as working with two rescue groups and two shelters; creating life plans for animals with genetic problems or suspected adverse events; presenting the latest product developments and applications to veterinarians, as well as keeping them informed on recent industry changes; updating shelters on immunology and sanitation protocols; visiting veterinary clinics and shelters personally to educate the staff. She also attends international, national and state meetings concerning biologicals, internal medicine, pain management and endocrinology. Leslie Harrelson, Executive Director, P.E.T.S. Low Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic After 5 years in canine rescue, Leslie googled how to fight pet overpopulation and learned that spaying and neutering is the only answer. A fundraising campaign led to 75 pets being sterilized in her community of Wichita Falls Texas but no difference in the number of strays Leslie continued to find and rescue. A second campaign brought a mobile spay and neuter clinic, TCAP, to Wichita Falls where 150+ pets were fixed over 3 clinic days in the fellowship hall of her grandmother s church. Inspired by TCAP s work, Leslie opened PETS Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic 2 months later and will celebrate PETS 10th birthday in Joined by animal advocates from all walks of life and experience, Leslie has turned P.E.T.S. into a household name in her community. Focused on impact rather than quantity, P.E.T.S. truly lives up to its name: Preventing Euthanasia Through Sterilization. Leslie is a community leader and never sees a problem without a solution. She serves as Executive Director of P.E.T.S. in charge of their many programs and clinic operations. She is an expert grant writer and fundraiser securing appropriate funding every year to meet the needs of her community. She is also extremely successful in balancing the volunteer/staff dynamic within the nonprofit world. April Harris, CAWA, Chief Program Officer, Michelson Found Animals Foundation April Harris is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) and serves as Chief Program Officer for the Found Animals Foundation, a nonprofit geared toward reducing euthanasia through sustainable business models. She is responsible for several programs including the Adopt & Shop retail adoption centers, the Kitten Foster Project, the Found Animals Microchip Registry and the Saving Pets Challenge. April has over 15 years experience improving outcomes for shelter pets. Her credits include implementing lifesaving cat, kitten, and pitbull terrier-focused programs, Texas Unites 28

29 increasing revenue through grants and in-shelter retail and successfully negotiating animal ordinance updates in local municipalities. April lives in Southern Utah and is the proud mother of a pack of small rescue dogs. Roger Haston, Chief Administrative Officer, PetSmart Charities Dr. Haston received a Ph.D. in geophysics from the University of California Santa Barbara and a MBA in finance from Rice University. After working for Amoco and Arco in Houston, Dr. Haston moved to Colorado in 1998 where he started and grew a successful business in geophysical data processing. He had a strong desire to give back to the community and became involved with Humane Society of Boulder Valley as a volunteer, board member and board chair. He also worked with both for profit and nonprofit organizations on strategy and leadership development with a strong focus on creating mission-driven organizations. His passion for helping animals continued to grow and in 2012 he committed himself full time to animal welfare and took over as Executive Director at the Animal Assistance Foundation where he has merged his passion for science, business, and people to help the animals of Colorado and beyond. He has recently joined PetsMart Charities as the CAO. He also serves on the boards of Emancipet, Animal Grant Makers, National Council on Pet Overpopulation and Shelter Animals Count. Laura Helmueller, DVM, Chief Medical Officer, Emancipet Laura Helmueller is the Chief Medical Officer of Emancipet. Laura grew up in the San Antonio, TX area and graduated from Texas A&M University with her DVM in She has worked in many fields of veterinary medicine including owning a mixed animal practice, corporate medicine and full service small animal practice. Laura started working with shelters and nonprofits in central Texas to provide HQHVSN services in 2006 and began working with Emancipet in Emancipet is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to make spay/ neuter services and veterinary care affordable and accessible to every pet owner. Her current role is to facilitate opening and operating Spay/Neuter and Healthy Pet Clinics in underserved communities, training other clinics and animal welfare organizations to increase their capacity and impact, and ensuring program fidelity in all Emancipet clinics. Laura lives in Austin with her husband, two children and her two mildly neurotic, rescued pit bulls, Saber and Peppa. Audra Houghton, Director of Operations, Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia Audra Houghton is the Director of Operations with the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia, which has an annual intake of approximately 25,000 animals and provides Animal Control and Sheltering services to the 4th largest city in the nation. Prior to working for ACCT Philly, she was a Field Supervisor with the investigations unit at the City of San Antonio Animal Care Services from March 2008 to July She also served as an Animal Cruelty Investigator, during which time she was directly involved in several thousand animal cruelty investigations in cooperation with numerous Law Enforcement agencies. She is a Certified Animal Cruelty Investigator through the University of Missouri- Columbia s Law Enforcement Training Institute, a Certified Animal Control Officer in the State of Texas, and holds professional certificates from West Virginia University s extended learning program in various forensic disciplines including Crime Scene Investigations, Forensic Photography, and Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, among others. She enjoys being part of a high-volume, fast paced organization and finding ways to innovate in animal care operations. Rebecca Jewell, Marketing & Special Projects Manager, National Kitten Coalition In 2006, Rebecca Jewell moved from the Midwest to the Washington D.C. area and took a position at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, an open access facility. As a volunteer coordinator, she created a successful foster program, recruited and trained over 300 inshelter volunteers who contributed more than 10,000 hours annually and co-managed a rescue partner transfer program. Over four years, she sent more than 1,500 animals to foster care, including many neonatal and sick kittens. Rebecca briefly joined a reduced cost, high volume spay/neuter clinic as an operations coordinator but missed working in animal sheltering and joined another D.C. area shelter as a customer service and outreach manager. In this role, she started a pet food pantry via a public/private partnership, facilitated the creation of a Friends Of the organization nonprofit group and established a foster program, which had a cadre of highly trained neonatal kitten care foster volunteers. Sara Kent, Director, Petfinder Shelter Outreach, Nestle Purina PetCare Sara Kent is the director of shelter outreach for Petfinder at Nestlé Purina PetCare. Sara oversees the professional side of Petfinder, dedicated to providing tools and resources to animal shelters and rescue groups. She lives with several adopted pets, including a tarantula, two mixed breed dogs, three house cats and the occasional foster cat, along with a very understanding husband and step-daughter. She is the co-founder of FIVER Cats and cares for her neighborhood TNR community cats. Sara also serves as a board member for the Animal Welfare Federation of New Jersey, a collection of professional animal welfare advocates statewide working together to improve the lives of animals. Sara was one of the first employees Texas Unites 29

30 at Petfinder in 2000 and joined Nestlé Purina PetCare in Susanne Kogut, Executive Director, Petco Foundation Susanne Kogut is the Executive Director of the Petco Foundation. Prior to joining Petco, she was the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA Executive Director, where she transformed the open-admission SPCA from an organization with financial problems, contentious volunteer/employee relationships, a high euthanasia rate and minimal spay/neuter services into an award-winning, model organization recognized nationally for its lifesaving efforts. Before embarking on her animal welfare career, Susanne held several positions at Capital One Financial Corporation, including associate general counsel, director of corporate finance and director of community reinvestment. Prior to that, she was a corporate finance & securities attorney in the Washington, D.C. offices of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Brown & Wood. She received her B.A. in Finance in 1986 and J.D. in 1990 from the University of Houston. Susanne shares her home her with seven dogs, and a variety of different foster pets that she cares for temporarily until they move on to new homes. Mary Kate Lawler, DVM, Executive Director, Spay Neuter Assistance Program, Inc. Dr. Lawler is a 1995 graduate of NYSCVM at Cornell University. Throughout her veterinary career spay/neuter surgery has been a focus, including during her time spent practicing in full service veterinary clinics. She has traveled extensively and has participated in spay/neuter clinics in India, Mexico, Ecuador mainland, the Galapagos Islands, American Samoa and on the reservations in the American Southwest. Dr. Lawler has been a Spay-Neuter Assistance Program team member since She was chief of staff and primary surgeon for SNAP San Antonio operation from 2006 until January 2015 when she accepted the position of Executive Director. SNAP currently operates in 3 Texas cities and serving Houston, Pasadena, San Antonio, Laredo and the surrounding counties. Operations include both stationary and mobile facilities and offer reduced cost and subsidized spay/neuter and wellness services to the community. Dr. Lawler has applied her practices of promoting leadership and teamwork in the veterinary setting to the entire SNAP organization and focuses on maintaining a positive team culture within SNAP. Dr. Lawler and her husband reside with their furry and feathered children in San Antonio TX and time permitting on the beaches of Mustang Island. Dr. Lawler is an aspiring author and has one published children s book Dragonfly. Rob Leinberger, Animal Control Supervisor, Richmond Animal Care & Control Rob Leinberger has an amazing girlfriend, two children, a dog, a cockatiel, a bearded dragon, and a red-footed tortoise. He s an Eagle Scout and worked as a veterinary assistant during high school. In December 1991, he became an Animal Control Officer for Chesterfield County. Rob joined Richmond Animal Care & Control in January 2016 as the Animal Control Supervisor. He teaches an animal control basic course for new animal control officers in the region. Rob has an Associate s Degree in Police Science and a Bachelor s Degree in Human Resource Management. In 2011, he completed a Master s Degree in Human Resource Management at the University of Richmond. In October 2009, he was elected to the board of directors for the Virginia Animal Control Association and currently serves as its past President. In September 2012, Rob joined the board of directors for the National Animal Care & Control Association and currently serves as President. Kristen Limbert, Sr. Director, Animal Relocation, ASPCA Kristen Limbert is Senior Director of the ASPCA s Animal Relocation Initiative, a program that helps facilitate the transfer of shelter animals from areas of oversupply, to areas where they are more likely to be adopted. Kristen joined the ASPCA in 2007 as the Coordinator for the Humane Education Department. In 2009, after volunteering with the Disaster Response Team for a year, she transitioned into the role of Operations Manager for the newly formed Field Investigations and Response (FIR) Team. As a member of FIR, Kristen was involved in several large-scale animal rescue operations, including natural disasters, dog- and cockfighting raids, puppy mill investigations, large scale hoarding operations and cases of horse abuse and neglect. Part of her role with the FIR team was to facilitate the export and placement of the hundreds of animals rescued to the partner groups that helped to find them permanent homes. It was that experience and interest that led her to her current role in April of Kristen is now able to focus on facilitating the rescue of animals who, while not necessarily the victims of animal cruelty, are still a population at incredible risk in shelters nationwide. She helps oversee ASPCA relocation efforts in Los Angeles and along the East Coast, and routinely works with groups across the country to increase the quality and quantity of their animal transports. Kristen resides in Asheville, NC with her partner Kathryn, their 2-legged toddler triplets, Hayden, Hudson and Hazel, their dog Lila, and cat, Indy. Texas Unites 30

31 Rosemary C. Lindsey, DVM, La Paloma Small Animal Hospital A 1978 graduate of Texas A&M University, Dr. Lindsey has been in private small animal practice in the Fort Worth area for the last 38 years. She has owned a practice, worked in emergency medicine/critical care, and was a staff veterinarian at the Chuck Silcox Animal Care and Control Center in Fort Worth from In addition to shelter medicine and high quality-high volume spay/neuter, her interests include feline medicine and endocrinology. She has been board certified in canine and feline practice by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners since 1985, and is a past president of the Tarrant County Veterinary Medical Association. Vincent Medley, Executive Director, Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia Vincent Medley started in Dallas Texas as an animal control officer. He worked his way up to Field Operations Supervisor and chief cruelty investigator. Vincent was the Assistant Director at ACS for 7 years. While in San Antonio he lead staff in a significant increase in enforcement, while simultaneously increasing customer service, community support and officer/investigator professionalism. Prior to San Antonio, Vincent worked 3 years as the Field Operations Manager for the Houston Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care. As the lead investigator in each city, I ve trained staff and implemented programs that have resulted in a 90% (+) success rate in animal cruelty hearings, animal cruelty misdemeanor and felony cases, dangerous dog, serious bodily injury cases. Vincent is currently the Executive Director of the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia. Since the assuming the position in November 2015, he has lead a team of professionals to a 78% Life Saving rate, while caring for over 25,000 animals and a $4.2 million budget. Vincent s ability to incorporate live release, outreach and enforcement operations has made him a highly sought speaker and trainer to shelters across the country. Melinda Merck, DVM, Owner, Veterinary Forensics Consulting, LLC Dr. Melinda Merck is the owner of Veterinary Forensics Consulting in Austin, Texas. She assists investigators of animal cruelty with crime scene investigation, examination of live and deceased victims, frequently testifying as a veterinary forensics expert. She helps with large scale operations including exhumations of burial sites and examination of skeletal animal remains. Dr. Merck provides training for veterinary, attorney and law enforcement professionals internationally on the use of veterinary forensic science and medicine in the investigation and prosecution of animal cruelty cases. Dr. Merck is the Past President of the Board of Directors for North American Veterinary Community and Program Chair for their Veterinary Forensics: Animal CSI program. She is the founding chair of the Board of Directors for the International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association. She serves on the WSAVA Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee and the Association of Prosecuting Attorney s Animal Cruelty Advisory Council. Dr. Merck is the author of the textbook, Veterinary Forensics: Animal Cruelty Investigation, 2nd edition by Wiley publishing. Dr. Merck is the course coordinator and instructor for the VetFolio online Veterinary Forensic Science and Medicine and Animal CSI Certificate Courses. Dr. Sam Miller, DVM, Private Practitioner, President Texas Veterinary Medical Association Dr. Sam Miller has been a practicing veterinarian for 25 years. He earned his undergraduate degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M University in 1981 followed by his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree from Texas A&M in He spent 3 years practicing in McAllen, Texas at a small animal practice with a focus on general surgery. During that time he worked closely with the city and the local shelter to develop spay/ neuter programs and wellness care protocols. In 1995, he moved to Houston where he began working at the Village Veterinary Clinic, which he bought in 1998 and where continues to practice with a focus on high quality medicine and surgery. Dr. Miller was actively involved with the disaster response during Hurricane Ike and subsequently worked closely with the City of Houston to represent animal welfare in the develop of the cities disaster response plan. Dr. Miller has been active in organized veterinary medicine and is currently president of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association. Cynthia Mitchell, DVM, Medical Director, San Diego Humane Society Dr. Mitchell oversees medical operations for San Diego Humane Society and manages the Shelter Medicine Externship program with partnering veterinary schools as well as the Shelter Medicine internship program. She has extensive experience in emergency practice and most of her career prior to Shelter Medicine was in association with specialty practices. She received both her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and undergraduate degree from UC Davis. She graduated from Lahainaluna High School, on the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii and has made San Diego her family home since Max Mixon, Co-Owner/Instructor, Humane Educators of Texas Max Mixson is Co-Owner of Humane Educators of Texas. He has been in the Animal Welfare field for 16 years as an animal control officer and animal cruelty investigator. Max was a Chief Investigator with Houston SPCA and a prominent figure of the Animal Planet show Animal Cops: Houston. Max is currently the Animal Control Supervisor for the City of Georgetown. Max is Cooper Institute Texas Unites 31

32 Trained as a Law Enforcement Fitness Specialist and is a member of the Police Department Fitness Cadre. Max has taught in-service training for the Georgetown Police Department and Williamson County Adult Probation Officers. He has presented workshops at Texas Unites for Animals 2015, at local and state conferences for Texas Environmental Health Association. April Moore, Engagement Manager, City of Austin Animal Services Office April Moore served as Animal Protection Supervisor with the Field Services Unit based at the Austin Animal Center for over 10 years. She played an integral role in helping the Austin Animal Center become the nation s largest nokill open intake animal shelter by developing community policies and programs that promote lifesaving, without compromising public safety, and connect community members with the resources needed to keep their pets and neighborhoods safe and healthy. The Field Services Unit serves over 1 million residents in the Austin and Travis County area through response to almost 31,000 calls for service, emergency response, neighborhood canvassing and outreach events. The City of Austin has the 2nd highest number of confirmed cases of animal rabies in the state. Karly Noel, MA Ed., CHES, Board of Directors, Association of Professional Humane Educators (APHE) Karly Noel, MA Ed., CHES, is the Director of Education and Outreach at RedRover. Karly holds a bachelor s degree in Child Development and a master s degree in Education from California State University, Sacramento. Dedicated to enthusiastic and dynamic teaching as a way of fostering a love of learning in children as well as adults, her main interests include adults as learners, motivational learning, parent involvement, animal welfare and humane education. Karly is a Certified Humane Education Specialist (CHES) and is on the Board of Directors of the Association of Professional Humane Educators (APHE). She lives in Sacramento, California, with her young son, husband, one dog and one cat. Caitlin Quinn, MPA, Director of Operations, HeARTs Speak, Inc. Caitlin is the Director of Operations at HeARTs Speak and became involved in animal sheltering after years of volunteering as a grant writer for local nonprofits in her area. She has always been mildly obsessed with animals and the idea of helping people in her community, and was lucky enough to stumble into a career that allowed her to explore that passion. Prior to joining HeARTs Speak, Caitlin spent several years as the Assistant Director of Animal Farm Foundation. She has found her fourlegged soul mate in her dog, Patrick, and hopes to bring to the world of animal sheltering what she has learned from him: Endless curiosity, unshakeable optimism, and the courage to lead with compassion. B.J. Rogers, CAWA, Vice President, ProLearning, ASPCA B.J. Rogers, Vice President of ProLearning, oversees fieldfacing communication for the ASPCA through channels such as ASPCApro.org, social media, online learning, and national initiatives focused on saving more lives of companion animals. Prior to joining the ASPCA in 2011, B.J. spent five years as the chief executive of the Humane Society of Chittenden County, in northern Vermont. B.J. has worked in the human service sector, in higher education, and in politics. He s a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA), a Certified Dialogue Education Teacher (CDET) and has training in both mediation and Appreciative Inquiry. Kate Rugroden, Director of Special Projects, Bat World Sanctuary Kate is a TPWD permitted wildlife rehabilitator specializing in bats, opossums, and raccoons, and holds both TPWD and USDA Educational Display permits as well. She has over 25 years experience in presenting live animal programs in addition to her 10 years as a rehabilitator. She is a member of IWRC, NWRA, the Texas Bat Working Group, the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition, and Texas Metro Wildlife Rehabilitators, and serves as Chair of the Stakeholders Committee for the National White Nose Syndrome Response Team. Kate serves as Director of Special Projects for Bat World Sanctuary, the largest rehabilitation and teaching facility in the world dedicated exclusively to rescue, rehabilitation, and accredited sanctuary for bats. In that role, she has presented educational programs to thousands of adults and school children throughout the DFW Metroplex. She is a founding member of Texas Metro Wildlife Rehabilitators, and serves as an advisor to the Board for that organization. She has developed training manuals for four wildlife rehabilitation classes, and, with Amanda Lollar of Bat World Sanctuary, co-authored the book The Essential Bat (Bat World Sanctuary, 2012). In addition, she is approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to provide over 60 hours of continuing education credit to Animal Control Officers for the wildlife-related classes she teaches. Danny Sanchez, Field Supervisor, Harris County Veterinary Public Health Danny Sanchez began his career as an Animal Control Officer in Del Rio, Texas. With a background in Animal Control, Investigations, and Emergency Rescue Operations, Danny has built his career with hands-on experiences in the field and a passion for learning by nurturing his own continuing education. Danny currently Texas Unites 32

33 leads the Field Team of Animal Control Officers in Harris County. Jamie Scotto, Director of Operations, Community Medicine, ASPCA As Director of Operations for the ASPCA s Community Medicine program in New York City, Jamie oversees the teams that conduct community based outreach, maintain the department s fleet of mobile surgical units as well as those conducting data analysis and reporting. She joined the ASPCA in 2011 as part of Shelter Research and Development, working to analyze and develop outreach methods to maximize life-saving efforts. Prior to the ASPCA, Jamie oversaw adoptions at an animal shelter in Washington, DC where she and her team transformed the adoption process to one that utilized non-judgement and relationship building. She has worked and volunteered in animal welfare for almost 15 years and is currently an MBA candidate at the NYU Stern School of Business. Katherine M. Shenar, Chief of Staff, San Diego Humane Society Katherine McGowan Shenar currently serves as Chief of Staff at San Diego Humane Society. Prior to joining the nonprofit community, Katherine began her career working in the media and transitioned to an advertising agency before realizing her animal welfare calling. Her advocacy work started nearly 20 years ago when she led the public relations and marketing department for the Humane Society of Missouri. After seven years, she continued working in animal welfare as Executive Director for the Animal Protective Association of Missouri, followed by three years as the Animal Welfare Issues Consultant for The Humane Society Of The United States. She then spent nearly six years in North Carolina and served as President and CEO of Asheville Humane Society before accepting her role at San Diego Humane Society. Katherine is a frequent speaker at national animal welfare conferences on the topics of marketing communications, coalition building, fundraising, and nonprofit management. In addition to having several feature articles published in Animal Sheltering magazine, Katherine is the author of the book Coalition Building for Animal Care Organizations, a how-to guide for animal advocates to work collaboratively in communities. She has received numerous awards ranging from Public Relations Professional of the Year to having St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay proclaim Katherine McGowan Day, honoring her animal welfare advocacy work with the City of Saint Louis. Katherine holds a Masters of Arts in Media Communications and served as an adjunct professor for the School of Communications at Webster University. Katherine lives in San Diego with her husband, two dogs, two cats, and a continuing stream of foster kittens. Barry Silverberg, Director, Center for Nonprofit Studies, Austin Community College Bio coming soon. Stacy Smith, Vice President, Animal Advocacy, Humane Tomorrow Stacy Smith is the Vice President of Animal Advocacy for Humane Tomorrow. Like so many in the animal welfare world, she began by fostering dogs and was immediately hooked and appalled at the number of desirable animals in local shelters. In 1997 she and other advocates formed the Humane Society of Flower Mound, a rescue organization that would focus not only on adoption but also on prevention, education, and advocacy for all animals. Stacy has served on the Flower Mound Animal Services Advisory board; as the North Texas Chapter President of the Texas Humane Legislation Network from ; and volunteers at Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch. In 2013 she realized a decade-long dream of creating a transport program to send dogs from Texas to New York. In 2016 the Humane Society of Flower Mound changed its name to Humane Tomorrow to better reflect its vision of taking action today to create a Humane Tomorrow for every animal. Stacy is owned by two rescue dogs, Guinness and Hani. Cheryl Spencer, President, North Texas Pet Food Pantry Cheryl Spencer, Founder of the NTPFP, is an animal lover and advocate of responsible pet ownership. Having spent the past 20 years fostering, volunteering, advocating with a positive approach. The NTPFP organization was founded on the basis of community service that would address the needs of pet owners. Cheryl works with all community service organizations, area food pantries, Church Community Outreach programs, Animal Shelters, Rescue Groups and Animal Welfare Organizations. Sandra Strong, DVM, Chief Veterinarian, Wake County Animal Center With two decades of experience as a veterinarian, Dr. Sandra Strong has turned her passion for shelter medicine into tangible successes at shelters and clinics in both Texas and North Carolina. Currently serving as Chief Veterinarian for the Wake County Animal Center, Dr. Strong has focused her professional career on assisting animal welfare organizations and is excited about all the positive changes occurring in Animal Welfare. Prior to coming home to Raleigh she served as the Medical Director of SPAYSA, a nonprofit High Volume Spay Neuter clinic in San Antonio, Texas where she also served as the staff veterinarian for the municipal animal shelter. During her tenure at San Antonio s Animal Care Services, Texas Unites 33

34 Dr. Strong led the implementation of best practices like humane housing, open selection adoption, pediatric housing, innovative ordinance revision and targeted spay neuter which has enabled that shelter to consistently increase live release rates each year. In addition to Public Health certification, she is working on board certification with the American College of Animal Welfare. Dr. Strong is passionate about shelter medicine and continues to push for community changes and innovative programs to prevent animal suffering. Jim Tedford, President & CEO, The Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) Jim Tedford serves as President & CEO for the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA), a professional association of leaders in the fields of animal welfare and animal care & control. Jim started his career over thirty years ago serving on the front line of animal welfare. He has been CEO for organizations in New York, Louisiana and Tennessee. He served as a regional director for The Humane Society of the United States and as volunteer board chair for SAWA. Tedford served as Director of Animal Welfare Initiatives for a major pet product manufacturer and was the primary interface between the company and the animal care & control communities. Jim spent many years providing direct response marketing and fundraising services to animal welfare organizations nationwide. He has served as a consultant on not-forprofit management, strategic planning and organizational development. Jim holds a degree in animal science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. The Tedfords share their empty nest in the Smoky Mountains with four dogs, one horse and a macaw. Kelly Thyssen, Co-Owner/Instructor, Humane Educators of Texas Kelly Thyssen is Co-Owner of Humane Educators of Texas based out of Pflugerville, Texas. She has been in the Animal Welfare field for 11 years, working as a shelter technician, animal control officer, veterinary technician, and kennel supervisor with various agencies. Kelly also taught continuing education and basic ACO courses with the Zoonosis Program with the Texas Department of State Health Services. Kelly is currently employed by the City of Georgetown as an Animal Control Officer. Kelly has taught in-service training for Georgetown Police Department and to Williamson County Adult Probation officers. Kelly has presented workshops at Texas Unites for Animals 2015 and Texas Animal Control Association conferences. As an employee with DSHS Zoonosis Region 7 office, Kelly taught several portions of the Basic ACO class as well as officer safety and bite investigation for continuing education seminars. Kelly has also taught Certified Euthanasia Technician classes and full Basic ACO classes as an adjunct instructor for Texas Academy of Animal Control officers. Valarie V. Tynes, DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, Veterinary Services Specialist, Ceva Animal Health Dr. Valarie Tynes is a graduate of Texas A&M University. She worked in private practice, for 14 years before returning to academia to pursue a residency in clinical animal behavior at the University of California at Davis. She has been Board Certified in Animal Behavior since 2003 and currently serves as President of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. Her special interests are the behavior and welfare of pet pigs, exotic pets and zoo animals. She is a frequent speaker at veterinary meetings around the country and author of numerous scholarly articles and textbook chapters. She is the editor of The Behavior of Exotic Pets and co-editor of the Behavior issue of the Veterinary Clinics of North America- Small Animal Clinics released in May of She is a veterinary services specialist for Ceva Animal Health, providing behavior education, training and technical support to the sales force as well as lectures and presentations to veterinarians in the field. In her spare time she continues to provide consulting services to zoos and veterinarians. Carl Youngberg, President, Concepts 3 Inc. Carl grew up on a farm in Missouri, worked in a prison while in graduate school and taught college in Latin American with the Peace Corps. His biggest leap was becoming a luxury retailing executive at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York and Neiman Marcus in Dallas. By working through all this, Carl has lived the ten truths he shares in his seminars and his book. Through Carl s background, he has learned the most important thing a person can do in life is matter. In his inspiring book Make Yourself Matter - Become Your Own Best Asset, he identifies the secrets that build each of us into our greatest assets both professionally and personally. He is known for his sly love of humor, his practical take-home solutions, that make him a hit across many industries. As a lively and inquiring storyteller of business tales, Carl weaves together stories of great service, great people and greater results with clients from Microsoft to BNSF Railway. He believes that it takes great people to build a great service organization. If you believe this too, come along to his next seminar. Texas Unites 34

35 Texas Unites 35

36 registration form Please visit to register or complete one form for each person attending the conference. Name: Title: Organization/Agency: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: MEMBERSHIP [ ] I am a current member [ ] I would like to join Texas Unites today! $35 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION MEMBER REGISTRATION THROUGH MARCH 24, 2017 [ ] Conference Registration $215 [ ] Conference Registration Single Day - Saturday Only $120 [ ] Conference Registration Single Day - Sunday Only $120 [ ] Conference Registration Single Day - Monday Only $70 [ ] Shelter Medicine Track - Saturday Only $120 [ ] Shelter Medicine Track (Saturday) PLUS Sun/Mon Conference $215 [ ] Executive Leadership Track - Sunday Only $120 [ ] Executive Leadership Track (Sunday) PLUS Sat/Mon Conference $215 Early Registration through Feb. 28 Regular Registration March 1-24 NON-MEMBER REGISTRATION [ ] Conference Registration $235 $250 [ ] Conference Registration Single Day - Saturday Only $125 $125 [ ] Conference Registration Single Day - Sunday Only $125 $125 [ ] Conference Registration Single Day - Monday Only $75 $75 [ ] Shelter Medicine Track - Saturday Only $125 $125 [ ] Shelter Medicine Track (Saturday) PLUS Sun/Mon Conference $235 $250 [ ] Executive Leadership Track - Sunday Only $125 $125 [ ] Executive Leadership Track (Sunday) PLUS Sat/Mon Conference $235 $250 MY TOTAL: THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE is March 24, Registrations received after the deadline will be considered Walk-In and are subject to an additional $15 handling fee. $25 service charge for cancellations, no refunds after March 24, Texas Unites 36

37 MEALS registration form [ ] I prefer REGULAR meals [ ] I WILL NOT be eating any meals provided [ ] I require VEGAN meals [ ] I require VEGETARIAN meals PAYMENT INFORMATION MY TOTAL (from pg. 36): Check enclosed (payable to Texas Unites) Please charge: Visa Mastercard American Express Discover Name on card: Card Number: Expiration date: CVV: Zip code: Authorized Signature (for credit cards): THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE is March 24, Registrations received after the deadline will be considered Walk-In and are subject to an additional $15 handling fee. $25 service charge for cancellations, no refunds after March 24, LODGING Renaissance Austin Hotel 9721 Arboretum Boulevard Austin, Texas Texas Unites Room Rates are $159 per night through March 24, To receive this exclusive rate, you must use the special link on the Texas Unites website to make your reservations, or call and mention Texas Unites. Rooms are limited at this rate, so reserve yours today! CONTACT INFORMATION Register online at or return completed registration form (pgs ) with payment to Texas Unites: Mail: Texas Unites info@texasunites.com PO Box 6551 Fax: McKinney, TX Texas Unites 37

38 Registration Form Please indicate your intended participation during Texas Unites for Animals by checking one box in each time slot. Your selections will be used to estimate the attendance at each function, however, you are free to attend different workshops if you change your mind. Friday, April 21 6 to 8 p.m. [ ] Exhibit Hall Opening & Welcome Reception Saturday, April 22 *if registered for the Shelter Medicine track, meals and workshops are assumed selected for Saturday. Please complete selections for Sunday/Monday if also attending the general conference. 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. [ ] Breakfast 8:30 to 10 a.m. [ ] Opening Session: The Changing World of Animal Welfare Past, Present and Future 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Workshops [ ] Workshop 1 Lawsuit?!...But I was a Volunteer! [ ] Workshop 2 Dangerous Dog [ ] Workshop 3 Love on Wheels: The Road Trip of a Lifetime [ ] Workshop 4 Cross-Species Transmission of Infectious Viral Diseases [ ] Workshop 5 Proper Feeding and Care of the Media: Tactics for Building Rapport and Weathering a Crisis 12:30 to 2 p.m. [ ] Lunch 2 to 3:30 p.m. Workshops [ ] Workshop 6 Under the Dome - What Bills Can Help or Hurt Animals in 2017 Texas Legislative Session, and How You Can Help! [ ] Workshop 7 The Violence Connection: A Community Approach to Breaking the Cycles of Violence [ ] Workshop 8 Pets For Life: Community Outreach Planning and Strategies [ ] Workshop 9 In Whose Best Interest Using Logical Variables to Determine the Best Option for a Behaviorally Challenged Dog and the Determination of Adoptability (1) [ ] Workshop 10 Not Your Momma s Spay and Neuter Clinic 4 to 5:30 p.m. Workshops [ ] Workshop 11 The 360 Degree Professional: Focusing On Success; Not Supervision [ ] Workshop 12 Beyond the Dogcatcher: A Modern Look at Animal Care & Control [ ] Workshop 13 Give em a Ride: Best Practices for Transport of Companion Animals [ ] Workshop 14 In Whose Best Interest Using Logical Variables to Determine the Best Option for a Behaviorally Challenged Dog and the Determination of Adoptability (2) [ ] Workshop 15 Beyond Adoptions: Marketing to Change Minds, Build Community and Save Lives 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. [ ] Networking Event / Exhibit Hall Sunday, April 23 *if registered for the executive leadership track, meals and workshops are assumed selected for SUNDAY. Please complete selections for Saturday/Monday if ALSO attending the general conference. 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. [ ] Breakfast / Exhibit Hall Texas Unites 38

39 Sunday, April 23 (Continued) Registration Form 8:30 to 10 a.m. Workshops [ ] Workshop 16 Coalition and Cooperation Why We Are Stronger Together [ ] Workshop 17 Dealing with Difficult Personality Types: A Field Survival Guide [ ] Workshop 18 Pushing the Limits: Innovative Foster Programs for Adult Animals [ ] Workshop 19 Trouble Comes in Threes: Conquering the Biggest Threats to Kitten Health [ ] Workshop 20 Pet Food Pantries Save Lives 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Workshops [ ] Workshop 21 Nerd Alert! Your Publicly Available Animal Data Will Save Lives [ ] Workshop 22 Field Furtography: Utilizing Basic Photographic Techniques to Improve Field Photography [ ] Workshop 23 Humane Education Programs: Meet Organizational Goals and Benefit Your Entire Community [ ] Workshop 24 The 3rd Freedom: Pain, Injury or Disease: Recognition and Prevention for Shelter Staff and Animal Control Officers [ ] Workshop 25 Pet Retail to 1:30 p.m. [ ] Lunch 2 to 3:30 p.m. Workshops [ ] Workshop 26 Stepping Up to the Plate: Transitioning into Animal Care Leadership [ ] Workshop 27 The Pet Redemption Toolkit [ ] Workshop 28 Overcoming Barriers to Adoption [ ] Workshop 29 Shelter Rounds: A Creative Twist on Population Management for Hard to Place Animals [ ] Workshop 30 Big Marketing on a Tiny Budget 4 to 5:30 p.m. Workshops [ ] Workshop 31 It s Not Them, It s You: Your Role in Tackling the Challenges of Partnership [ ] Workshop 32 Animal Hoarding and Breakthrough Moments [ ] Workshop 33 What Color is My Cat? [ ] Workshop 34 Getting the Upper Hand on Feline Upper Respiratory Infections! [ ] Workshop 35 Volunteers: The Unexpected Risks 8 to 10 p.m. [ ] Knotty Deck & Bar Social Monday, April 24 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. [ ] Breakfast 8:30 to 10 a.m. Workshops [ ] Workshop 36 The Emotional Impact of the Animal Care & Control Profession: Compassion Fatigue to Satisfaction [ ] Workshop 37 Wildlife Complaints: New Solutions for Old Problems [ ] Workshop 38 Saving The Orphans No Matter Your Budget Size [ ] Workshop 39 Dealing with Behavior Problems in the Shelter; Triage, Treatment and the Ethics of Euthanasia [ ] Workshop 40 You Said What??? 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Workshops [ ] Workshop 41 Putting the Bark into Your Budget and the Meow into your Money [ ] Workshop 42 Case Study: Downtown City of Austin Rabies Exposure Investigation [ ] Workshop 43 Bringing it Home: From the Workshop to the Real World [ ] Workshop 44 Preventing Infectious Diseases by Maintaining Your Shelter s Capacity for Care [ ] Workshop 45 Techniques for Engaging with the Public in a Positive Way 12 to 12:30 p.m. [ ] Closing Ceremony & Raffle Texas Unites 39

40 This nose knows she ll See you in Austin! Texas Unites For Animals Rebecca Langevin, Conference Coordinator P.O. Box 6551 McKinney, TX Fax: texasunites.com fb.com/texasunites