Midwest Animal Sheltering Conference
2023 Speakers.
Midwest Animal Sheltering Conference takes great pride in hosting a lineup of speakers who represent diverse perspectives and embody progressive ideals. Our commitment to fostering inclusivity and promoting innovative thinking has led us to curate a speaker roster that spans a wide range of backgrounds, expertise, and experiences.
You can expect to engage with thought leaders who are at the forefront of their field, driving positive change and challenging conventional norms. These speakers will share their insights, knowledge, and groundbreaking ideas, inspiring attendees to embrace new ways of thinking and working.
By bringing together voices from various walks of life, we aim to create an environment where attendees can learn, connect, and collaborate in a spirit of openness and respect. We firmly believe that a diverse and progressive conference not only enriches our collective understanding but also empowers individuals to drive meaningful impact in their communities and beyond.
Sarah Aguilar
Sarah Aguilar recently joined Austin Pets Alive! as the Senior Director of Operations. Her animal welfare history includes roles with Greater Good Charities where the #StayHomeAndFoster movement generated nearly 100,000 foster applicants across the nation; with Pima Animal Care in Tucson, AZ where she developed processes and systems that catapulted the open admission municipal shelter to a 92% live release rate; and in Ventura, CA, where she managed their first formal foster program, placing nearly 3000 animals into foster homes annually, and tripling the number of cats adopted through partner pet stores and offsite events. Her experience as the Training General Manager for a national restaurant chain, combined with degrees in business management and accounting, has enabled Sarah to bring a unique customer service and systemic, data-driven approach, to lifesaving.
Lee Allen
Lee Allen's journey into animal welfare began in a rural area, where his focus was adapting national programs for underserved rural communities as the programs manager at Good Shepherd Humane Society in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. He is dedicated to understanding the connection between pets and people and providing compassionate care to both. Lee's experience includes his time in the military and retail and inventory management. He currently serves as the clinic coordinator for the Best Friends Pet Resource Center in Northwest Arkansas.
Elena Battles
Elena Battles, Director of Customer Experience, Shelterluv Elena was inspired to join animal welfare in 1999 by a very special dog, Trini the wonderbeagle. Elena joined Shelterluv in 2018, a software company helping teams deliver better adoption experiences and capture more donations. In between, she received an MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business and held various shelter leadership roles in Florida, Texas, and California, including serving as Chief Operating Officer at Humane Society Silicon Valley.
Kim Brown
Kim Brown is the Chief Operations Officer at the APA in St. Louis and has been in animal welfare for 20 years. She has a MA in Non-Profit Administration and served eight years as a combat medic in the US Army Reserves. Kim is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) and is committed to best practices in animal welfare to serve the animals and people who love them.
Dr. Amie Burling
Dr. Amie Burling is an Associate Teaching Professor with the Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Missouri. She graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. Following a small animal medicine and surgery internship in the Chicago suburbs, she worked in general practice in Michigan and later helped to establish the first Humane Alliance model, high-quality high-volume spay/neuter clinic in Missouri prior to beginning residency training. She then completed a residency in shelter medicine with Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida and obtained a Master’s in Public Health degree with a concentration in Epidemiology from the University of South Florida. Her interests include veterinary education, optimizing shelter animal welfare, veterinary social work, and public health.
Mindi Callison
Mindi Callison is the Founder and Executive Director of the National nonprofit organization, Bailing Out Benji which focuses on the grassroots effort to combat the puppy mill industry. Mindi founded Bailing Out Benji at 21 years old after falling victim to the puppy mill industry by way of a local pet store, who offered her a credit card with high interest. Upon learning about the pet store/puppy mill connection and learning about the predatory lending practices that these stores utilize to take advantage of low-income families, Mindi knew that she needed to act. Bailing Out Benji and its research have been instrumental in passing humane ordinances across the country, they have also been one of the driving forces behind exposing the national puppy laundering scheme that is currently happening in numerous states.
Vanessa Cowie
Vanessa Cowie has long been recognized as a data-driven leader, focused on strategic programming in the animal welfare industry. Vanessa has consistently used analytics to achieve success in shelter operations, and facility remodels, but also in fundraising and grant writing. Originally from Melbourne Australia, Vanessa has worked in animal welfare in Kansas for 12 years, with over half of that time spent as an Executive Director of two medium-sized animal shelters. Vanessa is motivated to grow the mission of an organization to serve as many animals as possible with the resources that are available and do so with a high live release rate. In a world that has an overwhelming number of unwanted animals, and a very limited amount of resources it is critical that we are turning the dials that will generate the most impact for the animals and the people that love them.
Dr. Anna Delabar
Dr. Delabar is a graduate of the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2017. She was born and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri. Early experiences with her family pets – cats, dogs, guinea pigs, and hamsters – taught her about the power of the human animal bond.
She is a Missouri Tiger through and through! She earned a BS in Animal Science and a BA in Biology, along with minors in Spanish and Sustainable Agriculture at Mizzou. Dr. Delabar first discovered her passion for animal welfare when learning about low stress livestock handling as an undergraduate student. She was accepted into Mizzou’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. While in veterinary school, she learned about Fear Free veterinary care and behavior. Adopting a dog with behavior problems sparked her interest in the field of Veterinary Behavior.
After graduation, Dr. Delabar started a mobile, small animal veterinary practice, serving the mid-Missouri area. She began a private practice residency through the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in late 2020. In addition to her residency, she is continuing her education by earning a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Sciences with an emphasis in Veterinary Science, through Mizzou’s College of Veterinary Medicine Biomed Online program. She is also a Level 3 Fear Free Certified Professional.
Dr. Delabar is a co-founder of Pet Wellness Alliance in Columbia, mid-Missouri’s first and only non-profit veterinary practice. Here she practices Fear Free medicine and sees patients for referral behavior care. She hopes to increase access to behavioral support for pets, families, and veterinary and training professionals, and to continue promoting the integration of physical and emotional health of our pets.
Dr. Delabar leads a Missouri chapter of the Street Dog Coalition, providing veterinary care for pets of unhoused families. She is also a MO state representative with the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association.
Shannon Glenn
Shannon started with My Pit Bull is Family in 2014 and quickly became an expert in housing policy and surrender prevention for the animal welfare community. She has an extensive professional background in grassroots campaigns, voter outreach, community building, fundraising, homeless advocacy and policy creation. A tireless advocate for adults experiencing homelessness, Shannon previously was the shelter supervisor for the only pet-friendly emergency homeless shelter in the state of Minnesota. The holder of a master’s degree in advocacy and political leadership, she has centered her degree program around drafting policies to end housing and insurance discrimination for families with large dogs. She is a 2021 graduate of the Executive Leadership Certification program for animal welfare at Southern Utah University, in partnership with Best Friends Animal Society. In 2019, she developed the North Minneapolis Pet Resource Center program after volunteering at Minneapolis Animal Care and Control after realizing that her neighbors lacked access to quality pet food, supplies and resources, which led to increased owner surrenders. She lives in North Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her partner, Anthony, their three dogs (Charlotte, Fern and Wilbur) and cat (Max). You can usually find her spending her free time binge-watching true crime shows, starting books and not finishing them, dreaming about traveling and enjoying the outdoors with her family.
Hilary Hager
Hilary Anne Hager is the Vice President of Outreach, Engagement and Training for the Humane Society of the United States. She has twenty-plus years in the animal protection field, including working at two different animal shelters, volunteering in wildlife rehabilitation, and as a member of the board of directors for several organizations, including a chimpanzee sanctuary, a “friends-of” nonprofit group supporting a municipal shelter, and a state federation of animal welfare organizations. She teaches compassion fatigue workshops around the country to help provide members of the animal protection community the support and resources to maintain their own well-being while working in a challenging and emotionally-charged environment. Hilary holds a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership from Seattle University.
Lindsay Hamrick
As the Director of Shelter Outreach & Engagement, Lindsay Hamrick works to strengthen partnerships with shelter and rescue organizations through mentorship, training, policy initiatives and grants. She is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. Within the HSUS, she previously served as the director of policy—advancing fair housing policies, supporting humane community cat programs and ending breed-specific legislation—and as the New Hampshire state director. Before joining the HSUS, she spent almost a decade in animal sheltering, overseeing behavioral, medical, adoption and owner support programs. She serves on the board of Shelter Animals Count and the New England Federation of Humane Societies.
April Huntsman
April Huntsman, CAWA, serves as Senior Director of Animal Welfare at Adopt a Pet and Rehome by Adopt a Pet, the nation’s largest self-supported rehoming service. Her credits include implementing sustainable social enterprise models, developing at-risk animal population programs, administering life-saving community partnerships, and gathering important data insights and research surrounding adoption trends and online searches. She is currently developing how shelters can best utilize AI to maximize their animal well-being initiatives. April has been in the animal welfare industry for over 20 years and has worked for both local and national animal welfare organizations including Maricopa County Animal Care & Control, Salt Lake County Animal Services, Best Friends Animal Society, and Michelson Found Animals Foundation. April lives in Utah with her husband John, and is the proud pack mom of two senior dogs.
Alison Fotsch Kleibor
Alison Fotsch Kleibor is the President & CEO of the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) and has been with the organization since 2007. Prior to stepping into the CEO role, Alison held the position of Executive Vice President, supporting the people & culture, communications, development, and shelter operations functions of the organization. She has served also as the Vice President of Animal Sheltering, Racine Campus Director, Client Services Manager, and Senior Adoption Counselor. She is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA), a member of the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA), and a board member of Shelter Animals Count (SAC). Alison has a MS from Alverno College, a BS from Marquette University, and a graduate certificate in shelter medicine from the University of Florida. In addition to obtaining a master’s degree in Veterinary Medical Sciences with a concentration in Shelter Medicine from the University of Florida, Alison has attended animal cruelty investigation training as well as animal control and humane officer trainings. Alison is driven by a desire for continuous learning, and a passion for growing and developing skilled leaders. She leads with a people-centered philosophy that acknowledges we can have the greatest impact for animals by believing in and partnering with the people who love them.
Robert LaRoy
Rob LaRoy wandered into animal welfare in October 2018 when he became Executive Director of the Humane Society of Elkhart County. He has more than 30-years’ experience in nonprofit management with both Big Brothers Big Sisters and the YMCA. Under his leadership the revenues of HSEC have increased from $800,000 to $2.5 million in under five years, while building an endowment of $2.6 million.
Rob his time with BBBS with knowing how to “meet people where they are”. People come to us with difficulties in their lives that require a little extra patience. It is our job to show compassionate care to individuals as well as the animals the organization serves.
He has held numerous leadership positions on a statewide basis with both BBBS and during his 14 years with the YMCA including president of the State Association of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Michigan and chairman of the state association of YMCAs in Tennessee. He currently serves as the secretary of the Indiana Coalition of Animal Welfare Professionals.
He has received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Adrian College and his Masters degree in Nonprofit Management from Grace College.
He is married and has five children, ages 26, 19, 18, and 16 year-old twins. He and his wife, Tracy, are also the proud “hoomans” to three dogs, a 4-year old golden doodle named Bo Shembarkler, a 2-year old German Shepherd named Riley, and currently are a hospice foster for a 100 year old mini-yorkie mix with cancer.
Sydney Mollentine
Sydney is a dedicated animal welfare expert with over 21 years of invaluable experience in the field, specializing in animal sheltering, animal behavior and animal medicine. With her extensive background, she has honed her skills in implementing groundbreaking programs aimed at reducing the length of stay for animals, enhancing the quality of care within the shelter environment, and breaking down barriers to adoption through open communication strategies. Sydney's unwavering compassion for animals fuels her commitment to improving the lives of both animals and people within her community. She firmly believes that each organization is a unique micro ecosystem, but she advocates for positive change by encouraging teams to engage in crucial conversations about their mission regularly and discussing how they can collectively better the lives of both the pets and the people they serve in the city on a daily basis. Under her leadership, The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City has exemplified how teamwork, dedication, and a shared vision can bring about positive transformations in the lives of animals and the community they serve. From the average length of stay being around 250 days it is now under 15 days for dogs and 17 for cats. Change and improvements are possible with slight shifts in perspectives!
Dr. Elizabeth Roberts
Elizabeth Roberts completed her DVM at the University of California, Davis in 2005, and a Master of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in 2006. She worked in a variety of animal shelters in California and as a public health veterinarian at the county and state level, including a fellowship with the California Epidemiologic Investigation Service with the CA Department of Public Health's Veterinary Public Health Section. Prior to joining the University of Wisconsin, she participated in the UW/UCD Shelter Medicine Fellowship focusing on capacity for care and interorganizational cooperation. She joined the UW team in 2019 as a shelter medicine resident, completed her residency in 2023 and now works as an Outreach Veterinarian with UW’s Shelter Medicine Program.
Amanda Roos
Amanda Roos serves as the Placement Manager with the Belleville Area Humane Society (BAHS), a 63 year old organization in the heart of St. Clair County, Illinois. Originally from Burlington, Kentucky, Amanda moved to the St. Louis area to attend college. After graduating from Webster University in early 2020, Amanda decided to leave her desk job and focus her mission on life saving by serving the people and pets of Belleville. Since Amanda has been with BAHS, she has helped over 2,000 animals find their forever homes. Amanda currently lives in Belleville, IL with her husband and nine cat children.
Jason Smith
Jason Smith MBA, CAWA, has served as the Director of Operations for one of the largest shelters in the United States, handling more than 50,000 animals annually, Executive Director for a regional humane society and various other capacities in animal welfare. With over 22 years of industry experience, Jason currently consults with up to 200 shelters each year through his position with 24Pet.
Cole Wakefield
Cole Wakefield is the executive director of The Good Shepherd Humane Society in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. He works with several national organizations on rural issues and consults with other animal welfare agencies on management practice and program implementation. He earned his Master of Science in Management and Leadership from Western Governors University and is pursuing a doctorate in strategy and innovation. Cole is proud to serve on the DEI Council for AAWA and is a member of Charity Navigator's Consultive Council of Nonprofit Leaders.
Dr. Sandra Kay Walker
Dr. Sandra Kay Walker is a 2014 graduate of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She is also a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator. She is currently an ASPCA Practitioner Pathway Mentee preparing for ABVP board specialization in Shelter Medicine Practice. She has practiced shelter and community medicine in the Kansas City metropolitan area since graduation and has served as the Shelter Veterinarian at Independence Animal Services since 2019.
Tim Yeaglin
Tim's decade-long journey into animal welfare began by volunteering his master photographer skills to take pictures of the adoptable cats and dogs at various Kansas City area animal shelters. His love for shelters and their work led him to take a marketing position at a local shelter. He became the director of operations at a fledgling shelter and helped restructure it one department at a time. Tim is particularly good at teaching shelter dogs household manners for their adoptive homes. He is passionate about reducing the fear, anxiety, and stress of all animals and loves to strengthen the human-animal bond.
Schedule
Clear your schedule, and join your colleagues from all over the Midwest to learn and network! See the full conference schedule here.
Speakers
Expert speakers are traveling from across the country to present at MASC! See the full line-up here!
Travel
Travel around Columbia is easy and affordable! Find hotel, flight, and parking details here.
“We enjoyed all of the things we learned. We made new friends. Great event for animal people to meet and be educated.”
— MASC 2019 Conference Attendee