ASK ME ABOUT Why I’m passionate about animal welfare and how animals help shape our community.
HOW HAS YOUR BACKGROUND PREPARED YOU FOR THIS NEW LEADERSHIP ROLE? In a lot of ways, everything I’ve done up to this point was preparing me for this role with SPCA Cincinnati. At Ohio Alleycat Rescue, I had the honor of leading a team deeply committed to saving lives. Before that, I spent a decade on City Council, including as Council President Pro Tem, where I worked to make Cincinnati a more inclusive, equitable, and welcoming city. At SPCA Cincinnati, I get to combine both of those worlds: practical leadership and public service, strategic planning and compassion.
HOW DOES ANIMAL WELFARE IMPACT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE? Animal welfare isn’t a side issue, it’s a community issue. Shelters are often a reflection of the community around them. A shelter that’s overcrowded, under-resourced, and struggling to meet basic needs is rarely the root of the problem—it’s the symptom. To fix that we have to work upstream—that means housing stability, access to care, behavioral support, and programs that meet people where they are.
HOW DO YOU HOPE TO MAINTAIN AND ADVANCE THE MISSION OF SPCA CINCINNATI? This organization has been saving lives since 1873. But we’re not here just to care for animals—we’re here to transform what animal welfare can look like. We’re launching new behavior and enrichment initiatives to better support long-term residents. We’re exploring creative adoption and foster models. And we’re investing in our people—our staff, volunteers, fosters, and adopters—because they are the heartbeat of this mission. Most importantly, we’re going to listen, because this work is about building a more compassionate Cincinnati.