PRE-CONFERENCE SPECIAL SESSIONS
Feral Cats: Starting and Managing a TNR Program
The Ins and Outs of a High-Volume Spay/Neuter Clinic
Working in the Community: Saving Lives, Helping People

FIELD OPERATIONS & ANIMAL CRUELTY INVESTIGATIONS TRACK
Workshop 1 – Wild Neighbors: Peaceful Solutions to Wildlife Conflict           
Workshop 5 – Safety in the Field
Workshop 9 – Horse Sense: Becoming a Great Horse Cruelty Investigator
Workshop 13 – Farm Animals: Identification, Handling, & Cruelty, Part 1            
Workshop 17 – Farm Animals: Identification, Handling & Cruelty, Part 2
Workshop 21 – What You Need to Know about City and County Ordinances
Workshop 25 – Identifying Animal Cruelty
Workshop 29 – Operation Dead Game: Search, Seizure, & Paperwork in Large Cruelty Cases
Workshop 33 – From the Doghouse to the Courthouse: Tips on Effective Courtroom Testimony           

SHELTER OPERATIONS & PLACEMENT TRACK
Workshop 2 – Communicating Without Words: The Body Language of Cats, Dogs, and their Caregivers
Workshop 6 – Exceptional Client Service in the Animal Shelter
Workshop 10 – Managing Foster Care in a Municipal Environment
Workshop 14 – Improving Your Cat Space for Adopters and Felines
Workshop 18 – From “Shelterers” to “Send Homers”
Workshop 22 – Preparing for Crisis through Collaboration: How to Build Your Network of Emergency Placement Partners
Workshop 26 – Naked Data: Using Transparent Data to Save More Lives           
Workshop 30 – Understanding Euthanasia Dilemmas
Workshop 34 – From Compassion Fatigue to Compassion Satisfaction

LEADERSHIP TRACK
Workshop 3 – Essentials of Fundraising in an Economic Crunch
Workshop 7 – Planning a Road Map for Success
Workshop 11 – Human Resources 101
Workshop 15 – Make Yourself Matter: Developing Leadership Skills
Workshop 19 – Social Animals: Using Social Media to Increase Adoptions and Recruit Volunteers and Donors
Workshop 23 – “Survey Says” New Insights into the Public’s Perceptions of Pets…and How to Use that Information to Make a Difference
Workshop 27 – Creating a Great Place to Work
Workshop 31 – Setting Up and Managing an Advisory Board
Workshop 35 – Volunteers: Recruiting, Screening, and Maintaining

VETERINARY & HEALTH TRACK
Workshop 4 -- Shelter Feline Health, Part 1
Workshop 8 – Shelter Feline Health, Part 2
Workshop 12 – Ins and Outs of Parasites
Workshop 16 – Best Practices: Making “Sense” of the Intake Exam
Workshop 20 – Veterinary Forensics, Part 1
Workshop 24 – Veterinary Forensics, Part 2
Workshop 28 – Strategies for Disease Prevention
Workshop 32 – Shelter Canine Health, Part 1: Sanitation and Hygiene
Workshop 36 – Shelter Canine Health, Part 2: Prevention and Treatment Protocols

PRE-CONFERENCE SPECIAL SESSION 1

Feral Cats: Starting and Managing a TNR Program

Austin Humane Society, Austin, Texas

9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.

While TNR has become an accepted practice in free-roaming cat management, there are generally not enough TNR programs to manage all the cats in need. In fact, many animal shelters shy away from implementing a TNR program because they don’t think they have the resources or know how to get such a program up and running. But launching a TNR program can actually reduce euthanasia rates in your community and save tax payers money. If you are thinking about starting a TNR program or simply need more information to better manage a current program, this special session promises to deliver the “A to Z” basics on starting and managing a TNR program in your community.

• Learn the steps to launching a TNR program.

• Find out how to deliver local TNR workshops, secure equipment, and coordinate and manage volunteers.

• Get to know laws and ordinances that may impact your trappers’ work.

• Discover how to collect and manage data so that you can demonstrate the effectiveness of your program to funders.

• Learn how to find resources to fundraise and market your program, find grants, and secure community and city support.

• Learn about our clinic model, including the check-in and check-out process, clinic flow, job descriptions, clinic forms, and clinic equipment and supplies.

By the time you finish this workshop, you will be prepared to talk to anybody about TNR, ready to launch or improve your current program, and be excited about the resources out there that can help you get started.

Austin Humane Society

The Austin Humane Society (AHS) is Austin’s largest, no-kill, non-profit adoption center dedicated to saving Austin’s homeless cats and dogs and educating our community about responsible pet ownership and reducing the pet overpopulation. Formed in 1952, the AHS adopts more than 2,000 cats and dogs into the community every year and receives more than 32,000 visitors. Since March 2007, AHS’s Feral Cat Clinic has sterilized over 14,000 free-roaming cats in the community. As a result, Town Lake Animal Center has seen a 30% reduction in the number of cat intakes and a 50% reduction in cat euthanasia in 2009.

PRE-CONFERENCE SPECIAL SESSION 2

The Ins and Outs of a High-Volume Spay/Neuter Clinic

Emancipet, Austin, Texas

9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Emancipet has spayed and neutered more than 103,000 dogs and cats since opening their doors in 1999. Targeting low income pet owners, they provide 1,200 to 2,000 free and low-cost, high-volume spay/neuter services every month via their mobile and stationary clinics. In this day-long special session, come observe their operations from the inside out and learn what it takes to operate and manage a high-volume spay/neuter clinic. Whether you’re opening a first-time clinic or expanding a current program, Emancipet will answer your questions, deliver a unique day of medical observations in the surgery room, and provide some classroom learning so that you can gain greater insight into the inner-workings of a spay/neuter clinic.

• Come find out how the clinic handles high risk pets, like pit bulls and feral cats.

• Observe pre-surgery and post-surgery protocols.

• Watch several surgeries throughout the day and see what it means to be “high-volume.”

• Learn what type of equipment is needed and what medications and surgical supplies are needed.

• Find out how to work with pet owners who have never been to a vet before.

• Check out the wellness clinic to see how it operates.

• Learn how to market free and low cost services to low-income pet owners.

This special session is ideal for veterinarians, vet techs, clinic managers, clinic staff, or anyone who wants to start a new clinic or expand an existing program. The medical director will be on-hand providing commentary and answering questions.

Limit: 20 attendees

Emancipet

Started in 1999 by a young shelter vet, Emancipet is one of Texas’s most effective and innovative animal advocacy agencies, delivering low-cost pet sterilizations, wellness clinic services, microchipping and pet identification services, and advocacy efforts to residents of Austin and Travis County. In 2003, Emancipet was named one of the top three models for Mobile Spay/Neuter services by Best Friends Animal Society. By 2005, Emancipet had opened a stationary clinic, and the following year increased capacity with additional surgery suites at the clinic and a shuttle service for clients with transportation barriers. In June 2009, Emancipet celebrated its 10th Anniversary marking the safe sterilization of more than 100,000 pets.

PRE-CONFERENCE SPECIAL SESSION 3

Working in the Community: Saving Lives, Helping People

Town Lake Animal Center, Austin, Texas

9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Looking for new and innovative ways to reach out to pet owners in the community? Want to save more lives? This day-long special session will cover numerous community-based approaches to solving common animal control challenges. Find out the best ways to leverage your resources, engage the community, and create a positive image for your organization that delivers improved community relations – and more lives saved.

This special session will cover such program as:

• Neighborhood intervention programs (Spay Street)

• Pet health fairs and rabies clinics

• Tethering ordinance and interventions

• Bike patrols

• Animal protection pals

• Training for law enforcement

• Youth education programs

• Responsible pet owner classes

• Cruelty prevention training

• Cruelty interventions, including the Hoarding Task Force

Participants will leave the course with sample ordinances, training curriculums, and program ideas that work. This special session is suitable for both animal control and animal welfare professionals, since many of these community outreach programs are not enforcement-based and can be adapted for use in any animal sheltering organization.

Limit: 30 attendees

Town Lake Animal Center

Town Lake Animal Center is the largest animal shelter in Central Texas, providing shelter to more than 23,000 animals each year and animal control services to all of Austin and Travis County. An "open-intake" facility that accepts all animals in need, Town Lake Animal Center is dedicated to providing and promoting the humane treatment of animals while also protecting the public health by managing the domestic animal population. The Center provides many community services, including adoptions, injured and stray pet rescue, community outreach programs, lost and found services, humane education, and spay/neuter education.

Field Operations & Animal Cruelty Investigations Track

Workshop 1 Wild Neighbors: Peaceful Solutions to Wildlife Conflict

Saturday, March 27

10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Sharon Schmalz, Executive Director, Wildlife Rehab and Education Wildlife Center, Houston, Texas

Every day, animal shelters receive phone calls about injured wildlife and they are looking for direction on what to do next. Whether your shelter is a wildlife drop off location or you simply want your staff to know how to handle these calls better, this workshop, offered by a wildlife rehab expert, will offer some protocols for dispensing helpful “over the phone advice” and “next steps” for helping callers who want to help injured wild friends. A special “wild guest” is scheduled to appear at this workshop.

Workshop 5 Safety in the Field

Saturday, March 27

1:30 to 3:00 p.m.

Keane E. Menefee, Animal Control Manager, City of Ft. Worth, Texas

Jay Sabatucci, Animal Services, Manager, City of Arlington, Texas

Staying safe in the field is crucial for any officer or investigator. Everyday, you must assess new situations and environments to carefully handle both people and pets. How can you maintain a safe work environment and what tools do you need to safely and humanely do your job? This workshop will cover the necessary tools and risk awareness, assessment, and management for officers and field investigators to safely perform their jobs.

Workshop 9 Horse Sense: Becoming a Great Horse Cruelty Investigator

Saturday, March 27

3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Jim Boller, Executive Director, Code 3 Associates, Inc., Longmont, Colorado

This may surprise you, but in a large percentage of reported horse abuse cases the owner is not abusing the horse, but neglecting him out of ignorance. Many people leave the big city to purchase a weekend farm and get horses even though they have little to no knowledge about their care. As an investigator, you must be able to properly identify breed types, colors, and markings. You must know what is normal before you can recognize what is abnormal. You must be able to determine the difference between neglect and abuse. With a little horse sense, you can become a great horse cruelty investigator.

Workshop 13 Farm Animals: Identification, Handling & Cruelty, Part 1

Sunday, March 28

9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

Jim Boller, Executive Director, Code 3 Associates, Inc., Longmont, Colorado

Livestock laws in the state of Texas are different from companion animal laws. Most training is geared for companion animals, yet about half the calls may deal with livestock issues. Dealing with humane livestock issues can challenge any investigator. In this first workshop, come learn about Texas livestock laws from an expert who spent years responding to these calls in Houston. In addition to learning general livestock behavior, you will also learn how to document breed types and evaluate their environment.

Workshop 17 Farm Animals: Identification, Handling & Cruelty, Part 2

Sunday, March 28

11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Jim Boller, Executive Director, Code 3 Associates, Inc., Longmont, Colorado

Once you know what the laws are and what standards of care are necessary for livestock, the next step is learning how to interact with their owners and educate them of the law and their animal’s needs. In this workshop, learn how to determine the Body Conditioning Score for a variety of livestock species, what proper nutrition and safe handling are required, and when it’s time to bring a veterinarian on-site.

Workshop 21 What You Should Know about City and County Ordinances

Sunday, March 28

2:00 to 3:30 p.m.

Keane E. Menefee, Animal Control Manager, City of Ft. Worth, Texas

Jay Sabatucci, Animal Services, Manager, City of Arlington, Texas

Are you familiar with animal ordinances in your city or county code? How do they compare to Texas State statutes? Who is responsible for researching and drafting your animal ordinances? Join us to learn about the animal ordinances you need as well as how to write them, where to research for other organizations' ordinances, and who you should work with to get them passed. Please bring your ordinances with you to this workshop.

Workshop 25 Investigating Animal Cruelty

Sunday, March 27

4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Charles Jantzen, Chief Cruelty Investigator, Houston SPCA, Houston, Texas

Every community has the legal means of protecting animals from abuse and neglect. As a cruelty investigator, you are most effective when you know the law in your community and act professionally and in a responsible manner. Even if you are not a law enforcement officer, you are considered a public servant when carrying out your duties as a cruelty investigator. In this workshop, learn the procedures of an animal cruelty investigation, from handling complaints, interviews and interrogations, and case preparation to understanding and enforcing Texas cruelty laws.

Workshop 29 Operation Dead Game: Search, Seizure & Paperwork in Large Cruelty Cases

Monday, March 29

9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

Dawn D. Blackmar, DVM, Veterinary Public Health, Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services, Houston, Texas

Belinda Smith, J.D., Chief Prosecutor, Animal Cruelty Section, Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Houston, Texas

Operation Dead Game was the largest undercover dog fighting bust in the country. This multi-agency operation covered six Texas counties and resulted in the seizure of 168 dogs and the prosecution of 61 defendants. This workshop will examine the unique legal issues of this investigation as well as present relevant laws regarding search and seizure. Hear from undercover operatives, the chief prosecutor, and the veterinarian who worked on the case and find out how to properly document and safeguard evidence.

Workshop 33 From the Doghouse to the Courthouse: Tips on Effective Courtroom Testimony

Monday, March 29

11:00 to 12:30 p.m.

Belinda Smith, J.D., Chief Prosecutor, Animal Cruelty Section, Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Houston, Texas

You don’t want to lose a case because you’re unable to convey the results of your investigation or the nature of the crime committed. Courtroom testimony requires a cruelty investigator to deliver factual information while remaining sincere and accessible to the jury or judge. Every investigator should have an understanding of courtroom proceedings. At this workshop, learn some specifics about courtroom procedure and tips on how to deliver effective courtroom testimony.

Shelter Operations & Placement Track

Workshop 2 Communicating Without Words: The Body Language of Cats, Dogs, and their Caregivers

Saturday, March 27

10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Kellie Snider, MS, Manager of Animal Behavior Programs, SPCA of Texas, Dallas, Texas

People talk to animals all the time, but the real communication between humans and non-human companion animals is in actions, not words. This workshop will reveal what dogs and cats are telling us with their body language, and what we are saying to them with ours. It will open an avenue of communication that will help us stay safe in our work with animals and will provide us with ways to convince them that they are safe with us.

Workshop 6 Exceptional Client Service in the Animal Shelter

Saturday, March 27

1:30 to 3:00 p.m.

Kimberley Intino, CAWA, Director, Shelter Services, The Humane Society of the United States, Washington, DC

Exceptional client service involves meeting the needs of every client by interpreting both obvious and subtle cues and delivering an effective response. The attitude and tone of a message is just as important as the words that are spoken. In an animal shelter, staff and clients alike will experience stressful situations and fluctuating emotions that can make even the simplest of interactions a challenge. Discover verbal, non-verbal, and organizational skills that will allow you to diffuse difficult situations, provide valuable education, increase adoptions, and advance your agency’s mission…all with a smile!

Workshop 10 Managing Foster Care in a Municipal Environment

Saturday, March 27

3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Donald E. Jordan, Director, Seattle Animal Shelter, Seattle, Washington

Is your shelter bursting at the seams with dogs, cats and critters? Gain some insight on what government animal shelters, humane societies and other animal welfare organizations can truly do if you really try. This session will cover the benefits and challenges of running foster care programs. Learn about organizational structure, recruitment of foster families, orientation and training, funding and other important considerations to create or improve foster care programs in your community. (Added workshop bonus: All attendees will receive award winning foster cat and foster dog manuals to further your own program.)

Workshop 14 Improving Your Cat Space for Adopters and Felines

Sunday, March 28

9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

Kit Jenkins, Program Manager for Agency Enhancement, PetSmart Charities, Phoenix, Arizona

Want to get more cats adopted? Want potential adopters to spend more time in the cat adoption area? Then it’s time for a little “Cat Shui,” the art of designing an adoption space to improve the happiness and harmony of your shelter’s felines and their potential families. Learn how to use color, lighting, sound, kennel cards and easy design concepts to keep adopters hanging around and draw their attention to each cat. Even if you can’t make sweeping changes, small changes can deliver a more effective and pleasant environment. Whether you work in a rundown facility or have plenty of money and a new building to design, this workshop will show you how to pull it all together.

Workshop 18 From “Shelterers” to “Send Homers”

Sunday, March 28

11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Emily Weiss, Ph.D., CAAB, Senior Director, Shelter Research and Development, Community Outreach, ASPCA, Benton, Kansas

Animal sheltering organizations often struggle with the adoption process by focusing heavily on policies and processes to ensure the "right" adopters adopt their pets. But are policies the best way to assure "good" homes? There is another way that’s proven to deliver good adopters. Come learn how “conversation-based adoptions” offer a shift in focus and philosophy, opening the door to more potential adopters and turning your agency from “shelterers” to “send homers.”

Workshop 22 Preparing for Crisis through Collaboration: How to Build Your Network of Emergency Placement Partners

Sunday, March 28

2:00 to 3:30 p.m.

Michelle Cascio, Casework Coordinator for the Wilde Puppy Mill Task Force, Humane Society of the United States, Washington, D.C.

Be proactive, not reactive, and prepare for large scale animal seizures and other emergencies by launching your own Emergency Placement Partner program. In this workshop, we will discuss how you can tailor The Humane Society of the United States’ Emergency Services Placement Partner program to fit your organization’s needs. Learn from our experience as we share the development, strategy and materials, including a basic database to help you manage your Placement Partner details, behind our program. We will also discuss the top things to consider when planning for emergency animal sheltering such as: selecting potential sites, creating MOU’s, identifying what supplies to consider and securing community resources.

Workshop 26 Naked Data: Using Transparent Data to Save More Lives

Sunday, March 28

4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Emily Weiss, Ph.D., CAAB, Senior Director, Shelter Research and Development, Community Outreach, ASPCA, Benton, Kansas

Over the past few years, the ASPCA Dashboard has been helping our partner communities improve programs, target resources and understand trends in their organizations. Learn what data is important to collect, what definitions can be most helpful, and how to be proactive to animal trends in your facilities.

Workshop 30 Understanding Euthanasia Dilemmas

Monday, March 29

9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

Jesse Winters, Senior Director Community Outreach, ASPCA, Urbana, Illinois

The ethical dilemmas of euthanasia continue to cause conflict and debate in our field. What are the questions we should be asking ourselves? How do we decide individually, and for our organizations, where do we stand? What is truly at the heart of our debates? This workshop examines the ethical dilemmas of euthanasia and offers new ways of framing the issue to help you make ethically sound decisions. The goal is to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the choices we all must make.

Workshop 34 From Compassion Fatigue to Compassion Satisfaction

Monday, March 29

11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Jesse Winters, Senior Director Community Outreach, ASPCA, Urbana, Illinois

We’ve all been there. You're drained, tapped out, and have little energy to give others. After a little break, you might feel energized again. But what if you don’t? It's possible you could be experiencing compassion fatigue, which in our field means the physical and emotional exhaustion from the day-to-day work we do caring about and helping animals. Come find out how to create your own realistic, customized strategies for staying healthy, balancing self-care with other care, and maintaining your productive work on behalf of animals.

Leadership Track

Workshop 3 Essentials of Fundraising in an Economic Crunch

Saturday, March 27

9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

Beth M. Krueger, Consultant, Custom Strategies, Austin, Texas

The last 18 months have been financially challenging for animal organizations and you may have had to make some budget cuts while trying to maintain basic resources. But did you know that even in an economic crunch, there are people out there still giving – some even more than normal? You just need to know how to find them. Come learn the secrets to keeping the money flowing while bringing in new supporters to your organization. It's easier than you may think.

Workshop 7 Planning a Road Map to Success

Saturday, March 27

1:30 to 3:00 p.m.

Karen Medicus, CFRE, Senior Director, Community Outreach, ASPCA, Austin, Texas

How do you assess what’s happening in your community and use that information to prepare a roadmap for success? In this workshop, participants will learn how to use Logic Model Planning, a systemic way to use your current community data and trends to determine short and long-term outcomes to enhance programs such as animal placement, intake reduction, and targeted spay/neuter in your community. When you leave this workshop, you will be better prepared to design an action plan to accomplish these outcomes.

Workshop 11 Human Resources 101

Saturday, March 27

3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Richard Morris, Vice President Human Resources, SPCA of Texas, Dallas, Texas

Providing a strong culture and total employee involvement in every process of the organization is the main goal of any human resources department. Hiring the right person in the first place helps foster that goal. This workshop looks at the unique issues and priorities of hiring animal shelter personnel and covers the full spectrum of human resource issues, from the application process and job descriptions to interview techniques, drug screening, background checks, performance evaluations, and counseling.

Workshop 15 Make Yourself Matter: Developing Leadership Skills

Sunday, March 28

9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

Carl Youngberg, professional speaker, published author, and executive coach, Richardson, Texas

Ever wonder what skills you need to become a great leader? Carl Youngberg, author of Make Yourself Matter: Become Your Own Best Asset, will help you develop strategies for becoming a commitment-oriented person and unstoppable team member that will be valued in a leadership position. Whether you need to identify leadership growth opportunities or are wanting to expand in your current leadership abilities, this workshop will offer strategies to change and grow yourself into the leader you wish to become.

Workshop 19 Social Animals: Using Social Media to Increase Adoptions and Recruit Volunteers and Donors

Sunday, March 28

11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Emily Garman, Founder, TheSocialAnimal.com, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Using social media to market your shelter and improve your programs is a great idea, but where do you begin and how do you get started when you know very little about the process? This workshop will teach you the basics of social media so that your organization can utilize these tools to benefit the animals in your program. Take steps to develop a social media plan; start a blog; create (or improve) your e-newsletter; and expand your presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Workshop 23 “Survey Says!” New Insights into the Public’s Perceptions of Pets…and How to Use That Information to Make a Difference

Sunday, March 28

2:00 to 3:30 p.m.

Kit Jenkins, Program Manager for Agency Enhancement, PetSmart Charities, Phoenix, Arizona

Why don’t more people spay and neuter their pets? How do people feel about adopting from animal agencies? How many pets have at least one litter? And what can you do with this kind of information? Come learn what a survey of 3,000 pet parents and non-pet parents reveals about public perceptions of shelter animals and animal welfare work in a rousing game of “Are You Smarter than a Pet Owner?” Then learn some valuable tips on how to use those public perceptions regarding pets, spay/neuter, and adoptions to enhance and revamp your programs and change public's perception. You will walk away from this workshop with a new understanding of public perception of pets and the tools to make a difference in your community.

Workshop 27 Creating a Great Place to Work

Sunday, March 28

4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Carl Youngberg, professional speaker, published author, and executive coach, Richardson, Texas

How do you transform your organization from simply a good place to work to a great place to work? What non-financial things can you do to retain employee satisfaction and loyalty and reduce turnover? In this workshop, author Carl Youngberg shows you how to open communications, show appreciation, and care for employees as individuals with personal lives. Learn how credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie create a sense of “family” or “team” that will make coming to work a happy experience for everyone.

Workshop 31 Setting Up and Managing an Advisory Board

Monday, March 29

9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

Pam Burney, Vice President, Community Outreach, ASPCA, Hurst, Texas

Slightly different from a board of directors, an advisory board serves more of a mentorship role for an organization. Depending on their expertise, advisory board members can offer different perspectives and insights into agency concerns. Come learn the legal requirements for setting up and managing an “Animal Shelter Advisory Board” and what you must do – and should be doing – to cultivate this positive resource for your community.

Workshop 35 Volunteers: Recruiting, Screening, and Maintaining

Monday, March 29

11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Gina A. Parker, CVA-Vice President of Community & Corporate Affairs, SPCA of Texas, Dallas, Texas

Volunteers are a mainstay of any animal organization. But sometimes we don’t recruit the right volunteers for a project or manage them well enough once they’re on board, leaving volunteers and staff frustrated – and you short-handed. Every agency must learn how to work with volunteers in a way that produces positive results while ensuring volunteers also feel their talents and strengths are being appreciated. This workshop shows you how to recruit, screen and maintain volunteers to keep everyone happy and things running smoothly.

P. Shawn Ashley, DVM, MS works for the SPCA of Texas in Dallas. Dr. Ashley graduated from Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine, in 1988. She owned a small animal and pet exotics clinic in Cedar Hill, Texas for 15 years, and served on the local TriCities Animal Shelter board for 6 years. She has also practiced companion animal and small pet exotic emergency medicine for over 3 years in Arlington, Texas. Dr. Ashley has recently completed her Masters in Veterinary Microbiology with an emphasis in Science and Technology Journalism at Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine. Her professional interests now lie with companion animal population medicine and infectious disease control in shelter situations. She is currently a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Association of Shelter Veterinarians, the American Medical Writers Association, and the American Society of Microbiologists.

Dawn D. Blackmar, DVM is the Director of Veterinary Public Health for the Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services. Dr. Blackmar, a native Texan, received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Texas A & M University in 1980. After several years in private veterinary practice, she entered the field of public health in 1986. As Director of Veterinary Public Health, she is responsible for monitoring zoonotic diseases and coordinating the response to disease outbreaks for Harris County. Additionally, she is responsible for updating and implementing the animal component of Harris County’s emergency plan. She is the lead person for the Harris County Disaster Animal Management Task Force and serves on the Texas State Animal Resource Team (TXSART) Working Group. Currently she chairs a multidiscipline, collaborative effort to cope with issues associated with pit bull dog ownership in the Harris County area. Dr. Blackmar has served as president of San Jacinto Veterinary Medical Association, the Texas Animal Control Association and is a current member of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association. She is also a member of the advisory council to the Veterinary Technology program at Tomball College. In addition to providing television and radio interviews concerning veterinary public health issues, she has written articles for Texas Veterinarian and Texas Horse Talk. Dr. Blackmar has a Certificate in Homeland Security through the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

Jim Boller is the executive director of Code 3 Associates, Inc, in Longmont, Colorado, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing professional training for individuals and agencies involved in animal-related law enforcement and emergency/crisis responses, especially related to cruelty investigations for livestock and pets. Boller was formerly the Director of Field Services for the Houston SPCA and was one of the professionals regularly featured on Animal Planet's "Animal Cops: Houston." Boller provides extensive training all across the country to animal welfare professionals and is a regular lecturer at Colorado State University. He teaches at the National Cruelty Investigations School (Levels 1, 2,& 3) at the University of Missouri and teaches National Equine Cruelty Investigations (Levels 1&2). He was an instructor at the Houston Police Academy for 28 years.

Pam Burney is currently the Vice President for Community Outreach for the ASPCA
She joined the ASPCA in 2003 upon retirement from twenty-five years of service with the City of North Richland Hills, where she began as their only animal control officer in 1978 and became director of environmental services in 1988. Burney built the first animal shelter for North Richland Hills – an innovative, modern facility that has served as a model for many shelters in Texas and the Southwest. Currently, she provides direction and oversight for ASPCA Partner Community Initiative and the Shelter Outreach program. Burney is a past president of the Texas Animal Control Association, the National Animal Control Association (NACA), and the National Council on Pet Population Study & Policy (NCPPSP) and currently serves on the NCPPSP Board. She is a founder and treasurer of the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition. Pam has presented workshops at NACA, American Humane and CHAMP national conferences, internationally in England at the National Dog Warden’s Association and at various state and regional conferences around the country.

Michelle Cascio has been with The HSUS since 2007, initially in the role of outreach assistant for Animal Sheltering Issues, and then as a shelter services coordinator within the Companion Animals department. During this time, she provided guidance and resources to animal shelters that desired to improve their operations or programs. In fall 2009, she accepted a position as casework coordinator for the newly formed Wilde Puppy Mill Task Force, part of The HSUS Puppy Mills campaign. The task force investigates puppy mills and works with law enforcement, animal shelters, and other agencies to stop abuse and provides expert guidance to local, state and federal agencies. She started her career in animal welfare almost 20 years ago as the shelter manager for the Washington Humane Society in Washington, D.C. While there she managed shelter operations and programs and also assisted humane law enforcement officers with cruelty cases. She is a certified DART responder and has deployed for large scale raids.
Kit Darling MS, CIC, M, MT(ASCP) is the Infection Control Coordinator for Texas A&M University, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in College Station, Texas. Darling has over 25 years working in microbiology/medical laboratories, 15 years in Infectious Diseases/Infection Prevention and Control, experience in human and animal infection prevention, and her Certification in Infection Control (CIC). She also teaches infection prevention and clinical safety to veterinary students at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Emily Garman has been working in graphic design for almost 20 years and web site creation for 10 years, and consults with clients across the USA. A passion for teaching and explaining Social Media (and for rescuing pets) has resulted in her being requested to present workshops on social media and web communications at several national and regional conferences, including the HSUS Animal Care Expo and HSUS Taking Action for Animals, and the Petfinder.com Adoption Options tour. Her web site, The Social Animal (www.thesocialanimal.com) specifically helps animal welfare workers understand and use social media to further their lifesaving efforts.

Gerryll G. Hall, DVM, is the Technical Services Manager and lead veterinarian for Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health’s unique VetReachTM program. Her contributions to this effort include practicing in Atlanta, GA, as well as working with two rescue groups and one animal shelter; creating vaccination 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; and updating shelters on immunology and sanitation protocols; visiting veterinary clinics and shelters personally to educate the staff on the issues involved in the use of currently available products. She also serves as the primary Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health representative at international, national and state meetings concerning biologicals, internal medicine and pain management.

Kimberley Intino, CAWA, is director for The Humane Society of the United States Services Program. Intino has been with The HSUS for over seven years and has been working for animals for almost 20 years. Her experience includes animal care and shelter operations, veterinary assistance, legislation, and animal cruelty and disaster response. Prior to her current position at The HSUS, she was manager of its Animal Services Consultation program for 3 years. She has worked as animal care supervisor and executive director for two animal shelters, and as zookeeper, area manager, and public relations/marketing/ development director for two zoos. She has served as adjunct teacher for two colleges, developing and teaching courses on humane education and wildlife in shelters, and has been a guest speaker for several school service and professional groups. Kim is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator, holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychobiology and English, a Master of Science in human resource management, a certificate in non-profit management from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, and has been a licensed euthanasia technician. Kim was honored by New York State’s Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2001 for her professional contributions to the community. She received The HSUS Circle of Excellence Team award in 2003.
Charles Jantzen, Chief Cruelty Investigator for the Houston SPCA, has worked in animal welfare for 9 years. He has attended the National Cruelty Investigators School, National Equine Cruelty Investigations School, a range of animal rescue courses and FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute. Jantzen leads a team of eight highly dedicated professional individuals who investigate more than 15,000 cases of animal neglect and cruelty in an area that encompasses over 8,000 square miles of Southeast Texas. Throughout Jantzen’s career, he has helped provide relief to animals following a range of natural disasters including: Hurricanes, Tornados, Flooding and Fire events across the country. Jantzen has conducted animal related training courses across the United States for Humane Investigators, Law Enforcement and others in the legal community. The work of the Houston SPCA Investigation Department is featured on Animal Planet’s TV show, Animal Cops: Houston.

Kit Jenkins is the Program Manager for Agency Enhancement with PetSmart Charities, and has worked for more than 25 years in the animal sheltering world, focusing on animal behavior (in the shelter and in the home), education for all ages, and peer training. She is nationally known for her training, counseling, and writing abilities regarding shelter-related issues and program development. In her current position, Jenkins continues to work with animal welfare people every day, coaching and supporting them as they work to strengthen their organizations.

Don Jordan is the executive director of the Seattle Animal Shelter, the only municipal shelter in the State of Washington providing low-cost spay & neuter services to the general public. The Seattle Animal Shelter is one of the most progressive government funded animal welfare programs in the country, providing over 20 different volunteer programs for 600 volunteers and over 300 foster families. Jordan has been in the animal welfare field for 20 years. He was recruited by the City of Seattle in 1990 as a Humane Law Enforcement Officer and was in charge of Enforcement and Field Services prior to his promotion as Executive Director in 1996. Jordan served as a board member from 2001-2006 with the National Companion Animal Advisory Group for the Humane Society of the United States; is a consultant with the HSUS Animal Services Consultation Program; was past president of the Seattle Management Association; and recently served as the President of the Washington State Federation of Animal Care and Control Agencies where he continues to hold a board position today. Jordan’s innovative programs have become a model for other municipal agencies across the country.

Beth M. Krueger has more than 20 years as a professional non-profit manager. She has built strategies, developed programs, raised funds, and served as a part of the leadership team for a variety of non-profits including those in animal welfare, social services, and professional association management. A passionate advocate for organizations that enrich the community, Krueger has served as an officer in the Austin Chapter of the Association for Fundraising Professionals and was the 2003 Fundraiser of the Year. She has served on the grants distribution committee for St. David’s Episcopal Church and is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Austin.

Karen Medicus, CFRE, is a Senior Director, facilitating strategic planning and board development for ASPCA Community Outreach. Medicus started cleaning kennels for a small Humane Society in 1976 to supplement her freelance photography and has since served in nearly every capacity of an animal shelter or animal control agency. As a CEO, Karen led two major shelter turnarounds – including successful capital campaigns – for the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast in Florida and the Humane Society of Austin and Travis County in Texas. While in Austin, she landed a $3.8 million Maddie’s Fund grant – the third such grant ever awarded to a shelter. Medicus was also Major Gifts Officer in the Southwest Region for HSUS and Vice President of Partner Relations for Petfinder.com. She is past president of the Florida Animal Control Association, Florida Action for Animals, Texas Federation of Humane Societies and has served on the boards of the National Animal Control Association, Stuart/Martin County Chamber of Commerce, Florida Federation of Humane Societies, Texas Humane Legislation Network, and local chapters in Florida and Texas of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She is co-author of HSUS’s publication: Fund-Raising for Animal Care Organizations. Medicus is a Certified Fund Raising Executive, Mediator, Appreciative Inquiry practitioner and a certified Dialogue Education fellow.

Keane E. Menefee, Animal Control Manager, City of Fort Worth Animal Care & Control Division, has worked for the agency for more than 12 years, overseeing the spay/neuter clinic and veterinarian services as well as field, shelter, cruelty, education, and investigation programs for the past 12 years. Menefee is the past president of the Texas Animal Control Association, Vice-President of the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition, and a private consultant with the HSUS and the ASPCA. Menefee holds Basic, Advanced, Administrative, and Instructor certifications from Texas Animal Control Association and is a Texas Department of State Health Services certified euthanasia instructor.

Melinda D. Merck, DVM, Senior Director of Veterinary Forensic Sciences at the ASPCA, assists investigators of animal cruelty with crime scene investigation as well as the examination of live and deceased victims. She frequently testifies as a forensic veterinary expert for animal cruelty cases around the country, including cases involving animal hoarding, dog fighting and animal torture. She most recently was the veterinary forensics expert on the Michael Vick dog fighting case. Dr. Merck is the author of the textbook, “Veterinary Forensics: Animal Cruelty Investigation,” by Blackwell Publishing and the co-author of the book “Veterinary Forensic Investigation of Animal Cruelty: A Guide for Veterinarians and Law Enforcement.” She frequently provides training for veterinary and law enforcement professionals nationwide on the use of veterinary medical knowledge in the investigation and prosecution of animal cruelty cases.

Richard Morris, Vice President Human Resources, SPCA of Texas, Dallas, has been Vice President of Human Resources for the SPCA of Texas since October 2006. Morris has been involved in the human resource discipline for more than 30 years. Morris relies on strategic thinking, strong leadership, and a realistic view of change to ensure the Human Resource department partners with the organization. Morris’ background also includes serving as a hands-on supervisor, manager, and facilitator for the energy, manufacturing, automotive, and financial print industries.

Gina A. Parker, CVA-Vice President of Community & Corporate Affairs, SPCA of Texas, is responsible for the agency corporate relations, special events, customer care phone center, and outreach and volunteer departments. Parker has worked in the nonprofit world for more than 13 years with a focus in fundraising initiatives, special events, volunteer and board development. She obtained her professional certification in volunteer administration in January 2007 and is currently serving as President for the Dallas Association of Directors of Volunteers. Gina is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington and resides in Irving, Texas.

Jay Sabatucci is currently the Animal Services, Manager for the City of Arlington in Arlington, Texas. Prior to coming onboard as the Arlington Animal Services Manager, Sabatucci spent almost seven years as the Texas State Director for the Humane Society of the United States, where he lobbied for animal welfare in Texas and in several other state legislatures, working tirelessly to stop animal cruelty and dog fighting. Before that, he was with the Texas Department of Health, where he worked since 1998 to revolutionize educational opportunities for animal welfare professionals in Texas. Prior to that, he served as the Executive Director of the Humane Society of North Texas, as an Educator for Fort Worth Animal Care and Control, and as Education Officer for Arlington Animal Services. He has been in the animal welfare industry since 1984, and spent thirteen years as a field officer. Sabatucci earned his bachelor’s degree in 1979 from the University of Texas at Arlington, and holds a lifetime Texas State Teaching Certificate. He holds Basic, Advanced, Administrative, and Instructor certifications from Texas Animal Control Association (TACA), and is a Past President. He has also served as Chairman of the Arlington Animal Services Advisory Board, and was on the Board of Directors of the Texas State Animal Resource Team (TX SART). He is also a Past President of the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition (TASC).

Sharon Schmalz is executive director of the Wildlife Rehab & Education Wildlife Center in Houston, Texas. The Wildlife Center cares for approximately 8,000 wild animals each year and educates over 10,000 adults and children about wildlife, conservation and the environment. Schmalz has maintained state and federal permits for 25 years to care for injured, orphaned, endangered, educational and oiled wildlife. She is director of the WR&E oiled wildlife response team that responds to oiled wildlife in the Gulf Coast. Schmalz is 40 hour-Hazwoper certified and ICS trained to care for oil-contaminated wildlife. She was involved in the development of the “Best Practices for Migratory Bird Care During Oil Spill Response” document in Anchorage, Alaska in 2001. For 10 years, Schmalz has coordinated oiled wildlife response workshops for the Texas General Land Office and for industry and maintained the resulting database of potential volunteers for response. She is the representative for WR&E’s advisory council for the Texas State Animal Resource Team (TXSART), a program of the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation that coordinates preparedness, response and recovery efforts for animals affected by disasters in the state of Texas.

Belinda Smith, J.D., is the chief prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office (HCDAO), Animal Cruelty Section, in Houston, Texas. During her twelve years there, Smith has been assigned to several divisions where she has prosecuted a variety of crimes. In 2006, she became the lead animal cruelty prosecutor for the HCDAO. In that position, she has been instrumental in helping to reform state and county legislation related to animal cruelty and animal fighting laws as well as training law enforcement officers and animal control officers to recognize and investigate animal crimes. Smith has addressed both the State Bar of Texas and the Animal Law Institute on animal law issues and is active in the Houston legal community where she is currently Chair of both the Houston Bar Association, Animal Law Section and Environmental Law Section. In addition, Smith frequently lectures at University of Texas School of Law, the University of Houston Law Center, South Texas College of Law and Texas A&M Veterinary School. She has spoken about the link between animal cruelty and other crimes at the Protecting Texas Children’s Conference and the Texas Gang Investigator Conference. Smith holds a B.A. in Psychology and B.S. in Geology from the University of Houston and a J.D. from South Texas College of Law.

Kellie Snider, MS is the Manager of Animal Behavior Programs for the SPCA of Texas. She conducted the Constructional Aggression Treatment research on treating canine aggression under the direction of Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz while studying at the University of North Texas. The two have conducted seminars on the CAT procedure across the US and internationally. A DVD of the procedure, now in its third edition, is the best-selling video of the producer, Tawzer Dog Videos, and has sold in 9 countries. Kellie has presented information about animal behavior at symposia, seminars, workshops and classes since 2002.

Karen Snowden, DVM, PhD, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A & M University Karen Snowden DVM PhD is an Associate Professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University. After receiving her DVM degree from Auburn University in 1979, she spent several years in private practice and returned to academia where she received her PhD degree in immunoparasitology from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. She has served on the faculty at Texas A&M for 16 years where her primary responsibilities are teaching and research in veterinary parasitology. Snowden also serves as the course coordinator for the 3VM elective course in Shelter Medicine. She also serves as a liason between the CVM and the Brazos Animal Shelter in a collaborative training program where vet students interact with shelter animals during all 4 years of their professional curriculum. Additionally she serves on the Board of Directors for the Brazos Animal Shelter, a 501-C3 non-profit, open admission shelter.

Emily Weiss, PhD, CAAB, Senior Director, Shelter Research and Development, ASPCA, Benton, Kan., joined the ASPCA in July of 2005 and is the senior director of shelter research and development. Dr. Weiss has focused much of her career on shelter animals, first developing the SAFER test, a behavior assessment used by shelters throughout the country. She then developed Meet Your Match™ Canine-ality™ and Puppy-ality™, and then Feline-ality™, all ASPCA programs. Feline-ality™ is the first research-based adoption program for cats in shelters and has proven to be an effective tool to decrease euthanasia, increase adoptions, and decrease returns of cats to shelters. Dr. Weiss is a section editor of the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science and travels across North America lecturing on various areas of applied animal behavior.

Jesse Winters is a Senior Director for the ASPCA’s Community Outreach Department.
She joined the ASPCA in 1999 as the Midwest Regional Manager for National Shelter Outreach, becoming Senior Director for the Community Outreach Department in 2004. She is currently the Community Liaison to Cleveland, OH in the ASPCA Partnership initiative, providing coaching, consulting and training to increase the Live Release Rate of animals at risk. During her tenure, she created the ASPCA’s first and only trademarked program - the Meet Your Match™ constellation of adoption and behavior assessment tools available for implementation by shelters nationwide. Winters is certified through Corporation for Positive Change as a facilitator of the Appreciative Inquiry model for organizational development and consulting. She works with local animal welfare organizations and provides workshops and training programs on a variety of topics. Winters is part of the ASPCA’s Animal Disaster Response Team and has been deployed to numerous natural disasters and large-scale cruelty cases, including Hurricane’s Katrina, Gustav, and Ike, as well as multiple cruelty investigations including the multi-jurisdictional dog fighting case in Missouri. She is trained in Veterinary Forensics Animal Crime Scene Investigations, Ice Rescue, Technical Animal Rescue, and Search & Rescue III.

Carl Youngberg, a professional speaker, published author, and executive coach, regularly presents programs and workshops to help business people make their ideas matter. As Vice President of American Society of Training and Development, he stays current with the latest research and data regarding how to make successful presentations. As an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas for over ten years, his workshop Death By Powerpoint – Presentation Skills Development has now become a regular course at SMU (Southern Methodist University) and is presented internally at many client companies. Youngberg has taught over 100 SMU courses centered around the concept of achieving business success through individual growth and development. Delivering programs that inspire, motivate and educate, Youngberg has talked to hundreds of organizations about building successful businesses centered around employees and customers. Youngberg writes for the Dallas Morning News and has been featured on Fox News and in Time Magazine. He has been honored as the Arts Patron of the Year and received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. In Carl Youngberg’s new book – Make Yourself Matter™- Become Your Own Best Asset, he identifies the 10 secrets that build each of us into our greatest assets both professionally and personally.