I moved to Ocala, Florida on May 1st, 2023 from Arizona. Back in Arizona, I taught Pre-Kindergarten. I started looking for teaching jobs before we moved, and the Humane Society of Marion County actually reached out to me to interview for their Humane Education Coordinator Position. I had committed to the Humane Society before I even lived in Florida. The position was vacant for a couple of years before I joined. 

Tell us about your role in your organization.

As the Humane Education Coordinator, I am the head of my department. I also have an assistant, Aimee, that I share with our cat staff.  She is amazing and has helped me immensely on my humane education journey! I am in charge of hosting all of our programs. Before I started, we only had the Doggone Good Reading Program (where children in first through fifth grade can read to the dogs) and school presentations. With the vacant position, they weren't visiting schools, but the organization kept up with the Doggone Good Reading Program thanks to our wonderful volunteers. After I was hired, I revamped both programs, started a new program called Meeting New Furrends (where children in fourth through ninth grade can help socialize cats for adoption), and created seasonal camps (fall, winter, spring, and summer) for children in first through fifth grade. Before I started, our organization only visited elementary schools. By the end of the 2023-2024 school year, I had completed presentations in not only elementary schools, but in middle and high schools as well. I created our curriculum that we teach during our school visits. I have taught children all over Marion County about dog body language, pet hazards, disease prevention, pet overpopulation, and more. Marion County is the fifth largest county in the state of Florida being 1,663 miles². By May of 2024, we engaged with over 7,000 children. 

Besides being the Humane Education Coordinator, I also run our social media (Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok), work the front desk, attend outreach events, and visit retirement homes with animals. 

How did you become involved with APHE?

I called Savanna New of the Jacksonville Humane Society and asked for assistance and ideas with creating a secondary education curriculum. Savanna suggested that I join APHE, and I immediately did. Joining APHE has made such a huge difference in my career. Our community is truly beneficial. 

What do you feel are the most challenging and rewarding aspects of working in Humane Education?

In the beginning, my biggest obstacle was trying to figure out the position since there wasn't someone to shadow. In the end, it turned into a benefit because I was able to mold and create the program that best suits our community.  It is the most rewarding feeling when children remember what you have taught them and continue the cycle of education by sharing with others. I truly believe that by educating our youth today, we are creating a better tomorrow. 

What is your hope for the future of Humane Education?

My hope is that our continuous efforts of education solve pet overpopulation and animal abuse in the future.

Fun Facts: I have 6 pets: 3 dogs and 3 cats. I adopted my first dog, Paris, from a rescue in Arizona when I was 18. I then adopted two of my cats, Louis and George, from the Arizona Humane Society. After only working at the Humane Society of Marion County for a couple of weeks, I adopted Magnolia, my second dog. On July 4, 2023, I found a small, stray kitten, and ended up rescuing him. I named him Karl and nursed him back to health.  Finally, at the beginning of August of this year, I adopted Chanel, my third dog.