American Humane Association Names Veteran Philanthropic Executive Robin Ganzert as President and CEO

DENVER, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Humane Association, the nation's voice for the protection of children and animals, announced today that veteran philanthropy executive Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., has been named president and chief executive officer, effective Oct. 1, 2010. Dr. Ganzert currently serves as deputy director of philanthropic services at the Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C.

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"Robin brings an unparalleled combination of energy, professional reputation and nonprofit management ability toward achieving our mission to ensure that all children and animals are free from abuse, cruelty and neglect," said American Humane Association chairman David Gies. "Her relationships and credentials in driving high-impact philanthropy give American Humane Association a new foundation from which to build on 133 years of achievements. We enthusiastically welcome Robin's leadership to this historic and vitally important organization."

Dr. Ganzert will replace interim President and CEO George C. Casey, who has guided the organization since the departure of CEO Marie Belew Wheatley in January. American Humane Association's selection of a new leader followed an intensive nationwide search.

Since 1877, the historic American Humane Association has been at the forefront of every major advancement in protecting children, pets and other animals from cruelty and abuse. Today the organization is also leading the way in understanding human-animal interaction and its role in society.

American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. Many Americans know the organization through high-profile brands like "No Animals Were Harmed,"® the film and television industry's officially sanctioned monitoring program.  Also, American Humane Association's Farm Animal Welfare program is the force behind American Humane Certified, the largest and fastest-growing humane farming consumer label in the world.

While not as visible to most people, American Humane Association's Child Welfare programs are highly regarded for innovative initiatives to prevent child abuse, strengthen families and enhance child protection systems around the country and abroad. The organization is a leading proponent of "differential response," an increasingly proven approach to customizing how communities respond to individual child abuse and neglect situations by factoring in real-world considerations, including the family's own willingness to participate in services.

American Humane Association has also extended its mission to protect both animals and children by exploring the dynamics of human-animal interactions. Initiatives include animal-assisted therapy programs and identifying approaches for integrating principles of humane behavior into the nation's education systems.

"Robin represents a new era of leadership for one of the nation's most important nonprofit organizations," said Gies.  "We are confident that she will advance a new generation of relationships and resources to support American Humane Association's goal of creating humane communities for all."

At Pew, Dr. Ganzert leads a philanthropic investment team that provides advice and other strategic services for major foundations, corporations and high-net-worth individuals. Previously, she directed nonprofit business activities and high-end charitable gift planning as senior vice president and national director of philanthropic strategies with Wachovia Wealth Management, a division of Wachovia Bank, N.A. She also served as founding director of the company's Center for Planned Giving, which provided charitable institutions with counseling and services to support holistic approaches to funding and management.

A featured speaker at philanthropy and wealth management events around the world, Dr. Ganzert is quoted frequently in news media. Her byline has appeared in a number of professional publications, including the Journal of Financial Planning, Philanthropy Journal and Advancing Philanthropy. She has served on the faculty of the National Conferences on Planned Giving and the National Conference on Philanthropic Planning, as well as regional industry organizations.

Dr. Ganzert received her B.S. and M.B.A. degrees from Wake Forest University and her doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She holds five professional financial management and accounting certifications, including Accredited Investment Fiduciary and Certified in Management Accounting. She is a national trustee with the ALS Association based in Calabasas, Calif. 

For more information about American Humane Association and its many efforts to protect children and animals, please visit www.americanhumane.org.

About American Humane Association

Since 1877, the historic American Humane Association has been at the forefront of every major advancement in protecting children, pets and other animals from cruelty and abuse. Today we're also leading the way in understanding human-animal interaction and its role in society. As the nation's voice for the protection of children and animals, American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.

SOURCE American Humane Association