Nation's Leading Humanitarian Organization Protecting Children and Animals Adds Slate of Major Thought Leaders to Help Carry Out Transformative Agenda

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Humane Association, which for 135 years has pioneered virtually every major advance in protecting the nation's children and animals from abuse and neglect, has added to its ranks an impressive new slate of major thought leaders to further augment the venerable charity's already extensive work in helping the voiceless and vulnerable.  Major successes in 2011 also led to a host of promotions.

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The organization, which already helps protect millions of children and animals in all 50 states through groundbreaking research, pioneering programs, and lifesaving rescue services, recently announced the creation of a transformative agenda to take on the newest challenges facing those it serves. This includes the launch of four new redesigned program planks, dramatically increased outreach and prevention efforts, and the creation of two major research centers, the Animal Welfare Research Institute and the Children's Innovation Institute.

To support these ambitious new efforts, the organization's new president and CEO, Dr. Robin Ganzert, is augmenting the organization's nationally respected staff with globally recognized thought leaders in key programmatic areas. Among the new senior staff joining American Humane Association are:

• Paul Raybould, former Executive Vice President at Morris Animal Foundation, who has been named Senior Philanthropic Advisor to American Humane Association.  Raybould is a central figure in both the nonprofit and animal welfare worlds, and has advanced innovative strategies with animal welfare research.  "My childhood experiences cemented a lifelong passion in me to promote the healing power of the human-animal bond and how that bond can transform lives. I am honored to join American Humane Association and work with them to drive mission-critical, sustainable growth to transform our world through compassion."

• Sean Hawkins, has been named as American Humane Association's Director of Strategic Partnerships. An innovative animal welfare thinker who served as Executive Director of the Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation, pioneered the concept of mobile spay-and-neuter clinics while at Cleveland Amory's Fund for Animals, and is the creator of and executive producer for the nationally televised American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™.  Hawkins says, "This new role allows me to create unique relationships between people and organizations that want to do good things for animals and those who love them."

• Ken Mountcastle, with top-level senior experience in the banking and finance industry and an expert in family philanthropy, has been named American Humane Association's Corporate Relations Officer. He will work to identify and recruit new corporate relationships that identify with the core values of America's oldest humanitarian organization dedicated to children and animals.

• Kemi Tignor, who has directed and worked on multi-million dollar campaigns for major educational institutions and associations, has been named Senior Philanthropic Advisor. She has directed and worked on high-profile national fund-raising projects, including The Campaign for Miss Porter's School, A Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Ms. Tignor has a Master's degree in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University and her role focuses on major gifts and planned giving.

• Kimberly Breisacher, who has directed online outreach for major national corporations with budgets of half a billion dollars, has been named Director of Marketing and e-Philanthropy. Under her leadership, online fundraising has increased by 30 percent and social media activity rose 913 percent.

Six Internal Promotions Based on Successes and Growth During 2011
In addition to these new leaders, President Ganzert announced promotions based on the remarkable successes in programs and growth during the past 12 months. Among those promoted are:

• John Fluke, PhD was promoted from Director of the Child Protection Research Center to Vice President of American Humane Association's Children's Innovation Institute, which researches new ways to promote the welfare, wellness, and well-being of the nation's children in Humane Research and Policy Solutions.  Fluke is a well-known authority in the field of child welfare and recently published a major paper, "Child maltreatment: variation in trends and policies in six developed countries," in The Lancet.

• Suzanne Lohrbach, MS, LICSW was promoted from Academic Director for Child Welfare to Vice President, Children's Programming in Humane Research and Policy Solutions. Ms. Lohrbach joined American Humane Association in 2010 after serving for more than 20 years as a senior leader at child welfare organizations, an international clinical consultant, and adjunct professor at Winona State University and the University of Minnesota.

• Kathi Brock was promoted from Director of Strategic Partnerships with American Humane Association's Farm Animal Program to Senior Director of the Humane Heartland™ program, which includes American Humane Certified™, the oldest and largest farm animal certification program in the country. Over the past year under her leadership, the number of farm animals being protected through the program grew by more than 30 percent from 100 million to 135 million.

• Tim Redden, MBA was promoted from Senior Director of Corporate and Donor Relations to Vice President, Philanthropic Services.  Redden was previously Senior Officer at The Pew Charitable Trusts, Vice President at the University of Virginia and chief fundraiser and Assistant Dean for Cornell University's School of Veterinary Medicine.

• Katrina Jurgill Briddell was promoted from Foundation Relations Director to Senior Director. Ms. Briddell has a Master's degree from Emory University and joined American Humane Association in 2010.  She previously served as Senior Associate in the Philanthropic Services Department at The Pew Charitable Trusts and as Development Writer & Associate at the Close Up Foundation. Under her leadership foundation giving more than tripled in the last 12 months.

• Audrey Lang, MS, SPHR was promoted from Human Resources Director to Chief of Staff.  Ms. Lang joined American Humane Association in 2008, bringing with her more than a decade of top-level HR/OD experience at United Way and major healthcare organizations, including the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses.

"American Humane Association has been in the forefront of child and animal protection for 135 years," says President Ganzert. "With these newest top-tier additions and promotions in our leadership team, American Humane Association is making great new strides in meeting the key challenges facing the welfare, wellbeing and wellness of America's children and animals – society's most vulnerable – over the next century."  

About American Humane Association
Since 1877 American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting children, pets and farm animals from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Today they are also leading the way in understanding the human-animal bond and its role in therapy, medicine and 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. You can help make a difference, too, for millions of children and animals in need. Please visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.

SOURCE American Humane Association